San Antonio Spurs All-Star DeMar DeRozan says part of his game developed by watching some of the greatest players from years past, including Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Alex English.
DeRozan tells ESPN's Tim Bontemps that he used to old NBA games on VHS tapes in an attempt to further his skill set. DeMar is 30 years of age, so he's just on the cusp of even knowing what a VHS player is.
Several players from yesteryear had an impact on DeRozan's game, but it was English who stood out the most:
Asked how he developed his game, DeMar DeRozan said he grew up watching VHS tapes of games from the 70s and 80s — including every All-Star Game from both decades. One player’s that stood out to him? Alex English.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 8, 2020
For younger fans (or those who may not know), English was a great scorer. He played on four different teams over the course of his 15-year career in the NBA, including the Bucks, Pacers Nuggets and Mavericks. He was recognized as an All-Star eight times, earned three All-NBA Second-Team nods and his No 2 jersey was later retired by the Denver Nuggets. The South Carolina native holds career averages of 21.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Needless to say, English is a fine role model to have.
DeRozan joined the Spurs prior to the start of the 2018 season as part of a trade with the Raptors. It was the same deal that sent Kawhi Leonard to Toronto — a team that he led to its first championship in franchise history.
DeRozan has been a fine addition to the Spurs' lineup, though the team is currently holding a 15-20 overall record. He's made 35 appearances this season, racking up averages of 21.7 points on 53.0 percent shooting from the field (30.4 percent from beyond the arc), 5.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and just under one steal (0.9) in 33.9 minutes per outing.
The Spurs will be back in action on Wednesday night, when they'll face off against the Boston Celtics. Tip-off inside TD Garden is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.
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