I spent the days beginning with ‘S’ milling around Wizards training camp this past weekend. Media is only given access at the very end of practice. I basically got to see the team shoot free-throws on Saturday, and the end of situational scrimmaging on Sunday. Once practice is over, we’re allowed down on the floor for interviews. On each day, Flip Saunders was the first to come over and was very personable and gracious in answering whatever question was thrown his way. After that, we just try to catch the players as they emerge from the training room … most glad to stop and talk for several minutes, and a few opting to talk on the move as the media guys tried to keep up. No one dare approach Gilbert Arenas on either of those days lest he run away screaming, “No media, NO!,” possibly hurting himself in the process.

Unfortunately, because of some personal travel between the days, I wasn’t able to post as much as I would have liked. Below are some of my notes/observations/comments/quotes from those two days.

Previous Training Camp Posts:

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[via Richmond, VA]

Everyone’s heard past talk from Andray Blatche about improving with results showing very little. Last Wednesday on Bullets Forever, Mike Prada reported that the 2009 development of Blatche was “so far so good.” Through training camp this weekend, Blatche has continued to display glimmers of hope that this season will finally be his.

In Sunday’s Washington Post, Michael Lee related a story about a Saturday scrimmage battle between Antawn Jamison and a defending Andray Blatche:

Coach Flip Saunders hopped up, chased down Andray Blatche and gave him a high-five. DeShawn Stevenson patted Blatche on the back, and several of the Washington Wizards’ players and coaches hooted and applauded. Blatche hadn’t completed a nifty fast-break dunk or finger roll; he simply wouldn’t give Antawn Jamison any room to get off a shot in the low block. The swarming help defense behind Blatche wouldn’t give Jamison a passing lane, which allowed Blatche to later slap away the ball.

During that scrimmage, it appeared Blatche wanted to prove himself a little bit more in going against Jamison, who, as a veteran locker room leader, has probably come down the hardest on Andray in the past. Blatche was almost muscling up on Jamison, fighting him for post position, like he stole something from him.

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I won’t be down in Richmond to cover training camp until this weekend, but there’s plenty of output from those in the mix on the campus of VCU. Here’s the run-down …

(and yes, still jealous that I’m not down there … still making “livin’ money” during the day instead)

Flip Saunders, master teacher [via WashingtonWizards.com]

Project Comeback

Gilbert Arenas hasn’t spoken yet this week, but according to Saunders and some of his teammates, he is rolling right along.

“I thought he looked good. If you look at how his team does [in scrimmages], I think that’s the most important thing,” Saunders said. “One of the main comments that came out from our meeting afterwards with the coaches was they didn’t realize how well he can really see the floor, push the ball and create. He’s gone three practices in 24 hours and Idon’t see any ill effects. He exploded when he needed to explode and got where he wanted to go. He’s trying to understand his role and what we want him to do, and trying to be that leader.”

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First up, our friend Andray Blatche. What you will see in the video embedded below:

• Andray making cupcakes at Red Velvet.
• Andray eating cupcakes and drinking a juice box with NBC 4′s Lindsay Czarniak.
• Andray’s mini-jersey chain bling.

And now LaVar Arrington posting up Gilbert Arenas … and missing the bunny.

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