Heal Earns Place on Spurs Roster

[Joel]

Heal plays plays it off cuff
By Grantey Bernard
October 29, 2003

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,7703873-23769,00.html

[Presti35]

The thing is he was good enough ten years ago to play for any NBA side.

The best Aussie player so far.... (infront of Longley and then Gaze) IMO.

I remember when he played for the T'Wolves in 96-97 i think? he hardly played and then they dropped him

still a good job to get into the defending champions line up! hope he does well!

[Joel]

Actually, he was dropped because he did a calf injury in the pre-season for his second season at the Timberwolves. Before that he was the favourite for a spot as the backup point guard. But, he returned home, and after he recovered, started playing with the Sydney Kings again.

[Donny]

Heal backs out of return
By Grantley Bernard
October 30, 2003

A LOWER back injury prevented Shane Heal's expected NBA return with the San Antonio Spurs yesterday.

With starting point guard Tony Parker injured, it was thought Heal would get court time for the Spurs in the season-opener against the Phoenix Suns, but he was forced to watch instead.

Having missed two training sessions with the back problem, Heal was ruled out of the Suns game and today's road game against the Denver Nuggets.

"Being injured a couple of days ago, missing the last two days of practice and also the home opener could have been one of the most frustrating times that I have experienced," Heal said on his website hammer.net.au.

"Unfortunately (the back) locked up." The Spurs came from behind to beat the Suns 83-82.

[Joel]

Weakling! My back is in agony most weeks when I play basketball, that reminds me, I guess I better go see someone about that.

[Donny]

Joel,

Back pain is one of the most prevalent and debilitating afflictions of the western world. It's difficult and frustrating to find help in the mainstream medical world.

May I suggest two books:

Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection by John E. Sarno

and:

When the Body says No by Gabor Mate.

You can look them up on the net so I'll just leave it with you without a big rave. Life changing stuff, mate.

Yes, I could've PMed Joel but this is good info for anyone with back pain and other body pain which adversely effects quality of life.

[Joel]

Thanks Donny, I will look it it.

[Presti35]

the spurs/suns game was on ESPN... saw Heal in casual clothes on the bench.... so i didnt watch the eintire game... came back and watched the last 3 minutes lol... was a good finish actually...

and i too have a hacked back! im 22 and my back is hammered! but i have found a cure!

[Presti35]

Shane Heal played 17 minutes, grabed 1 rebound and had 2 assists with a total of 11 points.

Spurs 86, Knicks 74
11/1/2003 SBC Center, San Antonio, TX

[Presti35]

The bastards cut him.

so pisst!

[Donny]

Yeah. And it's bloody painful to be cut by spurs.

Ask any horse.

[HAL]

Do you dream?

[Bartros]

The best Aussie player so far.... (infront of Longley and then Gaze) IMO.

How can you say that Longley was @ the bulls in there golden era and Gaze won one in the stirke year!!!

Heal as never even come close

[Presti35]

Did u watch the olympics in 1996 and 2000?

And Gaze didnt do anything for the spurs... Heal already played more minutes than him in 5 games lol... just cos he got a ring dosnt mean anything... i mean Stockton, Malone and Barkley dont have rings.

And Longley was a madd center... but yeah he played with the Bulls... with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman.... Damien Monkhurst could have played @ Center with that team and they still would have won.

Its hard to compare Heal with Luc... two totaly different players...
But i'd still take Heal before any other Aussie player.

[Donny]

Euro clubs chase Heal
By Tim Morrissey
November 20, 2003

NEWS of Shane Heal's departure from San Antonio Spurs has travelled fast with at least four cashed up European clubs now aggressively chasing the Australian point guard.

Heal arrived back in Sydney yesterday morning, however one of the deals on offer -- believed to be worth around $500,000 for five months -- will have the the blond bomber boarding another flight for Europe shortly.

"I'd be pretty surprised if I wasn't in Europe in the next 10 days," said Heal.

"They've been pretty aggressive, I would've liked to go after Christmas as originally planned, but I couldn't be guaranteed there would be the same opportunities.

"Some of the offers have been ridiculous, I've been really surprised, especially after the money on offer in Europe has been cut back."

The European offers have come from one Spanish club, one Italian club and two Greek clubs but not his former team of Near East Athens where he played previously.

Heal had always intended to go back to Europe following the announcement of his retirement from the NBL after leading the Sydney Kings to the championship last season.

His plans were changed when the Spurs signed the 33-year-old triple Olympian to a non-guaranteed contract late in the pre-season after the defending NBA champions' backcourt was depleted by injury.

Heal made a couple of impressive cameos for the Spurs, including a game-high 16 points against the Hornets in pre-season and 11 points in San Antonio's 86-74 win over the New York Knicks.

Once the Spurs' starting point guard Tony Parker reactivated last week and his back-up Anthony Carter returned, Heal's services were no longer needed.

Heal's six week stint in the NBA has only served to push up his value on the European market to a $1million-a-season player.

"After a couple of strong seasons in Greece previously, Shane was already a premium player in terms of salary, but right now he has put himself into a category commanding top European money," said Heal's agent Grant Cadee.

"Shane has certainly enhanced his value in Europe after his stint with the Spurs. He's always been on Europe's radar and there's always been a steady flow of offers."