Sixers' Tony Battie Providing Veteran Leadership
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Philadelphia 76ers will spend the week on the road, starting with tonight's battle in Utah against the Jazz.
The Sixers have burst on the scene the last few months thanks in large part to a very young roster, one of the youngest in the NBA. However, the roster does have some savvy veterans, the most veteran of which is 6'11" forward/center Tony Battie.
Battie is in his 13th season in the NBA, after being the fifth overall selection by the Denver Nuggets in the 1997 draft out of Texas Tech. His career included stops in Denver, Boston, Cleveland, Orlando, and New Jersey before he landed in Philadelphia.
Battie says he is impressed with how this team has come together after that dismal 3-13 start of the season.
"We definitely saw the signs that we were better (than that), but to see it turn around overnight, so to speak, is just the result of hard work and everybody kind of pulling together," Battie told KYW Newsradio. "And Doug (Collins) is leading the ship and we got on the same page, and we were able to run off some wins."
Hear Matt Leon's full interview with Tony Battie in this CBS Philly SportsPod...
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Battie's minutes have been limited this season, as he's not a part of the regular rotation. While he would love the chance to get out there a bit more, he understands the big picture.
"Definitely as a competitor you want to be out there, but I understand it," he told KYW's Matt Leon. "It's kind of the changing of the guard. I remember first coming into this league and pushing some of the old guys out of their spots and the same thing kind of happens now. Some of those guys took me under their wing and they pretty much coached me and helped me become a starter in this league. So it's only right that I can return the favor to guys like Mo' Speights, because his opportunity is coming."
Bill Clinton was still president when Battie came into the NBA, so he is happy to say that he is still getting paid to lace 'em up:
"I always said I wanted to play 15 years. I know some of the veterans in front of me like Joe Wolf, LaPhonso Ellis, and Bryant Stith, all those guys played right around that thirteen, fourteen, fifteen (season) range. So I always said I wanted to be right there with them and play a good 15 years. So I'm almost there."
Battie has played in 31 games this season for the Sixers. For his career he is averaging 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Reported by Matt Leon, KYW Newsradio 1060.
