The Layup Line
A Series of Short Shots
Tiago Splitter Resigns with Tau, a Sympathetic View
Tiago Splitter, one of Europe’s best players, was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 2007. Splitter is a lottery talent that fell to the back of the first round because of concerns about his European contract. The Spurs, said pundits, were both fortunate and smart for drafting him when he fell into their lap. Couple this with Splitter’s dominant season in Europe, and all looked bright for San Antonio, until last night.
Splitter has decided to forgo the NBA by renewing his contract with Tau Ceramica, reportedly a 4 year deal worth 8 times what he would have made as a Spur. 8x.
But there is more. Splitter is helping care for his sister, who is fighting leukemia. His family is in Spain, as are her doctors. So the stability of remaining in Spain might have an added an appeal to the generous contract offer of Tau.
Beyond this, Splitter knew that he is an MVP fish in the Euro pond; he is probably nothing more than a solid rotational fish in the NBA pond. He’d rather be “the man” than the man in Tim Duncan’s shadow.
It’s hard to fault the guy, don’t you think?
