In the seven months since the Blazers' 10-11 season ended, Nicolas Batum has matured tremendously.

Batum played for the French National team at the 2011 European Championships in Lithuania and has become a lead of SLUC Nancy.

"People have shown me respect -- the coaches, the players, the refs. I've gone through some great experiences this summer with the national team and now here. When the game is on the line I want the ball. The game is in my hands. That is very good for me. 

"This is different because this is my team." 

Batum has taken his overall game to the next level. 

"When the ball is in my hands I know I can make plays happen and just not stand in the corner and wait. When the game is on the line and the ball is in my hands I want them to trust me and know that everything is going to be okay," asserted Batum. 

"The coach told me I am the boss of the team. This is my team, so I need to be vocal and I need to talk to them and regroup. At halftime I am the one who talks first. I tell guys that we need to wake up. This is our home and we need to protect (it)." 

The Hornets are spending their time during the lockout scouting college players and observing coaching staffs.

Monty Williams has made visits to Tulane and LSU, while Dell Demps has made trips to North Carolina and Duke. 

“We’ve sent everybody out to bring back information to see what we can use,’’ Williams said. “It’s been really good for me because I’m still trying to get better at my craft.

“What happened last year was special, not only for me as a coach but for our players, and we want to build on that. The only way we can do that is continue to work by research and talking to people who know more.’’

Williams said he also meets with his staff once a week at the Alario Center.

“For me, it’s all about preparation and being ready when called,” Williams said.

ESPN's David Thorpe examined several of the best prospects in college basketball and determined which team would be the best fit for them.

Thorpe believes Harrison Barnes of North Carolina would be an ideal fit for the Raptors.

"Imagine the impact Barnes could have in Toronto, probably the worst defensive team last season," writes Thorpe. "Not only would he immediately upgrade the Raps on that side of the ball, but his perimeter shooting partners well with their shooting guard, DeMar DeRozan, who can slash but does not shoot well from the perimeter."

Shaquille O'Neal believes LeBron James has more in common with himself than he does with Kobe Bryant.

“Kobe is a scientific dawg. He works out every day, practices every day. Most of the other stars are just dawgs, not scientific dawgs. Me, I’m a freak-of-nature dawg because of my size. LeBron could be a scientific dawg like Kobe, but he’s got a lot going on like I did, so that’s preventing him from being one.”

Ricky Rubio is looking forward to playing for new Minnesota head coach Rick Adelman.

“I heard a lot of things,” he said. “I couldn’t talk with him because of the lockout, but I heard he bring Sacramento Kings to the finals of the conference. He has a great, great NBA career, so he’s a great coach. For me, it’s good that guys like Jason Williams, they play really, really good when they play for him. It will be amazing to play for him.”

There are stylistic similarities between Williams and Rubio.

“Every player is different from the other one, there is not two players the same,” he said when asked about the comparisons. “I learn a lot from a lot of point guards and one of them was Jason Williams because he was making those crazy passes. It was fun to watch him.

“I’m a point guard. My goal is that all five players are playing the same way, trying to stay together and trying to make them better. A point guard is the guy who brings the ball and try to know and guess which is the best option in the right moment. It is hard to know. You learn from a lot of things and every game is different.

“In every game, you have to find the way to win the game. Sometimes, you have to make plays for the center, sometimes for the forward, sometimes for myself. The goal is to win the game. That’s what the point guard has to transmit to his teammates."