Blazers don't want 2-sport athlete Connaughton playing baseball
The Portland Trail Blazers want to keep rookie Pat Connaughton on the hardwood and off the diamond.
But Connaughton wants to be a two-sport star and remains torn between his two passions: basketball and baseball.
"I love them both," Connaughton told NBA.com's Ian Thomsen. "If someone put a gun to my head and said, 'Pick one,' I might just say, 'Shoot me.' No, I wouldn't. But it's just something that I would never pick one."
Blazers general manager Neil Olshey acknowledges Connaughton's undeniable gits, but wants his rookie to channel all his energy toward basketball for the time being.
"The conversation we had with Pat prior to all of this was you're an NBA player now," Olshey said. "Being an NBA player is not a part-time job. Now, look, if he gets into a second contract down the road and that is something he wants to pursue, then that can be a discussion point."
Olshey added, "There are guys who have an inherent feel for sports. The relationship to the ball and the hand-eye coordination, it makes sense to them. And they have instincts. That's why you see Pat get deflections and steals in the passing lanes. I look at it like somebody that is really good with the computer: They're not going to be afraid to move onto a different operating system."
When the 22-year-old was acquired by the Blazers on draft night in June, the team's vision for the former Notre Dame shooting guard was simple - to focus solely on the development of basketball skills.
Connaughton's dilemma is understandable. Genetic contributions from his parents have bestowed an incredible amount of athleticism upon the 6-foot-5 Massachusetts native. He possesses a knack for all-around productivity on the basketball court (12.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 42.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc for the Fighting Irish in 2014-15), but also the ability to throw a 97-mph fastball.
His talents on the mound were enough to seduce the Baltimore Orioles in 2014, as they drafted Connaughton in the fourth round after his junior year. He pitched 14 2/3 innings last summer for the Low-A Aberdeen IronBirds, the Orioles' minor-league affiliate, recording 10 strikeouts and an impressive 2.45 ERA.
In his first chance to compete against NBA-caliber competition, he averaged 7.2 points and 4.8 rebounds, while shooting 43.8 percent from long range in five games for the Blazers' summer league squad.
As a sign of its commitment to Connaughton, Portland gave him a three-year deal last month.
For his part, Connaughton has said all the right things, ostensibly calming the nerves of those who are anxious about his Bo Jackson-like aspirations.