DeMar Derozan on time with Spurs: 'I felt like I was wiped off the map' / News - Basketnews.com

DeMar DeRozan felt neglected playing for the San Antonio Spurs even though he admits that Gregg Popovich's guidance helped him improve his game.

Credit: AP - Scanpix Credit AP - Scanpix

From being a beloved part of a championship contender to leading a quietly tanking team to being in contention once again, DeMar DeRozan has lived through it all in the NBA.

After testing the waters in free agency last summer, the forward ended up in Chicago after a sign-and-trade deal with the San Antonio Spurs. Following the decision, DeRozan would end up playing his career season with the Bulls last year and was named an All-Star for the fifth time in his career.

Talking about his three-year experience in the small-market area playing for the Spurs, DeRozan opened up in The Old Man and the Three podcast with JJ Redick.

"I felt like I was wiped off the map," DeRozan told. "That took a toll, especially [after] every single year going to the Conference Finals, Conference Semifinals, competing, winning 50-plus games, to all the sudden, you don't exist.

It was like, 'Damn, what's this? Hey, I'm here.' That's what I felt like."

Nevertheless, the player admits that being guided by the legendary Gregg Popovich has helped improve his game.

"Granted, I had great games. I developed in a lot of great ways as a basketball player, but in the same token, I just felt nonexistent for those years," he said. "It wasn't like we were on TV, we weren’t competing. There was so much to it that was a struggle. I just felt like I was irrelevant."

The Chicago Bulls have been practicing in the training camp this week. The team will play its first preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans next Tuesday, October 4th, US time.

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