The French Correction

PHOENIX â€”  Boris Diaw had this vision as a tall, lanky teenager in Bordeaux, France: He wanted to be the next Magic Johnson.

As the locals might have said, “Quoi?!� (In English: “What?!�)

He had taken a stab at fencing; didn’t like it. Judo didn’t strike him either.

But he had this memory of Johnson and the Dream Team at the 1992 Olympics, so he ultimately chose the sport that made his mother, Elisabeth Riffiod, one of the most popular female athletes in France.

The folks back in Bordeaux are probably a little more understanding these days.

Diaw, 24, has made his way onto a very short list of French players in the NBA, including San Antonio guard Tony Parker and Lakers rookie Ronny Turiaf.

He has been fast-tracked for NBA success since the Phoenix Suns acquired him from Atlanta last August. His game was already improving this season when the Suns, desperate for size after injuries to centers Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas, shifted the former guard to center in February.

Way undersized for the position at 6 feet 8, Diaw has flourished in the Suns’ nonstop system, putting up points as fast as his teammates and adding a passer’s touch rarely seen at center.

That the Suns are still alive in the playoffs is a testimony mainly to Steve Nash, but also partly to Diaw.

“He’s going to be one of our best players ... for a lot of years,� Suns Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “He’s only going to get better. Now he’s just got to get himself a Hollywood starlet and you’ve got another Tony Parker.�

Diaw has already enjoyed morsels of fame in the playoffs.

He made the winning shot in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against Dallas, then sheepishly admitted he was lounging on the French Riviera a year ago. (Basketball doesn’t exactly keep Atlanta players busy past April.)

Diaw, pronounced DEE-ow, has averaged 18.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists in the Suns’ surprising run through the playoffs.

Since Thomas suffered a stress fracture in his foot three months ago, Diaw has had to play the heavy on defense and given up three, four, even 10 inches to opposing centers.

Neither the Lakers nor Clippers were secretive about their desire to pound the ball down low in the first two rounds, but Diaw survived, as did the Suns, advancing with a Game 7 victory each time.

Now Dallas is discovering Diaw.

“He’s hurt us,� Mavericks Coach Avery Johnson said. “We haven’t had an answer for him. He’s really, obviously turned into a great, a heck of a player right now.�

And to think Diaw was pigeonholed to play the point.

As a teenager, he and his mother, a 6-2 center who played 13 years on the French national team, argued about which position he should play.

“I told her I wanted to be 6-8 and play point guard,� Diaw said. “She said that if you’re 6-8 you have to be a center. I said, ‘No, look at Magic Johnson. He’s 6-8 and he plays point guard.’ He was my favorite player.�

Diaw still doesn’t consider himself a center -- how could he, really?

He had 16 assists in a late regular-season game against Golden State and, to prove it was no fluke, followed it with 12 assists against the Lakers two days later.

“I don’t play like a center,� he said. “I don’t post up big guys. I’m forced to guard the centers, but offensively I don’t play like a center.�

He came up through the French basketball ranks as a guard and was drafted by Atlanta with the 21st pick in 2003. He averaged only 4.6 points in two seasons, mostly as a backup guard, and was ineffective from the outside last season, shooting only 18% from three-point range.

His big break was that the Suns were involved in contentious contract negotiations with up-and-coming restricted free agent Joe Johnson and opted to trade him after talks went nowhere.

The Hawks offered two first-round picks and Diaw. The Suns, with dwindling options and an already-remade roster after trading three-point ace Quentin Richardson to New York, agreed to do it.

Diaw was on an African safari, out of cellphone range, when the trade was announced. When he got back in range, the first thing he received was a text message from a friend who was kind but not nearly detailed enough: “Congratulations on the trade.�

Diaw momentarily didn’t know what awaited him.

“I said thank you, but I didn’t know where I was going,� Diaw said.

Then a second text message came in, with a mention of his new destination.

Diaw couldn’t have been happier with the news. The results since haven’t been bad either.

“It’s ideal,� he said. “I’m enjoying playing in the conference final.�

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Continental drift

Boris Diaw, one of five players of French nationality playing in the NBA, has found a home in Phoenix. A look at his three-year NBA career, and the league’s other French players.

DIAW IN THE REGULAR SEASON

*--* Season Team G Min Pts Reb Ast 2003-04 Atlanta 76 25.3 4.5 4.5 2.4 2004-05 Atlanta 66 18.2 4.8 2.6 2.3 2005-06 Phoenix 81 35.5 13.3 6.9 6.2

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*--* DIAW IN THE PLAYOFFS Season Team G Min Pts Reb Ast 2005-06 Phoenix 17 39.9 18.1 6.1 5.7

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*--* FRANCE IN THE NBA Player Pos NBA Team Boris Diaw G-F Phoenix Tony Parker G San Antonio Johan Petro C Seattle Mickael Pietrus G-F Golden State Ronny Turiaf F Lakers

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Source: NBA.com