Basketball: Tall Black set to make his mark

By PETER JESSUP

Aucklander Sean Marks looks to have cracked the big time with a one-year deal with the Miami Heat.

Marks is over the moon to be in the squad after yesterday's final culling by coach Pat Riley.

Tomorrow, Marks will get his first real on-court chance as he goes against his old team the Toronto Raptors in the first game of the NBA season.

He is assured of more game-time under Riley than he had at the Raptors, where he was used as a third replacement, often getting little more than five minutes on court.

He is also assured of more money, starting on a base salary of $US250,000 ($600,450), plus expenses and win bonuses.

The 26-year-old has been living in a hotel for a month and training with the Heat twice daily.

The best indication that Riley was really interested in the Tall Black guard was the 25 minutes he gave him in each of two pre-season match-ups against the San Antonio Spurs and their "twin towers" of David Robinson and Tim Duncan.

In front of Marks are stars Alonzo Mourning at centre and Brian Grant at power forward.

Marks is over the torn shoulder ligaments that stifled his game in Europe in the NBA off-season and is enjoying turning out with players such as Mourning.

Riley has given him little indication of how he will be used.

"He's been pleased with how I've performed, saying all the right things," Marks said.

As a newcomer he cannot be swapped to another club as part of a multi-player trade, as has happened once already, when the anti-trade deadline comes off on December 15.

He said he was disappointed with his lack of game-time at Toronto and certainly had something to prove in the opening game (the Raptors' coaching staff that held him back have since been sacked).

He has had calls from their players congratulating him, and says he holds no grudges, but wants to show his worth.

"I just wanted a fair shot and now I'm hopeful of getting one."

Riley is a stickler for perfection, Marks said, a real thinker in the game and a big attraction for him in deciding to push hard after he got the trial at Miami.

Asked if Riley always dressed as immaculately as he appeared on television, Marks said: "Absolutely, to the nines all the time.

"He's a living legend in the game. It's great for me to be able to say 'I learnt this from Pat Riley'."