"Robin Lopez excited about new challenge as team's starter"

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"I see a guy who has tremendous size, defensive-oriented, got some skill on the block has a pretty good IQ for the game and has a lot of passion," Williams said. "Sometimes that gets in the way a little bit. But it's a good thing. It's not negative or selfish. And he'll admit he's not your average NBA guy. But I kind of like that."

"So many guys in the NBA are cookie-cutout. One guy puts on those stupid glasses, everybody's putting them on. The next thing they'll be carrying canes to the games as fashion pacemakers. It's getting out of hand with all that. He's a guy who kind of walks on his own and doesn't care what people thing."

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Shortly after Lopez arrived July 27, he underwent an arthroscopic surgical procedure on his left knee that addressed a minor tendon problem that had troubled him throughout last season in Phoenix.

The Aug. 4 surgery allowed Lopez plenty of time for rehabilitation and Lopez is at 100 percent as the Hornets get into training camp.

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