One Sport, Two Continents, and the International Men of Mystery
2014-05-27
Editors Note: Please welcome new Staff Writer, and CtB European correspondent, Ben Werth.
I yell out “Check up top.” General dillydallying continues, and I yell again. “BALL UP TOP.” Okay, maybe something is lost in translation. I try a different tactic. “Der Ball ganz oben, bitte?” That combined with the well known International Sign of “putting my hands out to receive a pass” have the desired effect. I’m pretty sure my whack literal translation was not what yielded the ball.
“What do you guys usually play? 12 win by two, or 21 straight? All ones?” I generally detest playing with ones and twos in pickup ball. The NBA short corner three is ridiculously inefficient compared to that two for one advantage. Good thing most normal people can’t shoot.
“Okay!” says one lithe baller.
“Okay, what? Bis zwölf, oder was?” Have I been talking to myself?
“Einundzwanzig, twenty-one,” he replies.
“Dreier!!!”
I guess we are playing ones and twos. Apparently, referring to a shot beyond the arc as a three, regardless of point value, is an international phenomenon.
The lithe baller comes back down the floor, (we have thankfully settled into an attempted 2-3) and drives past everyone until I am forced to foul him. I expect him to call something. Nothing. People give me a look of disdain.
“That was a foul!”
“Of course, it was. Call it then!” I reply.
“You must call it. Defense calls fouls!” they say in charming stereo.
“Oh.” Well that certainly begs a level of trust.
And so on. Acclimating to German pickup ball has been strangely informative. A country’s pickup style shows the basic way most people in that country understand the game. Most of the guys I play with were born around the time the Dream Team consumed the 1992 Olympic Games. They have grown up playing ball. They have had a hero in Dirk, and a love for the game. But it is a different game. Every culture has its subcultures and basketball is no different.
Zone defenses have always been allowed in the European game. Their kids have grown up playing mostly zone.(Though there is a continuing shift to man-to-man, their man is still not as hands on as American ball.) Soccer and Handball influence the game far more than I ever understood before moving here. They apply good soccer strategy to basketball with mixed results. Offensively, it can work quite well. One does not set picks in soccer, but spacing and movement set up the best attack possibilities. Reversing the ball, and avoiding over-dribbling are necessary in both sports. Defensively, however soccer principles can be harmful. In soccer, one should meet the ball early as to not allow the opponent too much time on your half of the field. In basketball, stopping the ball is a must, but getting all the way back in transition requires a player to avoid reaching at half-court.
It is often feared that players coming out of Syracuse will have too steep of a learning curve converting to the NBA’s man D. (We have seen that at times from Dion, but he is vastly improved). Zone players, both offensively and defensively, tend to ball watch far more as there isn’t the same reliance on backscreens. Most of the European players have been figuratively going to Syracuse their whole lives. As for Handball. They allow three steps. Where was the Eurostep born? …Right.
With the Adelman Kings incredible popularity, the NBA saw the advantage of opening up the game. People grew tired of watching Shaq’s bully ball and loved watching the Kings pass happy big men. A zone makes one-on-one dominance more difficult and promotes ball swings to the weak-side. Interestingly, allowing zone has mitigated the effects of eliminating the handcheck rule and promoted ball movement from side to side. Smart coaches can now overload the strong side and play the man/zone mix that basically all good defensive teams now employ. A guy can beat someone off the dribble more easily without the handcheck, but if a team is zoned up on the strong side, that penetration usually leads to a kick out pass. People like to watch the ball fly around.
Like with most things, a good balance between ideologies delivers great results. It’s no coincidence that the Spurs have eight International guys on the team. Popovich has created a beautiful system that utilizes the best of PnR basketball and Motion Offense. Tony Parker (who is still criminally underrated) is so clever in the PnR. Parker or Duncan gets to the middle almost at will, which is chaos for any defensive system. At least one of them is always going to the hoop. You don’t see Parker shot hunting while Duncan pops. (one of my biggest pet peeves. I’m looking at you Spencer Hawes and Kyrie). The Spurs off ball movement and spacing are great, at least in some part, because their players are used to playing against a zoned defense. They rarely crowd the strong side and their weakside geometry is clockwork.
…
When attempting to analyze International stats and players, we must keep in mind a few basic things:
1. They play 40 minute games everywhere else in the world.
2.Individual usage is usually quite a bit lower because of the “motion offense” dominance. Various traditional stats take a hit.
3. Often, stats are accumulated between the various leagues. i.e. 30 games in Adriatic league and 10 in Eurocup.
4. All leagues are not created equal. If a player is tearing it up in the Spanish league, we should take note.
5. Young players often have to pay their dues for minutes. They don’t care that much about getting an 18 year old athletic phenom big minutes solely for development. Seniority plays a larger role in minute distribution.
Since we have yet to install cameras in every arena on the planet, much of the evaluation still relies on statistical guess work and the now dreaded “eye test”. I have a set of scouting questions that help to discern whether a player’s skill-set will translate well to the NBA’s basketball culture. Below is a sampling of some highly touted European prospects.
My Major Questions:
How well does he move laterally? Does he thrive in Pick and Roll, both offensively and defensively? How fast is his release? Finish above the rim/How much does he rely on superior athleticism? Does he actually box out? Does he have an NBA position?
Dario Saric SF/PF Croatia
projected top 10
The Word:
Widely considered the top International talent in this draft, Saric has the prototypical size of a stretch four.
At 6’10” and 220 lbs, he has a rather filled out frame for a 20 year old. He is most often lauded for his playmaking ability off the bounce, solid defensive fundamentals, and defensive rebounding skills. There are the customary questions about whether he will be able to come to the NBA in the near future. It seems unlikely that he will make his NBA debut this season.
My Questions Answered:
He has good lateral quickness for a man his size. He should have no trouble guarding most PFs off the dribble, but it could get dicey against SFs with handle.
As far as the PnR is concerned, I have no idea. There is so little video of him in a PnR or defending it. His turnover rate was obscenely high. I doubt it would be a good idea for him to be the PnR ball-handler. The roll/pop man?
I worry most about his release. Though his shooting percentages are decent for a young player and his form is solid, he takes forever loading up. He has a tendency to hold the ball, pause, then drop it below his waist as he starts his motion. He might end up being a high percentage three point shooter, but he won’t be a high volume guy unless he can speed that up.
I lied, I worry most about his finishing ability. He most certainly does NOT finish above the rim. 20 year olds usually have lively legs. If he isn’t getting up now, it’s not happening. That combined with a slow release, makes it hard for him to be a primary partner in the PnR. What’s worse, most of his best plays come off the bounce against inferior athletes. He is not going to be able to use his slow motion left to right crossover in the NBA. It is a blatant carry anyway.
But, I love how he boxes out! Many young players from all parts of the world have totally dismissed this crucial part of the game. A stretch 4 who can actually rebound his position is priceless. He will get many catches on the weak-side ball-swing. His handle and court vision will help him if the defense stops his languid three point attempt.
Cavs relevance: If he drops past 20, because of his contract status, the Cavaliers and many other teams would be wise to trade up. I don’t think he is athletic enough for the top 10.
NBA Future: Mix between Boris Diaw and Hedo Turkoglu when those guys weren’t playing at their best.
Jusuf Nurkic C Bosnia
projected top 15
The Word:
He is huge. At only 19, Nurkic was measured at 6’11” and 280 pounds. He has completely destroyed the Adriatic league in limited minutes. He is a traditional Center, with a relatively soft touch for his massive frame.
My Questions Answered:
For his position, he moves pretty well laterally. He keeps his behind down a lot better than most guys his size. There is actually footage of him both defending the PnR and offensively as a roll partner. He is underwhelming if adequate at both. His lateral quickness is good enough to stretch out Adriatic league PGs, but we shall see if a coach would have him even attempt that in the NBA. As a roller, his footwork is a little sloppy and his hands aren’t great, but he tries to finish with authority when he can.
He needs a lot of dribbles to get to the spot he wants on the block, but once he gets there, he has fluid spin move into a soft jump hook. With better early work, he should able to catch closer to his preferred post spot. Not a jump shooter.
He doesn’t have much lift at all. He relies on overpowering guys with his size. He is in no danger of winning a dunk contest. Many of his bull moves will be useless in the NBA, but he is not an obscenely obese 280 lbs at just under 20 years old. He will get even stronger.
He gets a ton of rebounds, but I would like to see him get lower into his legs when he boxes out. There is value in leaning on a guy from above to control him, but that won’t cut it against bigger opponents.
Cavs relevance: No thanks. The Cavs desperately need a rim protecting big with a quick second jump. He is not.
NBA Future: Cherokee Parks? Cole Aldrich? He is probably better than those guys, but I don’t think he will be anything more than a backup C on an average squad. He just doesn’t have enough athleticism for today’s game.
Clint Capela PF/C Switzerland
Projected Top 25
The Word:
Capela is very long with good athleticism and great defensive potential. He has a ridiculous wingspan of 7’4.5″ Today’s basketball players continue to make a mockery of Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. Capela plays like a center, but has a power forward body.
My Questions Answered:
His lateral quickness is great for a big man. He looks more like a wing player moving side to side, but then, considering his slight build, he always looks more like a wing player. He reminds me of a bigger Hakim Warrick, though far less polished, if that’s possible. He measures at 6’11” in shoes, but doesn’t look it.
He has great PnR potential both offensively and defensively. He does a good job of keeping the ball high when he catches and elevates quickly. His timing seems ok, but it is always a challenge in the NBA. It’s the reason Brandan Wright is as valuable as he is on offense. Great roll timing is an art form and not all guys have it. Defensively, he has the quickness to show and recover if he actually tries. He seems to give up on a play more easily than I would like.
There is no shot release to speak of. I guess you could say he has a quick dunk release. He finishes above the rim, but not through contact. His length is his primary weapon, and why wouldn’t it be with that reach? He should be able to dunk against space at the next level too. Defensively, he has to get into better position, or his physical attributes will go to waste.
He doesn’t use his lower body well on the boards. He seems content to look for the ball and go get it. Welcome to 2014 basketball. He has Center skills at the moment. At only 20, it is plausible that he can develop an offensive arsenal to play at the 4 or get heavier to bang that 5.
Cavs relevance: If he can learn to play with more intensity and not be a liability on the offensive end, he is worth a look. He has a chance to develop into a good defensive player. If he can develop a soft touch to finish off the PnR, he could be a steal at the end of the first round, and a great value at 33.
NBA Future: A team’s second big off the bench is probably his future, with a Brandan Wright ceiling. That’s nothing to sneeze at.
Artem Klimenko C Russia
projected Top 45
The Word:
Klimenko is a true seven footer with a soft touch around the rim. The 20 year old runs the floor well and has superior length to contest shots. Looks a like a puppy on roller skates.
My Questions Answered:
Laterally, he covers a lot of ground due to his size, but he is not a beacon of balance. Anyone know how to say slow motion flail in Russian?
Offensively, he shows good timing on his roll to the rim. He finishes well if his feet are unobstructed, but struggles with contact. Defensively, he gets caught in between help and his man, but that could be said about almost every young prospect ever. He keeps the ball up on the catch. He shoots a solid percentage from the line. Perhaps that can be developed into a solid catch and shoot in PnPop situations.
His real problem is his lack of strength and balance. He relies almost purely on his length and soft hands for his success. He doesn’t leap quickly off two feet. While he has a nice wide base in the post, he doesn’t understand how to use his arms at all. Defensively, he doesn’t utilize a legal forearm and offensively, he doesn’t fend off.
Cavs Relevance: He has a standing reach of 9’4″ so one would think he could be a rim protector. Unfortunately, he has shown no real evidence of good defensive timing. He isn’t athletic enough to make up for his poor strength.
NBA Future: He needs to spend a few years more in Europe. If he develops a catch and shoot, things could get interesting. Otherwise, he is a fourth big off the bench. Maybe.
Walter Tavares C Spain
The Word:
Remember when I said Nurkic was huge? Mr. Tavares is gigantic. At almost 7’3″ and about 270 lbs, this 22 year old fits the upside potential narrative. Just recently started ballin’? Check. Is he unnaturally athletic for a man so big? Check. He has played well in limited minutes, but that’s not really the point with him.
My Questions Answered:
The fact a man this large can move laterally at all is impressive. He keeps his chest up with pretty good regularity and has good balance. His natural talent lies in the PnR game. This is an example of a guy who will likely be much more productive in the NBA than in Europe. He has zero post game, but that doesn’t even matter anymore with way the game has changed. If he can continue to develop his footwork on both sides of the ball, he can be a monster. I’m in love. Though, it must be noted that I fall in love with at least one raw bigman per draft season.
He doesn’t shoot a jumper yet, but his release is surprisingly good for a virtual beginner. He hit 71% from the stripe. That says a lot right there about his potential.
He finishes above the rim, but mostly because he is so tall. Either way, I will take it. He does rely on that size, but again, he is just learning. He actually does a decent job of boxing out on the glass. Most guys that size don’t ever need to until it’s too late to learn. He needs to use that same leg strength to work earlier on defense and not allow his man to pin him.
Cavs Relevance: Yes. Yes, and please yes. Could be the rim protector and lob catcher that Cavs fans dream about.
NBA Future: Ok, you can say Hasheem Thabeet if you want to. He does have similar problems getting pushed around by stronger players. But, he isn’t a lottery pick and already has a better shot release than Thabeet ever dreamed of.
Conclusion:
Other than Saric, I have focused on players who could potentially fill Cleveland’s need at Center. Tavares is my favorite of this group, but we will look at some other potential picks next time. There are also a few interesting backcourt players I will address. Depending on how this crazy summer plays out, the Cavs might end up needing guard help too. Until then! Or rather, Bis dann!
note: All statistical info was taken from DraftExpress
Hot Sauce,
I see what you did there…Gumdrop Bear is a HUGE prospect. Like two buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken HUGE.
All joking aside, I expect Bennett to show why he was a guaranteed top 10 pick in last year’s draft and what made the Cavs want to select him with the top pick with his play this coming season.
Haha Nate. If Wiggins is shooting 35% for the Bucks, we will be all good.
And, KJ, I knew you would show me some love on this one.
I still think Bennett is a HUGE prospect. Part of that is I think he was humbled this year and will, thus, come back in great shape and be a different animal. If he comes back fat again, all bets are off.
Not that this disproves any of what Kj is saying, but just as another piece of data, Bennett played against the nation’s 30th most difficult schedule during his year at UNLV. Wiggins played against the MOST difficult schedule this past year at Kansas.
Source: http://www.bbstate.com/standings/14/sos
Oh lord, Hot Sauce. You won’t be banned, but if Wiggins is shooting 35% next January, I’ll jump in Lake Erie.
In fact, @Hot Sauce check these out: http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/andrew-wiggins-1.html
http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/anthony-bennett-1.html
Man, it’s not really even close. Bennett was better significantly in most every offensive category. Much higher win share too.
And Embiid is much better than Wiggins too: http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/joel-embiid-1.html
People are rightly taken with Wiggins’ athleticism but he looks like a serious bust risk from all of his stats. You would be really taking a flyer (pun unintended) if you draft him first. There’s no way I would ever do it. There’s no evidence he’s worth it, to be frank…
I would tend to agree with that statement, Hot Sauce.
@Underdog, I was pissed wth Amico cuz he was acting like he really studied the film of these top picks and then says something that is the exact opposite of what nearly every scout and talent evaluator has said! It defies credulity! If you’re saying that, you sure as hell better be able to defend a position that is so far outside the concensus as to be ridiculous. I dunno it seems either a real ignorance of basketball or being provocative for it’s own sake…
If I said Anthony Bennett right now is a better offensive prospect than Wiggins, would I be banned from this site for life?
Nurkic has been getting comparisons to Boogie Cousins if you can believe that.
I think Lue can be a good one. I just hope Griffin has the guts to make the right choice and not take a guy because Gilbert can dictate to him, or a guy with a name but is past his prime. Those choices would delay the righting of this ship another few years. I’d still consider the Karl / Price pairing because I think Karl’s still an elite coach and Price could become one. But Karl would not back down to Gilbert (which is probably why he hasn’t been in the conversation much). Amico is good to listen to… Read more »
Moving to coaching news, I like the thought of Lue the more I read about him. His time appears to be now. Plus, as a guy who played guard in the league, perhaps best choice for Ky and Dion?
OT but man, was Amico pissing me off today with his “study” of the Top 3 picks. For example, he said Embiid didn’t have quick feet. In 3 minutes on Google I found 4 scouts quoted as saying Embiid has “good” to “great” feet. Seriously. Why do I bother to read his chats around draft time?
I’m okay with the Cavs signing Kyrie to a max extension on his rookie deal, but I agree with Nate’s approach that they should start with a little bit lower of an offer than that. The Celtics got Rondo to extend his rookie deal on a very reasonable contract. If Kyrie is willing to sign anything less than the max, then it’s a done deal in my eyes. If he is only willing to sign a max extension, I would still probably do it as there’s no way it ends up being as bad as Rudy Gay, Eric Gordon, or… Read more »
A lot of people don’t like Parker. I do. I think he is a Paul Pierce that also makes guys around him better. He has a high basketball IQ and is tough. His bust level is low. Re Wiggins: Scoring less than 10 points in six games, I bet that if you took away his transition baskets he would have had several more single digit games. I don’t think Wiggins will stand out in the half court offense early in his career. I don’t see him ever taking the bull by the horns. The article stated: (quasi quote) “There were… Read more »
If Embiid is not your pick, then #2 or #3 will throw in plenty to move up to #1 and get him, so a trade is in order.
The worthiness of whether Kyrie deserves a max deal isn’t much an issue to me. What is he worth on the open market? Close to a max deal, and he’d get it. All markets aren’t created equal and Cleveland can’t sign a 22 year-old 2 time All-Star in free agency and if they could they’d have to overpay for him.
Well put together Underdog. The real challenge, of course, distinguishing lack of “maturity” vs. “interest”, as they often go hand in hand. There’s not an advanced metric in the world that can sort that out for us all. I am also with you that if the plan is to keep Kyrie, then Embiid MUST be the pick, for the reasons you noted. But if they don’t sign Kyrie….I think Parker might be the guy. He can replace much of what Kyrie did offensively, and with a higher hoops IQ. Of course, if we do go that route, then at least… Read more »
. . . If the Cavs resign Kyrie, then Embiid is the choice. He needs to be backed up with a big, physical, intimidating presence that scowls at anyone that tries to take Kyrie out. With Embiid, the Cavs offense could run from the inside out – creating all sorts of opportunities for Kyrie and other perimeter players. The Cavs also need somebody that Kyrie and Dion can dish it to when taking the ball to the hole. . . . If the Cavs don’t sign Kyrie I still believe Embiid is the choice, but the door is opened to… Read more »
. . . and if we sign Kyrie, we need to draft Embiid – a big, physical, dominating presence to back him up. Somebody that will threaten anybody that takes Kyrie out. Somebody we can work the offense from inside out – freeing Kyrie up.
If we don’t sign Kyrie, then everything changes.
. . . and if we sign Kyrie, we need to draft Embiid to back him up. A big, dominant presence that will scowl at anybody that tries to take Kyrie out. A guy that the offense can work from inside out – freeing Kyrie up all the more.
If we don’t sign Kyrie the entire strategy changes.
I don’t know. After seeing how gifted Kyrie was in the first two years . . . and watching the decline this year . . . there’s no explanation for it except for maybe he doesn’t want to be here. That makes me said because, if you go on youtube and pop up a Kyrie Irving highlight video – my opinion is that it’s as good as anybody that has played the game. I’m talking his highlights. You know – the 3-4-5 plays you see every night that simply blows you away – not the 30 other minutes where he… Read more »
Nice breakdown, Ross. I don’t think you can fault the Bulls for Rose. He just got hurt. Honestly, that’s a lot of what happened with Deron Williams too. Eric Gordon should never have been given that extension until his knee injury played out, but when Phoenix signed him to an offer sheet, the then Hornets (that whole hornets/pelicans/bobcats thing is going to get really confusing — like Marvel comics multiverse timelines confusing) were between a rock and a hard place. They should have learned a Gilbert Arenas lesson and just arranged a sign-and-trade. That all being said, there’s an elephant… Read more »
Gumdrop-
That’s an interesting breakdown. Good work. I’d quibble with maybe some of your groupings (If Carmelo Anthony wasn’t in New York, people would be calling him a taller Steve Francis), but it’s a worthy look.
So….where does Kyrie fall in that? I’d argue somewhere between the On the Fence/Undeserving groups. Of course, we won’t know the true answer for another 3-4 years, and none of us has a crystal ball.
Huge decision coming up that will likely set the future direction of the franchise, good or bad. I just hope we get it right.
In my opinion, out of the sixteen max contract guys, I would separate them into four groups – Deserve Max Contract/Good Decision: Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Love On the Fence/Not a Bad Decision: Derrick Rose (in hindsight it looks terrible, but he was the youngest MVP in the history of the league), Dwight Howard, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Marc Gasol Undeserving of Max Contract/Questionable Decision: John Wall, Roy Hibbert Fire that GM immediately/Terrible Decision: Joe Johnson (egregiously overpaid), Deron Williams (was he worth the max two summers ago?!?), Rudy Gay (lolz), Eric Gordon (are you… Read more »
Current list of 16 NBA max contract players: Joe Johnson, Nets — Six years, $123,658,089: Signed in July 2010 to a starting salary worth 30% of the salary cap, with raises worth 10.5% of the starting salary. Chris Paul, Clippers — Five years, $107,343,475: Signed in July 2013 to a starting salary worth 105% of his 2012/13 pay, with raises worth 7.5% of the starting salary. Deron Williams, Nets — Five years, $98,772,325: Signed in July 2012 to a starting salary worth 105% of his 2011/12 pay, with raises worth 7.5% of the starting salary. Blake Griffin, Clippers — Five… Read more »
@Raoul
I don’t think Silver’s is in anyway cherry picking the basketball data. I do, however, think that it may be difficult to quantify a player’s worth as it pertains to fame. I don’t think Irving is a max player on the court, but his fame puts the organization in a difficult bind.
I’m sure we will discuss this in the coming weeks ad nauseam.
I am on the fence on this last topic. If KI (wants out, will always be a pouter, …), then I am with Gordon. If KI (will learn some D, stay and be happy, …) then I am with Underdog and nomad. BTW, recall the pointer the other day to an analysis about who is worth a max contract: That guy made the case that it is USUALLY a mistake to offer a player the max, and he mentioned KI in particular. Forgetting KI for the moment, is that argument solid? Is there a good counter argument? It kind of… Read more »
DITTO WHAT UNDERDOG SAID
I’m one of those that hopes the Kyrie rumors about wanting to be elsewhere are wrong. But if he has to go, Marcus Smart intrigues me . . . plus a #1 next year sounds good. Exum would do, too.
But I hope that Kyrie stays and grows into the player he has the potential to be. I prefer that to reverting back to a team of kids. Here’s hoping Kyrie, Dion, (Bennett), et al come into their own next year.
With rumors that Kyrie is going to work his way to the Lakers, what about trading Kyrie to LA for the #7 and the Lakers’ #1 next year? It isn’t ideal and personally, I’d love to draft Wiggins/Embiid and watch Kyrie, Dion, Wiggins/Embiid, etc. all in Cavs uniforms. But, with the #1 overall pick this season, we’re drafting a better player than Kyrie to build a team around. With the #7 pick you have an outside shot of grabbing Marcus Smart. At the end of the day, I feel like Smart-Waiters-Wiggins/Embiid is better than Irving-Waiters-Wiggins/Embiid. Smart is more of a… Read more »
@underdog, You mean Sasha Kaun from KU?
Milan Macvan. He hasn’t made too many waves in Europe and we haven’t heard anything about him coming over in a couple seasons. They also haven’t had to pay him anything.
Who was that guy the Cavs picked late in the second round a couple of years ago?
I’ve wanted a draft and stash the past couple drafts. They are a gamble but a low investment gamble that can become scratch off lottery tickets if they hit. If they don’t pan out, you don’t have to bring them over and deal with the salary commitment. If they do, you can infuse more cheap talent on a team thats probably more cash strapped in the future. Capela, Taveres and Klimenko would be interesting guy to add at 33 (or even more up a little for them. Looking back on it Karasev probably would have been better offer playing another… Read more »
Nice article Ben.
I loved the transition from a european (german) pick up game, to the Kings of that Time. That team made me wanna play basketball.
Nice choise of topic.
PS: Another thing that is different in the European PickUpGame, compared to the american style of playing: In Europe you´ll never see someone calling for an Alley-Oop. :D (Strangely even if they are capable of doing it)
welcome aboard ben—-clint capela is an interesting athlete ( length and athleticism make for a nice upside )—if we go wiggins 1st pick—he could be a nice big at the 2nd pick—–looking forward for more articles from you
And Mirotic on the Bulls? It makes me sick. If ‘Melo wants to win. That’s where he should go. Can you imagine Melo on the block with Noah at the high post, or flashing? Then Morotic, Rose, and Dunleavy spacing the floor? How about Rose/Noah P/R with those three floor spacing?
I’m just saying… We should check and see if Big Country spent any time in Bosnia in the early 90s.
@Nate Haha… Total fail on my part. “Big Country” is much better than the Parks connection. If by real deal, we mean that Mirotic can be a productive NBA player, absolutely. His catch and shoot game alone allows him to contribute as a stretch 4. His release is quick, but like Saric he has the tendency to drop the ball below his waist at the beginning of his motion. It is faster than Saric’s and he has proven he can shoot it consistently. If a team can partner him with a great rebounding Center, he can be very effective. What’s… Read more »
I’ve got a question for you, Ben. Is Mirotic the real deal?
Also, after the draft, I’d love to see an article on some of the best players in Europe who are available as free agents. How much do you watch?
Oh, and the similarity between Jusuf Nurkic and “Big Country” Bryant Reeves is astounding.
Thanks for the welcome, everyone!
Yes. Welcome Ben Werth!
@Nathan
I was planning on hitting Kristaps Porzingis in the next installment. He is more springy than most of the other guys, which drastically ups his potential. He is just so young. He gets abused by anyone who is finished with puberty. The difference between him and and guy like Dirk when he came out is physicality. Even before Dirk filled out, he played with a nasty streak that is necessary for a big man. Of course, he doesn’t have to be at Dirk’s level to be a productive player. More to come.
I know he’s not in our draft range, but I’m curious to hear what you think about Kristaps Porzingis. If his frame fills out (he doesn’t turn 19 till August) and his skill level gradually improves as it should, he’s an All-Star, right? If draft sites had him projected in the mid-lottery instead of the late first round I wouldn’t bat an eye. Why are people not talking more about this guy?
Welcome Ben Werth! Good article, very informative and a topic many of us no little about. Look forward to more quality posts.