2008 Draft - Koufos May Be Top Big

[azirish]

The Ohio born Greek, Kosta Koufos, will be at Ohio State this year; but like last year's team may be there for onlly a year. DX has him listed at #4, which is no small deal considering he's listed above Batum, Duddinger, and several other established stars.

Some of it is size, he's in 7'1" 250 range with an outside shot. But his recent play in the European under 18 routament has left an impression.[/quote]

U-18 European Championship: Colossus Koufos
August 10, 2007
He's the big story of this championship, the great dominator, a wall in the paint, the kind of player who can elevate a team from average to contender. We're talking about Kosta Koufos, the guy who will have to fill Greg Oden's shoes next season for Ohio State. And while that's next-to impossible, the Buckeyes hardly could have done any better.

After the first two rounds, Greece remains undefeated with a perfect 6-0 record, obviously qualified for the semifinals. In the process they have not only looked like an extremely solid team, but achieved a very prestigious victory against France, in a thrilling game that Greece was losing by 9 points with less than 2 minutes to go. With France failing to control the game (again Antoine Diot disappointed in this regard), the Greeks came back to sail the one-point victory with a phenomenal block by our hero Koufos.

He provisionally leads the scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking rankings, with averages of 23.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. Pretty impressive stuff. He completely determines the game of his team with his presence, being the permanent offensive reference to score and open spaces on the perimeter, while being the defensive anchor in the paint.

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The Ohio-born Greek is a seven foot center with solid athleticism, actually good mobility and a physical and rather fundamentally sound game. He shows a greatly built body, extremely strong but not too voluminous, and with a very good frame. It allows him to virtually overpower every rival here (still we're hoping for a match-up against Milan Macvan, perhaps in the final), and he doesn't renounce to this possibility. He´s a physical player in the low post, showing nice moves, solid footwork and notable footspeed, while looking for the opponent's body to execute his spins. If he's double teamed, he keeps cool and easily finds his open teammates, even on the weak side. While he does a lot of damage down low, he also loves to settle for a jumper. He's pretty effective from the mid-range area showing very solid mechanics with a quick and fluid release, but he´s struggling from long distances (achieving an awful 1/17 in three-point shooting).

He's equally important on defense, a true intimidator at this level who scares opponents away with his ability to contest shots. Even if not a terrific leaper, his great length (he enjoys a very good wingspan) enables him to get pretty high, and certainly it's not like seven-footers are crowding this edition of the junior championship. Still, he shows excellent poise going for the rejection, with very good positioning and the right timing when it comes to when and where attack the ball. Actually, he´s a guy who most times seems to be in the right place, showing a very nice understanding of the game.

At this point, he looks like a really high draft pick in the making, but we'll have a couple of excellent chances to see his real level in the semifinal and the final or bronze medal game, going against very strong teams inside like Lithuania and perhaps Serbia.

U-18 European Championship: Serbia Completes the Grand Slam
August 14, 2007
Ten days, that’s the amount of time Kosta Koufos spent with the Greek National Team before the Championship started. Only ten days to get to know his teammates, coaches and playbook and merge with them. And just ten days later, he started collecting the MVP award that credits him as the most valuable player in the tournament.

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Averaging 26.5 points, 13 rebounds, 3.5 blocks or 1.4 steals in almost 35 minutes per game, Koufos delivered an almost unheard of statistical effort in the last decade. Nobody has come close to producing those numbers in junior category since 1996. Actually, nobody except Sani Becirovic and Giorgios Diamantopoulos, both in 1998, can credit a better scoring average.

Although already a well-known top prospect, this performance only boosts Koufos’ draft stock. If the draft was held tomorrow, he could end up being a top-5 pick. But he has a whole season ahead of him in Ohio State

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, and multiple games to, not only showcase his abilities, but also expose his flaws.

 

[SactownSunsFan]

The love child of Eli Manning and Hedo Turkoglu?

 

[dodie53]

yeah,
he kinda looks like hedo..
=)

 

[azirish]

He may be one of the overhyped wonders who will fold once he faces college play, but he seems like someone to keep an eye on. The truth is that as great as Mayo and Rose look to be; the Suns really have to be looking at bigs in the draft.

 

[fordronken]

He may be one of the overhyped wonders who will fold once he faces college play, but he seems like someone to keep an eye on. The truth is that as great as Mayo and Rose look to be; the Suns really have to be looking at bigs in the draft.

If Rose is available, the Suns are drafting him. Unless he gets a serious injury or something, you can count on it.

 

[azirish]

If Rose is available, the Suns are drafting him. Unless he gets a serious injury or something, you can count on it.

It seems reasonable to suppose that Mayo and Rose are a class above and you never drop a full tier tor need. But it also not extremely likely the Suns are going to be drafting in the top three either.

As I said, this is somebody to watch because Hibbert is the only other top ten big and he's far too slow for the Suns to even think about.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

beasley would have to be another consideration. though some consider him a tweener he's likely the perfect fit for the suns pf position. 6'9, athletic, range on his jumper, game of a sf with some inside strength as well. perfect next to amare and shawn.

 

[azirish]

beasley would have to be another consideration. though some consider him a tweener he's likely the perfect fit for the suns pf position. 6'9, athletic, range on his jumper, game of a sf with some inside strength as well. perfect next to amare and shawn.

Draft Express has Beasley ahead of Rose, which says a lot.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Draft Express has Beasley ahead of Rose, which says a lot.

I would say that is due to rose not having proven himself at the college level yet.

 

[Russ Smith]

Draft Express has Beasley ahead of Rose, which says a lot.

The problem with Beasley is he is easily the least mature kid of the elite incoming freshmen. Rose and Mayo had issues related to adults around them using them for their own gain(Rose's brother and William Wesley, Guillory and Barnes with Mayo), Beasley's problems were his own.

He changed schools every year and reportedly because he was asked to by the schools. Oak Hill kicked him out because he kept using a permanent marker and signing his name all over campus, walls, lockers, trophy cases, eventually the principal's car. The stuff you read about him all says massively talented and ridiculously uncoachable.

If he comes out as expected you wonder how much impact his immaturity will have on how high he goes?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The problem with Beasley is he is easily the least mature kid of the elite incoming freshmen. Rose and Mayo had issues related to adults around them using them for their own gain(Rose's brother and William Wesley, Guillory and Barnes with Mayo), Beasley's problems were his own.

He changed schools every year and reportedly because he was asked to by the schools. Oak Hill kicked him out because he kept using a permanent marker and signing his name all over campus, walls, lockers, trophy cases, eventually the principal's car. The stuff you read about him all says massively talented and ridiculously uncoachable.

If he comes out as expected you wonder how much impact his immaturity will have on how high he goes?

this is true, and a concern. the team drafting him would have to hope that it's vets could help guide him. a team like the suns with a nash and an amare have two very strong leaders with two very different styles. hopefully one of 'em could get through to the kid.

 

[slinslin]

I would say that is due to rose not having proven himself at the college level yet.

And Beasley has?

Basically the Suns have all the options.

-Draft Beasley to replace Marion who might not be in our long term future.

-Draft Rose to succeed Steve Nash

-Draft OJ Mayo because he is probably the BPA and biggest star/franchise player playing SG and a bit of PG like Wade.

-Draft a big that can play alongside Amare, has athleticism and all that..

-Trade down (assuming they have a near top pick) for 2 lower lottery picks to get 2 players that can contribute as role players right away pretty much instead of drafting a future allstar.

 

[azirish]

Assuming the Hawks play badly, the Suns should get a quality player. I just can't get over their need for an athletic big who weighs more than 225.

 

[Russ Smith]

And Beasley has?

Basically the Suns have all the options.

-Draft Beasley to replace Marion who might not be in our long term future.

-Draft Rose to succeed Steve Nash

-Draft OJ Mayo because he is probably the BPA and biggest star/franchise player playing SG and a bit of PG like Wade.

-Draft a big that can play alongside Amare, has athleticism and all that..

-Trade down (assuming they have a near top pick) for 2 lower lottery picks to get 2 players that can contribute as role players right away pretty much instead of drafting a future allstar.

The one thing on Mayo that yet to be seen is how much of his stardom is due to his age?

Mayo was held back in elementary school so he's been old for his class his entire career. That's why Dwaine Barnes was so interested in getting him playing in highschool when he was still in junior high he was nearly 2 years older than everyone in his class. Mayo is actually older than Bill Walker even though Walker was a year ahead of him in school.

Mayo will be 20 in November, he's not Taj Gibson or Davon Jefferson old (21 as freshmen) but when people were marvelling at his ability to play with older players in kentucky and then Ohio many didn't realize how old he actually was himself.

Great player though everyone says he's held his own in the open run games at the UCLA mens gym this summer(lots of NBA players there) and my understanding is the USC freshmen beat the USC sophs in a scrimmage yesterday in the first day of practice and Mayo was the best player on the court.

Rose is a better athlete but he has a very funky shot, when mayo takes good shots he's a much better shooter than Rose, he can hit closely guarded jumpshots, Rose really can't his mechanics just aren't there yet.

I like both much more than Eric Gordon who's a tweener IMHO. Bayless is kind of a tweener too but I think he's a bit taller than Gordon he reminds me a lot of Monta Ellis.

 

[azirish]

When will get a sticky draft thread or better yet a separate draft forum? I haven't heard of most of these guys and it would be nice to know who to look for when the college start playing.

 

[Russ Smith]

When will get a sticky draft thread or better yet a separate draft forum? I haven't heard of most of these guys and it would be nice to know who to look for when the college start playing.

USC and Memphis play fairly early in the year will be a great chance to look at Mayo and Rose.