continued...............
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They're In
Pavel Podkolzine, C, Varese
The facts: 7-5, 300, 19 years old
The skinny: He's a hulk of a human being with surprising athleticism and quickness for someone his size. He's got a soft touch for his size and is reportedly beginning to learn how to use his size in the paint. He still is very raw and is only now beginning to get experience at a decent level of competition. Some scouts still have concerns about his illness, but those should be cleared up once he undergoes another medical test from the NBA. Based on his stature and potential, he's a likely lottery pick who could go Top 5 with a clean bill of health and strong workouts.
Ivan Chiriaev, F, St. Thomas Aquanis High (Ontario)
The facts: 7-1, 230, 19 years old
The skinny: This native of St. Petersburg Russia has been wowing scouts for the past six months with a lethal combination of athleticism, shooting ability and ball handling skills. Several scouts claim he has a point guard handle. Unlike most Europeans phenoms, scouts have had ready access to him because he plays in Canada and most have come away very impressed. With that said, there are still a ton of questions. He doesn't have much playing experience and the league that he plays in is pretty awful. Based on potential, he's a likely late lottery pick, but he'll be a project for whoever drafts him.
Sergei Monya, G/F, CSKA Moscow
The facts: 6-7, 230, 20 years old
The skinny: Monya may be the most NBA ready of any of the top international prospects this year. He already has an NBA body and strength, which is a big, big plus. He also plays with an aggressiveness both offensively and defensively that scouts really love. He's got a very solid mid-range jumper and his 3-point shot has also improved. Some scouts still question his ball handling, but admit that CSKA doesn't really ask him to put the ball on the floor much. The fact that he has extensive playing experience the past two season for a Euroleague team really helps his cause. The biggest issue with Monya will be his buyout. He doesn't have one and CSKA may be reluctant to let both Monya and another NBA prospect, Viktor Khryapa, go in the same year. If his agent, Marc Fleisher, can get something worked out with CSKA early enough, Monya's a late-lottery-to-mid-first-round pick.
Sasha Vujacic, G, Udine
The facts: 6-7, 210, 20 years old
The skinny: Vujacic impressed scouts with a good performance at the Chicago pre-draft camp last season. He's a 6-foot-7 combo guard with some definite point guard skills. He's mostly playing two guard for Udine this season, but scouts feel he can make the transition to the point in the pros. Sees plenty of playing time and, by most accounts, is having a very good season in Italy. He'll need to get stronger and speed up his game to succeed in the NBA, but several scouts see a young Brent Barry when watching him. That should be enough to get him into the late first round at the very least.
Viktor Khryapa, F, CSKA Moscow
The facts: 6-9, 210, 21 years old
The skinny: He pulled out of the past two drafts after failing to receive a first-round promise from a team. This year he's in no matter what. Has nice skills for a player his size and is a good shooter who thrives in the open court. He's a small forward in the pros and has nice size there. Scouts wonder about his athleticism and defense. In Europe he tends to defend bigger players. He struggles when asked to guard quicker perimeter guys. If he's going to play small forward in the pros, that's going to be an issue. He has a $350,000 NBA buyout, which helps his cause. Right now he's a bubble boy -- late first round to second.
Anderson Varejao
Anderson Varejao, F, Barcelona
The facts: 6-10, 230, 21 years old
The skinny: Scouts either love him or hate Brazil's Sideshow Bob. Like Khryapa he's been in and pulled out of the last two NBA drafts after he failed to secure a first-round promise. He impressed everyone with a strong game versus Team USA in Puerto Rico last summer, but is having just a decent year for Barcelona this year. Teams love his athleticism and aggressiveness defensively and on the boards. But he still hasn't proven he'll be able to score at a regular clip in the NBA. His shot and offensive skills looked great in Puerto Rico, but he's inconsistent in Euroleague play. He'll drop 17 and 10 one night and five and three the next. He's draft eligible this year, so there's no backing out. The lack of a buyout will prohibit him from going too high. Depending on who you ask, he's either a mid-first-rounder or a second-rounder. Split the difference and he falls somewhere in the late first round.
Ha Seung Jin, C, South Korea
The facts: 7-3, 300, 18 years old
The skinny: He's huge and size always counts for something in the NBA. He also has some decent skills and a soft touch that teams are always looking for in a big man. But the comparisons to Yao Ming are ridiculous. He has very little experience. I saw a workout tape made by SFX. You can see the potential there, but it's very, very raw. He's reportedly been working out in L.A. If SFX can build him an NBA body and low-post skills, he could soar up the charts on draft day. From what I saw and other scouts have seen, late first round is more like it right now.
Wait and See
Kosta Perovic, F/C, Partizan
The facts: 7-2, 230, 19 years old
The skinny: Having a breakout year at Partizan after stepping into the starting lineup to replace Nets first-round pick Nenad Kristic. Now that Kristic has returned from an injury, his production will probably fall off a bit. Great skills. Soft hands, nice jump shot and good athleticism. Strength, mobility and position are all legit questions, but on talent, he's a lottery pick. The problem, and it's a major one, will be his buyout. He doesn't have one in his contract. Partizan owner Vlade Divac has told Kristic that he can leave the team for the NBA this season. Will he be willing to let Kristic's replacement go as well? Several sources in Europe doubt it. Partizan doesn't need the money. If Perovic's agent (even that's not settled yet) can't convince teams that he's available to play in 2004, his stock will slip.
Tiago Splitter, F, Tau Vitoria
The facts: 7-0, 240, 19 years old
The skinny: Splitter had his coming out party in the Tournament of the Americas in Puerto Rico last summer. He's also cracked the rotation for TAU, one of the top teams in Europe, which says something. He's got an NBA body, though he still needs to make it stronger. Most scouts agree that his defense is ahead of his offense right now. He does have a nice handle and a good, but not great, jumper. Scouts just aren't sure exactly what position he plays. Probably power forward, but he needs to improve his inside scoring if that's the case. Scouts feel he's probably a little too slow footed to play the three, which hurts his cause a little. The lack of a buyout also hurts his cause. With scouts undecided on exactly where he'll play, many scouts feel that he could fall anywhere from the late lottery to mid first round. That may not be enough to convince him to come out.
Peja Samardzski, F/C, Partizan
The facts: 6-11, 240, 17 years old
The skinny: He has unbelievable skills for a kid his age and size. He can shoot the ball effortlessly from anywhere on the court and he's developed a strong enough low-post game to be reckoned with on that end as well. He has high-lottery talent, but several things are holding him back. First, he still hasn't it made it to Partizan's senior team, meaning scouts can only judge him against inferior junior talent. Second, Partizan has kept the kid under lock and key; scouts aren't able to get to practice to watch him work out. Questions about his strength and lateral quickness are also big question marks, but at just 17 years of age, they don't kill him. He projects to a high-post center in the NBA based on his body frame and skills, which is good thing. His agent, Marc Cornstein, says that Samardzski wants to declare for the draft. But without a buyout and with Partizan facing the loss of at least one of its big men, will it let him go? He's another top talent who may just be another year or two away before he can realistically be in a position to go in the high lottery. Still, if teams get him over for workouts, watch out. He'll wow them.
Andris Biedrins, F, Skonto Riga
The facts: 6-11, 240, 18 years old
The skinny: A trip to America playing against some of our top high school talent rocketed Biedrins, a native of Latvia, into the NBA draft discussion. When scouts saw him in April, they didn't see anything too special. But by most accounts he's dramatically improved to the point that he's moved himself into the first round. Scouts like the foundation he came from. He started as an athletic rebounder and shot blocker who just recently added some offensive fire power to his game. He's still way too thin and needs a lot more work on his perimeter game, but the scouts who have seen him in the past two months have all walked away very impressed. The lack of competition in Latvia and his rapid development make him very tough to project. His buyout situation is also very unclear at the moment. That's a lot of question marks. Scouts have him projected as a mid-to-late-first rounder right now, but he could move up the charts once he gets more exposure.
Martynas Andriuskevicius, F/C, Zalgris (Lithuania)
The facts: 7-1, 230, 18 years old
The skinny: The sleeper of the draft. Impressed scouts at a junior tournament during the Euroleague Final Four last spring. According to scouts, he's made dramatic improvements since then. While most believe he's another year away from the draft (he still needs to add another 20 pounds), several scouts claim that he's a better prospect than Splitter or Perovic. Being tutored by Arvydas Sabonis can't hurt. I don't expect that he'll be in the draft, but you never know. If he is, and he gets the exposure he needs, he could be a lottery pick.
Vladimir Veremeenko, F, Avtodor Saratov (Belarus)
The facts: 6-10, 230, 19 years old
The skinny: Has had a productive year in Russia and many believe he's the best prospect behind Monya and Khryapa. He has the size, athleticism and quickness teams look for in a forward. He's a bit of a tweener, but his athleticism should allow him to guard threes in the league. A mid-season injury kept some scouts from seeing him. Is he ready now? Scouts say he's a late-first-round, early second-round pick right now, but he could move up with more exposure. A bit of a sleeper.
Ivan Koljevic, G, Budcnost
The facts: 6-2, 175, 19 years old
The skinny: Koljevic put on a scoring show at the Global Games in Dallas last summer and has put up strong numbers for Budcnost this season, essentially averaging a point a minute. The question, and it's a big one, is whether he's really a point guard or a two guard masquerading around in a point guard's body. Scouts who think he can be an NBA point guard see him as a definite first-rounder. Those who think he doesn't have the play-making skills see him falling into the second round if he declare. Most scouts think he could use another year playing the point before making the jump.
Uros Slokar, F, Benetton
The facts: 6-10, 230, 20 years old
The skinny: Slokar is having a great year for Benetton, and at his size, he's intrigued a lot of people. The question really is about his position. He's too thin and weak to guard NBA fours, not quick enough to stop an NBA three. With so many questions, the chances that he's in and stays in are slim.
Next Year
Nemanja Alekandrov, F, FMP Zeleznik
The facts: 6-11, 210, 16 years old
The skinny: Many scouts consider him the top prospect in Europe right now. He won't, however, be draft eligible until next season. His versatility, quickness, athleticism and basketball IQ for a kid his age are amazing. Could be a top-three pick next year.
Damir Omerhodzic, F, Cibona
The facts: 6-11, 230, 18 years old
The skinny: Another kid with unbelievable upside, but no experience. He isn't getting any time on Cibona at the moment. His agent, Marc Cornstein, isn't sure if Omerhodzic will be in the draft. Scouts unanimously believe he should wait at least one more year. While they believe he has a bright future, they see him as a little further behind than some of the other players we've mentioned. Expect to see him again in 2005.
Manuchar Markoishvili, G/F, Benetton
The facts: 6-6, 190, 17 years old
The skinny: Scouts love him, but a down year has muddied his draft status. He was playing in the Euroleague Final Four for Benetton at age 16 last year. Two different GMs claimed he was the second-best prospect in Europe behind Darko Milicic last season. But Benetton got off to a slow start and Markoishvili lost his spot in the rotation, killing the momentum he brought into the season. Questions about his 3-point shooting and his quickness still linger, but everyone still believes he's more ready than most of the prospects on this list. With that said, his agent, Marc Fleisher, told Insider that Markoishvili will probably sit this draft out. If he did go in, he's looking at the mid to late first round.
Johan Petro, F, Pau Orthez
The facts: 6-11, 220, 18 years old
The skinny: Great, athletic prospect down the road. But he's playing in his first season in the Euroleague and has struggled to make the rotation. Teams love his athletic skills, but he needs a lot of polish on the offensive end.
Roko Leni Ukic, PG, Split Croatia
The facts: 6-5, 185, 20 years old
The skinny: Some promise there because of his size and quickness at the position. But he's undisciplined, lacks a solid shot and has a very thin frame. Scouts see potential, but it's another year or two down the road.
------------------------------------------------
They're In
Pavel Podkolzine, C, Varese
The facts: 7-5, 300, 19 years old
The skinny: He's a hulk of a human being with surprising athleticism and quickness for someone his size. He's got a soft touch for his size and is reportedly beginning to learn how to use his size in the paint. He still is very raw and is only now beginning to get experience at a decent level of competition. Some scouts still have concerns about his illness, but those should be cleared up once he undergoes another medical test from the NBA. Based on his stature and potential, he's a likely lottery pick who could go Top 5 with a clean bill of health and strong workouts.
Ivan Chiriaev, F, St. Thomas Aquanis High (Ontario)
The facts: 7-1, 230, 19 years old
The skinny: This native of St. Petersburg Russia has been wowing scouts for the past six months with a lethal combination of athleticism, shooting ability and ball handling skills. Several scouts claim he has a point guard handle. Unlike most Europeans phenoms, scouts have had ready access to him because he plays in Canada and most have come away very impressed. With that said, there are still a ton of questions. He doesn't have much playing experience and the league that he plays in is pretty awful. Based on potential, he's a likely late lottery pick, but he'll be a project for whoever drafts him.
Sergei Monya, G/F, CSKA Moscow
The facts: 6-7, 230, 20 years old
The skinny: Monya may be the most NBA ready of any of the top international prospects this year. He already has an NBA body and strength, which is a big, big plus. He also plays with an aggressiveness both offensively and defensively that scouts really love. He's got a very solid mid-range jumper and his 3-point shot has also improved. Some scouts still question his ball handling, but admit that CSKA doesn't really ask him to put the ball on the floor much. The fact that he has extensive playing experience the past two season for a Euroleague team really helps his cause. The biggest issue with Monya will be his buyout. He doesn't have one and CSKA may be reluctant to let both Monya and another NBA prospect, Viktor Khryapa, go in the same year. If his agent, Marc Fleisher, can get something worked out with CSKA early enough, Monya's a late-lottery-to-mid-first-round pick.
Sasha Vujacic, G, Udine
The facts: 6-7, 210, 20 years old
The skinny: Vujacic impressed scouts with a good performance at the Chicago pre-draft camp last season. He's a 6-foot-7 combo guard with some definite point guard skills. He's mostly playing two guard for Udine this season, but scouts feel he can make the transition to the point in the pros. Sees plenty of playing time and, by most accounts, is having a very good season in Italy. He'll need to get stronger and speed up his game to succeed in the NBA, but several scouts see a young Brent Barry when watching him. That should be enough to get him into the late first round at the very least.
Viktor Khryapa, F, CSKA Moscow
The facts: 6-9, 210, 21 years old
The skinny: He pulled out of the past two drafts after failing to receive a first-round promise from a team. This year he's in no matter what. Has nice skills for a player his size and is a good shooter who thrives in the open court. He's a small forward in the pros and has nice size there. Scouts wonder about his athleticism and defense. In Europe he tends to defend bigger players. He struggles when asked to guard quicker perimeter guys. If he's going to play small forward in the pros, that's going to be an issue. He has a $350,000 NBA buyout, which helps his cause. Right now he's a bubble boy -- late first round to second.
Anderson Varejao
Anderson Varejao, F, Barcelona
The facts: 6-10, 230, 21 years old
The skinny: Scouts either love him or hate Brazil's Sideshow Bob. Like Khryapa he's been in and pulled out of the last two NBA drafts after he failed to secure a first-round promise. He impressed everyone with a strong game versus Team USA in Puerto Rico last summer, but is having just a decent year for Barcelona this year. Teams love his athleticism and aggressiveness defensively and on the boards. But he still hasn't proven he'll be able to score at a regular clip in the NBA. His shot and offensive skills looked great in Puerto Rico, but he's inconsistent in Euroleague play. He'll drop 17 and 10 one night and five and three the next. He's draft eligible this year, so there's no backing out. The lack of a buyout will prohibit him from going too high. Depending on who you ask, he's either a mid-first-rounder or a second-rounder. Split the difference and he falls somewhere in the late first round.
Ha Seung Jin, C, South Korea
The facts: 7-3, 300, 18 years old
The skinny: He's huge and size always counts for something in the NBA. He also has some decent skills and a soft touch that teams are always looking for in a big man. But the comparisons to Yao Ming are ridiculous. He has very little experience. I saw a workout tape made by SFX. You can see the potential there, but it's very, very raw. He's reportedly been working out in L.A. If SFX can build him an NBA body and low-post skills, he could soar up the charts on draft day. From what I saw and other scouts have seen, late first round is more like it right now.
Wait and See
Kosta Perovic, F/C, Partizan
The facts: 7-2, 230, 19 years old
The skinny: Having a breakout year at Partizan after stepping into the starting lineup to replace Nets first-round pick Nenad Kristic. Now that Kristic has returned from an injury, his production will probably fall off a bit. Great skills. Soft hands, nice jump shot and good athleticism. Strength, mobility and position are all legit questions, but on talent, he's a lottery pick. The problem, and it's a major one, will be his buyout. He doesn't have one in his contract. Partizan owner Vlade Divac has told Kristic that he can leave the team for the NBA this season. Will he be willing to let Kristic's replacement go as well? Several sources in Europe doubt it. Partizan doesn't need the money. If Perovic's agent (even that's not settled yet) can't convince teams that he's available to play in 2004, his stock will slip.
Tiago Splitter, F, Tau Vitoria
The facts: 7-0, 240, 19 years old
The skinny: Splitter had his coming out party in the Tournament of the Americas in Puerto Rico last summer. He's also cracked the rotation for TAU, one of the top teams in Europe, which says something. He's got an NBA body, though he still needs to make it stronger. Most scouts agree that his defense is ahead of his offense right now. He does have a nice handle and a good, but not great, jumper. Scouts just aren't sure exactly what position he plays. Probably power forward, but he needs to improve his inside scoring if that's the case. Scouts feel he's probably a little too slow footed to play the three, which hurts his cause a little. The lack of a buyout also hurts his cause. With scouts undecided on exactly where he'll play, many scouts feel that he could fall anywhere from the late lottery to mid first round. That may not be enough to convince him to come out.
Peja Samardzski, F/C, Partizan
The facts: 6-11, 240, 17 years old
The skinny: He has unbelievable skills for a kid his age and size. He can shoot the ball effortlessly from anywhere on the court and he's developed a strong enough low-post game to be reckoned with on that end as well. He has high-lottery talent, but several things are holding him back. First, he still hasn't it made it to Partizan's senior team, meaning scouts can only judge him against inferior junior talent. Second, Partizan has kept the kid under lock and key; scouts aren't able to get to practice to watch him work out. Questions about his strength and lateral quickness are also big question marks, but at just 17 years of age, they don't kill him. He projects to a high-post center in the NBA based on his body frame and skills, which is good thing. His agent, Marc Cornstein, says that Samardzski wants to declare for the draft. But without a buyout and with Partizan facing the loss of at least one of its big men, will it let him go? He's another top talent who may just be another year or two away before he can realistically be in a position to go in the high lottery. Still, if teams get him over for workouts, watch out. He'll wow them.
Andris Biedrins, F, Skonto Riga
The facts: 6-11, 240, 18 years old
The skinny: A trip to America playing against some of our top high school talent rocketed Biedrins, a native of Latvia, into the NBA draft discussion. When scouts saw him in April, they didn't see anything too special. But by most accounts he's dramatically improved to the point that he's moved himself into the first round. Scouts like the foundation he came from. He started as an athletic rebounder and shot blocker who just recently added some offensive fire power to his game. He's still way too thin and needs a lot more work on his perimeter game, but the scouts who have seen him in the past two months have all walked away very impressed. The lack of competition in Latvia and his rapid development make him very tough to project. His buyout situation is also very unclear at the moment. That's a lot of question marks. Scouts have him projected as a mid-to-late-first rounder right now, but he could move up the charts once he gets more exposure.
Martynas Andriuskevicius, F/C, Zalgris (Lithuania)
The facts: 7-1, 230, 18 years old
The skinny: The sleeper of the draft. Impressed scouts at a junior tournament during the Euroleague Final Four last spring. According to scouts, he's made dramatic improvements since then. While most believe he's another year away from the draft (he still needs to add another 20 pounds), several scouts claim that he's a better prospect than Splitter or Perovic. Being tutored by Arvydas Sabonis can't hurt. I don't expect that he'll be in the draft, but you never know. If he is, and he gets the exposure he needs, he could be a lottery pick.
Vladimir Veremeenko, F, Avtodor Saratov (Belarus)
The facts: 6-10, 230, 19 years old
The skinny: Has had a productive year in Russia and many believe he's the best prospect behind Monya and Khryapa. He has the size, athleticism and quickness teams look for in a forward. He's a bit of a tweener, but his athleticism should allow him to guard threes in the league. A mid-season injury kept some scouts from seeing him. Is he ready now? Scouts say he's a late-first-round, early second-round pick right now, but he could move up with more exposure. A bit of a sleeper.
Ivan Koljevic, G, Budcnost
The facts: 6-2, 175, 19 years old
The skinny: Koljevic put on a scoring show at the Global Games in Dallas last summer and has put up strong numbers for Budcnost this season, essentially averaging a point a minute. The question, and it's a big one, is whether he's really a point guard or a two guard masquerading around in a point guard's body. Scouts who think he can be an NBA point guard see him as a definite first-rounder. Those who think he doesn't have the play-making skills see him falling into the second round if he declare. Most scouts think he could use another year playing the point before making the jump.
Uros Slokar, F, Benetton
The facts: 6-10, 230, 20 years old
The skinny: Slokar is having a great year for Benetton, and at his size, he's intrigued a lot of people. The question really is about his position. He's too thin and weak to guard NBA fours, not quick enough to stop an NBA three. With so many questions, the chances that he's in and stays in are slim.
Next Year
Nemanja Alekandrov, F, FMP Zeleznik
The facts: 6-11, 210, 16 years old
The skinny: Many scouts consider him the top prospect in Europe right now. He won't, however, be draft eligible until next season. His versatility, quickness, athleticism and basketball IQ for a kid his age are amazing. Could be a top-three pick next year.
Damir Omerhodzic, F, Cibona
The facts: 6-11, 230, 18 years old
The skinny: Another kid with unbelievable upside, but no experience. He isn't getting any time on Cibona at the moment. His agent, Marc Cornstein, isn't sure if Omerhodzic will be in the draft. Scouts unanimously believe he should wait at least one more year. While they believe he has a bright future, they see him as a little further behind than some of the other players we've mentioned. Expect to see him again in 2005.
Manuchar Markoishvili, G/F, Benetton
The facts: 6-6, 190, 17 years old
The skinny: Scouts love him, but a down year has muddied his draft status. He was playing in the Euroleague Final Four for Benetton at age 16 last year. Two different GMs claimed he was the second-best prospect in Europe behind Darko Milicic last season. But Benetton got off to a slow start and Markoishvili lost his spot in the rotation, killing the momentum he brought into the season. Questions about his 3-point shooting and his quickness still linger, but everyone still believes he's more ready than most of the prospects on this list. With that said, his agent, Marc Fleisher, told Insider that Markoishvili will probably sit this draft out. If he did go in, he's looking at the mid to late first round.
Johan Petro, F, Pau Orthez
The facts: 6-11, 220, 18 years old
The skinny: Great, athletic prospect down the road. But he's playing in his first season in the Euroleague and has struggled to make the rotation. Teams love his athletic skills, but he needs a lot of polish on the offensive end.
Roko Leni Ukic, PG, Split Croatia
The facts: 6-5, 185, 20 years old
The skinny: Some promise there because of his size and quickness at the position. But he's undisciplined, lacks a solid shot and has a very thin frame. Scouts see potential, but it's another year or two down the road.
