Friday, January 28, 2005
Is the foreign invasion a joke?
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
Projecting top international draft prospects these days creates about as much consensus as a Bush-Kerry debate.
Just mentioning names like Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Darko Milicic can start a shouting match. Critics have come out of the woodwork to claim that the foreign invasion is a joke and so far, most of the young international players the NBA has drafted recently have not been able to silence the haters.
Even Insider readers have turned on them to a large extent. Here's an e-mail from Rex in Idaho that I just received this morning:
The truth is that international players are just like everyone else. Some will get better with age and minutes. Some will be busts. That happens in every draft regardless of a player's nationality.
Still, the backlash is duly noted.
We're pressing on anyway, in part, because NBA scouts and GMs still are paying attention to prospects overseas and a record number could end up being drafted in the first round this year. Scouts claim that this might be the deepest pool of international talent ever (in part because of the record number of prospects that pulled out of the draft last year) and plan to take full advantage.
Teams are more convinced than ever that with the style of play in the NBA changing, big, skilled players who can shoot the basketball are going to be in high demand. This year's international crop offers a lot of interesting options, with all of the same pitfalls that have plagued the class the past few years. Several of the top prospects are too young and still unproven. The older prospects are getting minutes, but have other flaws to their game that have to be addressed.
There is no perfect prospect here and the parity is evident. These rankings seem to be changing by the week. Insider consulted five NBA scouts and two GMs who specialize in international scouting to rank the players. Few of them agreed on an order and draft ranges were all over the place.
Several top young prospects like Ersan Ilyasova, Yi Jianlin, Sergio Rodriguez, Oleksiy Pecherov, Peja Samardziski, and Andrea Bargnani were not included because evidence suggests they won't be in the draft this year.
With that long preamble out of the way, here's Insider's first look at the Top 10 international prospects this year &
Martynas Andriuskevicius, F/C, Lithuania
The facts: 19-years-old, 7-foot-3, 240 pounds; 2 ppg, 1.4 rpg in Euroleague
The skinny: Andriuskevicius declared for the 2004 draft but withdrew when he couldn't get a top-five selection commitment from a team. The Arvydas Sabonis protégé has seen some real minutes in the Euroleague this season with Sabonis injured. Still, scouts consider him a few years away from being an impact player in the NBA.
Projecting where he goes in the draft is tough. Last year, the Suns flirted with taking him at No. 7 but passed when they learned he had to spend another year in Lithuania. Most international scouts see him going anywhere from No. 3 to No. 10 in this year's draft. The team that drafts him will have to patient, but his upside might be worth the risk.
Nemanja Aleksandrov, SF, Serbia
The facts: 18, 6-10, 210 pounds; 5.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg
The skinny: Aleksandrov is the most hyped international prospect since Darko Milicic. That has both helped and hurt his draft stock over the past year. Like Darko, Aleksandrov's skill set is amazing. But is he a basketball player? Scouts have been wondering after a lackluster performance at the Reebok Eurocamp and Under 18 Championships in Zaragoza this summer.
He is, without a doubt, one of the most-skilled big men you'll ever find at his age. He has three-point range, good athleticism, a great handle and great feet in the paint. He's quick and a real matchup problem on offense.
The issue with Aleksandrov is heart. He often coasts in games, doesn't always defend and will disappear for large chunks of the game. He seems to be able to turn it on and off at will, but that's a scary attribute in a top prospect like this.
Scouts are now all over the board on his draft stock. Some believe he's going to have to stay in Europe and excel for several years before he would be seriously considered for a top pick in the draft. Others believe that he's so talented and that the competition in Europe is so far beneath him that he doesn't play hard. They believe he'll come on once he's challenged in the NBA.
Given his body type, lack of fire and performance this year, the scouts Insider surveyed leaned toward the former rather than the latter. Teams have cooled to drafting inexperienced, but fundamentally-sound, international teenagers so high in the draft. If he's fine going anywhere between selection slots 8-and-15 and sitting on the bench for the next few years, he should stay in the draft. If he still wants to be a top-five pick and an impact player in the NBA, he needs to move to a better team and prove his skill against the top players in Europe the next few years.
Fran Vasquez, PF, Spain
The facts: 22, 6-9, 230 pounds; 8.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg in Euroleague
The skinny: Several GMs who have made their way over overseas in the past month have all come back raving about Vasquez.
He's had a number of dominating games in Euroleague play including a 17-point, 11-rebound effort versus Euroleague powerhouse CSKA Moscow and an impressive 19-point, 7-rebound showing against the German Opel Skyliners. He's doing all of this while averaging just 20 mpg.
Vasquez has excellent moves around the basket, a knack for crashing the offensive boards and a nice 15-foot jump shot. His athleticism, for a European big man, is excellent. Scouts unanimously agree that of all the European prospects in this year's draft, Vasquez is clearly the most polished.
It's hard to imagine a scenario where he's not in the lottery. Andriuskevicius, Aleksandrov and Splitter might have a little more upside because of their size, but Vasquez looks like he has the talent to come in and immediately help an NBA team. The fact that he already has a set, reasonable buyout also bodes well for him. Look for him to fall anywhere between slots 7-and-14 in the draft.
Tiago Splitter, PF, Brazil
The facts: 20, 6-10, 240 pounds; 8.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg in Euroleague
The skinny: After blowing it at a private Chicago draft camp workout last summer, it looked like Splitter was going to fall off the draft map. Then a funny thing happened. He went back to Europe, started getting 18 mpg and is now putting up great numbers for a 19-year-old on one of Europe's deepest teams.
Suddenly, all those NBA scouts who said that Splitter was overrated are changing their tune. Splitter has an NBA body that he has made stronger over the past few months. Most scouts agree that his defense is ahead of his offense right now. He's an excellent rebounder and shot blocker. He does have a nice handle and a good, but not a great jumper. He's very long and runs the floor well.
Apparently, scouts claim that his athleticism and coordination are also improving. He's fearless and doesn't mind contact in the paint. Despite his youth, scouts claim that Splitter plays like he's 25.
Scouts are still all over the board with Splitter. Some have him rated as high as a mid-lottery pick. Others still have him in the 20s. If Splitter continues to play and produce in Spain this year, expect him to land somewhere in the late lottery.
Marko Tomas, SG, Croatia
The facts: 19, 6-8, 210 pounds; 20.2 ppg, 2.6 apg
The skinny: Tomas is the hottest international draft prospect on the board right now. He is putting up huge numbers for KK Zagreb and is drawing raves from just about every scout who's taken the trip to Zagreb to watch him play.
Scouts love his aggressiveness, athleticism and size in the backcourt. Tomas has even played some point for Zagreb this year because of injuries and he has excelled there. Scouts believe that his handle is good enough for him to be a point-forward type player in the pros.
The Croatian media are already calling him the next Drazen Petrovic. That's totally unfair. But at 19, Tomas certainly has been impressive. The majority of the scouts Insider talked to this week have him rated ahead of Spain's Rudy Fernandez and claim he'll fall anywhere from 15-to-25 in the upcoming draft.
The facts: 19, 6-5, 185 pounds; 10.3 ppg in ULEB
The skinny: Fernandez looked awesome playing for the Spanish national team in the Olympics and has continued to play well this season, though he's leveled off a bit.
Fernandez has a lot of what it takes to be a good NBA guard. He has athleticism, ball handling, shooting touch (with NBA three-point range) and active defense. His ability to play both one and the two, increases his value. He's got a great vertical. Good enough in fact that scouts claim he may be the best young dunker in Europe.
While he plays with grit and aggressiveness, strength and size are big issues. Fernandez's needs to spend some time in the weight room, or stronger guards are going to post him up all day. Others question his size (they claim he's closer to 6-4) and his seeming unwillingness to play the point.
Fernandez already has declared this year. This is a weak draft for two guards and Fernandez is near or at the top of many GMs lists, though Tomas has passed him on several boards. Expect his draft range to be anywhere for 15-to-25.
Uros Tripkovic, G, Serbia
The facts:18, 6-5, 185 pounds; 13.2 ppg in 27 mpg in Adriatic League
The skinny: The combo guard has burst onto the scene this season, now that he's playing big minutes for Partizan in both the Adriatic and Euroleague.
He's had some monster games in the Adriatic league, including a 33-point performance against Marko Tomas' team. Tripkovic recently had a 24-point breakout game versus Bologna in the Euroleague.
Tripkovic is a very good prospect. He's an excellent ball handler, has great range on his three-point shot and is very athletic. Like most of the top guards on the list, he has point-guard skills despite his size. While scouts say he has to get stronger to compete in the league (see the Fernandez comments) his strong play against top competition has scouts drooling.
Of all the players on this list, Tripkovic is the most likely to stay out of the draft this year. He has yet to hire an agent and according to scouts, has a pretty big buyout that would like keep him from coming to the league next year. Still, with his stellar play of late, he's going to be the hot name with mid-to-late first-round potential if he declares.
Johan Petro, C, France
The facts:19, 7-0, 260 pounds; 4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg in Euroleague
The skinny: Petro is an athletic big man who has intrigued scouts the past several years. Unfortunately, he's struggled to live up to his potential in France, causing his draft stock to fluctuate all over the place.
Petro's biggest asset is a thick, NBA body. He has solid rebounding abilities, range out to about 10 feet, and plays like a traditional center. Petro scores almost all of his points in the paint.
Unfortunately, his great abilities don't always translate into game-time production. He's still learning to play the game. That would be fine if he had a great motor, but just about every scout agrees that he doesn't always play hard. If he was more active, he'd probably average double what he does right now. Unfortunately, he might not be that type of player.
A number of scouts pulled Petro aside this summer at the Eurocamp in Italy and told him what to work on and to increase his intensity. So far, they only see it occasionally. A 13-point performance this week against Euroleague powerhouse CSKA Moscow was the best we've seen him all year.
As far as draft stock goes, scouts are all over the place on him. They love his size, body and potential. On potential, he's a top-10 pick. But his skills have been slow to develo,p meaning that he's much closer to an 18-to-30 pick if he declares this year.
Vladimir Veremeenko, F, Belarus
The facts:20, 6-9, 220 pounds; 14 ppg, 7.4 rpg in FIBA Europe League
The skinny: Veremeenko is slowly gaining momentum this season after an impressive performance last summer at the Reebok Eurocamp. For years, Veremeenko was the classic European tweener. He wasn't quite big enough or strong enough to play the four, and his feet weren't quick enough to guard threes.
That's changed this year. Veremeenko has added enough muscle to defend the four position. On offense, he's a matchup problem. He has excellent perimeter skills and is a fundamentally-sound good, but not great, athlete.
The bottom line: Veremeenko doesn't have one skill or physical attribute that makes him a top prospect, but he has a great feel for the game. He doesn't do anything to turn your head when he's on the court, but at the end of the game, he'll have filled the stat sheet and led his team to victory.
Today, he's a late first rounder. He'll likely stay there. But he could be a bargain for whoever drafts him.
Roko Ukic, PG, Croatia
The facts:20, 6-5, 185 pounds; 17.1 ppg, 3.8 apg
The skinny: He's a big kid, but he's all point guard. Along with Spain's Sergio Rodriguez, he's the best young point guard in Europe right now.
Teams love his energy, ball handling, quickness, work ethic and athleticism for a point guard that size. He has a very unorthodox, herky-jerky type of game. He's great in the transition game, not quite as hot in the half-court set. His game right now is about being able to penetrate and dish. If his perimeter shoot ever came around, he'd rocket up the board. Right now he's still hanging out in the late first round.
Best of the Rest: Kosta Perovic, F/C, Serbia; Costas Vassiliadis, SG, Greece; Edu Hernandez-Sonseca, C, Spain; Mile Ilic, C, Serbia; Axel Hervelle, PF, Belgium; Mickael Gelebale, SG, France; Ivan Koljevic, PG, Serbia; Marcin Gortat, C, Poland; Pavel Mroz, C, Poland; Milan Majstorovic, F, Serbia; Erazem Lorbek, Slovenia; Angelo Gigli, F, Italy; Stefano Mancinelli, F, Italy; Drago Pasalic, F, Croatia; Uros Slokar, Slovenia; Nikolaos Zissis, G, Greece; Marcelo Huertas, PG, Brazil; Ender Arslan, PG, Turkey; Zhu Fangyu, China
Future prospects: Ersan Ilyasova, F, Turkey; Yi Jianlin, F, China; Sergio Rodriguez, PG, Spain, Oleksiy Pecherov, F, Ukraine; Peja Samardziski, C, Serbia; Andrea Bargnani, F, Italy; Thabo Sefolosha, SG, Switzerland; Marko Belinelli, SG, Italy; Semih Erden, C, Turkey;Vasily Zavoruev, SG, Russia; Yaroslav Korolev, F, Russia; Damir Omerhodzic, F, Croatia; Luka Bogdanovic, F, Serbia; Damjan Rudez, F, Croatia; Dusan Sakota, SF, Greece; Roman Gumenyuk, F/C, Ukraine; Marko Lecic, F, Serbia; Milos Teodosic, PG, Serbia; Cenk Akyol, Turkey; Yotam Halperin, G, Israel; Dimitri Soklov, Russia
Is the foreign invasion a joke?
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
Projecting top international draft prospects these days creates about as much consensus as a Bush-Kerry debate.
Just mentioning names like Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Darko Milicic can start a shouting match. Critics have come out of the woodwork to claim that the foreign invasion is a joke and so far, most of the young international players the NBA has drafted recently have not been able to silence the haters.
Even Insider readers have turned on them to a large extent. Here's an e-mail from Rex in Idaho that I just received this morning:
"Love the draft coverage but please, when you get through ranking all of the American kids, can you just skip the international players this year? Admit it, they suck. I can't help but think that this rise in their popularity in the draft directly coincides with your decision several years ago to go to Serbia to scout these kids. Since then you've been all over the world. While the stories are a great read & where are the basketball players? You've been the first guy to tell the world about players like Manu Ginobili, Marko Jaric, Skita, Darko, Mickael Pietrus, Maciej Lampe, Carlos Delfino and Pavel Podkolzine and none of them have done a thing. Maybe if you quit writing about them, NBA teams will quit drafting them. Just a thought."
It's an interesting theory. But I don't buy it. When I go overseas, I follow NBA scouts and write what they see and think, not the other way around. There are a plethora of explanations out there why each of these players are struggling. Their age, lack of experience and to a large extent, available minutes in the rotation, are more plausible explanations.
You must be registered for see images
[font=verdana, arial, geneva]Milicic is the poster child for skepticism about NBA internationals.[/font]Does Darko not play because he stinks, or because he's too young and has Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess ahead of him on the Pistons' depth chart? Even Larry Brown, Darko's biggest critic, would point to the latter. The truth is that international players are just like everyone else. Some will get better with age and minutes. Some will be busts. That happens in every draft regardless of a player's nationality.
Still, the backlash is duly noted.
We're pressing on anyway, in part, because NBA scouts and GMs still are paying attention to prospects overseas and a record number could end up being drafted in the first round this year. Scouts claim that this might be the deepest pool of international talent ever (in part because of the record number of prospects that pulled out of the draft last year) and plan to take full advantage.
Teams are more convinced than ever that with the style of play in the NBA changing, big, skilled players who can shoot the basketball are going to be in high demand. This year's international crop offers a lot of interesting options, with all of the same pitfalls that have plagued the class the past few years. Several of the top prospects are too young and still unproven. The older prospects are getting minutes, but have other flaws to their game that have to be addressed.
There is no perfect prospect here and the parity is evident. These rankings seem to be changing by the week. Insider consulted five NBA scouts and two GMs who specialize in international scouting to rank the players. Few of them agreed on an order and draft ranges were all over the place.
Several top young prospects like Ersan Ilyasova, Yi Jianlin, Sergio Rodriguez, Oleksiy Pecherov, Peja Samardziski, and Andrea Bargnani were not included because evidence suggests they won't be in the draft this year.
With that long preamble out of the way, here's Insider's first look at the Top 10 international prospects this year &
Martynas Andriuskevicius, F/C, Lithuania
The facts: 19-years-old, 7-foot-3, 240 pounds; 2 ppg, 1.4 rpg in Euroleague
The skinny: Andriuskevicius declared for the 2004 draft but withdrew when he couldn't get a top-five selection commitment from a team. The Arvydas Sabonis protégé has seen some real minutes in the Euroleague this season with Sabonis injured. Still, scouts consider him a few years away from being an impact player in the NBA.
You must be registered for see images
[font=verdana, arial, geneva]Andriuskevicius, right, soon might use his deadly three-pointer against the likes of the Lakers' Slava Medvedenko (left).[/font]So why does he top the list of international prospects? Because potential still matters, and at 7-3, Andriuskevicius is oozing with it. Andriuskevicius has great hands, is a fantastic passer and doesn't shy away from contact despite his thin frame. He's got great quickness for his size and is capable of playing both inside and outside. Right now, Andriuskevicius is much more comfortable playing as a skilled four, but as his body matures; he could turn into a Zydrunas Ilgauskas type center. Projecting where he goes in the draft is tough. Last year, the Suns flirted with taking him at No. 7 but passed when they learned he had to spend another year in Lithuania. Most international scouts see him going anywhere from No. 3 to No. 10 in this year's draft. The team that drafts him will have to patient, but his upside might be worth the risk.
Nemanja Aleksandrov, SF, Serbia
The facts: 18, 6-10, 210 pounds; 5.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg
The skinny: Aleksandrov is the most hyped international prospect since Darko Milicic. That has both helped and hurt his draft stock over the past year. Like Darko, Aleksandrov's skill set is amazing. But is he a basketball player? Scouts have been wondering after a lackluster performance at the Reebok Eurocamp and Under 18 Championships in Zaragoza this summer.
He is, without a doubt, one of the most-skilled big men you'll ever find at his age. He has three-point range, good athleticism, a great handle and great feet in the paint. He's quick and a real matchup problem on offense.
The issue with Aleksandrov is heart. He often coasts in games, doesn't always defend and will disappear for large chunks of the game. He seems to be able to turn it on and off at will, but that's a scary attribute in a top prospect like this.
Scouts are now all over the board on his draft stock. Some believe he's going to have to stay in Europe and excel for several years before he would be seriously considered for a top pick in the draft. Others believe that he's so talented and that the competition in Europe is so far beneath him that he doesn't play hard. They believe he'll come on once he's challenged in the NBA.
Given his body type, lack of fire and performance this year, the scouts Insider surveyed leaned toward the former rather than the latter. Teams have cooled to drafting inexperienced, but fundamentally-sound, international teenagers so high in the draft. If he's fine going anywhere between selection slots 8-and-15 and sitting on the bench for the next few years, he should stay in the draft. If he still wants to be a top-five pick and an impact player in the NBA, he needs to move to a better team and prove his skill against the top players in Europe the next few years.
Fran Vasquez, PF, Spain
The facts: 22, 6-9, 230 pounds; 8.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg in Euroleague
The skinny: Several GMs who have made their way over overseas in the past month have all come back raving about Vasquez.
He's had a number of dominating games in Euroleague play including a 17-point, 11-rebound effort versus Euroleague powerhouse CSKA Moscow and an impressive 19-point, 7-rebound showing against the German Opel Skyliners. He's doing all of this while averaging just 20 mpg.
Vasquez has excellent moves around the basket, a knack for crashing the offensive boards and a nice 15-foot jump shot. His athleticism, for a European big man, is excellent. Scouts unanimously agree that of all the European prospects in this year's draft, Vasquez is clearly the most polished.
It's hard to imagine a scenario where he's not in the lottery. Andriuskevicius, Aleksandrov and Splitter might have a little more upside because of their size, but Vasquez looks like he has the talent to come in and immediately help an NBA team. The fact that he already has a set, reasonable buyout also bodes well for him. Look for him to fall anywhere between slots 7-and-14 in the draft.
Tiago Splitter, PF, Brazil
The facts: 20, 6-10, 240 pounds; 8.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg in Euroleague
The skinny: After blowing it at a private Chicago draft camp workout last summer, it looked like Splitter was going to fall off the draft map. Then a funny thing happened. He went back to Europe, started getting 18 mpg and is now putting up great numbers for a 19-year-old on one of Europe's deepest teams.
Suddenly, all those NBA scouts who said that Splitter was overrated are changing their tune. Splitter has an NBA body that he has made stronger over the past few months. Most scouts agree that his defense is ahead of his offense right now. He's an excellent rebounder and shot blocker. He does have a nice handle and a good, but not a great jumper. He's very long and runs the floor well.
Apparently, scouts claim that his athleticism and coordination are also improving. He's fearless and doesn't mind contact in the paint. Despite his youth, scouts claim that Splitter plays like he's 25.
Scouts are still all over the board with Splitter. Some have him rated as high as a mid-lottery pick. Others still have him in the 20s. If Splitter continues to play and produce in Spain this year, expect him to land somewhere in the late lottery.
Marko Tomas, SG, Croatia
The facts: 19, 6-8, 210 pounds; 20.2 ppg, 2.6 apg
The skinny: Tomas is the hottest international draft prospect on the board right now. He is putting up huge numbers for KK Zagreb and is drawing raves from just about every scout who's taken the trip to Zagreb to watch him play.
Scouts love his aggressiveness, athleticism and size in the backcourt. Tomas has even played some point for Zagreb this year because of injuries and he has excelled there. Scouts believe that his handle is good enough for him to be a point-forward type player in the pros.
The Croatian media are already calling him the next Drazen Petrovic. That's totally unfair. But at 19, Tomas certainly has been impressive. The majority of the scouts Insider talked to this week have him rated ahead of Spain's Rudy Fernandez and claim he'll fall anywhere from 15-to-25 in the upcoming draft.
You must be registered for see images
[font=verdana, arial, geneva]Fernandez (right), guarding Dwyane Wade in the 2004 Olympics, needs to add some muscle.[/font]Rudy Fernandez, SG, SpainThe facts: 19, 6-5, 185 pounds; 10.3 ppg in ULEB
The skinny: Fernandez looked awesome playing for the Spanish national team in the Olympics and has continued to play well this season, though he's leveled off a bit.
Fernandez has a lot of what it takes to be a good NBA guard. He has athleticism, ball handling, shooting touch (with NBA three-point range) and active defense. His ability to play both one and the two, increases his value. He's got a great vertical. Good enough in fact that scouts claim he may be the best young dunker in Europe.
While he plays with grit and aggressiveness, strength and size are big issues. Fernandez's needs to spend some time in the weight room, or stronger guards are going to post him up all day. Others question his size (they claim he's closer to 6-4) and his seeming unwillingness to play the point.
Fernandez already has declared this year. This is a weak draft for two guards and Fernandez is near or at the top of many GMs lists, though Tomas has passed him on several boards. Expect his draft range to be anywhere for 15-to-25.
Uros Tripkovic, G, Serbia
The facts:18, 6-5, 185 pounds; 13.2 ppg in 27 mpg in Adriatic League
The skinny: The combo guard has burst onto the scene this season, now that he's playing big minutes for Partizan in both the Adriatic and Euroleague.
He's had some monster games in the Adriatic league, including a 33-point performance against Marko Tomas' team. Tripkovic recently had a 24-point breakout game versus Bologna in the Euroleague.
Tripkovic is a very good prospect. He's an excellent ball handler, has great range on his three-point shot and is very athletic. Like most of the top guards on the list, he has point-guard skills despite his size. While scouts say he has to get stronger to compete in the league (see the Fernandez comments) his strong play against top competition has scouts drooling.
Of all the players on this list, Tripkovic is the most likely to stay out of the draft this year. He has yet to hire an agent and according to scouts, has a pretty big buyout that would like keep him from coming to the league next year. Still, with his stellar play of late, he's going to be the hot name with mid-to-late first-round potential if he declares.
Johan Petro, C, France
The facts:19, 7-0, 260 pounds; 4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg in Euroleague
The skinny: Petro is an athletic big man who has intrigued scouts the past several years. Unfortunately, he's struggled to live up to his potential in France, causing his draft stock to fluctuate all over the place.
Petro's biggest asset is a thick, NBA body. He has solid rebounding abilities, range out to about 10 feet, and plays like a traditional center. Petro scores almost all of his points in the paint.
Unfortunately, his great abilities don't always translate into game-time production. He's still learning to play the game. That would be fine if he had a great motor, but just about every scout agrees that he doesn't always play hard. If he was more active, he'd probably average double what he does right now. Unfortunately, he might not be that type of player.
A number of scouts pulled Petro aside this summer at the Eurocamp in Italy and told him what to work on and to increase his intensity. So far, they only see it occasionally. A 13-point performance this week against Euroleague powerhouse CSKA Moscow was the best we've seen him all year.
As far as draft stock goes, scouts are all over the place on him. They love his size, body and potential. On potential, he's a top-10 pick. But his skills have been slow to develo,p meaning that he's much closer to an 18-to-30 pick if he declares this year.
Vladimir Veremeenko, F, Belarus
The facts:20, 6-9, 220 pounds; 14 ppg, 7.4 rpg in FIBA Europe League
The skinny: Veremeenko is slowly gaining momentum this season after an impressive performance last summer at the Reebok Eurocamp. For years, Veremeenko was the classic European tweener. He wasn't quite big enough or strong enough to play the four, and his feet weren't quick enough to guard threes.
That's changed this year. Veremeenko has added enough muscle to defend the four position. On offense, he's a matchup problem. He has excellent perimeter skills and is a fundamentally-sound good, but not great, athlete.
The bottom line: Veremeenko doesn't have one skill or physical attribute that makes him a top prospect, but he has a great feel for the game. He doesn't do anything to turn your head when he's on the court, but at the end of the game, he'll have filled the stat sheet and led his team to victory.
Today, he's a late first rounder. He'll likely stay there. But he could be a bargain for whoever drafts him.
Roko Ukic, PG, Croatia
The facts:20, 6-5, 185 pounds; 17.1 ppg, 3.8 apg
The skinny: He's a big kid, but he's all point guard. Along with Spain's Sergio Rodriguez, he's the best young point guard in Europe right now.
Teams love his energy, ball handling, quickness, work ethic and athleticism for a point guard that size. He has a very unorthodox, herky-jerky type of game. He's great in the transition game, not quite as hot in the half-court set. His game right now is about being able to penetrate and dish. If his perimeter shoot ever came around, he'd rocket up the board. Right now he's still hanging out in the late first round.
Best of the Rest: Kosta Perovic, F/C, Serbia; Costas Vassiliadis, SG, Greece; Edu Hernandez-Sonseca, C, Spain; Mile Ilic, C, Serbia; Axel Hervelle, PF, Belgium; Mickael Gelebale, SG, France; Ivan Koljevic, PG, Serbia; Marcin Gortat, C, Poland; Pavel Mroz, C, Poland; Milan Majstorovic, F, Serbia; Erazem Lorbek, Slovenia; Angelo Gigli, F, Italy; Stefano Mancinelli, F, Italy; Drago Pasalic, F, Croatia; Uros Slokar, Slovenia; Nikolaos Zissis, G, Greece; Marcelo Huertas, PG, Brazil; Ender Arslan, PG, Turkey; Zhu Fangyu, China
Future prospects: Ersan Ilyasova, F, Turkey; Yi Jianlin, F, China; Sergio Rodriguez, PG, Spain, Oleksiy Pecherov, F, Ukraine; Peja Samardziski, C, Serbia; Andrea Bargnani, F, Italy; Thabo Sefolosha, SG, Switzerland; Marko Belinelli, SG, Italy; Semih Erden, C, Turkey;Vasily Zavoruev, SG, Russia; Yaroslav Korolev, F, Russia; Damir Omerhodzic, F, Croatia; Luka Bogdanovic, F, Serbia; Damjan Rudez, F, Croatia; Dusan Sakota, SF, Greece; Roman Gumenyuk, F/C, Ukraine; Marko Lecic, F, Serbia; Milos Teodosic, PG, Serbia; Cenk Akyol, Turkey; Yotam Halperin, G, Israel; Dimitri Soklov, Russia
