Continued
The final hurdle
Unfortunately for the GMs who have embraced the league's international movement, not everyone feels the same way. Pockets of resistance still remain, especially among head coaches in the NBA.
GMs easily fall in love with guys who have huge wingspans, vertical jumps and fundamentals in the post. But coaches want to know if the kid actually can play, what his instincts are, and whether he'll adapt to a coach's given style. That's a lot to ask of any 17- or 18-year-old, let alone one from another country who must adjust not only to the NBA, but also a different language and a different culture.
In short, the guys the GMs love here the most really need good coaching and playing time more than anything else. The coaching they can get in the NBA. The playing time? It's still an issue.
"Skita's biggest obstacle the last few years has been playing time," Vandeweghe told Insider. "These kids need to play to get better. The coaches, however, aren't always on board."
Vandweghe knows from personal experience.
Nuggets head coach Jeff Bzdelik's refusal to play Skita this year ruffled Vandeweghe's feathers. But Bzdelik believed Skita's lack of game experience and defense were detriments to his team's chance for success this year.
A GM's job is to plan for the future, and in Vandeweghe's eyes, Skita is still a very big part of the Nuggets' future.
"We still believe in Skita," Vandeweghe told Insider. "We still believe he'll be a very good player in the league. He's done everything we've asked him, he's intelligent and he works hard. He just needs more playing time."
The same held true in Detroit this year. Joe Dumars drafted Darko with an eye on the future. Despite the Pistons' success in the playoffs last year, Dumars was convinced he didn't have all the pieces in place. Darko, despite his inexperience, was and still is a major piece of the total picture.
[font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]“[/font][font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]We've got to work with the coaches. But they also have to understand that they work for the organization, not for themselves. Why have so many coaches been fired lately? It's because they don't always look out for what's good long-term for the franchise. [/font][font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]”[/font][font=Times,serif]— [/font][font=Times,serif]An NBA executive[/font]Dumars believed the team might suffer a bit in the short term by playing an 18-year-old and was willing to make the sacrifice. But Larry Brown wasn't. Brown refused to play Darko, and the rookie's development suffered. While that's easier to swallow now that the Pistons are on the verge of the NBA Finals, Dumars knows Darko can't live up to his potential until he starts getting minutes.
This year, GMs are more mindful of the disparity.
"We've got to work with the coaches," one NBA executive who wished not to be identified told Insider. "But they also have to understand that they work for the organization, not for themselves. Why have so many coaches been fired lately? It's because they don't always look out for what's good long-term for the franchise."
That's why the Clippers flew in head coach Mike Dunleavy this week to take a look at Podkolzine. The way Podkolzine has been playing the first few days, he could get serious consideration, even at the No. 2 pick. But the Clips know Pavel will fail without the coach's support.
The future of the kids here in Treviso can't be boiled down to vertical jumps and Mikan drills. If the NBA is going keep mining Europe for young talent without thought to age or experience, then the coaches have to be on board to make it work.
"I think the biggest reason we've had success with our international players is Nellie (Mavericks coach Don Nelson)," Don Nelson Jr. told Insider. "He's willing to take these kids, unearth their strengths and try to merge it into our club. Not everyone has a taste for that." Those obstacles will certainly scare many teams away this year as they search for more known quantities in America. But for the few who take the risk, have coaches who are on board and are willing to exercise patience -- the upside of the international kids in this draft has never been greater.
The final hurdle
Unfortunately for the GMs who have embraced the league's international movement, not everyone feels the same way. Pockets of resistance still remain, especially among head coaches in the NBA.
GMs easily fall in love with guys who have huge wingspans, vertical jumps and fundamentals in the post. But coaches want to know if the kid actually can play, what his instincts are, and whether he'll adapt to a coach's given style. That's a lot to ask of any 17- or 18-year-old, let alone one from another country who must adjust not only to the NBA, but also a different language and a different culture.
In short, the guys the GMs love here the most really need good coaching and playing time more than anything else. The coaching they can get in the NBA. The playing time? It's still an issue.
"Skita's biggest obstacle the last few years has been playing time," Vandeweghe told Insider. "These kids need to play to get better. The coaches, however, aren't always on board."
Vandweghe knows from personal experience.
Nuggets head coach Jeff Bzdelik's refusal to play Skita this year ruffled Vandeweghe's feathers. But Bzdelik believed Skita's lack of game experience and defense were detriments to his team's chance for success this year.
A GM's job is to plan for the future, and in Vandeweghe's eyes, Skita is still a very big part of the Nuggets' future.
"We still believe in Skita," Vandeweghe told Insider. "We still believe he'll be a very good player in the league. He's done everything we've asked him, he's intelligent and he works hard. He just needs more playing time."
The same held true in Detroit this year. Joe Dumars drafted Darko with an eye on the future. Despite the Pistons' success in the playoffs last year, Dumars was convinced he didn't have all the pieces in place. Darko, despite his inexperience, was and still is a major piece of the total picture.
[font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]“[/font][font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]We've got to work with the coaches. But they also have to understand that they work for the organization, not for themselves. Why have so many coaches been fired lately? It's because they don't always look out for what's good long-term for the franchise. [/font][font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]”[/font][font=Times,serif]— [/font][font=Times,serif]An NBA executive[/font]Dumars believed the team might suffer a bit in the short term by playing an 18-year-old and was willing to make the sacrifice. But Larry Brown wasn't. Brown refused to play Darko, and the rookie's development suffered. While that's easier to swallow now that the Pistons are on the verge of the NBA Finals, Dumars knows Darko can't live up to his potential until he starts getting minutes.
This year, GMs are more mindful of the disparity.
"We've got to work with the coaches," one NBA executive who wished not to be identified told Insider. "But they also have to understand that they work for the organization, not for themselves. Why have so many coaches been fired lately? It's because they don't always look out for what's good long-term for the franchise."
That's why the Clippers flew in head coach Mike Dunleavy this week to take a look at Podkolzine. The way Podkolzine has been playing the first few days, he could get serious consideration, even at the No. 2 pick. But the Clips know Pavel will fail without the coach's support.
The future of the kids here in Treviso can't be boiled down to vertical jumps and Mikan drills. If the NBA is going keep mining Europe for young talent without thought to age or experience, then the coaches have to be on board to make it work.
"I think the biggest reason we've had success with our international players is Nellie (Mavericks coach Don Nelson)," Don Nelson Jr. told Insider. "He's willing to take these kids, unearth their strengths and try to merge it into our club. Not everyone has a taste for that." Those obstacles will certainly scare many teams away this year as they search for more known quantities in America. But for the few who take the risk, have coaches who are on board and are willing to exercise patience -- the upside of the international kids in this draft has never been greater.
