RobinsontoDuncan
05-28-2005, 12:26 PM
My favorite prospect is Luka Bogdanovic because of his explosive scoring ability and ability to pass, he in my mind, could be a Peja Stojakovich with Lebron's passing. Drago Pasalic and Marko Lekic are tied for my second favorite prospect, followed by Mile Ilic and Andrea Bargnani, all of whom I think could be great talents in this league. But I really hope we draft Luka, that kid is going to be special.
Marko Lekic
Birthdate: 2/19/85
NBA Position: SF/PF
Ht: 6-11
Wt:
European Team: Partizan Belgrade
Hometown: Valjevo, Yugoslavia
Telebasket Profile
Has great size at 208cm without shoes, meaning he is 6-11. He is the best athlete we have at Partizan. Strong, quick, fast, good reactions…and he has a gap for great improvement. He is not playing for us: the story of his life is his age, being next to Milicic and Perovic for his whole life, he finds himself not getting his deserved recognition…One thing people don’t know about him - he was better then these 2 guys, before his knee injury ... He was out of basketball for a long period, and he`ll miss that during his career. He really knows how to play basketball… He is a versitile PF, great runner, great leaper… He can shoot from outside, but needs a coach with guts to let him do that … He can finish in the paint, dunk over everyone…in a fastbreak … He needs to get tougher in one on one low post situations… He has a right semi-hook… He likes to pass, need more routine …and I think it is all about the minutes … He can guard PF's , can front C's … He's stronger then most players his age, but as with all of them, he need more muscles… His quickness helps him in pick-n-roll defensive options and rotations… Pure and simple, he is great athlete, can shoot and likes to pass…sometimes he is more overcalculated then he has to be, but… He really has a lack of experience, lack of minutes on the floor in real games (he is practicing a lot, but that’s not the same thing)… He has no fear, and can become a tough defender and very useful in the transition game. As with all big guys here, he is good ball handler. He has great potential but if someone picks him, best thing to do is to leave him in Europe for 3 or 4 years. Bottom line: athleticism, ambition, lack of experience.
Salim Stoudamire
Birthdate: 10/11/82
NBA Position: Shooting Guard
College: Arizona
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 176
Hometown: Portland, OR
High School: Lake Oswego
NBA Comparison: Nick Van Exel
Strengths: Explosive scorer ... Has unlimited range on his jumper ... Lightning-quick release ... Good release point and rotation ... Outstanding clutch performer ... Seems to raise his level of play for bigger games and pressure moments... Has no conscience ... When he gets in a groove, he simply cannot be defended ... Shoots a high percentage ... Stronger than he looks ... STELLAR FREE-THROW SHOOTER ... Moves well without the basketball ... Shifty ... Knows how to get his shot off in tight spaces ... Plays with supreme confidence ... Surprisingly athletic at times ... Can explode for huge dunks ... Improving on the defensive end ... Knows the game ... Has bounced back from disappointing junior season to put together an impressive senior campaign.
Weaknesses: The ultimate example of a “tweener” ... At 6'1", far too short to be an NBA 2-guard ... Doesn’t have the passing ability or leadership skills to be a successful point guard ... Attitude issues ... Has a reputation as a complainer ... Sometimes, his confidence turns into cockiness ... Not as quick as he should be ... Relies almost solely on his left hand when handling the ball ... A one-dimensional spot-up shooter ... Tends to trail his man on picks, which leaves them open for perimeter jumpers ... Bigger guards post him up quite easily ... Questionable shot selection at times ... Extremely streaky ... One game, he’ll shoot 10-10, the next he’ll shoot 0-15...A strong-willed defender can throw him off his game (witness his 0-1, 0 point performance against Marc Jackson of Utah on 12/11/04) ... His rebound and assist numbers are unusually low ... If the 3-pointer isn’t falling, his whole game suffers ...
Mile Ilic
Birthdate: 7/2/84
NBA Position: Center
Ht: 7-1
Wt: 230
Int Team: KK Reflex (Partizan Belgrade)
Hometown: Serbia & Montenegro
NBA Comparison: Nenad Krstic
Strengths: Another intruiging prospect of the always fertile ground of Yugoslavia ... Still learning the game and if he has the intelligence and patience to wait to start his NBA career, he can be great ... He has come on strong in the past year and established himself as a legit NBA prospect. Right now he usually only gets garbage minutes, but he's had some nice games this season for Reflex ... At 20 years of age he is coming into his own as a basketball player ... He has received more than twenty minutes three times and played very well going for 15p 6r versus Bologna in Uleb cup then 13p 3r at Buducnost in the Adriatic league ... Numbers which display the potential of a good prospect ... He is over seven feet in height, and a long frame, and good coordination ... He does not shy away from contact and saccrifices his body ... His understanding of posting up and moving without the ball is excellent. Always keeping his hands in a ready position and is good at receiving passes ... Has some nice skills in the post and shows aggressiveness going to the basket ... He has good confidence and really wants the ball in important situations. He makes very good decisions and intelligence ... He can play back to the basket, but also can play some face up and has a jump hook which is effective ... His vision and passing under the basket is very good ... His feet are quick which gives him solid potential defensively ... Overall he's a very intruiging prospect, whose best bet is to be patient!
Weaknesses: He is just an average athlete with nice average speed and quickness ... He still needs to get a lot stronger in order to play in the post in the NBA. Right now he could never hold his position on the blocks ... His body still must be developed. His shotblocking can get alot better but he must improve his timing and not be so eager, stay on his feet more ... Right now his real weakness is lack of experience. He still has a lot to learn about basketball as Yugoslavian basketball works on the basic fundamentals, but doesn't incorporate many of the intricate sets and schemes of the NBA
Notes: At the end of the season he became the teams starting center when they were elimianted from playoff contention and cut Kimani FFriend ... Ilic is similar to Serbian center Nenad Krstic in game and athleticism and is at the same level as Krstic was at 20 years of age, however Krstic improved considerably in the past year
(Expected to go high in next year’s draft, but as far as I can see, he has declared this year as well)
^^^^^
Uros Slokar, PF, Slovenia
Grew up with Jezica Ljubljana (Slovenia) youth teams...signed for the 2000-01 season by KD Slovan Ljubljana...played there till the 2002-03 championship...moved to Italy for the 2003-04 season, signed by Benetton Basket Treviso...he’s still playing there
Won the 2004 Italian National Cup with Benetton Basket Treviso...named the 2002 Slovenian League Rookie of the Year...played the 2003 Slovenian All Star Game...has been member of the Slovenian Cadets National Team...played at the 1999 European Cadets Championship...has been member of the Slovenian Junior National Team...played at the 2000 European Junior Championship...has been member of the Slovenian Under-20 National Team...played at the 2002 European Under-20 Championship.
Luka Bogdanovic
Birthdate: 2/11/85
NBA Position: Small Forward
Ht: 6-9
Wt: 215
Int Team: Red Star Belgrade
Hometown: Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Telebasket Profile
NBA Comparison: Peja Stojakovic
Has been called Yugoslavia's best scorer. A great shooter and scorer. Luka is a gifted, though slightly built wing forward, with a super consistent shooting touch. He has also shown very good court sense and vision which makes some people wonder if he could handle the point guard spot. He'll likely play a point forward position once he makes the NBA. If he reaches his potential, Bogdanovic could turn into a Peja-like player. Once considered too slow, but now he keeps up with the guards. A bigtime prospect
Andrea Bargnani
Birthdate: 10/26/85
NBA Position: SF/PF
Ht: 7-0
Wt: 225
Int Team: Benetton Treviso
Hometown: Rome, Italy
NBA Comparison: Dirk Nowitzki
Strengths: The only young 6-10 Italian prospect that can play as pure small forward and not only under the basket as power forward or center... He has a well built body with excellent athletic skills. On the offensive side he prefers going one-on-one and can score in many ways: shooting from outside, finishing a fast-break or on low-post moves. He's even adept at beating his defender off the dribble due to his great ball-handling skills including dribbling through his legs and behind the back. He runs the court very well with good speed and quickness despite his size. Has soft hands to shoot from three or from the mid range, that's his best quality. Free throw shooting is another strength. Under the basket he is not so tough, but has nice moves. On the defensive side, he has good fundamentals and likes to block shots and has excellent timing. He's also a hard worker and coachable.Weaknesses: Like many European kids he needs to increase his body strength and add some muscles. Has to improve his rebounding skills and defense on small forwards at times. Mentally he still needs to progress. Has a tendency to rely on his jumper too much and not take the ball to basket as often as a 6-10 player should. Born in 1985, so he's still learning the game and has very little experience at a a high level, but Benetton Treviso is the right team for Andrea to become a great player.
-Ettore Poli
Vladimir Veremeenko
Birthdate: 7/21/84
NBA Position: SF/PF
Ht: 6-10
Wt: 235
Int Team: Dynamo St. Petersburg
Hometown: Gomel, Belarus
Strengths: Solid all around player. Forward with good size and excellent shot from outside and mid-range. One of the top Russian Prospects. Athletic player who added 25 pounds last summer so now he's a legit PF. Great rebounder, great scorer with a nice touch. Can shoot the threes from time to time. He is better now that he bulked up but could still put some more on. Great leadership as he was elected captain of his pro team. He is not afraid of taking care of scoring.
Weaknesses: His shot mechanics must improve. Has the athleticism but lacks the ball skills to play the SF position right now. He'll need to improve his ball handling ability. Has a tendency to get himself in foul trouble. He has a ways to go defensively. Needs to develop a better 3-pt shot.
Notes: He is averaging 13 points – 6 rbs in 27 min so far this year (11-2-03) (compared to 11.5 – 6 rbs – 25 min last year).
-Aran Smith -- 11-2-03
Kosta Perovic
Birthdate: 2/19/85
NBA Position: Center
Ht: 7-2
Wt: 242
European Team: Partizan Belgrade
Hometown: Belgrade, Yugoslavia
NBA Comparison: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Strengths: Huge. Towers over opponents. Has soft hands and is excellent at putting back missed shots. A very good passer out of the post. Works his tail off on the court...A decent shot blocker, because of his gigantic size.... Has good touch around the bsket and can shoot from mid range ... Weaknesses: Has a very limited offensive game. Points come off putbacks and short jumpers. Needs to really develop a back to the basket game to become effective. Kosta also depends on his height for rebounds and not positioning...footwork overall needs work. Defensively everything is based off his size. Over time he will learn the nuances of the game and become much more effective.... Has suffered through an injury riddled 2004-05 season, must prove that he can regain his old form and stay injury free ...
Notes: Was born in Osijek, Croatia
Francisco Garcia
Birthdate: 12/31/81
NBA Position: Shooting Guard
College: Louisville
Class: Junior
Ht: 6-7
Wt: 190
Hometown: Dominican Republic
High School: Winchendon School
Team Site Profile
NBA comparison: Reggie Miller
Strengths: The Latin Assassin can fill it up. Garcia has range on his 3 and gets it off quickly and often. Going into Louisville he had a reputation as a shooter but has added a number of dimensions to his game. He has excellent court vision. His work ethic and passion for the game brings an added edge to a team that won 18 games in a row. His heart is as big as they come as he proved with his back to back 24 point games in wins over Seton Hall and #1 Florida in the wake of his brother's passing. Garcia's defense has dramatically improved sincehe played prep school at Winchendon, as he led his team in blocked shots as a 2 guard last season.
Weaknesses: The knock on Garcia is that he is too skinny and weak. Rumor around NYC has people talking that Garcia has added 15 lbs of muscle since the season ended. Athletically Garcia isn't going to fly in and dunk you anyone but with his long body he can cover more ground than you would think. His on ball defense needs to improve to become a great defender at the next level. His in between game from 10-15 feet needs to get better because teams will take away his 3 in the NBA and he isn't able to get all the way to the hole to finish.
Notes: He holds Louisville University records in single game assists with 15 and single game 3 pointers made with 8.
Drago Pasalic
Birthdate: 6/23/84
NBA Position: PF/C
Ht: 6-11
Wt: 225
Hometown: Split, Croatia
Team: KK Split
Telebasket Profile
Strengths: Pasalic is a talented PF with plastic moves and great understanding of the game. He’s athletic, already experienced in the pro level, has nice size for a forward; he moves smoothly in the perimeter and drives in the paint. Has a nice frame and quick hands. He is capable of scoring big numbers with his smooth release from both mid-range jumpers and perimeter shoots, he can rebound and pass the ball. He battles in the post, is keen for the offensive boards, knows how to create space in the paint by positioning himself, he is excellent in tipping-in the ball … Plays with great maturity and leadership for a 19-year-old player.
Weaknesses: Needs to put on some weight, work a bit his timing and be more aggressive in defensive rebounds and personal defense.
Has already gained 3 years of professional experience, showed a lot of promise playing for the Champions, Croatia in the European U-18 Championship. He has a good frame, runs the court like a SF, shoots like a shooting guard from both in and out the perimeter and always fights with agressiveness for the rebounds.I strongly believe that if this guy shows development of his offensive inside game, he will be drafted in 3 years. The kid has game and guts.
-Dimitris Armadoros
Damir Markota
Birthdate: 12/26/85
NBA Position: SF/PF
Ht: 6-10
Wt: 225
Hometown: Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Team: (Karlovac) Cibona
Strengths: Above average athlete. Will need more strength, but for a 17 year old kid his strength is very good. He will get a lot stronger. His offensive game is extremely developed. An amazing three point touch. He can shoot from anywhere, with any kind of move. Has good vision and passes well out of the double team when in the post. Also a strong rebounder.
Weaknesses: Must work on his mid-range game. His defensive intensity needs a lot of work. He must work some on his ballhandling and his in-between game. But the biggest thing he needs to work on is his attitude. Has a reputation of not interacting well with teammates.
Notes: The best Croatian prospect in some time. He is a late 1985 guy but is already making big noise in Croatian Upper division averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds per game.
-Aran Smith
NBA Comparison: Toni Kukoc
Strengths: Very athletic and intelligent with the ball. Has extremely long arms and good leaping ability making him an effective shot blocker. Has a nice set of low post moves, including a very proficient baby hook. Shooting is where he separates himself from the rest of the pack. Can shoot the lights out from anywhere on the floor. Has wonderful touch...Not afraid to take the ball to the hole...a talent!
Weaknesses: Relies on athleticism way too much. Defense has to get better, he finds himself out of position on defense and is known to pick up bad fouls. Clearly a liability on D…Passing and rebounding should both improve with time and coaching...increased strength would do him very well. Notes: Has an edge to him, could turn out to be a very good player. Potential is huge.
(These last two I couldn't cut and paste)
Erazem Lorbek, PF, Slovenia
Erazem Lorbek, PF, Slovenia (http://www.eurobasket.com/ITAplayer.asp?PlayerID=16162)
Wojciech Barycz, PF, Poland
Wojciech Barycz (http://www.eurobasket.com/ITAplayer.asp?PlayerID=16162)
Marko Lekic
Birthdate: 2/19/85
NBA Position: SF/PF
Ht: 6-11
Wt:
European Team: Partizan Belgrade
Hometown: Valjevo, Yugoslavia
Telebasket Profile
Has great size at 208cm without shoes, meaning he is 6-11. He is the best athlete we have at Partizan. Strong, quick, fast, good reactions…and he has a gap for great improvement. He is not playing for us: the story of his life is his age, being next to Milicic and Perovic for his whole life, he finds himself not getting his deserved recognition…One thing people don’t know about him - he was better then these 2 guys, before his knee injury ... He was out of basketball for a long period, and he`ll miss that during his career. He really knows how to play basketball… He is a versitile PF, great runner, great leaper… He can shoot from outside, but needs a coach with guts to let him do that … He can finish in the paint, dunk over everyone…in a fastbreak … He needs to get tougher in one on one low post situations… He has a right semi-hook… He likes to pass, need more routine …and I think it is all about the minutes … He can guard PF's , can front C's … He's stronger then most players his age, but as with all of them, he need more muscles… His quickness helps him in pick-n-roll defensive options and rotations… Pure and simple, he is great athlete, can shoot and likes to pass…sometimes he is more overcalculated then he has to be, but… He really has a lack of experience, lack of minutes on the floor in real games (he is practicing a lot, but that’s not the same thing)… He has no fear, and can become a tough defender and very useful in the transition game. As with all big guys here, he is good ball handler. He has great potential but if someone picks him, best thing to do is to leave him in Europe for 3 or 4 years. Bottom line: athleticism, ambition, lack of experience.
Salim Stoudamire
Birthdate: 10/11/82
NBA Position: Shooting Guard
College: Arizona
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 176
Hometown: Portland, OR
High School: Lake Oswego
NBA Comparison: Nick Van Exel
Strengths: Explosive scorer ... Has unlimited range on his jumper ... Lightning-quick release ... Good release point and rotation ... Outstanding clutch performer ... Seems to raise his level of play for bigger games and pressure moments... Has no conscience ... When he gets in a groove, he simply cannot be defended ... Shoots a high percentage ... Stronger than he looks ... STELLAR FREE-THROW SHOOTER ... Moves well without the basketball ... Shifty ... Knows how to get his shot off in tight spaces ... Plays with supreme confidence ... Surprisingly athletic at times ... Can explode for huge dunks ... Improving on the defensive end ... Knows the game ... Has bounced back from disappointing junior season to put together an impressive senior campaign.
Weaknesses: The ultimate example of a “tweener” ... At 6'1", far too short to be an NBA 2-guard ... Doesn’t have the passing ability or leadership skills to be a successful point guard ... Attitude issues ... Has a reputation as a complainer ... Sometimes, his confidence turns into cockiness ... Not as quick as he should be ... Relies almost solely on his left hand when handling the ball ... A one-dimensional spot-up shooter ... Tends to trail his man on picks, which leaves them open for perimeter jumpers ... Bigger guards post him up quite easily ... Questionable shot selection at times ... Extremely streaky ... One game, he’ll shoot 10-10, the next he’ll shoot 0-15...A strong-willed defender can throw him off his game (witness his 0-1, 0 point performance against Marc Jackson of Utah on 12/11/04) ... His rebound and assist numbers are unusually low ... If the 3-pointer isn’t falling, his whole game suffers ...
Mile Ilic
Birthdate: 7/2/84
NBA Position: Center
Ht: 7-1
Wt: 230
Int Team: KK Reflex (Partizan Belgrade)
Hometown: Serbia & Montenegro
NBA Comparison: Nenad Krstic
Strengths: Another intruiging prospect of the always fertile ground of Yugoslavia ... Still learning the game and if he has the intelligence and patience to wait to start his NBA career, he can be great ... He has come on strong in the past year and established himself as a legit NBA prospect. Right now he usually only gets garbage minutes, but he's had some nice games this season for Reflex ... At 20 years of age he is coming into his own as a basketball player ... He has received more than twenty minutes three times and played very well going for 15p 6r versus Bologna in Uleb cup then 13p 3r at Buducnost in the Adriatic league ... Numbers which display the potential of a good prospect ... He is over seven feet in height, and a long frame, and good coordination ... He does not shy away from contact and saccrifices his body ... His understanding of posting up and moving without the ball is excellent. Always keeping his hands in a ready position and is good at receiving passes ... Has some nice skills in the post and shows aggressiveness going to the basket ... He has good confidence and really wants the ball in important situations. He makes very good decisions and intelligence ... He can play back to the basket, but also can play some face up and has a jump hook which is effective ... His vision and passing under the basket is very good ... His feet are quick which gives him solid potential defensively ... Overall he's a very intruiging prospect, whose best bet is to be patient!
Weaknesses: He is just an average athlete with nice average speed and quickness ... He still needs to get a lot stronger in order to play in the post in the NBA. Right now he could never hold his position on the blocks ... His body still must be developed. His shotblocking can get alot better but he must improve his timing and not be so eager, stay on his feet more ... Right now his real weakness is lack of experience. He still has a lot to learn about basketball as Yugoslavian basketball works on the basic fundamentals, but doesn't incorporate many of the intricate sets and schemes of the NBA
Notes: At the end of the season he became the teams starting center when they were elimianted from playoff contention and cut Kimani FFriend ... Ilic is similar to Serbian center Nenad Krstic in game and athleticism and is at the same level as Krstic was at 20 years of age, however Krstic improved considerably in the past year
(Expected to go high in next year’s draft, but as far as I can see, he has declared this year as well)
^^^^^
Uros Slokar, PF, Slovenia
Grew up with Jezica Ljubljana (Slovenia) youth teams...signed for the 2000-01 season by KD Slovan Ljubljana...played there till the 2002-03 championship...moved to Italy for the 2003-04 season, signed by Benetton Basket Treviso...he’s still playing there
Won the 2004 Italian National Cup with Benetton Basket Treviso...named the 2002 Slovenian League Rookie of the Year...played the 2003 Slovenian All Star Game...has been member of the Slovenian Cadets National Team...played at the 1999 European Cadets Championship...has been member of the Slovenian Junior National Team...played at the 2000 European Junior Championship...has been member of the Slovenian Under-20 National Team...played at the 2002 European Under-20 Championship.
Luka Bogdanovic
Birthdate: 2/11/85
NBA Position: Small Forward
Ht: 6-9
Wt: 215
Int Team: Red Star Belgrade
Hometown: Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Telebasket Profile
NBA Comparison: Peja Stojakovic
Has been called Yugoslavia's best scorer. A great shooter and scorer. Luka is a gifted, though slightly built wing forward, with a super consistent shooting touch. He has also shown very good court sense and vision which makes some people wonder if he could handle the point guard spot. He'll likely play a point forward position once he makes the NBA. If he reaches his potential, Bogdanovic could turn into a Peja-like player. Once considered too slow, but now he keeps up with the guards. A bigtime prospect
Andrea Bargnani
Birthdate: 10/26/85
NBA Position: SF/PF
Ht: 7-0
Wt: 225
Int Team: Benetton Treviso
Hometown: Rome, Italy
NBA Comparison: Dirk Nowitzki
Strengths: The only young 6-10 Italian prospect that can play as pure small forward and not only under the basket as power forward or center... He has a well built body with excellent athletic skills. On the offensive side he prefers going one-on-one and can score in many ways: shooting from outside, finishing a fast-break or on low-post moves. He's even adept at beating his defender off the dribble due to his great ball-handling skills including dribbling through his legs and behind the back. He runs the court very well with good speed and quickness despite his size. Has soft hands to shoot from three or from the mid range, that's his best quality. Free throw shooting is another strength. Under the basket he is not so tough, but has nice moves. On the defensive side, he has good fundamentals and likes to block shots and has excellent timing. He's also a hard worker and coachable.Weaknesses: Like many European kids he needs to increase his body strength and add some muscles. Has to improve his rebounding skills and defense on small forwards at times. Mentally he still needs to progress. Has a tendency to rely on his jumper too much and not take the ball to basket as often as a 6-10 player should. Born in 1985, so he's still learning the game and has very little experience at a a high level, but Benetton Treviso is the right team for Andrea to become a great player.
-Ettore Poli
Vladimir Veremeenko
Birthdate: 7/21/84
NBA Position: SF/PF
Ht: 6-10
Wt: 235
Int Team: Dynamo St. Petersburg
Hometown: Gomel, Belarus
Strengths: Solid all around player. Forward with good size and excellent shot from outside and mid-range. One of the top Russian Prospects. Athletic player who added 25 pounds last summer so now he's a legit PF. Great rebounder, great scorer with a nice touch. Can shoot the threes from time to time. He is better now that he bulked up but could still put some more on. Great leadership as he was elected captain of his pro team. He is not afraid of taking care of scoring.
Weaknesses: His shot mechanics must improve. Has the athleticism but lacks the ball skills to play the SF position right now. He'll need to improve his ball handling ability. Has a tendency to get himself in foul trouble. He has a ways to go defensively. Needs to develop a better 3-pt shot.
Notes: He is averaging 13 points – 6 rbs in 27 min so far this year (11-2-03) (compared to 11.5 – 6 rbs – 25 min last year).
-Aran Smith -- 11-2-03
Kosta Perovic
Birthdate: 2/19/85
NBA Position: Center
Ht: 7-2
Wt: 242
European Team: Partizan Belgrade
Hometown: Belgrade, Yugoslavia
NBA Comparison: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Strengths: Huge. Towers over opponents. Has soft hands and is excellent at putting back missed shots. A very good passer out of the post. Works his tail off on the court...A decent shot blocker, because of his gigantic size.... Has good touch around the bsket and can shoot from mid range ... Weaknesses: Has a very limited offensive game. Points come off putbacks and short jumpers. Needs to really develop a back to the basket game to become effective. Kosta also depends on his height for rebounds and not positioning...footwork overall needs work. Defensively everything is based off his size. Over time he will learn the nuances of the game and become much more effective.... Has suffered through an injury riddled 2004-05 season, must prove that he can regain his old form and stay injury free ...
Notes: Was born in Osijek, Croatia
Francisco Garcia
Birthdate: 12/31/81
NBA Position: Shooting Guard
College: Louisville
Class: Junior
Ht: 6-7
Wt: 190
Hometown: Dominican Republic
High School: Winchendon School
Team Site Profile
NBA comparison: Reggie Miller
Strengths: The Latin Assassin can fill it up. Garcia has range on his 3 and gets it off quickly and often. Going into Louisville he had a reputation as a shooter but has added a number of dimensions to his game. He has excellent court vision. His work ethic and passion for the game brings an added edge to a team that won 18 games in a row. His heart is as big as they come as he proved with his back to back 24 point games in wins over Seton Hall and #1 Florida in the wake of his brother's passing. Garcia's defense has dramatically improved sincehe played prep school at Winchendon, as he led his team in blocked shots as a 2 guard last season.
Weaknesses: The knock on Garcia is that he is too skinny and weak. Rumor around NYC has people talking that Garcia has added 15 lbs of muscle since the season ended. Athletically Garcia isn't going to fly in and dunk you anyone but with his long body he can cover more ground than you would think. His on ball defense needs to improve to become a great defender at the next level. His in between game from 10-15 feet needs to get better because teams will take away his 3 in the NBA and he isn't able to get all the way to the hole to finish.
Notes: He holds Louisville University records in single game assists with 15 and single game 3 pointers made with 8.
Drago Pasalic
Birthdate: 6/23/84
NBA Position: PF/C
Ht: 6-11
Wt: 225
Hometown: Split, Croatia
Team: KK Split
Telebasket Profile
Strengths: Pasalic is a talented PF with plastic moves and great understanding of the game. He’s athletic, already experienced in the pro level, has nice size for a forward; he moves smoothly in the perimeter and drives in the paint. Has a nice frame and quick hands. He is capable of scoring big numbers with his smooth release from both mid-range jumpers and perimeter shoots, he can rebound and pass the ball. He battles in the post, is keen for the offensive boards, knows how to create space in the paint by positioning himself, he is excellent in tipping-in the ball … Plays with great maturity and leadership for a 19-year-old player.
Weaknesses: Needs to put on some weight, work a bit his timing and be more aggressive in defensive rebounds and personal defense.
Has already gained 3 years of professional experience, showed a lot of promise playing for the Champions, Croatia in the European U-18 Championship. He has a good frame, runs the court like a SF, shoots like a shooting guard from both in and out the perimeter and always fights with agressiveness for the rebounds.I strongly believe that if this guy shows development of his offensive inside game, he will be drafted in 3 years. The kid has game and guts.
-Dimitris Armadoros
Damir Markota
Birthdate: 12/26/85
NBA Position: SF/PF
Ht: 6-10
Wt: 225
Hometown: Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Team: (Karlovac) Cibona
Strengths: Above average athlete. Will need more strength, but for a 17 year old kid his strength is very good. He will get a lot stronger. His offensive game is extremely developed. An amazing three point touch. He can shoot from anywhere, with any kind of move. Has good vision and passes well out of the double team when in the post. Also a strong rebounder.
Weaknesses: Must work on his mid-range game. His defensive intensity needs a lot of work. He must work some on his ballhandling and his in-between game. But the biggest thing he needs to work on is his attitude. Has a reputation of not interacting well with teammates.
Notes: The best Croatian prospect in some time. He is a late 1985 guy but is already making big noise in Croatian Upper division averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds per game.
-Aran Smith
NBA Comparison: Toni Kukoc
Strengths: Very athletic and intelligent with the ball. Has extremely long arms and good leaping ability making him an effective shot blocker. Has a nice set of low post moves, including a very proficient baby hook. Shooting is where he separates himself from the rest of the pack. Can shoot the lights out from anywhere on the floor. Has wonderful touch...Not afraid to take the ball to the hole...a talent!
Weaknesses: Relies on athleticism way too much. Defense has to get better, he finds himself out of position on defense and is known to pick up bad fouls. Clearly a liability on D…Passing and rebounding should both improve with time and coaching...increased strength would do him very well. Notes: Has an edge to him, could turn out to be a very good player. Potential is huge.
(These last two I couldn't cut and paste)
Erazem Lorbek, PF, Slovenia
Erazem Lorbek, PF, Slovenia (http://www.eurobasket.com/ITAplayer.asp?PlayerID=16162)
Wojciech Barycz, PF, Poland
Wojciech Barycz (http://www.eurobasket.com/ITAplayer.asp?PlayerID=16162)