2011 Draft Prospect: Bismack Biyombo

[pad300]

http://www.draftexpress.com/headshots/bismackbiyombo.jpg
Height: 6-9
Weight: 222 lbs
Birthday: 08/28/92
Team: Illescas (Spain)
Country: Congo

DraftExpress (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Bismack-Biyombo-5902/)
nbadraft (http://www.nbadraft.net/players/bismack-biyambo)



-------------------



Bruno seems to have missed this guy on his prospect list; I couldn't find him on the index...
Mutant freak measurements, http://bit.ly/h3BZZq , and you just have to LOVE the name.
He might stay in and fall late enough for us; he appears to be falling out a bit with his euro team,
http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/cp//eid//eventid//langid/1/lid//newsid/46291/rid//roundid//sid//arti.html

[baseline bum]

Yeah, Biyombo has just popped up out of nowhere. I would love to make a high risk gamble on someone like him considering how lousy this draft is likely to be. I mean, that's a Kevin McHale build he has. I can't wait to see him at the Nike Hoop Summit later this month.

[benefactor]

7'7 wingspan....:wow

[yavozerb]

7'7 wingspan....:wow

:lol, freakish is an understatement....

[Chieflion]

Congo produces freaks.

[SenorSpur]

Wow. I just caught wind of this kid. Looks like he's a carbon copy of Serge Ibaka, with a 7'7" wingspan. He just moved to the top of my preferred choices for the Spurs 1st round pick.

http://www.beyondthebeat.net/blazers/articles/nike-hoop-summit-getting-to-know-lucas-nogueira-and-bismack-biyombo.html

Congo-born Bismack Biyombo is another 18-year-old who has received much acclaim due to his outstanding athleticism and defensive prowess. Just by looking at his wing span and standing reach measurements, it’s obvious that Biyombo has a body built for terrorizing the NBA.

Biyombo talked about some of his individual goals for this year that will help elevate his overall game and make him a more well-rounded athlete.

“Right now, I mean, I can say probably I’m a good defender. My first strength is to defend the ball. I want to get stops on defense, and then we see about offense. We can make it better. I have one coach who says that the best offense is defense. So, if your defense better, then you can offense."

A player that Biyombo often gets compared to is Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka. Both players are from the Congo and they also share similar body types and styles. However, Biyombo is hesitant to push this comparison too far:

“We pretty much similar, but not completely. I will never gonna be Serge and he will never gonna be me. The way it is, I really do respect it, and I talk to everybody that Serge is first and not me, so he’s good friend to me. I like him – I’m not sure I’m going to be 100% Serge and he’s not going to be 100% me. But there is at some points, people are going to say we’re pretty similar. You know, good body, we block shots, which allow us to be good defender, we run on the floor, so I can say we’re pretty similar.”

Since he is so often compared to Ibaka, I asked if there are any other NBA players that he feels are more appropriate comparisons or that he strives to model his game after.

“There is, Kevin Love is a good rebounder. He’s a smart guy. You know, every time he play, he know the good position he can be to grab the rebound. So that’s my favorite player. And Kevin Garnett is a good player to me. He play intense, every time. When he’s not on the floor, the team really miss him.”

Unfortunately, coming to Portland to play in the Nike Hoop Summit created some controversy for Biyombo with his current team, Fuenlabrada. His coach didn’t want Biyombo to take the time off because doing so required missing multiple games. They even went as far as to threaten Biyombo, throwing out the idea that he would lose his spot in the rotation if he left.

At the end of a victory last week, coach Salva Maldonado said: "[Biyombo] said he is going so the player has decided to leave the train and this train will not wait for him. . . We will have to reinvent the team again."

However, those bullying threats carry no backing, as Biyombo specifically has a clause in his contract that allows him to travel to international events, such as the Nike Hoop Summit. When asked if he was worried about returning home to drama with his coach, Biyombo shrugged it off.

“I’m not worried bout it. I’m not worried bout it. You know, I do the right thing. It is something that I have in my contract. If I didn’t have it in my contract, I would never gonna be here. But like I have it in my contract, it’s something we signed, me and the club, and people knows that we signed it. It’s something that we were working on and when we signed, I asked that question two, three times. Are you gonna let me go? They say yeah, we take care of that, don’t worry. But anyway, I don’t worry bout it. I would go back there. I would play ball. Anyway, it’s not a problem for me. It’s not a problem.”

I expressed that I was glad that Biyombo did end up making the decision to come, anyway. He responded with saying that his team should feel the same way.

“Yeah, of course they should be glad, you know. Young talent you got on your team and if he coming to special thing like this, I’m sure you should be glad.”

Finally, similar to Bebe, Biyombo has declared himself eligible for the 2011 NBA Draft. Also similar to Bebe, this weekend’s game could play a large role in whether or not he decides to stay in the draft.

“The decision will be make in . . . four days. I might be on the draft this year, but we see what’s gonna happen today, tomorrow. We’ll figure out, me and my agents. And if I have to be on the floor, I will step on it. I will step on it, ready to go.”

[Master splitter]

This guy can play some D. I really hope spurs can get this guy. C./splitter pf./Ryan Richards Sf./Bismack Sg./hill pg. Parker. Future starting lineup

[GabeIsGone]

This guys already climbed up enough to be out of reach.

[pad300]

This guy can play some D. I really hope spurs can get this guy. C./splitter pf./Ryan Richards Sf./Bismack Sg./hill pg. Parker. Future starting lineup

He's never going to be a small forward. He's a C on skills, and potentially could be a PF...

[SenorSpur]

He's never going to be a small forward. He's a C on skills, and potentially could be a PF...

Agree.

I must admit that the possiblity of havng a kid of his skills, along with Splitter and Richards, would make for a very formidable frontline.

[ChuckD]

This guys already climbed up enough to be out of reach.

[Pistons < Spurs]

so much freaking length .... he's just blocking and bothering so many shots out there. But there is absolutely no polish to his game at all. Athletic freak with little basketball skill. Intriguing for sure, but major project in the early stages of development.

If you're not already watching, we're still in the 3rd qtr of the Nike Hoop Summit. Should be viewable for most, it's on FoxSports here in Michigan.

[baseline bum]

Did you see Gilchrist go up and challenge him, think 'oh shit!' midair, and bring the ball behind his back for a pass instead? :lol

[baseline bum]

The World team looks like shit; too bad Kanter, Motiejunas, Valaciunas, and Vesely didn't show.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Biyombo has seven blocks in 22 minutes

[baseline bum]

Yeah, he just shit on Rivers and Beal in back to back possessions.

[Pistons < Spurs]

8

[Pistons < Spurs]

So ... are we completely buying in to the listed D.O.B. for this kid?????

[baseline bum]

Did it really matter with Mutombo? :lol

[Pistons < Spurs]

crazzzzzzzzy! needs one more block for the triple dpuble

[baseline bum]

10 points, 10 rebounds, 9 blocks... no way this guy doesn't go top 20 in the draft.

[Pistons < Spurs]

He's surely locked himself into this draft. No chance he goes back to Europe.

And as weak as this draft is, he probably does go in the first round despite being pretty raw in many ways.

I'll be pretty curious to hear how he does in private workouts against bigger more developed guys.

He's a little too bouncy right now, but he completely owned the paint tonight. Challenges everything. Gonna be fun to watch him.

[Pistons < Spurs]

young Theo Ratliff?

[ChuckD]

What's his contract sitch? Reasonable buyout, or Scola nightmare?

[kobyz]

the next Ben Wallace!

[admiralsnackbar]

What's his contract sitch? Reasonable buyout, or Scola nightmare?

If it were an unreasonable buyout, I'd think ownership would make sure Biz Markee's coach would encourage the kid to attend any and all international competitions/expos -- NBA attention would either equal asses in seats or a nice buyout windfall.

[ChuckD]

If it were an unreasonable buyout, I'd think ownership would make sure Biz Markee's coach would encourage the kid to attend any and all international competitions/expos -- NBA attention would either equal asses in seats or a nice buyout windfall.

European coaches are often windmill tilters and frequently resign or quit in the middle of the year over issues we'd consider trivial. Owners give them a lot of freedom/latitude until they jerk it all back in an instant. Don't use the reaction or lack thereof to his going to the Nike Summit to try to divine his buyout level.

[pad300]

This guys already climbed up enough to be out of reach.

Not so sure. He's raw as fuck and under contract overseas. He won't be coming over immediately - teams shy away from that.

I am confident that at least 3 foreign bigs will be taken before him

Kanter, Vesely and Valancunias

and according to draftexpress he's currently behind

Mirotic and Motiejunas

[ajballer4]

No way he's available to us after that performance last night

[jesterbobman]

I also think he's at most the 4th earliest Euro Big Drafted, but I could still see him going in the lottery. The draft this year...Ugh

[Pistons < Spurs]

Biyombo is under contract with Fuenlabrada for another three years, but he has a relatively simple NBA buyout clause (€1 million Euros). What's even more attractive is the fact that the NBA team that drafts him can rest assured knowing that he can continue to play in Europe in the event of a lockout, which won't slow his development.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Bismack-Biyombos-Long-Journey--3672#ixzz1JD0HonzX
http://www.draftexpress.com

[Pistons < Spurs]

The hype may be getting a bit out of hand for this kid. DX's newest mock has him going 8th.

[admiralsnackbar]

The hype may be getting a bit out of hand for this kid. DX's newest mock has him going 8th.
This time of year is always entertaining that way.

Last year around this time Stanley Robinson and Nemanja Bjelica were sniffing the lottery and Paul George and Luke Babbitt were late 1st/early 2nd-rounders.

[spursbird]

Spurs won't draft this guy even if he's still in the draft pool because you guys have made this thread longer than 1 page.
:lol

[yavozerb]

The hype may be getting a bit out of hand for this kid. DX's newest mock has him going 8th.

I usually like DX but singler going #7 in the 2nd rd is pretty ridiculous...I'm all for unknowns moving up into the draft so players like honeycutt or jajuan johnson might actually get pushed to 29-30. :toast

[yavozerb]

PORTLAND, Ore. -- So how old is this Bismack Biyombo, the African triple-double prodigy who may be in the NBA next season?

"A lot of time people are saying I can't be so young, that I am much older,'' said Biyombo, the 6-foot-9, 243-pound forward/center from Congo who is listed as 18 years old. "It is not the first time I hear this, but I really don't care.''

Biyombo produced the first triple-double ever seen at the Nike Hoop Summit on Saturday, with 12 points (5-of-7 from the field), 11 rebounds and an astonishing 10 blocks in the World Select Team's 92-80 loss to the U.S. Junior National Select Team. The internationals arrived with more size, but the Americans performed as if they were the taller team thanks to their superior athleticism and teamwork. They've been playing together in international competitions, and their cohesion was intimidating from the opening minute. The World players were alarmed by the speed of the game and were forced to hurry their shots against the fast-closing American defenders.

Team USA ran out to a 20-12 lead while blocking six shots and holding the visitors to 3-of-21 shooting (14.3 percent) in the opening quarter. Duke-bound guard Austin Rivers (son of Celtics coach Doc) continued to make a name for himself by going 7-of-11 (3-of-4 from 3-point range) for a game-high 20 points, while the frontcourt play of future Wildcats Anthony Davis (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Michael Gilchrist (16 points and five blocks) suggested that Kentucky will be back in championship contention next season.

All 10 of the players on Team USA are headed to major college programs, and many of them will be drafted in the NBA lottery over the next couple of years. Of more immediate concern to the dozens of NBA scouts in attendance were several members of the World squad who could be in the draft this June.

Chief among them was Biyombo, who exploited his 7-7 wingspan and the most NBA-ready body on the floor. After a disappointing first quarter, the visitors adapted as Biyombo asserted himself defensively and Polish guard Mateusz Ponitka (who scored a team-leading 17 points) attacked the basket. "He runs the floor, he defends and he's cat-quick,'' said an NBA scout of Biyombo. "His offensive skills need to be developed, but his athleticism screams out.''

"He's Ben Wallace, basically,'' said another NBA executive.

The NBA evaluators spent the week guessing at Biyombo's age as they attended the World Team's practices. A half-dozen NBA scouts and executives told me they believed Biyombo was older than his listed age of 18, based not only on his mature body but also his leadership skills, as he led the Internationals through their pre-practice stretches and was their most vocal and energetic player. Questions of his age won't necessarily damage his stock in the draft, as his maturity will be viewed as strength. He is forecasted as a first-round pick with a chance to sneak into the lottery.

When I asked him Thursday how long he had been playing basketball, he postponed the discussion. "I can say that at this time I prefer to focus on the Nike week,'' he said with a grin. "So I will be around here after the game and I'll let people know everything they want to know, and people will question me everything they want to question and I give the answer.''

On Saturday he said he had been playing basketball since he was 12, both on an outdoor court near his home as well as on an indoor floor at his high school.

He began his professional career in Yemen in 2009, and then moved to the Spanish fourth division in 2009-10. He quickly worked his way up to Spain's ACB, the top national league in Europe, where he is currently averaging 6.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 14 games with the club Fuenlabrada. "The way I play here, I play everywhere,'' he said following the Hoop Summit. "In the ACB I play with a lot of smart guys, I play with a lot of strong guys, and when I step on the court I just want to kill them.''

Biyombo is a highly engaging character. His favorite NBA players are a couple of All-Star power forwards, Kevin Love and Kevin Garnett. "Kevin Garnett is intense player -- every time he's not on the floor, his team is missing him,'' said Biyombo. "I want to (play) defense as a team. I want to help everybody on my team and I want to win the game ... That's what I heard from my first coach, that the good offense is defense. If I block a lot of shots then it's good offense. If I get a lot of rebounds, then it's good offense.''

After the game, Biyombo stood in the locker room and thanked his teammates and coaches for the opportunity to spend the week in their company.

Another potential first-round pick is Brazilian 7-footer Lucas Riva Nogueira, an 18-year-old known as "Bebe'' (Baby). He is a slim 218 pounds, though he has gained 20 pounds in the last year. And while he is extremely raw offensively, he intrigued scouts by driving left-handed from the top of the key to finish with an explosive dunk during practice Friday. But the competition appeared too fast for him Saturday, leaving him with just four points, six rebounds and one block in 13 minutes.

Davis Bertans, a 6-10, 215-pound Latvian forward who plays for Union Olimpija in Slovenia, could also be a first-round pick. "He's a better shooter than Dirk Nowitzki was at the same age,'' said the NBA scout. Though he was a cold 3-of-10 for eight points Saturday, Bertans demonstrated his skill by catching a pass around his ankles and going straight up to convert a corner three.

His father is a coach in Latvia, and as a result Bertans has been playing basketball for as long as he can remember. "Some people say it's like immediately after the birth I was in the gym,'' he said. "My mother said when the ball stopped and there was silence, I was crying; but when somebody was dribbling the ball, I was sleeping.''

A couple of other intriguing Europeans were 6-7 guard Evan Fournier of France, a prolific scorer who plans to enter the draft in 2012, and Croatian Dario Saric, a 6-10, 215-pound forward with the skillset of a point forward, three-point shooter and rebounder. Saric (seven points and six rebounds) was the youngest player in the game -- he celebrated his 17th birthday this week -- and initially was visibly nervous with the ball against the U.S. speed. In the second half, he became more assertive while using his size to rebound, converting a three-pointer and pushing the ball in transition.

One NBA executive cited Saric and Kyle Wiltjer, a 6-10 Canadian forward from Portland (he is committed to Kentucky next season) as the two Internationals with the best upside physically. "There are so many things that can happen over the next few years -- he doesn't mature, or he doesn't improve,'' said another NBA exec of Saric. "But he's a guy with size and a tremendous feel for the game, and to see that at his age is uncommon.''


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Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/ian_thomsen/04/10/nike.hoop.summit/index.html#ixzz1JDpWBljS

[Mal]

The hype may be getting a bit out of hand for this kid. DX's newest mock has him going 8th.

Every mock without Jazz taking Freddette is bullshit

[SenorSpur]

Every mock without Jazz taking Freddette is bullshit

Not necessarily. Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor isn't one to bite on a simple strategy of taking the hometown kid. In fact, he's on record as saying that he "doesn't draft players to curry favor with the locals or for marketing purposes." Rather he drafts to improve his roster.

That said, watch him take Freddette this year, right? :lol

[Mal]

Not necessarily. Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor isn't one to bite on a simple strategy of taking the hometown kid. In fact, he's on record as saying that he "doesn't draft players to curry favor with the locals or for marketing purposes." Rather he drafts to improve his roster.

That said, watch him take Freddette this year, right? :lol

Oh ,yeah. Jazz are in mode "not drafting Freddette isnt end of the world" in case some GM would draft Jimmer and wanted to trade him to Utah.

[Anonymous Cowherd]

Not necessarily. Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor "doesn't draft players to curry favor with the locals"l

in Salt Lake City, I assume this really means what I think it really means

[baseline bum]

Wow, now DX has Biyombo going #7, and they still haven't taken Barnes out of their mock. I guess you can't move him up to 6 though, as there is no way Utah could stack a fourth young power forward on their roster, right?

[Brazil]

Spurs won't draft this guy even if he's still in the draft pool because you guys have made this thread longer than 1 page.

I lol'ed :lol

[baseline bum]

Also the guy is another 6-7 PF, dont we have one of those?


His wingspan is 5" greater than Splitter's. It's like Scottie Pippen, Kevin McHale, Tayshaun Prince,etc. level. Even if he is 22 or 23 he wouldn't be a bad late first round pick in such a lousy draft.

[baseline bum]

My point is 1) if he is older, he is so raw, he has no upside if he is much older as is rumored. Its like a 20 year old star on a jv team.....yeah hes great, what happens when he gets to the next level?

Secondly, I would much rather take a flyer on a taller player like Eliza from Vandy or a more polished player with limited upside like Kyle Singler.

This guy is a PF in the nba and again at 6-7 how many undersized guys do we need.

He's just under 6'8 barefoot, 6'9" in shoes, has elite length, and is pretty athletic. And no way does playing great D against top-level talent like Rivers, Gilchrist, Davis, Beal, etc. equate to dominating a JV team. Davis and Rivers would be top 5 picks this year if it wasn't for the age limit, and Gilchrist would probably be top 10. Davis might even have gone #1 to a team that already had a good point guard. Biyomobo has all the athletic tools to be a lockdown defender; I mean, what more could you hope for picking at #29 or #30? Singler? That guy won't be able to handle going against NBA-level defense; look at how Harrison Barnes destroyed him every time those two matched up this year.

[yavozerb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntd4eRA-OEk

[baseline bum]

Damn, I didn't know he blocked Rivers twice; stupid FSN showed a lousy Astros postgame show that pre-empted almost the entire first half of the game.

[baseline bum]

According to his agent he is 6-7 dont know if that is with or without shoes. We could go down the list of super freak bigs that have littered the lotto and dominated against top young talent yet that does not mean anything. John Bender, Robert Swift, Greg oden, Petro,.......This list goes on forever, freaks dont make your a good ball player.

I dont want another undersized project PF/C. Singler on the other hand is a good defender, good rebounder, good ball handler and shooter at 6-9 SF. Barnes no double is the better player but I dont think 9 and 16 points against Singler is dominating by any means.

Barns had his ass handed to him all year by lesser players, and do remember Barnes had 2 7ftrs behind him that made Singler work...it wasnt Barnes.

This is a weak draft so I would be shocked if we even keep the pick but if we do I would much rather get real size, or a proven player with limited upside who can be a 6th, 7th or 8th man in the near future than to role the dice like we did on Ian. Who by the way was also young and considered a freak.

Nah, I watched those games and Barnes was all in Singler every Duke possession... and besides, NBA teams are going to have way better bigs to funnel Singler into than Henson and Zeller.

[SenorSpur]

My point is 1) if he is older, he is so raw, he has no upside if he is much older as is rumored. Its like a 20 year old star on a jv team.....yeah hes great, what happens when he gets to the next level?

Secondly, I would much rather take a flyer on a taller player like Eliza from Vandy or a more polished player with limited upside like Kyle Singler.

This guy is a PF in the nba and again at 6-7 how many undersized guys do we need.

I'm with you Tex. As much as I do like Bismack, and I hope he turns out to be 26 years old and all teams get leery of him, I would prefer Festus too.

From a size standpoint, he fits more of what the Spurs are lacking - a commanding paint presence to rebound, block shots and protect the paint. I'll be interested in seeing where he's projected to go. Right now, he's listed as a second round possible.

[Bruno]

Biyombo is playing in producing in Spanish league that is the best domestic league in the world behind the NBA. He plays at a level significantly higher than college basketball.And even if he is older by a couple of years than his age, he remains a player with a huge margin of improvement because he has started to play basketball not a long time ago.

I'm not saying Biyombo will be a good NBA player because I haven't watch enough of him and because NBA >>>> Europe but it's hard to deny he is a very intriguing prospect.

[Anonymous Cowherd]

He is believed to be 5-6 years older and besides 6 points and 5 rebounds per game on a club like Fuenlabrada is hardly producing. And the ACB is total shit crap compared to Euroleague.

You are talking about a below average player in the second best league in Europe.

that's where "upside" is thought of so highly.

there's stuff you can teach, stuff that's tough to teach, and stuff you can never teach.

this guy seems to have a lot of the tick boxes that appear in the second or third column.

[Pistons < Spurs]

The one thing that continues to dog Biyombo are the question marks NBA teams have about his age. Recently converted NBA draft analyst David Aldridge wrote that an NBA GM he spoke with said he had heard rumors that Biyombo was “anywhere from 23 to 26.”

Our research has revealed some slightly different information. Coaches who have worked with Biyombo earlier in his career while he was still in Congo think he's “no older than 20 at most,” while Biyombo's agent, Igor Crespo, has evidence that proves Biyombo is even younger.

Crespo says he took Biyombo to a specialist to conduct a bone age study immediately upon his arrival in Spain (Biyombo was reportedly 16). The study, as explained here involves taking x-rays of an adolescent's wrist and hand to see if his growth plates are still open. Because the cartilage in Biyombo's hand hadn't fused at that point, the specialist came to the conclusion that he could be 16 or 17 at most, but not 18, when growth plates are expected to be closed.

This obviously rules out the possibility of Biyombo being five to eight years older than he's listed, as the wild speculation we've seen recently on the Internet indicates. Crespo says he will willingly share these x-rays with any NBA team that requests them. One team we spoke with has already begun to evaluate the x-rays.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Finding-a-Niche-For-Bismack-Biyombo-3683#ixzz1JsxsHFRn
http://www.draftexpress.com

[buttsR4rebounding]

Here he is Adam

[GSH]

Biyombo had a workout in Italy this week. It didn't go too well. http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/13/biyombo-montiejunas-have-rough-workouts/

One comment that stood out in the article: …As one GM summed it up, “Bismack Biyombo played one-against-none today … and he lost.”

I expect that they will manage his exposure between now and the draft, to keep him from further hurting his chances. Depending on who you believe right now, he might got in the first 10 positions, or he might drop to the second round.

Right now, he is all about defense. It woudn't suck to have a defensive specialist, but the NBA game would be a big step up for him. As for the age thing, there's no way of even guessing how old he is. But apparently not many are buying that he is less than 21-22.

Personally I think he's too big of a big risk, even at the 29 pick, for the Spurs. I just don't see how the Spurs can take a flyer on a guy who really hasn't been tested against higher-caliber opponents. For a team loaded with young talent, he's probably worth a shot.

[yavozerb]

Biyombo had a workout in Italy this week. It didn't go too well. http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/13/biyombo-montiejunas-have-rough-workouts/

One comment that stood out in the article: …As one GM summed it up, “Bismack Biyombo played one-against-none today … and he lost.”

I expect that they will manage his exposure between now and the draft, to keep him from further hurting his chances. Depending on who you believe right now, he might got in the first 10 positions, or he might drop to the second round.

:lol, dont think so...Sounds like a tx 2 step prediction

[5in10]

:lol, dont think so...Sounds like a tx 2 step prediction

:lmao:lmao

[GSH]

:lol, dont think so...


You never know how much of the pre-draft talk is misdirection, but that works both ways. Teams say they aren't interested because they really are. But they also hype guys they don't really want.

Apparently the workout was pretty bad, Yavozerb. It's a weak draft overall, I think, so someone probably will take a shot on him in the first round. But he sure didn't help his chances in Italy. There's no doubt now that they would be drafting a defense-only prospect. There are a limited number of teams that I see who even might spend a picker higher than 20 on him. Not a lot of room between there and the second round. If he goes in the top 15, I'll make sure and put the little jackass emote on my posts for a couple of days. :p: It could happen, but I think that workout will slow things down for him.

So do you think the Spurs would take him at 29, regardless of who else could be reasonably on the board?

[yavozerb]

You never know how much of the pre-draft talk is misdirection, but that works both ways. Teams say they aren't interested because they really are. But they also hype guys they don't really want.

Apparently the workout was pretty bad, Yavozerb. It's a weak draft overall, I think, so someone probably will take a shot on him in the first round. But he sure didn't help his chances in Italy. There's no doubt now that they would be drafting a defense-only prospect. There are a limited number of teams that I see who even might spend a picker higher than 20 on him. Not a lot of room between there and the second round. If he goes in the top 15, I'll make sure and put the little jackass emote on my posts for a couple of days. :p: It could happen, but I think that workout will slow things down for him.

So do you think the Spurs would take him at 29, regardless of who else could be reasonably on the board?

Even before that workout I believe most teams already knew Biyombo lacked any offensive skills and the workout just confirmed that. Biyombo became a house hold name for this draft based on the defensive end of the floor only, this workout did not diminish this part of his game what so ever. In my opinion some lottery team will still draft him but if he does drop, the lowest he would drop is 23 to the rockets. Trying to guess what the front office would do is pretty miserable but I believe if was still there I have to believe they would take him.

[GSH]

:lmao:lmao

BTW - I don't know who the hell you are, or what you're laughing at. But just for laughs, you did know that Biyombo is only 6'8" without shoes, right? And that he only spent part of the year in division 1 ball? And you knew that he has a buyout with his Spanish team of 1M Euro, right? And there's a new CBA coming, and nobody knows what it will look like?

Regardless of what articles you read about him on the Internet, drafting a 6'8", defense-only, international player with limited experience, who is still under contract in Spain, and has a $1.4M buyout? Not exactly a slam dunk for most teams. You might even say that most teams with a lottery pick would really have to think twice about it.


Edit: And before anyobdy flames, the CBA is important because nobody knows what the rookie scale will look like. And that's important because a team can only contribute $500K to a buyout. And an extra $1M is a big chunk of change for a young kid from the Congo. If the rookie scale is low enough, and he's lower in the first round, he might think about staying in Spain one more year. Just saying it's one more unknown for a team to draft him.

[GSH]

If Biyombo falls past 6 I would be shocked.

Wow... so you think he's going to be an immediate impact player here?


Just curious, who in the first 6 do you think would pick him? Do you really see him going top 3? If not, it's Cleveland, Toronto, and Washington in 4,5,and 6. And I don't see Cleveland taking a risk. They need to settle things down up there right now. That leaves Washington and Toronto.

Well if he does go that high, I guess the buyout won't be as big of a factor. He'll pay it and be here next year. And a weak draft is probably a good time to take a flyer. But damn... if he gets drafted that high and turns out to be another Mouhamed Sene, somebody's head is going to roll.

[yavozerb]

Wow... so you think he's going to be an immediate impact player here?


Just curious, who in the first 6 do you think would pick him? Do you really see him going top 3? If not, it's Cleveland, Toronto, and Washington in 4,5,and 6. And I don't see Cleveland taking a risk. They need to settle things down up there right now. That leaves Washington and Toronto.

Well if he does go that high, I guess the buyout won't be as big of a factor. He'll pay it and be here next year. And a weak draft is probably a good time to take a flyer. But damn... if he gets drafted that high and turns out to be another Mouhamed Sene, somebody's head is going to roll.

Most of your statements are true in normal NBA drafts, but this season there are only 2 players who are expected to make instant impacts with there team, thus the labeling of a "weak draft".

[mariners]

He won't get past GS at 11 and most likely will go higher, he can already contribute on the defensive end and has plenty of potential on the other end.

[GSH]

Maybe you guys are right. I saw a mock draft on NBA .com this evening that had him going to the Pistons at #8. So I guess they think (like most of you) that no one will be bothered by it. I still think it was dumb of his agent to put him into a workout that did nothing but show his weaknesses, even if the teams already knew what they were. It can't help, and it can only hurt. That's just not smart.

The comment about Detroit picking him is worth noting, though:
The closer the draft gets, the more some teams believe Joe Dumars needs the safe pick with better odds on a nice return with a new owner and a new coach. Biyombo is definitely not a safe-pick guy,but he projects as a game changer more than anyone still on the board.

That's exactly what I was saying about Cleveland. They need safe picks and they have 2 of the first 6 slots. Utah has 2 of the lottery picks, and I don't see them taking any chances either, with the changes that have taken place there. Charlotte made some bizarre trades last season, and I think they will be looking to save face with a more conventional pick. When I went down the list, I kept seeing teams that I think might pass for various reasons.

I just think he's better suited, and an easier pick, for some of the better teams further down the list. If that workout hurts him even a little bit, he could fall a lot further than some of you think. Maybe not far enough to reach the Spurs, but well out of the lottery. I guess we'll see soon enough.



Most of your statements are true in normal NBA drafts, but this season there are only 2 players who are expected to make instant impacts with there team, thus the labeling of a "weak draft".

Yeah, that's the kicker. There aren't as many really "safe" instant impact guys this year. But there are guys like Marcus Morris that will come off of someone's bench, and contribute on both ends, and not give GM's too much heartburn about picking them.

[5in10]

BTW - I don't know who the hell you are, or what you're laughing at. But just for laughs, you did know that Biyombo is only 6'8" without shoes, right? And that he only spent part of the year in division 1 ball? And you knew that he has a buyout with his Spanish team of 1M Euro, right? And there's a new CBA coming, and nobody knows what it will look like?

Regardless of what articles you read about him on the Internet, drafting a 6'8", defense-only, international player with limited experience, who is still under contract in Spain, and has a $1.4M buyout? Not exactly a slam dunk for most teams. You might even say that most teams with a lottery pick would really have to think about it

Chill man I was laughing at the Texas 2 step comment not at you, and I would love if biyombo fell to us, but I just don't see 28 teams passing on him.

[objective]

fwiw, David Locke (pbp for Jazz, does podcasts and radio) interviewed on tape a scout with 25+ years experience who basically said the Jazz should take Biyombo 3rd if the Jazz felt Favors could turn into a legit scorer (the scout didn't think he could).

Ben Wallace defense if he gets to his potential is worth a lot. He was an all-star and DPoY (fraudulent like all DPoY awards, but still) and was what, 32 or 33 when he signed a deal paying $15 million a year?

[SenorSpur]

Only Khan would take this guy in the first 5 picks. If you can prove hes 18-19 I would jump at him from 5-10, if hes in his mid 20's he could fall into the 20's.

I would love to see him fall to the spurs as we need a guy who can play now and I think Biyombo can do that on D.

I read last night on ESPN.com that his stock is falling. This on the heels of last weekend's poor showing in Italy. I doubt he'll make it past the Pistons or Warriors.

[SenorSpur]

He has a wide range where he could be slotted. Det certainly due to the fact they need bigs, and the Wallace comps...GS I dont see it with Epke and Betrains and Lee already there, I think Mil, Philly and Rockets will all take a had look.

If he falls into the 20s SA needs to consider making a move to go get him.

It's a tempting idea and I concur, but I just don't think Pop wants players on his roster who cannot score the basketball - no matter how good of a defender they are.

[Indazone]

He can't shoot if his life depended on it. Can't even hit the bunnies from 3 feet away. He could be the next coming of Dennis Rodman though. An incredible rebounder and defensive specialist but his offense could be so bad that he'd be a liability to have on the court. Still he'll at least be a role player for defense.

[baseline bum]

I'd love for the Spurs to trade up for this guy if it can be done cheaply. I wouldn't give up Blair, Anderson, nor Hill, but if they could do something like trade Dice's expiring for a small contract a team wants to dump and the pick to draft Biyomobo, I'd be all for it. Might as well swing for the fences in a weak draft.

[wildbill2u]

I'm confident that this is exactly the type of player that the Spurs would draft, work on for years as a project, and then let go to another team in favor of keeping some 6'5" player with no upside or an old veteran with plenty of downside.

For all their skills--and luck--in drafting the Spurs simply can't take a player with potential and find a way to bring him along to be a useful asset.

[baseline bum]

I'm confident that this is exactly the type of player that the Spurs would draft, work on for years as a project, and then let go to another team in favor of keeping some 6'5" player with no upside or an old veteran with plenty of downside.

For all their skills--and luck--in drafting the Spurs simply can't take a player with potential and find a way to bring him along to be a useful asset.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/media/act_tony_parker.jpg

[baseline bum]

That was a good decade ago when the age of international players were still looked upon as "behind in the game." If a Tony Parker clone was in any of the drafts the past 5 years he would be a top 10 pick.

Parker slid as much for his shrimp frame as anything; he looked like he was about 16 on draft day. Boston and Orlando both wanted point guards but decided to draft size. He would go top 10 now not because of changes in attitudes towards European players, but because he'd be 19 instead of 18 and probably have a better filled out frame (the difference between his first and second years seemed pretty significant).

[GSH]

The rumor today is that the Knicks are interested, and would even consider trading up for him. That's why it's so difficult for me to get caught up in pre-draft rumors and hype. But when did D'Antoni give a damn about defense? The knicks already have a big who runs the floor, in Amare Stoudamire - so what would Biyombo do when the Knicks have the ball?

Anything is possible, I guess. But the idea of the Knicks trading up to get a defensive specialist who can't shoot the ball? I just can't see it. It seems a lot more likely that his agent is behind the rumor. Not that there's anything wrong with that - that's what agents do. But if the Knicks really do draft Biyombo, you can count this as one of the weakest drafts in history. Becaus I can't see D'Antoni passing on a competent scorer if one is available.

[GSH]

Makes more sense. I'm pretty sure Thabeet is really hovering around 30 actually. These Africans who just kind of show up are real question marks in terms of age. Anyways, he looks young enough to pass as a mature 22 year old, but then again, guys like LeBron and Oden looked 40. Oden looks like old Grandpa now. That was a poorly constructed sentence and I'm going to bed. Good night y'all.


Yeah, if you believe Oden was just 20 when he got drafted raise your hand.

I don't know about Biyombo, but it seems like a lot of people are really insistent that he's older than he says. But as long as he really isn't a project, it shouldn't be that big of an issue. I don't see as many people wanting to stash a player who is already older.

[Indazone]

If the NBA Scouts say that during his workout that Biyombo played one against none and lost, I'd have to say he is a project.

Sounds just like one of the guys the Rockets held the draft rights to a few years back. A monster physical beast but without any offensive skills.

Malick Badiane from Senegal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malick_Badiane

For all we know Badiane is better than Biyombo. He has more experience, is taller and probably more athletic so if you're going to take a chance of a raw physical center, why not get Badiane?

[Mr. Body]

This guy is horrible. If the Knicks want to trade up to get him, let 'em.

[benefactor]

-The 2nd best big man in this class some teams' eyes, Bismack Biyombo, sits on the opposite side of the spectrum of Valanciunas. Where the big Lithuanian's efficiency shines through playing a very specific role, Biyombo was clearly still learning the offensive game last season, though he managed to fare well in certain areas.

Keep reading...

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Situational-Statistics-the-2011-Big-Men-Crop-3761/#ixzz1Pxf0GAaO
http://www.draftexpress.com

[SenorSpur]

I've come around on this guy. Contrary to popular reports, he's a bit better offensively than first reported. And of course, he's a beast defensively.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_SB-ZKAhGM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUxKzucNsTo

I hope like hell, this is the Spurs target.

[Wu36]

Well i guess Blair had bumb knees so perhaps Biyombo is really 18.

[Pistons < Spurs]

TheHoopsReport Ryan Feldman
BREAKING: I was told by a trusted league source today at NBA Draft media day that Bismack Biyombo has a medical red flag with his back.


TheHoopsReport Ryan Feldman
The source said they still expect Biyombo to be drafted either at 8 by the Pistons or 9 by the Bobcats, despite the back issue.


TheHoopsReport Ryan Feldman
If Biyombo slips past 9, he could easily slide to 19, or even further, a la DeJuan Blair when he had his medical red flag.

[SenorSpur]

a la Nic Batum medical conspiracy...circa 2008. If the medical records are mysteriously withheld from the majority of NBA teams, then we may have a smoking gun.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

The Hoop Report very creditable source. LMAO!

[Vinnie_Johnson]

They also found a Birth certificate on Bismark showing he was born in Hawaii and is actually 48 years old.

[Bruno]

The Hoop Report very creditable source. LMAO!

In fact, they seems quite credible. They are a new site but they have been reliable so far with a lot of news about players working out for teams.

[Thompson]

In fact, they seems quite credible. They are a new site but they have been reliable so far with a lot of news about players working out for teams.

Wow, the Spurs went all out this year.