Draft Prospect: Nikola Pekovic

[Marcus Bryant]

http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/nikola_pekovic.jpg

Full Name: Nikola Pekovic
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 6-11 / 265
Birthdate: January 3, 1986
High School:
Team: Partizan Belgrade
Country: Serbia

NBA (http://www.nba.com/draft2008/profiles/NikolaPekovic.html)
NBADraft.net (http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/nikolapekovic.html)
DraftExpress (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Nikola-Pekovic-1047/)

[sendman]

I believe this is the only Euro, that is NBA ready in 2008 draft.
I don't know if that was a fluke, but he was an ABSOLUTE MONSTER in Euroleague.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Nikola-Pekovic-1047/

But he is a ugly MoFo.:lmao

[Kibic]

TPark would die for this one. No floping, no crying, just pure strength, power and energy. He would make Gasol...

[remingtonbo2001]

Im sure this guy is Pop's wet dream.

[Texas_Ranger]

He's a good player. Could be better than Oberto.

[Mr. Body]

DX informs that he's signed a three year contract with Panathinaikos for about the equivalent of what an American number one pick gets.

Picking him in the late first means he will never come over, a Tiago Splitter special. Even in the second it's doubtful he even cares.

[Kobayagi]

He's a Javtokas. Except for the motorcycle stunts part.

[Mr. Body]

He's a Javtokas. Except for the motorcycle stunts part.

I don't agree. Pekovic is not athletic, Javtokas is fleet and can jump. Pekovic is big and strong, Javtokas can get dislodged in the post. Pekovic is extremely talented around the basket, Javtokas isn't a great scorer. Pekovic is not a good defender, Javtokas is a nice shot blocker.

They're pretty different.

[angelbelow]

whats the update on this guy?

dx says hes the best center in europe.. i mean i though spltiter was =)..

previous posters seem warm to the idea of drafting him, should we be taking a closer look with the splitter situation and all. and hes actually younger than splitter too.

[timvp]

It doesn't sound like he'll ever come to the NBA. I read an interview where he basically says he's not interested. But even given that, he'd still be a great pick at 57 if the rest of the NBA is scared off. Seven or eight years down the like he could have a change of heart or the Euro teams stop paying as much or something.

At 45 he wouldn't be horrible as long as all the decent domestic prospects are off the board. He's a long, long range pick but the payoff could be big. Considering 90% of second rounders don't make it, drafting him in the second is good value.

[Marcus Bryant]

It doesn't sound like he'll ever come to the NBA. I read an interview where he basically says he's not interested. But even given that, he'd still be a great pick at 57 if the rest of the NBA is scared off. Seven or eight years down the like he could have a change of heart or the Euro teams stop paying as much or something.

At 45 he wouldn't be horrible as long as all the decent domestic prospects are off the board. He's a long, long range pick but the payoff could be big. Considering 90% of second rounders don't make it, drafting him in the second is good value.

Not to mention that the Spurs only have so many roster spots.

[mrspurs]

until we find a replacement for fab, and fab begins coming off the bench to blend with thomas....timmy will find himself making those upset looks he makes everytime fab and kurt choke....and they do choke more then any of the rest of the roster except for mighty slouch...unless of course they find away to get a hold of an allstar caliber swing man...and even then...timmy will be left alone...as of late i dont have much faith in the decisions buford and pop have been making...great not good players just slipping thru our hands..season after season....good luck this offseason.....go spurs go

[MONTENEGRINO]

He's a good player. Could be better than Oberto.

First of all, he is from Montenegro, not Serbia. He is member of Partizan Belgrade, club from Serbia.

Hahahahahaha Oberto. He IS now WAY BETTER than Oberto. Oberto is soft biach.

[MONTENEGRINO]

He can score, he can defend, he can rebound and he even can block shoots.
He is strong and he has excellent attitude.

[Marcus Bryant]

Nikola Pekovic

Leading Partizan to the Serbian semi-finals, the top Balkan team this season hasn’t needed much from its starting center to lead the SuperLeague regular season. Playing less than 23 minutes per game, Pekovic has averaged 14.4 points and 4.7 rebounds (he’s still struggling with the defensive captures), proving again his superb ability to finish near the basket.

Pekovic has already signed a mammoth three year contract (with NBA outs) with Panathinaikos, the top team in Greece and one of the richest teams in Europe. His camp has done everything in its power to discourage teams from wanting to draft him in the first round (again due to the rookie scale), even though it’s clear that on talent and especially production, he is more than deserving. We’d be shocked to see him in the States working out for anyone.

link (http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/International-Blog/)

[Dario]

Would kick any C spurs has right now in the nuts, but will never play in NBA. That sums it up

[Marcus Bryant]

Would kick any C spurs has right now in the nuts, but will never play in NBA. That sums it up

Unless he's not drafted with a 1st round pick.

[angelbelow]

i heard reports of him signing a 3 year extension. i think the door has closed on him. we might need to resort to signing players we already have (jatokas)

[Man of Steel]

Sign him

[kobyz]

he can be great 2 round draft pick, and then wa can ofer him more then the rokie minimum

[Dario]

I don't believe anyone in NBA would offer him anything like he will be making for the next three years, expecialy for an unproven player in nba standards.
Also this is his first big paycheck, i dont think he would take less.

[eisfeld]

If he is willing to come over right now and if he'll be available when the Spurs are on the clock yes. But considering he is signing the three year contract extension - No. The spurs don't need any more players who might come over in 3-5 years.

[spursfan98]

Antoher bust

[sendman]

Antoher bust
It must be wonderful being clueless and loud.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I think this might be the only Euro I would support being drafted this year, and that's only if the Spurs had some sort of assurance they could actually get him this year.

After losing out on Scola and now presumably Splitter, I'm really against SA burning picks on Euro players anywhere beyond late in the second round.

[Pero]

There's absolutely no way he'd come this year, he just signed a 3 year contract with Panathinaikos.

[timvp]

The second is Nikola Pekovic, a 22-year-old Montenegrin with a similar contract problem. Pekovic was little-known 12 months ago but absolutely dominated in the Euroleague this year.

My numbers from 2008 suggest he could start for most NBA teams tomorrow -- 18.3 points and 12.0 boards per 40 minutes, with 51.4 percent shooting and a 17.09 PER. I take this with a bit of a grain of salt, because his numbers from 2007 were terrible, but only a bit -- if it weren't for contracts I'd have him rated third on my board. Yes, third.

Unfortunately, you won't be hearing his name until much later. Pekovic signed a big-money deal with Panathanaikos in Athens -- reportedly for 4.5 million euros, which at the current exchange rate is about 300 billion dollars -- making it all but impossible for an NBA team to sign him under the rookie salary scale. As a result, he seems pegged for the early part of the second round. Nonetheless, if I'm the Timberwolves I take this guy at No. 31 before Adam Silver even gets to the podium.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3460365&name=hollinger_john
:lol & :rolleyes @ being third on Hollinger's board.

Pekovic at 45 would be great value but he'll be long gone.

[Marcus Bryant]

:lol & :rolleyes @ being third on Hollinger's board.

Pekovic at 45 would be great value but he'll be long gone.

That makes his Splitter assessment somewhat easier to take.

[InK]

Deserving of a bump tbh. Averaging 20 pts, 11.2 boards, 1.8 bl, 1.2 st in his last 5 games, impressive.

[temujin]

Seen this guy live 3 months ago, destroy the soft Burussis.

A beast.

[endrity]

Seen this guy live 3 months ago, destroy the soft Burussis.

A beast.

Oh snap, KBP is about to be go apeshit on your ass.

[temujin]

Oh snap, KBP is about to be go apeshit on your ass.

The Greek idiot can't afford the connection anymore.

[endrity]

The Greek idiot can't afford the connection anymore.

nah he just changed his name to Manu Forever, they can still get internet in Arkansas