Draft Prospect: Ante Tomic

[Marcus Bryant]

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/nba/draft2008/headshots/18884.jpg

Full Name: Ante Tomic
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 7-1 / 225
Birthdate: February 17, 1987
High School:
Team: KK Zagreb
Country: Croatia

NBA (http://www.nba.com/draft2008/profiles/AnteTomic.html)
NBADraft.net (http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/antetomic.html)
DraftExpress (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Ante-Tomic-257/)

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

-Ante Tomic is staying in the draft, according to his agent Marc Cornstein.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Early-Entry-Withdrawal-Deadline-Gallinari-Stays-in-the-Draft--128ET--2929/

[Marcus Bryant]

At #57 he'd be worth a look.

[Bruno]

I'm quite intrigued by Tomic choice to stay in the draft.

5 internationals players have stayed in: Gallinari, Ajinça, Batum, Ibaka and Tomic.
Gallinari, Ajinça, Batum and Ibaka are more or less first round pick lock. Staying in the draft makes a lot of sense for them.

I really wonder why Tomic has stayed in the draft. Mock drafts don't consider him as a first round pick. Has a team made him a first round promise or the promise to draft him in the second round and offer him a guaranteed contract ?

[urunobili]

I'm quite intrigued by Tomic choice to stay in the draft.

5 internationals players have stayed in: Gallinari, Ajinça, Batum, Ibaka and Tomic.
Gallinari, Ajinça, Batum and Ibaka are more or less first round pick lock. Staying in the draft makes a lot of sense for them.

I really wonder why Tomic has stayed in the draft. Mock drafts don't consider him as a first round pick. Has a team made him a first round promise or the promise to draft him in the second round and offer him a guaranteed contract ?

i would think because there are not too many big men in the draft?

[Bruno]

i would think because there are not too many big men in the draft?

In fact, it's quite the opposite. There are tons of bigmen and few perimeter players in the draft this year and it sucks for Spurs.

[timvp]

Tomic is a name that was hot, got cold but is now warming back up. There's a good chance someone made him a promise ... either a first round promise or guaranteed money in the second round.

What's interesting is Chad Ford says most NBA teams have him in the fifth tier, which makes him a first round pick.

Tier 5
Alexis Ajinca
Nicolas Batum
Mario Chalmers
Roy Hibbert
J.J. Hickson
Serge Ibaka
Courtney Lee
Robin Lopez
JaVale McGee
Marreese Speights
Ante Tomic

Tier 6
Ryan Anderson
Chris Douglas-Roberts
Jamont Gordon
Nathan Jawai
Jason Thompson
Bill Walker
D.J. White

I'm going to guess that he's going to go within the first three picks of the second round. However, it also wouldn't stun me if the Spurs promised him a pick.

And now that I think about it, the Spurs supposedly trying to get another first round pick would fit into the scenario that they have already promised 26 but would like another pick to select another player they've worked out recently who they like. If the Spurs did promise 26, I just hope it wasn't Jawai.

[SPURSGOAT]

The first couple of Chad Ford mock drafts had Ante Tomic going to the Spurs in the first round.

[TheProfessor]

I'm quite intrigued by Tomic choice to stay in the draft.

5 internationals players have stayed in: Gallinari, Ajinça, Batum, Ibaka and Tomic.
Gallinari, Ajinça, Batum and Ibaka are more or less first round pick lock. Staying in the draft makes a lot of sense for them.

I really wonder why Tomic has stayed in the draft. Mock drafts don't consider him as a first round pick. Has a team made him a first round promise or the promise to draft him in the second round and offer him a guaranteed contract ?
I believe it was Ford, but it's been mentioned that some agents have come around to the idea of getting their players picked in the second round, so that they can sign a more lucrative contract with an NBA team later down the road without first round base salary restrictions. I thought Claver might use that strategy as well, but he ended up pulling out.

[sendman]

He is very skilled, he also seems to have good bball IQ. Personally, his game reminds me of Gasol. His physical strength is a big suspect. He is too skiny for the moment.

[rascal]

Atomic Ant. Now thats a great nickname.

[Mister Sinister]

Atomic Ant. Now thats a great nickname.
Up and at'em.

[SPURSGOAT]

He is very skilled, he also seems to have good bball IQ. Personally, his game reminds me of Gasol. His physical strength is a big suspect. He is too skiny for the moment.


Gasol!? Meaning he is soft!? :(

[sendman]

Gasol!? Meaning he is soft!? :(

I wouldn't call him soft, but because of his lack of physical power he gets out muscled. I have to say I like his game, but I don't think he is NBA ready.

[T Park]

Sounds like a guy you put on a weight program and put in Austin.

Enough with stashing the fuckers in Europe.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I can see this guy being good for 5 pts and 3.2 rebounds for many, many years.

Let's go get 'em!! :tu

[Sigz]

225 lbs and your 7'1??

No.

[Bruno]

I believe it was Ford, but it's been mentioned that some agents have come around to the idea of getting their players picked in the second round, so that they can sign a more lucrative contract with an NBA team later down the road without first round base salary restrictions. I thought Claver might use that strategy as well, but he ended up pulling out.

I don't think it makes sense to enter early in the draft just to avoid to be a first round pick in a future draft. If you don't want to be pick in the first round when you become automatically eligible, you can do like Pekovic do this year and say to teams that you don't want to be drafted with a non-lottery first round pick.

[Marcus Bryant]

The Spurs got burned by Tiago Splitter (their 2007 first-round pick), but that won't stop them from grabbing Tomic here. His skills remind some of a young Pau Gasol. He needs to get stronger and continue developing, but this would be a value pick for them. And the good news for San Antonio is that Croatian teams don't pay nearly as much as Spanish teams.

Chad Ford (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=MockDraft-080623)

[lefty]

Atomic Ant ????

http://www.comictreadmill.com/CTMBlogarchives/2007Images/goldkeyatomant-thumb.jpg

[Bruno]

I say no to Tomic. He is a very skilled player but he doesn't fill a need for Spurs.

[timvp]

Yeah, my vote would be to pass on ATomic. If the draft unfolds like Ford's mock, the Spurs should take either Lee or CDR for swingman help or role the dice with DeAndre Jordan. Jordan is probably 90% a bust but there's a chance he figures it out and turns into a beast.

[byrontx]

Ford's draft had us taking this guy and the Hornets picking Chris Douglas-Roberts on the following pick. I think that if CD-R is there at 26 the Spurs will take him; not that I am as knowledgeable on the subject as many posters here.

[Marcus Bryant]

What if the Spurs defied all convention and loaded up on 1st round picks this draft? Move up to nab Lopez. Use #26 on CDR. Buy Boston's #30 and take Tomic? They don't have a 1st rounder in next year's draft. This year's draft is allegedly loaded with decent bigmen prospects. By 2010 there will be some holes in that bigman rotation...

[Marcus Bryant]

Using the draft to nab some starting/rotation worthy bigs is a good use of lower 1st round picks, IMO. Once similiar talent hits free agency it will be out of the Spurs' price range.

[timvp]

Using the draft to nab some starting/rotation worthy bigs is a good use of lower 1st round picks, IMO. Once similiar talent hits free agency it will be out of the Spurs' price range.True. And drafting a rookie project big makes more sense than signing a project big that has already played in the NBA (like Patrick O'Bryant) because of the two-year D-League window.

If the Spurs draft a project big in the first round, that'd also tell me that the Spurs are confident that Mahinmi will be elevated from project big to perhaps rotational big. I think the Spurs would be hesitant to draft a project big if Mahinmi is going to continue to need to develop in Austin. The Spurs couldn't really afford to have 2 out of 6 bigs that aren't ready to play.

[Marcus Bryant]

True. And drafting a rookie project big makes more sense than signing a project big that has already played in the NBA (like Patrick O'Bryant) because of the two-year D-League window.

If the Spurs draft a project big in the first round, that'd also tell me that the Spurs are confident that Mahinmi will be elevated from project big to perhaps rotational big. I think the Spurs would be hesitant to draft a project big if Mahinmi is going to continue to need to develop in Austin. The Spurs couldn't really afford to have 2 out of 6 bigs that aren't ready to play.

Was that not basically the plan with Splitter? Now that Splitter is out of the picture until 2010, if ever, it would make sense that the Spurs bring someone new into the rotation and send someone to Austin.

[Marcus Bryant]

Ante Tomic conducted a workout in New York City on Saturday in front of 10 interested teams alongside Peja Samardziski, Damjan Rudez and Vladimir Golubovic. Two General Managers—New York’s Donnie Walsh and Boston’s Danny Ainge, were present, as were team representatives such as Scott Layden (Utah Jazz), Tim Connelley (Washington Wizards), Kenny Williamson (Charlotte Bobcats) and George Felton (San Antonio Spurs). Tomic reportedly had just a “so-so” workout, while it was Damjan Rudez actually that may have been the most impressive. Tomic likely gets drafted somewhere in the top 10-15 spots of the second round, and is rumored to be a strong candidate for Euroleague outfit Maccabi Tel Aviv. He currently has a contract with KK Zagreb that lasts until 2011, and has no NBA escape clause to work with.

link (http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Word-on-the-Street-Rounding-Up-2940/)

[Marcus Bryant]

I’m 100% sure I’m not going to sign up this year, I have no chances for entering the first round. I’m not even thinking about the draft, although I have to admit it would be flattering to be chosen one day. By who? If I could choose it would be by the Spurs.

link (http://www.nbadraft.net/antetomicinterview001.asp)

[angelbelow]

draft him with the 45th, and lets keep him with the toros.

[timvp]

How high (or low) will the top prospects go?

Ante Tomic: Jazz at 23, Sonics at 24, Spurs at 26, Blazers at 27, Celtics at 30, Wolves at 31, Blazers at 33. Tomic has lottery talent, but he's too skinny and teams are concerned he might make too much money in Europe to head over to the NBA.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=DraftWatch-080625

Using a first round pick on a foreign big would make this forum melt down.

[T Park]

I would almost hope it happens, just to see the record use of the :pctoss and the :bang

[Marcus Bryant]

Isn't Tomic under contract until 2011?