Height: 6-10
Weight: 240 lbs
Birthday: 10/24/1990
College: USC
DraftExpress
nbadraft
His stock seems too low at a (currently) projected #8 Rd 2. If he managed to be around by the time our 1st rounder comes up, he sounds like a more-immediately ready-for-prime-time player than, say, Ryan Richards (at least based on what little I've seen/read of RR).
Of course, with the glut of odd-job bigs in this draft, there's no telling who will be taken when.
I am very curious to see how this kid does during pre-draft..Every single stat line got better each year of college in a major conference and he is a very big body.
Hoopsworld May 20th mock has the Spurs taking him...
Latest DX mock has him at 21 to Portland. I don't see the fit there as much, but that seems the right in terms of value, and moving up with his size at the combine, and role as an NBA Centre.
rather take a chance on Jeremy Tyler
Project spurs says that S.a is very interested in him after seeing him in Chicago, also they're looking at Leo Lyons from toros. Glad to see the spurs making some kind of progress trying to get bigger. No more of this undersized crap.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/spor...nd-territ.html
From Houston, Vucevic will head to San Antonio, where he'll work out Friday with the Spurs, who have the 29th pick in the first round.
The Spurs had scouts present at several of USC's home games this season and are reportedly very interetsed in the 20-year-old Vucevic, as are Phildelphia, Charlotte, New York and New Jersey.
Don't read too much into it because it means quite nothing.
Every year, Spurs work out players for every spot. Between draft prospect, D-League players and Overseas players, Spurs should work out something like an hundred of guys. Among all these people some are undersized, some aren't.
While Spurs certainly can't nitpick at #29, Vucevic lack of athleticism is a concern given that Spurs have arguably the least athletic frontcourt in the league.
Gasol and Randolph....Are they considered athletic by your standards?
What makes you think this guy is either of those?
And BTW the Athleticism overwhelmed Randolph & Gasol in the 7 game series.
I never said he was better, I simply feel athletecism at the 4/5 position is not required as much as the1-3 positions since they can play much closer to the basket...Oh by the way, do you really think the Grizz. lost that series because of Randolph and Gasol? Check what Durant and Westbrook did to there counter parts...
I agree with you but, but the league is getting quicker with these new quick/athletic power forwards, tho this kid is bigger then I thought from what I read on DX. His wingspan and reach is crazy! Interesting to see if he can adjust to the quickness on the NBA level.
It looks like the pre-draft measurements really helped him.
By now, he is out of our range i guess
I have no problem with that...With him moving up due to measurements somebody else must drop who had better game but didnt wow in the measurements..
me neither. He had WOW measurements, but he was bad in the athletic tests.
Just not sure if we have to take a helper now (Jajuan Johnson type) or a young prospect (Lucas Nogueira type).
Was anybody able to find out how his workout with the Spurs went yesterday?
Keep reading - http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...ikola-vucevic/Draft prospect: Nikola Vucevic
The 20-year-old measured in at just under 7-feet, with a wingspan of more than 7-4, and displayed good touch from the field. His standing reach of 9-foot-4 1/2 compares with that of former No. 1 pick Greg Oden. As a junior at USC last season, Vucevic — who hails from Montenegro — averaged 17.1 points, 10.3 rebounds (which led the Pac-10) and 1.4 blocks. He also shot 50.5 percent from the field and 75.5 percent from the foul line.
Will the Spurs pick another under the radar prospect and stash him away for a few years or try to get someone who can play now to add to their bench depth? They need some young talent.
Chad Ford (1:51 PM)
They like USC's Nikola Vucevic a lot ... and he's a NOW player. But I don't think he'll be there at 29. Vucevic is really rising on draft boards. I have them taking Jeremy Tyler right now in my mock. Great value and the Spurs know how to develop talent.
While I would worry some about what it would cost to make such a move, I like that thinking. Especially considering the fact that Bebe probably needs about 2-3 years of continued development.
Still, having 2 late first rounders would be sweet because it would enable the Spurs to draft one big, who could contribute next year and and then draft another one to get into the pipeline.
Last edited by SenorSpur; 06-01-2011 at 08:00 PM.
If the Spurs trade up, they should trade ALL the way up...
When was the last time a BIG man (read that as PF or C) was drafted beyond the 20th pick that ended up scoring more than 15 pts and grabbing more the 8 boards a game? Carlos Boozer was actually a 35th overall and is an exception. Mehmet Okur is good but don't think he was ever a 15/8 guy (38th pick).
TD was a 1st overall pick. So was Dwight Howard, Andrew Bogut, Shaq, Chris Weber, Larry Johnson, Danny Manning, Pervis Ellison, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Elton Brand, Derrick Coleman, Kenyon Martin and Yao Ming. About 95% of all the centers and power forwards that ended up being halfway decent were all drafted w/in the 1st 15 picks. Guards (both point and shooting) drafted later have a far higher probability of success than big men drafted later.
Good big men are just harder to fine. The Spurs lucked up w/ Blair but even as good as he is, his length (or lack thereof) prevents him from seeing the floor during the playoffs in Popovich's scheme.
If the Spurs are serious about drafting a quality big man, their best course of action is to either wait til next year (when the draft will hopefully be stronger) or trade up into the lottery area. The possibility exists (I think) to trade w/ the Cavs to their 4th pick or even w/ Minnesota for their 2nd. Perhaps we can trade TP and Blair and/or Splitter to Toronto @ 5, Milwaukee @ 10 (rumored to want to get rid of Jennings) or Houston @ 14.
Personally, I think that if TP is traded, then the Spurs are officially rebuilding and every attempt to get the BEST BIG MAN they can right now is imperative. Why now? Couple of reasons: getting someone skilled now while Tim Duncan is still playing is best opportunity for him to teach the rookie (who know what Tim will want to do after retiring); having a marquee PF or C will help attract other players that will be free agents next year (such as CP3, Dwight Howard, etc.); most important, the current structure of the West necessitates it - between Portland, LA, Memphis and Dallas, the Spurs need an athletic, shot-blocking, rebouding force to answer the likes of Aldridge, Gasol, Randolph and Dirk.
Vucevic is not athletic enough - PASS!
That's what frightens me about this kid - him not being athletic enough. The kid is seemingly a smart player, with good size, skills and a high basketball IQ. Just the type of player Pop normally covets - despite his lack of athleticism. Despite needing such skills in a big man, Pop just doesn't seem to value athleticism as much as he probably should.
I'd rather see Pop take a chance on a more athletic big, with a similar skill set, too. Hopefully, the Celtics, who are also in dire straits on their frontline, will take him ahead of the Spurs.
, Bynum, Gasol x2, Randolph,Lopez,Kaman,Hibbert,Boozer,Scola,TD, are all current bigs who have always had little athletecism and have done pretty well over over there careers. Sorry, no Dwight Howard's at #29 this season....
Bynum has plenty of athletisism, Kaman when healthy was athletic, Lopez is athletic too but a pussy on the boards, Boozer sucks in the playoffs, and Hibert is one of more athletic bigs in this league. Athletisism matters on the defensive end plenty this is why Boozer, Randolph, and Scola suck so much on that end.
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