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He is very good talent. if he get past Sonics, SPURS could buy 1st round pick with cash or trade 2nd round picks to get him while keeping 26 pick for a more NBA ready player like C Lee, M Chamler
An old article, but a very interesting read.
Serge Ibaka: The 18-year-old is a 6-9, 225-pound forward from Congo who has spent this season playing in the Spanish second division for the suburban-Barcelona club CB Hospitalet. Ibaka, who turns 19 in September, is averaging 10.8 points and 8.2 rebounds and shooting 55 percent in essentially his first official season of basketball.
Ibaka was 4-of-13 for eight points Saturday while adding eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals. He was not outclassed athletically by the Americans. "He doesn't know how to play,'' said an NBA international scout who knows Ibaka well. "But athletically he's off the charts -- there's no telling how good he can be.''
Which is to say that he has no ceiling. "If he could just get a good coach,'' added the scout, who passed on a rumor that Ibaka might move to the Spanish first-division club Badalona next season.
Ibaka's parents played basketball. His father, Desire', was a 6-6 forward from Brazzaville. "My father tells me that we are different players,'' Ibaka said through an interpreter. "My father was a true center, a defensive rebounder. He says I am capable of doing more things -- I can shoot, block shots, dunk.''
Serge was among Desire''s 18 children. After civil war broke out in 1996 (continuing in various forms through 2003), Desire' crossed a river in search of food when he was captured by one of the warring factions. "He was in jail for 1˝ years,'' said Spanish agent Pere Gallego, who represents Ibaka in conjunction with the American agent Andy Miller. "He was tortured. He almost died.''
Serge's mother died when he was 8. He lived with his grandmother, and during those times when the war was fought in his region, they would go hungry for a week or longer. "Their home had no water, no electricity,'' Gallego said. "I went to see his grandmother's house. At night the streets are of dust and trash, and no lights. There is no bathroom in the house. But he is proud to show us where he lived.''
Ibaka has made donations to his local club and the Congolese federation to help create opportunities for other young players. After the war ended, he began to play basketball more seriously. He and his friends would wear cardboard in their sneakers to cover the holes in the soles, and they would take a bus to play on the outdoor court nearest his grandmother's home. There was no league, but a local basketball coach helped him with the fundamentals.
At 16, he began playing for the Congolese club Avenir du Rail. Ibaka played for the Under-18 Congo national team in 2006 and was MVP -- as leading scorer and rebounder -- at the African Junior Championships the following year. While on loan to another club, he played in the senior African championship and emerged as the leading rebounder and best center. He was discovered by Cleveland Cavaliers scout Anicet Lavodrama, who had grown up playing against Serge's father. Lavodrama introduced Ibaka to the Spanish club Hospitalet as well as Gallego of the Spanish agency U1st. Ibaka joined Hospitalet last spring and spent last summer training at the Abunassar Impact Basketball academy in Las Vegas with NBA players.
"My dream is to be a recognizable player, someone that people will talk about,'' he said. "Kevin Garnett is my mirror.'' His role model, he means.
Many NBA scouts remain skeptical of Ibaka's future. "There are a lot of American 18-year-olds like him,'' said one scout, which is to say that Ibaka must improve his skills and feel for the game if he hopes to stand out in the NBA someday.
But his growth over the last three years has been impressive, and his humility brings hope that he will continue to work hard in pursuit of an NBA career.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....summit/1.html
He is very good talent. if he get past Sonics, SPURS could buy 1st round pick with cash or trade 2nd round picks to get him while keeping 26 pick for a more NBA ready player like C Lee, M Chamler
Saer Sene?
Maybe the Spurs and Sonics are working him out to consumate a deal for the Sonics #2 pick in the second round.
I still think its unusual that they'd work him out in secret without even his agent allowed at the workout.
If he does "fall", and the Spurs take him, then I'd say they've given up on getting Tim more rings until he's 35 or so. That's when Mahinmi and Ibaka are beasts and TD can play 25 min/game.
How so? Free agency is the source of immediate help. Barring Chalmers falling to 26 or the Spurs trading up to take him, whoever the Spurs draft will likely end up starting the season on IR and in Austin, if they are even signed.If he does "fall", and the Spurs take him, then I'd say they've given up on getting Tim more rings until he's 35 or so. That's when Mahinmi and Ibaka are beasts and TD can play 25 min/game.
The Youtube I saw of this guy was inconclusive. It looked like he was playing against a bunch of junior high kids. This is someone you take at the end of the second round in my opinion if you're the Spurs. We need talent at whatever position when we draft. I'm afraid we're going to get stuck drafting a big oaf like the guy from Georgetown.
DX is reporting that Ibaka's agent sent a mass email to all NBA teams asserting that Ibaka is better off as a second rounder with nice contract offers on the table in Spain with bad buyouts after two years.
http://www.draftexpress.com/article/...harlotte-2946/
Sounds like a Spurs pick then.
bad buyouts after two years meaning that he won't be available for how long?
From the draft express link posted above.
Ibaka Wants to Go Second Round
An email from Serge Ibaka’s agent Justin Zanik to every NBA team circulated on Wednesday evening, which may drop his client’s stock into the 2nd round. Ibaka reportedly has an attractive four year contract offer from two separate ACB teams in Spain, which would provide him with a great deal of financial security, and also allow him to develop in a very comfortable environment. The contracts would have an NBA out after two seasons, but with a considerable buyout. Should Ibaka be drafted in the late first round, according to Zanik, “it would be a great burden to him to make the transition to the NBA if he is locked into the first round salary scale.”
It appears that Ibaka, who we heard had many fans amongst teams such as Seattle (24), San Antonio (26), Memphis (28), Detroit (29) and Boston (30), seems very likely to drop past all those teams now.
If the Spurs were so inclined, I guess they could buy an early 2nd round pick and select him.
Unless he falls to 57, pass.
splitter effect... spurs sure set a lot of trends.
Pick 57 indeed.
Set what trend.
Draft good european players, only to see them screw the team over with euro contracts?
A question for the experts: Is there a salary structure for 2d round picks like there is for 1st round picks? If not, then a team could offer big money to lure a 2d round pick from Europe but not a 1st rounder.
Basically.
In that case, a 2nd round pick would be like the team's own free agent. IIRC.
Assuming the team was capped out, then the most the team could offer would be its entire MLE.
I agree. No sense wasting a high second on this guy.
#57 if he's available.
What do you tell people who say ibaka was hurt in 2014 and that's the reason why spurs won that series?
Won game 6 without our starting PG and they had Ibaka and it was their court. Lolzzzz
Motivated Diaw>>>>>> best ibaka
Lol Spurs.
The Spurs really ed up in the 08 draft.
if Sam presti is ELITE at something is his drafting and general talent evaluation..probably the best in the league..Spurs lost something there with his departure..
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