Stay away from Euros being top 5 picks. It is like we never learn our lesson. There has yet, to be a Euro ever to be a legit franchise player that can win the big one.
It's bound to happen at some point.
Dirk was a MVP you know... Which means that at one point the best player in the league was from Europe, that's pretty major.
the irony of them all is that this Euro kid plays nothing like Dirk or other typical Euro His game is as american as it comes
Players who develop in Europe are pretty different though. You have Ibaka and you're going to see Pekovic this year who you wont think is typical euro either.
No matter what you think of them big white guys from Europe who can shoot has a spot in the league. Dirk, Danilo, Bargnani are all big wing/face up players who can shoot. It happens at young age here, look at this 7feet 15year old winning 3-point competitions at major Euro tournaments: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXRayttfXp0
You have to give them and the European development system credit, you don't see too many american 6-10+ white guys who can shoot like the Euros and be NBA rotational players.
Next year's draft could be the golden opportunity for a European to cash in.
The Raptors are going to be terrible and likely get a top 5 pick. If Bryan Colangelo is still around, one of these guys will be a happy and rich man after draft night.
Amazing talent and put it all on display in the title game. The Raptors would be foolish not to draft him with a top 5 pick and play him alongside Bargnani.
Top 5 Euro prospects for next year's draft in my opinion:
1. Jonas Valanciunas
2. Enes Kanter
3. Jan Vesely
4. Elias Harris
5. Donatas Motiejunas
LMAO. Have you watched any of the games at the Euro championships? His offensive game is face up like Amare. He excels at using one or two dribbles to get to his spots and gets a lot of plays on the pick and roll.
Traditional center? GTFO.
Your posts about Motiejunas were about as inaccurate as I've seen.
Amazing talent and put it all on display in the title game. The Raptors would be foolish not to draft him with a top 5 pick and play him alongside Bargnani.
Top 5 Euro prospects for next year's draft in my opinion:
1. Jonas Valanciunas
2. Enes Kanter
3. Jan Vesely
4. Elias Harris
5. Donatas Motiejunas
IMO Vesely might do better in the NBA then any of other players on that list. He's so long and athletic, plus hustles hard every game.
Another prospect too look is Nemanja Nedovic (plays at same time like Nemanja Bjelica did until now), a 6'2" very athletic point guard. He can shoot pretty well and is improving his decision making and passing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPNssDFqhE0
IMO Vesely might do better in the NBA then any of other players on that list. He's so long and athletic, plus hustles hard every game.
Another prospect too look is Nemanja Nedovic (plays at same time like Nemanja Bjelica did until now), a 6'2" very athletic point guard. He can shoot pretty well and is improving his decision making and passing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPNssDFqhE0
IMO Vesely might do better in the NBA then any of other players on that list. He's so long and athletic, plus hustles hard every game.
Another prospect too look is Nemanja Nedovic (plays at same time like Nemanja Bjelica did until now), a 6'2" very athletic point guard. He can shoot pretty well and is improving his decision making and passing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPNssDFqhE0
This Nedovic guy looks like an interesting prospect, that dunk was sick too. I'll have to keep an eye on him, we'll see if he can get some significant minutes at the Eurocup level.
I like Vesely - I think he's got a lot of translatable skills to the NBA game and above average athleticism, he had a chance of going top 10 this past year.
Valanciunas won the tournament MVP.
The all tournament team was: Lithuania's Deividas Pukis, Russia's Dmitry Kulagin, Latvia's Davis Bertans and Serbia's Nikola Silad.
Don't get how Gentile and Chrysikopoulos didn't make the team.
Center - Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania) Stats: 19.4 ppg, 13.4 rpg, 2.7 bpg, 70% 2P FG
As mentioned already this isn't the first time Jonas Valanciunas wins the gold and the MVP award at a European Championship. In 2008 with the U16 team Lithuania and their upcoming star were at the exact same spot, and this year proves they maintain one of the most important things in basketball - continuity. Valanciunas dominated this championship from the first moment and posted no less than six double-doubles. His best performance came against France in the Qualifying Round when he left on the floor 34 points with only two missed shots, 13 rebounds and four blocks. In the title game he reached double-double already before the end of the first half before writing almost better figures with 31 points and 18 rebounds. Such combination of size, agility, instincts, length and athleticism isn't common in European Basketball and while his one-on-one offensive game is still under development his dominance under the boards was one of the most impressive seen in the last years in youth basketball. The MVP is ranked top six in no less than 14 different statistical categories and even more impressive in 12 of them he's ranked in the top two among them Total Rebounds (#1), Defensive Rebounds (#1), Blocked Shots (#2), Field Goal Percentage (#1), Free Throws Attempted (#1), Free Throws Made (#1) and 2 Pts Field Goal Percentage (#1).
This Nedovic guy looks like an interesting prospect, that dunk was sick too. I'll have to keep an eye on him, we'll see if he can get some significant minutes at the Eurocup level.
Re: Jonas Valanciunas - possible top 5 pick
His game is as american as it comes
