There are a lot of Europeans near the top of this year’s draft. NBA teams are interested in part due to the looming lockout — draft a big man project and he can play overseas through a lockout, develop some more then bring him over in a year.
Meet Jan Vesely, who falls into that group. The Czech native is a long 6’11” but has the skills of a three, enough so he was voted FIBA Europe Player of the Year in 2010. He could provide a lot of versatility along the front line, if he develops. His potential has intrigued teams for years.
But teams are not going to get a chance to see that potential first hand this spring — his agent told Hoopshype Vesely will not work out for any teams before the draft. Teams may not be happy but it also is not that big a deal, he has played for KK Partizan Belgrade, a big time European team for a couple years and everybody has had a good look at him.
While everybody wants to compare lanky Euros to Dirk Nowitzki, the comparison more often used for Vesely is Andrei Kirilenko. But one who can’t shoot nearly that well yet. He has to get stronger and improve that shot — the shooting is a big thing, he shot just 51 percent overall and 33 percent from three in EuroLeague. He was inconsistent. But he could bring the defensive energy and rebounding that AK-47 brings.
That’s the high end, but even a poor man’s AK-47 would be welcomed off the bench by a lot of teams. It’s not a bad risk to take, and some team will do so — Rotoworld’s Steve Alexander has him falling (appropriately) to the Jazz at No. 12, but don’t be shocked if he goes in the top 10. Bigs rise as the draft gets closer. And if there is a lockout, he can play another season in Europe and work on that shot.