Euro Basket 2015 Top Performers
1. Pau Gasol: Averaging 25.6 ppg, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, the Spanish team's captain led his team to victory in the Eurobasket for the 2nd time in 4 years. Gasol, who is currently 35 years of age shocked all viewers with some of his top overall performances in his international basketball history. Including a career high 40 points to go along with 12 rebounds against France. Though to his american supporters this didn't come as a surprise after Gasol averaged 18.5 ppg and a career high 11.8 rebounds in his 14th season in the most competitive league on the planet. The only question surrounding Pau Gasol now is whether he can use his experience and high basketball i.q to continue impoving.
2. Jan Vesely: A 25 year old Czech managed to lead his team to the elite 8 of the Eurobasket. Averaging 19.3 ppg and 9.1 rebounds Vesely took a very unexpected leadership role which was going to be between him and fellow Czech star Tomas Satoransky. He didn't only average insane numbers but also led his team to a Eurobasket elite 8 showing and finished 7th place in Europe, placing them in the last spot in the 2016 olympic qualifying tournaments. The high flyer who stands 7'0 tall (2.13) meters can only improve and the sky is the limit for this young man.
3. Dennis Schroder: A 22 year old 6'1 point guard who posses a 168 pound frame was the leader of a very tallented German team highlighted by arguably the best European player of all time Dirk Nowitzki and 7'2 center, and Utah Jazz rookie Tibor Pleiss. Averaging 21 ppg, 4.6 rpg to go along with 6 assists per game the Atlanta hawks point guards showed sparks of greatness in this years Eurobasket. Although lacking prior international competition, Schroder came into the competition as if he were a long time veteran, dismantling defenders and finding his place in a fast paced German offense. Schroder could easily become the next Chris paul or even a Steph curry type athlete if he continues to impove his game.
4. Ioannis Bourousis: The 7'1 32 year old Greek center came into the competition as one of the most polished big men in Europe's history, possesing a skill set including jump hooks, advanced pump fakes, patience and great footwork on the block. Often leading his team in scoring and rebounding in previous international competitions Bourousis didn't disappoint averaging 11.1 ppg and 5.5 rpg in just 19.4 miutes per game. He also displayed a 61.2 percent field goal percentage. Unfortunately the Greek big man will be retiring from international competition along with fellow teammates and Greek legends Vassilis Spanoulis and Nikos Zisis. His dominance will be missed by his Greek teammates but the next generation of Greek basketball awaits including the roster of this years U18 European championship team, with future stars such as 7'2 (2.18) meter George Papagiannis and 6'8 (2.03) meters Vassilis Charalampopoulos, and 20 year old "The Greek Freak" Giannis Antetokunpo a 6'11 (2.11) meter shooting guard to name a few.
5. Danilo Gallinari: A well renowned European and N.B.A star Danilo Gallinari made his mark on this years Eurobasket averaging 17.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg and 2.9 apg to lead his team to a 6th place finish. Dominating defenders behind the stripe shooting a respectable 40 percent. The 6'10 forward impressed coming back from an injury plagued season in the N.B.A playing in only 59 games and starting only 27. If Gallinari keeps away from injuries the 27 year old could leave a permanent mark on European basketball, as one of the Greatest ever to play.
Honorable Mention
1. Rudy Gobert (Fra) 10.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg
2. Vassilis Spanoulis (Gre) 11.4 ppg, 5.3 apg
3. Nado De Colo (Fra) 13.1 ppg, 4.6 apg
4. Marco Bellineli (Ita) 16.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.9 apg
5. Alessandro Gentile (Ita) 16.8 ppg, 4.8 4.8 rpg, 3.3 apg
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
George Papagiannis Report
Born July 3rd 1997, George Papagiannis is a young center who currently plays for Panathinaikos B.C in Athens, Greece. At 2.18 meters tall (7'2) and 275 pounds he has N.B.A size and N.B.A potential. Papagiannis is a talented basketball player who features a great frame to go along with an extremely advanced skill set. He has a great post game, even compared to players at pro level. He has been playing pro ever since he was 14 and 2.11 meters (6'11) at the time. He was the youngest player in Greece's professional basketball history. In the U16 European Championship Papagiannis averaged 14.3 points a game and 10.3 rebounds, he also led his team in blocked shots. Same thing happened last year at the U17, he led his team into bracket play just to fall short 83-73 to the U.S.A, Papagiannis had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Last year Papagiannis went to the U.S and spent his junior year of high school at Westtown high and was the star of the basketball team. He also played in the best high school basketball league in the country, the well known Nike E.Y.B.L, he played with Team Takeover (D.C) and averaged nearly a double double, while leading his team in blocked shots. After his junior year he signed a contract with Panathinaikos B.C. This summer he is representing Greece in both the U19 FIBA basketball world championship and the U18 FIBA basketball European championship. So far in the U19 division the 17 year old is leading his team in rebounding with 11 a game, is second in points behind Oregon bound Tyler dorsey with 10.8 and leads his team and the rest of the players in the tournament with 4 a game. He played multiple N.B.A veterans from European powerhouses Olympiakos and Panathinaikos at such a young age. Currently playing for Panathinaikos, one of the best teams in Europe Papagiannis gains experience which no other 17 year old players about to enter the N.B.A have. Papagiannis has great footwork and a lot of poise on the block. His go to move is the jump hook which he nearly ever misses and if that isn't open he has counter moves which he rarely has to use. He is a great defender, and has been ever since he started playing pro basketball at 14. Because of his great foot work he can guard smaller players on the perimeter. His defensive awareness draws comparisons to N.B.A Allstar and 2014 Defensive player of the year Joakim Noah. Unlike Noah, Papagiannis has a well developed offensive game, that stretches out to 15 feet from the basket. Also like, Noah, Papagiannis is a good passing big man. Because of his poise on the block, Papagiannis is able to find cutting team mates if he can't find an opening in the defense for him to score. Best case scenario the young Greek could end up like Arvydas Sabonis, Pau Gasol, Patrick Ewing, or maybe even Kareem Abdul Jabbar. It would be a real shock if Papagiannis isn't a top ten pick when he goes for the draft.
Born July 3rd 1997, George Papagiannis is a young center who currently plays for Panathinaikos B.C in Athens, Greece. At 2.18 meters tall (7'2) and 275 pounds he has N.B.A size and N.B.A potential. Papagiannis is a talented basketball player who features a great frame to go along with an extremely advanced skill set. He has a great post game, even compared to players at pro level. He has been playing pro ever since he was 14 and 2.11 meters (6'11) at the time. He was the youngest player in Greece's professional basketball history. In the U16 European Championship Papagiannis averaged 14.3 points a game and 10.3 rebounds, he also led his team in blocked shots. Same thing happened last year at the U17, he led his team into bracket play just to fall short 83-73 to the U.S.A, Papagiannis had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Last year Papagiannis went to the U.S and spent his junior year of high school at Westtown high and was the star of the basketball team. He also played in the best high school basketball league in the country, the well known Nike E.Y.B.L, he played with Team Takeover (D.C) and averaged nearly a double double, while leading his team in blocked shots. After his junior year he signed a contract with Panathinaikos B.C. This summer he is representing Greece in both the U19 FIBA basketball world championship and the U18 FIBA basketball European championship. So far in the U19 division the 17 year old is leading his team in rebounding with 11 a game, is second in points behind Oregon bound Tyler dorsey with 10.8 and leads his team and the rest of the players in the tournament with 4 a game. He played multiple N.B.A veterans from European powerhouses Olympiakos and Panathinaikos at such a young age. Currently playing for Panathinaikos, one of the best teams in Europe Papagiannis gains experience which no other 17 year old players about to enter the N.B.A have. Papagiannis has great footwork and a lot of poise on the block. His go to move is the jump hook which he nearly ever misses and if that isn't open he has counter moves which he rarely has to use. He is a great defender, and has been ever since he started playing pro basketball at 14. Because of his great foot work he can guard smaller players on the perimeter. His defensive awareness draws comparisons to N.B.A Allstar and 2014 Defensive player of the year Joakim Noah. Unlike Noah, Papagiannis has a well developed offensive game, that stretches out to 15 feet from the basket. Also like, Noah, Papagiannis is a good passing big man. Because of his poise on the block, Papagiannis is able to find cutting team mates if he can't find an opening in the defense for him to score. Best case scenario the young Greek could end up like Arvydas Sabonis, Pau Gasol, Patrick Ewing, or maybe even Kareem Abdul Jabbar. It would be a real shock if Papagiannis isn't a top ten pick when he goes for the draft.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
N.B.A Draft 2015 Winners
1. Bulls: With the 22nd pick in the 2015 N.B.A Draft the Chicago Bulls selected Bobby Portis from the University of Arkansas. At 6'9.5 without shoes Portis can play the 4 and is also a stretch 5. Last year at Arkansas he led his team in scoring, blocked shots, stealing and rebounding, averaging 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. He can definitely impact the bulls at a high level now that both Taj Gibson and 2 time N.B.A allstar, 2014 Defensive player of the year and All-N.B.A 1st team Joakim Noah are on the trade market. Either Noah or Gibson will be traded within the next 2 seasons and that allows the Bulls to give Jimmy Butler a max contract offer and give Bobby Portis $2.8 million a year which is much less than what Gibson or Noah cost them. Portis can turn out to be a nightmare to opposing teams offensively and defensively. Portis can block shots and is a great defensive rebounder.With his 7'2 wingspan he can heavily contest shots and is a good help side defender. He needs to work on his strength in order to be able to bang with the bigs in the N.B.A but that is something that he is already working on as he is adding muscle to his 235 pound body. He is an energetic player and never takes plays off. He has good hands and when he catches the ball it is rare that he will turn it over at all. He will be a handful for N.B.A centers to defend because of his unique stroke from behind the arch which most bigs wont be able to defend. Bobby Portis landed in the hands of the right organization at the right time and he will be able to make an impact right off the bat with the Bulls when he comes in.
2. Atlanta Hawks: With their 2nd round pick the Atlanta Hawks selected Dimitrios Agravanis a 20 year old Greek small forward/power forward who last played for Olympiakos Pireaus. At 6'10 230lb, he has a great frame for his position and can out work smaller defenders because of his great footwork for his size. His game is similar to a young Durant's and this young man could definitely make an impact in the league right away because of one thing very few players have at age 20 previous to being drafted; experience, he has experience at the pro level. Olympiakos is a European power house, arguable the best team in the world with out the N.B.A. Agravanis had the chance to play with some N.B.A veterans in Greece's own Vassilis Spanoulis and Georgios Printezis. He also played with Othello Hunter, Cedric Simmons etc. All of which are N.B.A veterans. Not many people can brag about how they played at a pro level at age 17, if any. He has also represented his country in the Junior Olympics with Greece's junior teams. The Hawks were very lucky to find Agravanis still available so late in the draft, and Agravanis will definitely prove to them that he was worth selecting. With Agravanis on the floor that will be able to stretch the defense because at 6'10 and at the small forward/power forward position it is very likely he will match up with smaller defenders. Agravanis's versatility will play a key role in his success in the future as an N.B.A player. He may need a year of development and the Hawks will most likely put the 20 year old on their D-league team and keep an eye on him as he develops into a vital weapon for the Hawks organization if he puts the necessary work in.
3. Dallas Mavericks: At pick 52, the Dallas Mavericks selected 19 year old Satnam Singh Bhamara, the first Indian-born player to be drafted into an N.B.A program. At 7'2, 290 pounds, Satnam has tremendous upside with his enormous frame which he has had ever since the age of 15. At 15 Satnam was 7'1 and 250 pounds - the size of a big N.B.A center today. Satnam was brought to the U.S by the I.M.G academy that identified Satnam and his unique size and figured out that they could turn him into something great. By drafting Satnam Singh the Mavericks have picked up a center with great hands who can catch anything within a 5 foot radius of him, and a center who can consistently knock down shots from the perimeter as well as behind the arch. With his big frame he is hard to get around and almost impossible to post up against. In order to succeed in the N.B.A Satnam will have to get quicker and more agile so that he can effectively guard more athletic N.B.A players who can get by him easily. By picking up Satnam, the Mavericks just gained another 1 Billion+ fans, which means that hopefully for them they will be sold out every night thanks to Indian fans flooding the arenas to watch the young giant play. Most likely the Mavericks will make the right move and put Satnam in their D-league program which is very close to them so that he can develop during the 2015-16 season in order to be able to come in for the 2016-17 season ready to make an impact in the league and make a name for him-self early on.
1. Bulls: With the 22nd pick in the 2015 N.B.A Draft the Chicago Bulls selected Bobby Portis from the University of Arkansas. At 6'9.5 without shoes Portis can play the 4 and is also a stretch 5. Last year at Arkansas he led his team in scoring, blocked shots, stealing and rebounding, averaging 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. He can definitely impact the bulls at a high level now that both Taj Gibson and 2 time N.B.A allstar, 2014 Defensive player of the year and All-N.B.A 1st team Joakim Noah are on the trade market. Either Noah or Gibson will be traded within the next 2 seasons and that allows the Bulls to give Jimmy Butler a max contract offer and give Bobby Portis $2.8 million a year which is much less than what Gibson or Noah cost them. Portis can turn out to be a nightmare to opposing teams offensively and defensively. Portis can block shots and is a great defensive rebounder.With his 7'2 wingspan he can heavily contest shots and is a good help side defender. He needs to work on his strength in order to be able to bang with the bigs in the N.B.A but that is something that he is already working on as he is adding muscle to his 235 pound body. He is an energetic player and never takes plays off. He has good hands and when he catches the ball it is rare that he will turn it over at all. He will be a handful for N.B.A centers to defend because of his unique stroke from behind the arch which most bigs wont be able to defend. Bobby Portis landed in the hands of the right organization at the right time and he will be able to make an impact right off the bat with the Bulls when he comes in.
2. Atlanta Hawks: With their 2nd round pick the Atlanta Hawks selected Dimitrios Agravanis a 20 year old Greek small forward/power forward who last played for Olympiakos Pireaus. At 6'10 230lb, he has a great frame for his position and can out work smaller defenders because of his great footwork for his size. His game is similar to a young Durant's and this young man could definitely make an impact in the league right away because of one thing very few players have at age 20 previous to being drafted; experience, he has experience at the pro level. Olympiakos is a European power house, arguable the best team in the world with out the N.B.A. Agravanis had the chance to play with some N.B.A veterans in Greece's own Vassilis Spanoulis and Georgios Printezis. He also played with Othello Hunter, Cedric Simmons etc. All of which are N.B.A veterans. Not many people can brag about how they played at a pro level at age 17, if any. He has also represented his country in the Junior Olympics with Greece's junior teams. The Hawks were very lucky to find Agravanis still available so late in the draft, and Agravanis will definitely prove to them that he was worth selecting. With Agravanis on the floor that will be able to stretch the defense because at 6'10 and at the small forward/power forward position it is very likely he will match up with smaller defenders. Agravanis's versatility will play a key role in his success in the future as an N.B.A player. He may need a year of development and the Hawks will most likely put the 20 year old on their D-league team and keep an eye on him as he develops into a vital weapon for the Hawks organization if he puts the necessary work in.
3. Dallas Mavericks: At pick 52, the Dallas Mavericks selected 19 year old Satnam Singh Bhamara, the first Indian-born player to be drafted into an N.B.A program. At 7'2, 290 pounds, Satnam has tremendous upside with his enormous frame which he has had ever since the age of 15. At 15 Satnam was 7'1 and 250 pounds - the size of a big N.B.A center today. Satnam was brought to the U.S by the I.M.G academy that identified Satnam and his unique size and figured out that they could turn him into something great. By drafting Satnam Singh the Mavericks have picked up a center with great hands who can catch anything within a 5 foot radius of him, and a center who can consistently knock down shots from the perimeter as well as behind the arch. With his big frame he is hard to get around and almost impossible to post up against. In order to succeed in the N.B.A Satnam will have to get quicker and more agile so that he can effectively guard more athletic N.B.A players who can get by him easily. By picking up Satnam, the Mavericks just gained another 1 Billion+ fans, which means that hopefully for them they will be sold out every night thanks to Indian fans flooding the arenas to watch the young giant play. Most likely the Mavericks will make the right move and put Satnam in their D-league program which is very close to them so that he can develop during the 2015-16 season in order to be able to come in for the 2016-17 season ready to make an impact in the league and make a name for him-self early on.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)