# Ian Mahinmi : why I like this pick .



## ballstorm

*the story* 
Some of you may be disappointed right now . You have raved about well known players and you end up with the less heralded player of the first round of the draft ....and another frenchman  . Ian Mahimni is just 18 years old and the common thought in france was that he would removed his name from this year's draft . We were really astonished when we noticed that he had chosen to let his name in the draft . He was not very hyped and rarely his name had been mentioned in the scout reports throughtout the year . Then some of us started thinking that a secret deal might existed between Ian and a team . But San Antonio ! What a great news  .
*the player*
Size= 6'9 (still growing?)
weigh= 230
stats last year in france 1st league : 6.4 pts (60% 2 pts) 4.2 rbds in 17 mn .

Ian is possibly the biggest potential of the french basketball . Petro is far more hyped , but while he has hardly played in his club (pau-Orthez) this year , Ian has been a consistent player in Le Havre . He is a big guy with quite broad shoulder and I have no doubt that he will easily gain weigh in the next few years . He is a good athelte with pretty good hands , converting 60% of his 2 pts attempts , wich is good for such a young guy .

*qualities*

*rebounding*
Ian has all the tools to be a very good rebounder . He has always had a knack for rebounding . I am not pretending that he will be able to be a serious contributor right away , but I would not be surprised If Pop gave him a few minutes (something like 5-10) as soon as the season begins . His positioning is already good , his length and mobility too . 
*defense*
His second asset IMO is going to be defense . He is still young and it might take him some time to adapt to the league but my guess is that he is going to be a force on the defensive end . He is already strong and with some more years he is going to become terrific . For a guy his size , his mobility is appreciable .
*a true inside player*
I am pretty confident that he is not the sort of player that will settle for outside jumpers a la Chris Webber . Mahimni plays near the basket , in the paint , he can bang and does not shy away from the contact . A physical player , he should endure well the long NBA seasons . 


*flaws*
*lack of experience*
He is rather experimeted for a young french player (has been a member of the french young selections for years) but for instance his knowledge of the game can't be compared to Tony's at the same age . 
*ballhandling*
being a PF ,he is not supposed to handle the ball too much .


*conclusion*
Ian Mahinmi is not the most talented player of the draft . He will not amazed you with a eye-catching dribble or a pass between the legs . He is rather a hard-worker type of player . Not fancy , but efficient . 
Now he is still very young and I don't know in what extent he will be able to contribute next year .. He signed a 3 years contract with his french club of Le Havre a few weeks ago , but this contract has a clause which allows him to play in NBA , so there will be no difficulties in this respect .

*immediate future*
The real question is to know wether the Spurs will decide to ask him to come to San Antonio immediatly or if they will let him developp gently in Europe for 1-2 years . In San Antonio , he would learn the game with the best of them , but in france he would keep playing a lot and would *arguably* learn on a faster pace . See Darko ? In Detroit he is rarely playing and possibly not developping very fast . I am curious to know more about the intentions of the Spurs . May be they will wait until after the summer league to determine what they are going to do .


*comparison*
I am french , and I have repeated for now at least 1 year than he was the best french prospect so I am obviously biased  . But If I had to compare Mahimni to an NBA player , I would probably go for Otis Thorpe .

I will probably update tis thread later .

Allez les Spurs !


----------



## Matiz

well I don't doubt in Spurs scouting... if they picked someone than he must be good... evem if he is french :bsmile:


----------



## Sir Patchwork

Hey man, great post. Thanks for sharing that information. It really helps all of us out, especially since most of us don't know anything about the guy. 

As far as when he comes over, I doubt this year. I'm guessing that the Spurs would rather have Luis Scola come over (same position as Mahinmi), since Scola is probably the better player right now. Scola is also a lot older, and seems more ready to take on a big role with the Spurs.


----------



## ballstorm

Scola has played this year in Vitoria , which was finalist of the Euroleague (the best european league) . Scola was the best inside player of his team , and possibly the best player overall (alongside Macijauskas , the Lithuanian guard) . All of this to say that there is no doubt at this moment that Scola is * far batter* than Mahinmi . Scola won the gold medal in the olympics , had played at the top level in Europe for years ... Mahinmi is almost anonymous in Europe , even in France . Only insiders know him . Scola is going to be a valable recruit for the spurs . Another class act besides Duncan


----------



## SpursFan16

:drool:


----------



## Yao Mania

Great post. It was after he got drafted that Scola became as good as he is now (in terms of accomplishments), so who knows, maybe Mahinmi will be the starting C for the French National team in the 2008 Olympics and pair up with Parker to win the gold? :whoknows:


----------



## KokoTheMonkey

Thanks for the info ballstorm. That was extrememly helpful.


Just one more question: Do you see him growing into a Center or do you see him staying at the PF position? I saw that he was listed as 6'10 in a few things, but you listed him as 6'9.


----------



## sasaint

Many thanks to Ballstorm for his posting. Most local Spurs fans are truly in the dark about Spurs draft picks--especially this one. To receive info from somebody over there who sounds like he knows what he's talking about and is also familiar with Mahinmi is greatly appreciated. In an ESPN interview last night, R C Buford said that the team planned on leaving Mahinmi in Europe for a couple of years to develop. If he plays like Otis Thorpe in a couple of years, he will be a great complement to Duncan and a great addition to the team.


----------



## ballstorm

Here is a quick video of Mahinmi . Nothing outstanding .. the quality is poor but he shows OK atheticsm .

http://www.premiumwanadoo.com/stb.com/videos/2005-STB-PBR-mahinmi.mpg

Koko , I think he is near 205 cm *barefoot* , which translates into 6'87 ft approximately ...may be 6'10 with shoes . I think he will mostlikely play 4 in NBA .


----------



## sheefo13

It should be mentioned he has only been playing basketball for 4 years.... Had been into volleyball previously. I think he ends up being a very good player.


----------



## Starbury03

I know nothing about this guy but if the Spurs picked him there is a very good chance he can become a player.


----------



## ballstorm

sheefo13 said:


> It should be mentioned he has only been playing basketball for 4 years.... Had been into volleyball previously. I think he ends up being a very good player.


you should read my post here sheefo13 . This story about him being a volleyball player is.. of the mark .


----------



## sheefo13

thanks man, great post BTW.


----------



## KokoTheMonkey

Article in the Express News about him and about how the Spurs found out about him:


http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/...es/MYSA062905.1C.BKNspurs.draft.1a63dff2.html 




> Spurs draft to world beat again with Mahinmi: French forward, 18, had not been on many lists but follows pattern
> Web Posted: 06/29/2005 12:00 AM CDT
> 
> Mike Monroe
> Express-News Staff Writer
> 
> *When Sam Presti, the Spurs' director of player personnel, returned last summer from Zaragosa, Spain, after scouting the 2004 European junior championships, he reported to general manager R.C. Buford that he had just seen the player the Spurs needed to target for the 2005 NBA draft: Ian Mahinmi. *
> 
> On Tuesday night the Spurs hit their bull's-eye.
> Sticking with one element of the formula that has produced two NBA championships in the past three seasons, the Spurs used the 28th pick to select a foreign-born player virtually nobody in South Texas had heard of, save for the team's basketball talent evaluators.
> 
> This year's shocker: Mahinmi, an 18-year-old, 6-foot-10, 230-pound power forward from Rouen, France, who nearly took his name out of the draft less than two weeks ago.
> 
> *"Last year Sam Presti came back from the European junior tournament in Zaragosa and said, 'I've got our next guy that I really want us to focus on,'" Buford said. "Sam doesn't come that strong very often, so it made an impact. Between myself and Danny (Ferry, the director of basketball operations) and Sam we spent enough time over there this year we felt very comfortable evaluating the growth curve." *
> Mahinmi, who played the past two seasons for STB LeHavre, of the French professional league, is an explosive player whose skills remain raw. But he is only 18 and just graduated from high school, and the Spurs evaluated him as such.
> 
> The Spurs have the luxury of allowing Mahinmi to continue to develop his game, and Buford said they hope to work with Mahinmi and his team in LeHavre to have him remain in the French League for one or two more seasons.
> 
> *"This is a young athlete," Buford said. "As we evaluated the draft I don't think you ever see a great deal of size that deep in the draft, especially that combines athleticism. Over the course of the last year he made significant progress. We'll evaluate the situation as we go forward, but we think it's best that he stays there in Le Havre.
> 
> "They've done a great job developing him to date, and I can see him developing into a real focal point on a playoff team in the French first division." *
> 
> What did Mahinmi do in Zaragosa to capture Presti's interest?
> 
> "I did a lot of activity, run a lot, bring a lot of rebounds and blocked shots and always tried to push my team up and give the maximum on the court," Mahinmi said in a telephone interview from the draft in New York. "I think that is why the Spurs liked me. I'm not sure, maybe because I gave a lot of energy on the court in Zaragosa and tried to do the best for my team; not play for me, but play for the team and maybe that is why they called their attention to me."
> 
> Buford agreed that what he called Mahinmi's intangibles— character, personality and team orientation — had greatly impressed the Spurs.
> 
> "It takes a special situation for Sam to get really focused in like that," Buford said.
> 
> Mahinmi's selection Tuesday night was even more of a surprise than the selection in 2001 of Tony Parker or the selection in 2004 of Beno Udrih. Parker had shown his skills in the Nike Hoop Summit before the 2001 draft. When Udrih was drafted he was 22 and already had played professionally for seven years for teams in Slovenia, Russia, Israel and Italy.
> 
> Mahinmi said playing in the NBA has been a goal from the first time he saw a game on television in France, even before he began playing.
> 
> "I think the moment when I start basketball it becomes a dream to play in the NBA," Mahinmi said. "I used to watch the NBA games before I begin playing, and I don't even know the French league or the European league, but I really, really watch the NBA when I was really young. So when I started basketball it was to be at one time an NBA player."
> 
> Now, Mahinmi has been selected by the NBA champions.
> 
> "I am so pleased, thrilled," Mahinmi said.


----------



## KokoTheMonkey

RC Buford said in an interview something like "I don't know where they got this volleyball garbage from"



EDIT: Just noticed that ballstorm posted the link for that dunk. My bad.


----------



## ballstorm

Thanks for the a


----------



## ballstorm

Thanks for the article , Koko .

I just want to add a few things . First , Mahinmi was invited to the hoop summit this year . He was finally not allowed to take part into the game because his team had a game to play in the mean time . A pro game . 

Concerning the European under 18 championship in 2004 , Mahinmi really made a name for himself during this competition . He was the best rebounder of the French team (7.5 rbds in 20 mn) and his unselfish play helped the french team to grab the bronze medal .

There are videos of the event here .


You should watch the Spanish games too  . Sergio Rodriguez , the PG , will be selected very high in the next draft .


----------



## starvydas

ballstorm said:


> *the story*
> Some of you may be disappointed right now . You have raved about well known players and you end up with the less heralded player of the first round of the draft ....and another frenchman  . Ian Mahimni is just 18 years old and the common thought in france was that he would removed his name from this year's draft . We were really astonished when we noticed that he had chosen to let his name in the draft . He was not very hyped and rarely his name had been mentioned in the scout reports throughtout the year . Then some of us started thinking that a secret deal might existed between Ian and a team . But San Antonio ! What a great news  .
> *the player*
> Size= 6'9 (still growing?)
> weigh= 230
> stats last year in france 1st league : 6.4 pts (60% 2 pts) 4.2 rbds in 17 mn .
> 
> Ian is possibly the biggest potential of the french basketball . Petro is far more hyped , but while he has hardly played in his club (pau-Orthez) this year , Ian has been a consistent player in Le Havre . He is a big guy with quite broad shoulder and I have no doubt that he will easily gain weigh in the next few years . He is a good athelte with pretty good hands , converting 60% of his 2 pts attempts , wich is good for such a young guy .
> 
> *qualities*
> 
> *rebounding*
> Ian has all the tools to be a very good rebounder . He has always had a knack for rebounding . I am not pretending that he will be able to be a serious contributor right away , but I would not be surprised If Pop gave him a few minutes (something like 5-10) as soon as the season begins . His positioning is already good , his length and mobility too .
> *defense*
> His second asset IMO is going to be defense . He is still young and it might take him some time to adapt to the league but my guess is that he is going to be a force on the defensive end . He is already strong and with some more years he is going to become terrific . For a guy his size , his mobility is appreciable .
> *a true inside player*
> I am pretty confident that he is not the sort of player that will settle for outside jumpers a la Chris Webber . Mahimni plays near the basket , in the paint , he can bang and does not shy away from the contact . A physical player , he should endure well the long NBA seasons .
> 
> 
> *flaws*
> *lack of experience*
> He is rather experimeted for a young french player (has been a member of the french young selections for years) but for instance his knowledge of the game can't be compared to Tony's at the same age .
> *ballhandling*
> being a PF ,he is not supposed to handle the ball too much .
> 
> 
> *conclusion*
> Ian Mahinmi is not the most talented player of the draft . He will not amazed you with a eye-catching dribble or a pass between the legs . He is rather a hard-worker type of player . Not fancy , but efficient .
> Now he is still very young and I don't know in what extent he will be able to contribute next year .. He signed a 3 years contract with his french club of Le Havre a few weeks ago , but this contract has a clause which allows him to play in NBA , so there will be no difficulties in this respect .
> 
> *immediate future*
> The real question is to know wether the Spurs will decide to ask him to come to San Antonio immediatly or if they will let him developp gently in Europe for 1-2 years . In San Antonio , he would learn the game with the best of them , but in france he would keep playing a lot and would *arguably* learn on a faster pace . See Darko ? In Detroit he is rarely playing and possibly not developping very fast . I am curious to know more about the intentions of the Spurs . May be they will wait until after the summer league to determine what they are going to do .
> 
> 
> *comparison*
> I am french , and I have repeated for now at least 1 year than he was the best french prospect so I am obviously biased  . But If I had to compare Mahimni to an NBA player , I would probably go for Otis Thorpe .
> 
> I will probably update tis thread later .
> 
> Allez les Spurs !


Nice post. I think you forgot in your "flaws" department the fact the Mahinmi has no offensive game whatsoever. The only points he scores come from offensive putbacks, dunks etc... His back to the basket skills are almost non existant at this point, so it's a good thing he can learn from the game's best post player.
Also, Petro (who I think is a better prospect) played in a much deeper team, with two foreign players ahead of him in the depth chart. Mahinmi had almost no competition to beat in Le Havre, their best players are guards. Still, he had a great season for a rookie and for a guy who virtually came from nowhere.
Also, I am myself pretty appalling when it comes to comparing players but Otis Thorpe was a 20ppg scorer for several years in his career. I don't see Ian averaging that much. I am tempted to compare him to Theo Ratliff, a defensive force with not much offensive game.


----------



## ballstorm

Othis Thorpe played 17 years in NBA and he only scored more than 20 pts 1 season (in 1987-1988 for the kings*) . Offensively , he did not have a vast array of moves as he relied mainly on his jump/size to score near the basket . I think he is still remembered as a defensive force and as a great rebounder rather than as an offensive player . In this respect , I think that the comparison to Mahinmi was not completely off target . Physically , both player have a lot in common too .. Mahinmi is far from being as bulky as Othis Thorpe but in 3-4 years from now it will be a different story . 

Now it is just speculation . But I maintain that Ian's first asset is his ability to catch lots of rebounds , unlike Ratliff who has always been a weak rebounder .

Regarding his offensive game , he will never be dominant in this area (it is an understatement  ) but with time I assume he will be able to developp a short jumper like Thorpe did . 

I personnally consider Mahinmi a better prospect than Petro because he is more focused . I think he is more of a worker than Petro and therefore could turn out to be a better player . Now talent-wise Petro is more gifted ... I tend to support the challenger  . 

*http://www.basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=THORPOT01


----------



## KokoTheMonkey

There's something I read on NBADraft.net that got me thinking...Could the Spurs have traded down and taken this guy in the 2nd round? Would that have been a better bet?


----------



## sasaint

Great point! They could have drafted him at #60! By and large, the Spurs organization is one of the premier organizations in all of pro sports, but I think they could have used that bit of advice on this occasion.


----------



## KokoTheMonkey

I'm not really doubting or questioning the decision, but it seems like teams didn't have this guy on the radar at all. Who knows, maybe the Spurs knew another team was looking at him? Who knows, maybe this guy will end up being more than worth the 28th pick?


----------



## ballstorm

I tend to agree with you on this Koko . May be the Spurs could have selected him in the second round ...Now as you noted , we don't have in our possession all the element to deem the situation . His coming might have been more difficult had he been drafted in the second round ..I know there is an NBA clause in his contract , but I don't know if it works for both 1st and second round ..I read comments saying that the spurs had been so succesful at drafting unknow international players in the past that now they tended to "act clever" .. haters ...


----------



## Long John Silver

I read somewhere (maybe even in this same thread :clown: ) that he could have been a top 20 pick next year...


----------



## KokoTheMonkey

ballstorm said:


> I read comments saying that the spurs had been so succesful at drafting unknow international players in the past that now they tended to "act clever" .. haters ...



I read that same stuff a well. Scouts around the league get the impression that the Spurs are full of themselves or something of that nature when it comes to the draft. Oh well. The drafting results show.


----------



## ballstorm

Sure . You know he started playing just 4 years ago and is a fast learner . I have read a complete article on him in a french magazine today and coaches and players all agree that he is very serious , works hard and stays humble . There are some good US players in Le Havre , even a former NBA Pro (Pat Durham) and all seem to appreciate the well-bred Mahinmi . A few years ago , he was proposed to play in a bigger club than Le Havre , but he knew he had to help his mother so he decided to stay near home . He was just 16 then and wanted to take care of his younger brother . That is just a small anecdote but helps to understand how mature he is .


----------



## texan

I like this pick. He's got a lot of potential and we don't have to bring him over for a couple years. Another good pick. I don't know much about him, but I heard a little about him before the draft and have been reading up on him since.


----------



## Mr. Hobbes

I'm not sure a player like this will help much
Personally, I woulda went with Lawrence Roberts (in the 2nd round, of course)


----------



## texan

WTChan said:


> I'm not sure a player like this will help much
> Personally, I woulda went with Lawrence Roberts (in the 2nd round, of course)



Sure Lawrence Roberts might help more next year, but we don't need immediate help. If this guy pans out, he could be a good player 3 years down the line(when we need help). I like this pick because I trust the Spurs scouting and who wouldn't when they have an international draft track record of Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Beno Udrih and Luis Scola.


----------

