# The next big Yugo prospect



## AleksandarN (Jul 9, 2002)

16yr old Nemanja Aleksandrov will be a number 1 pick either 2005 or 2006 draft this guy is unbelieveble. Mark my words I called it. 

He is currently playing in the European 16 and under (Cadets)Championship which Yugoslavia is undefeated.

Here is the link

http://www.fiba.com/fs_main.asp


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## Critic (Jun 19, 2003)

How about the other Yuogslavian kid Labovic!

He's averaging almost 19 points....
and!! the most fascinating statistic is that he is shooting above 80% from the field! 
26 for 32 so far.

Thats some nice touch dont u's think.


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## AleksandarN (Jul 9, 2002)

Aleksandrov caught my eye I when I read an article a couple of years ago when he attended basketball without borders when it was held in Italy and had all the kids from the former Jugoslavija playing hoops


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## Markoishvili (Jul 21, 2003)

Nemanja Aleksandrov is macedonian, but play for Partizan Junior Team.


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## AleksandarN (Jul 9, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Markoishvili</b>!
> Nemanja Aleksandrov is macedonian, but play for Partizan Junior Team.


No your wrong. HE plays for the Yugoslavia 16 and under national team. He is a Jugoslav.


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## columbo (Jun 11, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>AleksandarN</b>!
> 
> 
> No your wrong. HE plays for the Yugoslavia 16 and under national team. He is a Jugoslav.


In case you've been living under a rock, "yugoslavia" doesn't exist, has ceased to exist so get your facts together. Besides who cares if the kid is good, he is a kid, let him play.


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## AleksandarN (Jul 9, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>columbo</b>!
> 
> In case you've been living under a rock, "yugoslavia" doesn't exist, has ceased to exist so get your facts together. Besides who cares if the kid is good, he is a kid, let him play.


I know. When I reffering to Yugoslavia it is Serbia and Montenegro. BTW you are still wrong get your fact straight the name change has not being taking into affect in the under this Cadets championship. They are still playing under the name Jugoslavija( even though the country is now called Serbia and Montenegro) for this Championship.

Anywatys back to the orginal topic He is playing under Serbia and Montenegro and he in fact is a Serb


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## JustinYoung (Jul 19, 2002)

The guy could be from a remote town in Maine or LA or Topeka, Kansas and the fact remains the same: he's real good. A typical 6-11 do everything player. He's certainly one to watch.


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## Chef (Nov 24, 2002)

I havent seen him play, but I have friends that have seen play in the European 16 and under championship here in Spain, and they all agree: he will probably be a superstar. His agent has already said Aleksandrov will declare for the 2005 draft...


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## bender (Jul 15, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>AleksandarN</b>!
> 16yr old Nemanja Aleksandrov will be a number 1 pick either 2005 or 2006 draft this guy is unbelieveble. Mark my words I called it.
> 
> He is currently playing in the European 16 and under (Cadets)Championship which Yugoslavia is undefeated.
> ...


I'd like to know how good he would play against Yi Jianlian. Both were born in 1987, but Yi used to play against 18, 19 yrs old opponents (e.g.: Junior Worlds).

P.S.: Does he play for Partizans or Zelezniks Junior team? Eurobasket.com lists him twice (link 1) (link 2), in different teams.


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## bender (Jul 15, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Chef</b>!
> ... His agent has already said Aleksandrov will declare for the 2005 draft...


Is that only a rumor, or do you have a link...?


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

He is right now playing near Madrid the European 16 and under Championship. Some members of a Spanish board have seen him and shared their thoughts on him. They are astonished with his playing game, skills, athleticism, basketball IQ, maturity. They say he is a forward (6-11) really fast, with great shooting range, great moves facing the basket, posting up, great decision maker, great court vision. And he is just 16. Another Yugo freak.


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## Chef (Nov 24, 2002)

More about Nemanja Aleksandrov.

He was named the MVP of the European 16 and under Championship. He is a PF, but because of his excellent ballhandling, quickness and coordination, allow him to play SF (sometimes). He is an excellent shooter (he shot %62 from the 3 point line  in the tournament) and good rebounder, and he is often compared to Nowiztki. Some nba scouts have said he is better than Milicic was at his age.

His agent (David Baumann) said he will probaly declare for the 2005 nba draft


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

More about him.

Spain and Yugoslavia played in the Eurobasket U-17 and here you have a clip with some plays. Alekxandrov is the one knocking down treys (number 12). Here is also the boxscore of that game.

Here in Spain, everybody that has seen him is just raving about his playing game. It looks like a number 1 for a future draft. In ACB.com they talk about Aleksandrov (on the left in the photograph). I'll try my best to translate:

_The jewel of the Yugo crown is called Nemanja Aleksandrov, a 6-10 power-forward from Zeleznik. He has an amazing movility and coortination for his height, so he can play (and he does many times) as a small forward. His skill level is perfect: he is a fantastic shooter (62% in treys), he can put extraordinary well the ball on the floor, dribbles like a guard, pass very well, has great basketball IQ (or court vision)... His mentality looks also ideal, because he is not selfish at all and always puts effort in rebound and defense (he helps his teammates in defense a lot but always taking care of his counterpart).

His future seems to be in the NBA. That's what his agent, David Baumann, has anounced. He is so talented and has so much potential that many people is talking about the possibility of him being chosen first in the 2005 draft, when he will be 18 years old. "He is much better than Milicic at this age (16)", assures an NBA scout. The comparation with the second pick of the last draft is inevitable, but many aspects of his game remind Nowitzki._

I hope you liked it.


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## 2222 (Mar 21, 2003)

*1*

1


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## qwertyu (Dec 29, 2002)

Sounds like a great player, but why does a 16 year old need an agent? Doesn't anyone else think there's something wrong with that?


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>qwertyu</b>!
> Sounds like a great player, but why does a 16 year old need an agent? Doesn't anyone else think there's something wrong with that?


Why not? The kid could be in the NBA in two years. Any decission taken now could affect his future badly. I think it is a little sad, but in those days...


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## Jugonic (Jan 19, 2003)

Genjuro, thanks for translating part of my article about Serbia and Montenegro and Aleksandrov. He is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, some say he will be a #1 draftee in 2005. He averaged more than 20 points per game but played his worst game in the final against Turkey: 9 points. However, that game was for me the confirmation Aleksandrov can be a really big star.

Why? He was being scouted by many NBA, NCAA and European teams, all the fans had their eyes on him and he was the biggest superstar in the competition, but he didn't tried to be the hero. Turkey made a tough defense on him, either individual or zonal, and he hadn't open shots, so he decided not to force shots. Other stars, especially when they are young, shoot many times and damage their team; Aleksandrov didn't, he understood he wouldn't be able to score a lot of points and played great without the ball, allowing center Dragan Labovic to score (19 points in the second half) and Milenko Tepic (31 points) to drive without being threatened by the helps of Turkish big men. Besides that, Aleksandrov played tough in defense and rebounding.

There were many great players in the European Championship for Cadets. I think that at least 10 have NBA upside, although it's very difficult to say if they will make it to the league, as they are just 16. Anyway, take note of the names of Nenad Mijatovic, Dragan Labovic (Serbia and Montenegro), Ersan Ilyasova, Emre Bayav, Cenk Akyol (Turkey), Stepanenkov, Yaroslav Korolev, Maxim Sheleketo, Eduard Lukash (Russia), Jose Angel Antelo (Spain), Luigi Da Tome (Italy), Yogev Ohayon (Israel), Vilantas Dilys (Lithuania)...


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## 2222 (Mar 21, 2003)

teodosic(s+m)
djurkovic(s+m)
savas(turkey) 
are, in my opinion, worthy of mention, too.


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## mercury (Apr 9, 2003)

*comparison*

How would you guys compare him to Milicic at the same age?


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

The hype keeps on growing around Aleksandrov here in Spain. The main Spanish basketball magazine, Gigantes del Basket, shows Aleksandrov on the cover of this week's issue. Not a common thing at all.










BTW, thanks Jugonic/Pablo for sharing your thoughts.


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

Bender asked me to translate him another Spanish article about Aleksandrov. So I thought it would be better to share it with all of you. The article is from MARCA.com, and is titled "Nemanjia Aleksandrov, the heir of Toni Kukoc": 

_His name is Nemanjia Aleksandrov. It is frequently pronounced among fans, scouts, analists, managments, purists in general that have seated in the Cerro del Telegrafo de Rivas arena. It is used to tell wonders about basketball. Two years ago, an under 17 European Championship played in Latvia discovered Darko Milicic. The tournament that finished yestarday with a Serbian victory (68-83 over Turkey) will be forever remembered because of the find of this 16 yeared old boy, 6-10, capable of everything with the basket in his hands and who dazzled in every game but the final (9 points). It is been told about him being the heir of Kukoc at least, that the NBA is his destiny in two years, that he will be heard in the kingdom of "King James", that is, that he is a new Yugo genius for the 21st century.

Next season he will play for Partizan. Next he will draw his name for the draft. About next season_ (I suppose they are refering to the 2005/06 season) _there are different opinions. He wouldn't mind to make some stop before crossing the Atlantic. "I'm nobody. I'm just learning. I want to play in the NBA, but I prefer to do it before in Europe, if it is possible in Italy or Spain". SFX, Jordan's company, is already running his business for the moment he make the jump to the American pros. Baumann, his agent, is angry about the NBA's threat of ruling a minimum age of 20 years to be elegible in the draft. Too much time for someone ahead of it who is requested to king._ 

I hope you undersand everything.


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## $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ (Aug 7, 2003)

yugoslavia is definately a odd nation, they produced and produce so many super tall talented players despite not have population more than 100 million, this is just FREAKISH !!!!!!
just team "PARTIZAN" in yugo league will have at least 5 big guys that gonna make it big in the league in the future

nenad krstic - as you all know, dude was selected in the 2002 nba draft late first round by the nets, 6-11, athletic and very very talented, watch when he comes into the league

kosto perovic - 7-3 and is still growing, very agile and touch, a potential lottery pick in next year's draft

marko lekic - a 6-10 sf/pf combo who can easily handle the ball and shoot with range, a ball handling forword.

predrag samardziski - very young, have loads of potential and is still growing at 7-0.

alek nemanja - i think you guys have done enough mentioning about him for me to put up some extra ink, the youngest among them all and perhaps the most talented !!!!!!! 

damn whats next, i think yugo will be the first country in the world to produce a 6-11 pure point guard.


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## Matthew Maurer (Oct 17, 2002)

> 16yr old Nemanja Aleksandrov will be a number 1 pick either 2005 or 2006 draft this guy is unbelieveble. Mark my words I called it.


Hate to tell you this but we have known about him for quite some time. As you have stated he is marked to be unless something drastically changes our #1 pick of 2005


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## Red_Bandit (Apr 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$</b>!
> yugoslavia is definately a odd nation, they produced and produce so many super tall talented players despite not have population more than 100 million, this is just FREAKISH !!!!!!
> just team "PARTIZAN" in yugo league will have at least 5 big guys that gonna make it big in the league in the future
> 
> ...


I think you meant to say a country that does not have a population over 10 (ten) million people  

also you forgot to mention...

Blagota Sekulic - was going to be a late 2nd round pick in this years draft but decided to pull out and try again next year where he will hopefully be a first rounder (like zarko cabarkapa did a few times). 6'10 SF/PF.

Milos Vujanic, even though he just left partizan to play for Skipper Bologna he still is a product of Partizan and his rights are owned by the knicks. 6'3 PG, best in europe right now.

I expect a few more players from Partizan and the other teams in the serbian league to be drafted, just wait for the season and new names will be popping up on all the draft charts.


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## $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ (Aug 7, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Red_Bandit</b>!
> 
> 
> I think you meant to say a country that does not have a population over 10 (ten) million people
> ...


man you are reading my mind lolz !!!!!! EXCELLENT POST !!!!!
i just logged into this site try to add more into my list
this blagota sekilic is perhaps even more talented.....let me simply put it this way.....he was a 6-8 shooting guard before his late growth spurt and his athletic alone with his shooting abilities does not dominished as he gain extra height.....imagine that !!!!! i dont know if he has been growing ever since, he maybe 6-11 by now, can you guys imagine a 6-11 shooting guard ?????
yugo team listed him at sf/pf because of his height but in reality hes more comfortable at sg spot.

just partizan team itself have at least 6 super talented near 7 footer on the lineup.....much much more than any nba team can offer thats just amazing.
in the near future basically yugo alone with china will become
the league's leading supplier of talented tall players.


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## SlavkoVranes (Jul 22, 2003)

My boy kosta perovic is the next big thing, when we last hung out he was almost as tall as me, he is so talented and he works so hard, he will definetly be a lottery pick, I think him better than Tiago, if you ever met Tiago he is a jerk.


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## Football Fanatic (Jun 8, 2003)

is his potential greater than Milicic


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## benfica (Jul 17, 2002)

*Wasn't Kukoc a 6'11" pg*

Uhmm


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Matthew Maurer</b>!
> 
> 
> Hate to tell you this but we have known about him for quite some time. As you have stated he is marked to be unless something drastically changes our #1 pick of 2005


To be fair, there is an international ranking of the future (players born from 1985 to 1987) in the site where Aleksandrov is ninth. And the ranking was updated the 30th of June.


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## bender (Jul 15, 2002)

Here's a Serbian article on Aleksandrov. Can someone translate it please?


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## Knicksbiggestfan (Apr 29, 2003)

Sure


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## AleksandarN (Jul 9, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Matthew Maurer</b>!
> 
> 
> Hate to tell you this but we have known about him for quite some time. As you have stated he is marked to be unless something drastically changes our #1 pick of 2005


Actually I hear about him a couple of years ago when he was at a basketball without borders camp. So it is not like I just saw him not long ago. So I have probally being following him longer then you have.

Oh BTW he is is some info on him at the camp in 2001

Pacers Win Final at Historic Camp 

TREVISO, Italy, July 2 -- In the Basketball Without Borders final, Zan Tabak's Indiana Pacers upset Vlade Divac and Bruno Sundov's heavily favored Sacramento Kings team 50-48.
The lead changed several times but the Pacers, who were led by guard Nadan Duranovic (Bosnia-Herzegovina) and center Nemanja Alexsandrov (Yugoslavia), managed to hold on with some tough rebounding and key baskets down the stretch.


Kings coaches Bruno Sundov and Vlade Divac react during the title game.
Fabio Bozzani/NBAE Photos 
Prizes were given to all teams and players after the final and the NBA players, who served as coaches as the camp, congratulated all the participants.

Eighty media from eight countries were credentialed to cover this unique event that united children from the former Yugoslavia through basketball.

In the first semifinal, the Pacers defeated Toni Kukoc and Dragan Tarlac's Chicago Bulls 59-52. The Bulls trailed most of the game but rallied in the second half behind the great play of guard Nenad Mijatovic (Yugoslavia). The Bulls tied the game with several minutes left to play but then ran out of steam and the bigger Pacers took the lead for good.

In the second semifinal between the winners of Saturday's games, Rasho Nesterovic's Minnesota Timberwolves lost to the Sacramento Kings by 10 points. The game was played at the Palaverde, home of the Italian Lega A basketball team, Benetton Treviso.



http://www.nba.com/bwb/without_borders_010702.html


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## bender (Jul 15, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Knicksbiggestfan</b>!
> Sure


This isn't exactly a translating of the Aleksandrov article. I don't know if you noticed that...


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## Knicksbiggestfan (Apr 29, 2003)

Whoops.


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

Another article from Gigantes del Basket, translated for HoopsHype about Aleksandrov.


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## Matiz (Jun 5, 2003)

I don't feel like translating the whole article and my Serbian is not fluid so I'm just gonna describe some things : 
-Nemanja debitated for FMP Zeleznik when he was 14 years old against Red star Belgrade.
- They are comparing him with Toni Kukoc because of his shoting and his body and with Dirk Nowitzki.
- He is wearing number 12 because of Divac.
- Nemanja said he likes being compared with all those stars, but he wants to b himself and wants to stay on a solid ground, he is just working hard and waiting for his oppurtunity.
- He is not sure if he will get any minutes in Adriatic league next year, but also said no one from Serbian young NT didn't get a chance to play in first league.
- He puts school in first place.
realy mature thinking imo


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

Well, finally I have been able to see a game of Nemanja Aleksandrov (not a complete game, but enough to say a few words about the kid). It was Serbia-Spain, played this summer in Rivas, near Madrid, in the European Championships under 17.

Aleksandrov was everything I expected. He is very tall, 6-11 more or less and, like all his teammates, still very thin. By the way, it is really noticeable the difference between how bulked are the European kids and the American kids at this ages. I think someone who is only 16 years old should worry about his fundamentals and not about his body.

Nemanja is athletic, fast and very coordinated, but phisically I would say he will be more of a PF than a SF in pros.

Still weak to bang in the paint, he relies more in his awesome skills facing the basket. His jumper is amazing. Not only he is very effective (more than 60% in three pointers during the tournament), but his machanic is beautiful, just perfect, and really fast. Besides, when he shoots, he jumps enough (more like a guard than like a PF) to make very difficult any attemp to block the shot.

He can penetrate and play in the post very well, that's for sure. But during the game I saw just one example of each movements and I would prefer to see more of him to talk about it.

He also can dribble and pass pretty well. During the game he led a fastbreak easily. He also made some nice assists, and always looked for the better option, never forcing his game to get points. In fact, I think he didn't make one single mistake during the parts of the game that I saw. 

Perhaps, his only weakness right now is that he is not a great intimidator in spite of his height and athleticism. He can and does block shots, but he is not unbeatable. Of course, it is a relative weakness, just compared to his impressive ofensive game. But he is a very decent and serious defender, always working with his teammates to avoid the rival basket. You can see the effort.

One of the most surprising things about him is his behaviour in the court. He is the star, but you won't notice it until he does his basketball stuff. You won't see in him any signal of proud or disrespect to his teammates or rivals. He is just another worker in his team.

I think that's all. I will be able to see a couple more games of him (and this one entire), so I'll tell you more things about him (and his teammates; watch out for the Yugos in the near future...).


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## bender (Jul 15, 2002)

Another article on Nemanja Aleksandrov, this time by an Italian site. Is someone able to translate some parts?


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

All right, let's keep on with the hype...

I have seen two complete games of Aleksandrov, both of them with the Serbian team in the European Cadets Championships of this summer. One was against Spain (I had already seen parts of this match) and the other was the final, against Turkey.

Let's talk a little more about his jumper. As I had said, he releases it very fast, and he jumps rather high, so he needs very little time and space to be able to shoot the ball succesfully, never feeling intimidated if a rival is very close.

Also, he uses to shoot only after recieving a pass and not off the dribble. So no Nowitzki run and gun for the moment.

About his post game, he hasn't got an outstanding footwork, but his long arms and his great soft touch around the basket do the rest. Think about Gasol here and you will get the picture.

About his penetrations, he is very dangerous. He's too fast for a PF to stop him. Anyway, with a lot of traffic in the zone, he doesn't feel very comfortable penetrating.

Just to summarize, we're talking about a super prospect, with an amazing combination of height, athleticism, talent, skills and basketball IQ. Right now he's more of a perimeter guy than a paint animal, but he's very versatile. Despite his talent and basketball level, he's not cocky at all, just a hard working player, who tries in both ends of the court, and focused in playing basketball for the team and just for the team.

The best thing is that Aleksandrov belongs to a great generation of Yugo players. His teammates Mijatovic, Tepic and Labovic are really wonderful basketball players. I'll write about them in another thread.


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## Bball_Doctor (Dec 29, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Genjuro</b>!
> All right, let's keep on with the hype...
> 
> I have seen two complete games of Aleksandrov, both of them with the Serbian team in the European Cadets Championships of this summer. One was against Spain (I had already seen parts of this match) and the other was the final, against Turkey.
> ...


Excellent report. This kid is beginning to get me excited. He sounds like a potential European version of Tom Chambers with better quickness. Just a question if you can answer: Is he better than Darko at the age and if he is what aspects is he better in? That question also goes out to anybody who has watched Aleksandrov.


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## bender (Jul 15, 2002)

@Bball_Doctor
*"Is he better than Darko at the age..."*

Quote from HoopsHype article: _»Martin Sedlazek is the director of the Basketball without Borders camp, in which the best young players take part every year. He thinks the talent of Nemanja Aleksandrov is almost unprecedented."I can't say he is the best kadet player I've ever seen, but I could only compare him to Kukoc, Djordjevic or Divac at his age.

"What he did in the European Kadets Championship was not surprising. He plays like that every time. Will he be better than Gasol? It's difficult to know. Pau was a late bloomer. The two of three following years will be key in order to know how far he can go. If he progresses the way he should, sky is the limit."«_

*"... what aspects is he better in?"*

As far as I know he's a different typ of player than Milicic. Darko is a tough player who likes to play in the paint. Somehow he's compareable to Sabonis. Aleksandrov in the other hand is the typical 7-foot wing player with guard skills, like Dirk Nowitzki.


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## Bball_Doctor (Dec 29, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>bender</b>!
> @Bball_Doctor
> *"Is he better than Darko at the age..."*
> 
> ...


Sounds good.


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## Red_Bandit (Apr 20, 2003)

Nemanja's team played Geoplin Slovan in the Goodyear League. 
In 4 minutes Aleksandrov had 8 points on 3/3 2pt shooting, 2/3 from freethrow line, 3 offensive rebounds, 1 assist , 1 turnover and 1 foul.


He might have got just the garbage minutes since Reflex (FMP Zeleznik) hammered Geoplin 
93-70


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