# Have you seen Vucevic?



## ChrisWoj (May 17, 2005)

> via Truehoop:
> Nikola Vucevic, C, USC: The junior big man has a midrange jump shot and is enough of a defensive presence -- a fairly rare combination. Offensively, he won't clog the lane, but he can still attack the offensive boards. Defensively, he has enough bulk to hold his own in the post and he will also work on the glass, as evidenced by a 24.7 defensive rebound rate.


This report makes him sound like a mid/late career (so, post knee injury) Antonio McDyess. Can anybody confirm this? Or is he completely different, and this report just isn't painting the full picture.


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

He's a a mid/late career (so, post knee injury) Nenad Krstic. Or could be, anyway.


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## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

E.H. Munro said:


> He's a a mid/late career (so, post knee injury) Nenad Krstic. Or could be, anyway.


I think he'll be better than Krstic. Krstic might've had more an offensive game back in his early career with the Nets before his knee injury, but Vucevic is bigger, should be tougher on the glass, and a better defender. Plus, he has more range. But yeh, I'd say Krstic is a solid comparison.


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

He just looks very plodding to me. I remember that when I saw his measurements I was shocked that he had average quickness because I haven't seen that from him in actual games. His speed scores also surprised me, because they were merely slow. I just can't see him being a quality starter in the NBA. Another guy I'd compare him to is the Ukraine Train, Vitaly Potapenko.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2002)

I like the guy and think he will be a good player. He can shoot and can have a strong NBA body if he wants. Late bloomer.


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## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

E.H. Munro said:


> He just looks very plodding to me. I remember that when I saw his measurements I was shocked that he had average quickness because I haven't seen that from him in actual games. His speed scores also surprised me, because they were merely slow. I just can't see him being a quality starter in the NBA. Another guy I'd compare him to is the Ukraine Train, Vitaly Potapenko.


He actually is surprisingly nimble, but a guy his size can't be very quick. I still think he actually needs to add some more lower body strength to compete with guys on the glass. I think what a team would get from Vucevic is just a solid career backup Center and maybe fringe starter, somewhere between Nenad Krstic and Brad Miller. Maybe Mehmet Okur with less range or Al Horford with worse handles and rebounding would be good comparisons as well. That said, I'd absolutely consider taking him in the top 15. He's the 3rd best Center in the draft and a lot of teams (GS, Utah, Houston, Philly, NY, Washington, Charlotte, Minnesota, etc.) could use a legitimate Center.


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## ChrisWoj (May 17, 2005)

I don't think he's a center from everything I've read. And I've watched some videos of him over the past day. What I see out of him is someone you'd like as a power forward next to a big that establishes himself down low as a scorer and defender, but has some rebounding weakness. Vucevic can cover for the rebounding, and stretch the defense out into the area beneath the perimeter. He's 7' but I don't see that translating well in the NBA as a center. I was asking because Greg Monroe is such a down low guy for Detroit, that I'd like to see Vucevic develop next to him. Their games would complement each other. Though I can state with certainty that Detroit won't pick Vucevic, his game was intriguing sounding.


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## SheriffKilla (Jan 1, 2004)

I'm not very impressed, he is like McDyess... right now. Out of guys that made a big leap the last few weeks I much prefer Marshon Brooks, he could be a Flip Murray sort of player, instant scoring spark. He just has great instincts of getting it in to the hoop. Very assertive player.


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

Can't jump over an ant.


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## ChrisWoj (May 17, 2005)

SheriffKilla said:


> I'm not very impressed, he is like McDyess... right now. Out of guys that made a big leap the last few weeks I much prefer Marshon Brooks, he could be a Flip Murray sort of player, instant scoring spark. He just has great instincts of getting it in to the hoop. Very assertive player.


A lot of teams would take McDyess "right now" for the next ten years as a servicable big man. If you draft him low first, early second round - you've got a solid rotation guy for years to come. Not a bad thing to come away with at that point. Everyone acts like you need to get a star with every draft pick, or someone that needs to have a shot at developing into a star.


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## SheriffKilla (Jan 1, 2004)

Trust me I have no expectations for draft picks, I realize that nowhere near 20 players become stars, more like 5 per draft. And I realize that getting a serviceable role player in the top 20 is very good, especially in this weak draft but Vucevic sucks. My McDyess comment was more in the way of humor anyway, I just meant that Vucevic sucks mostly. Actually to really think about, I guess McDyess wasn't that bad last season, I think Vucevic will be more in the of a Jason Smith and Spencer Hawes, different player a little but same sort of (minimal) impact.


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## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

He's plodding, but extremely skilled and extremely 7'0. I don't know that he'll ever be a starter, but he can certainly contribute. Probably not a defensive center, but a center on offense for sure. 

People thought Roy Hibbert and Brook Lopez were plodders as well. Then they got to the NBA, and it turned out that they were pretty good one on one vs other 7 footers, instead of those 6'9 guy double teams they constantly faced in college...


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

Who thought Brook Lopez was a plodder?


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

Yeah, I think the rap on Brooke Shields was that she was soft, not a plodder.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

The point is that Nikola has legit size and Philly needs that from guys who are weak (Hawes) or idiots (Speights). At that part of the draft, he wasn't a bad pick. He will probably become a solid back-up, anything better is just gravy.


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## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

Remember, HKF...solid backups don't have value. 

You need 3 superstars, nothing else matters. 

You should expend all your efforts to finding those superstars, and forget about the rest of your team. That is why the Miami won the championship this year, right? The nerve of Dallas to think they could start Jose Barea in the finals and get away with it!


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## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

And as for the Lopez not considered a plodder comment, 

just go read nbadraft.net's profile of the guy, under "weaknesses". 

Do I need to provide a link, or can I assume that folks who don't believe me are capable of using google? 

This is a known fact that has been readily viewable on freaking nbadraft.net for years, and I actually have to go out and cite a source? 

It sure sucks to hold a shred of intellectual honestly/dignity in a debate these days, watching other folks and their expectations that cartoon-level fantasy should be accepted as fact...


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## zagsfan20 (Dec 24, 2004)

Your so douchey about your percieved draft knowledge. Over the years you havent been a beacon of accuracy. But carry on with your snark.


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

Jonathan Watters said:


> And as for the Lopez not considered a plodder comment,
> 
> just go read nbadraft.net's profile of the guy, under "weaknesses".
> 
> ...


On Draft Express I see "Strengths: Lateral Quickness and Ability to Run the Floor" He also had 2.1 blocks per game his senior year, which isn't something you usually see from slow dudes.

But by all means, go find support on the third tier nbadraft.net, ignoring the Draft Express profile and then lecture me about intellectual honesty. Much obliged.


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## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

I'm definitely a douche. But I also don't know where I've been off base with my draft record, other than Adam Morrison.


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## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

Nimreitz said:


> On Draft Express I see "Strengths: Lateral Quickness and Ability to Run the Floor" He also had 2.1 blocks per game his senior year, which isn't something you usually see from slow dudes.
> 
> But by all means, go find support on the third tier nbadraft.net, ignoring the Draft Express profile and then lecture me about intellectual honesty. Much obliged.


Well, at least you attempted to back up your original statement disagreeing with me. That is a rare step in the right direction for the clods around here. 

Still completely ignorning my evidence, and ignoring statements like "Mechanical player" "Average athleticism" from that same profile. 

But at least its something...


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

Average athleticism does not mean "plodder". Anyway, you certainly have a good track record here. So do I. So do a lot of people who have stuck around for 8 years like Rebel Sun, MemphisX, and HKF.


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## Xeneise (Jul 5, 2010)

Nimreitz said:


> Average athleticism does not mean "plodder". Anyway, you certainly have a good track record here. So do I. So do a lot of people who have stuck around for 8 years like Rebel Sun, MemphisX, and HKF.


Lol, MemphisX is 16 according to his profile. He's been posting since he was 8?


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

You do realize that you can put any age you want don't you? MemphisX is a grown man.


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

Xeneise said:


> Lol, MemphisX is 16 according to his profile. He's been posting since he was 8?


Thanks for that noob.


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## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

Nimreitz said:


> Average athleticism does not mean "plodder". Anyway, you certainly have a good track record here. So do I. So do a lot of people who have stuck around for 8 years like Rebel Sun, MemphisX, and HKF.


It doesn't necessarily, but now you are into a semantics game. Athleticism is listed in the negatives for both sites' profile of Brook Lopez. Maybe "plodder" was too strong a term, but look at it in the context of how I wrote it. The guy clearly had a hell of lot more physical ability than people were giving him credit for. His athleticism certainly isn't "average" in the context of his being 7 feet tall with a solid frame. In that same context, the 7'0 Vucevic might appear to be less athletic than he actually is. Not as athletic as Lopez, but not many players that size are.


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## MambaTime (Jun 29, 2011)

I was just surprised seeing his stock rise so much prior to the draft. I thought he made a questionable decision to leave school early, but I'm happy for him. If he can bulk up a bit, so he can guard both the forward and center positions, I think he can be a very solid player in the league for a long time.


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## Cicely (Jul 2, 2011)

good boy! come on !


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## James Henry (Sep 29, 2011)

Vucevic averaged 18 points and 12.0 rebounds as a senior at Stoneridge Prep in Simi Valley, California. Under coach Babacar Sy, he was the leading scorer, rebounder, and was team captain. He arrived at the school in October from his native Montenegro. Ranked by HoopsScoop Online as the No. 26 fifth-year senior in the country.


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