# Sofoklis Shortsanitis (merged)



## mattbyematt

*Sofoklis Shortsanitis*

Hello to everyone!
I'm an italian Clippers fan and it's my first message on basketball which I discovered only now.
I live in Cantù, Italy, the city where Sofo plays.
I see Big Sofo almost everyday, and if you want I can report of him. For now he have many problems, specially with referees. 
The boy (only 18 years) is a great worker on court, but he's fouled out too frequently. It's a fact of inexperience probably, but for the moment he seems not better then Darko Milicic is.
This night there's the match with Benetton Treviso, ex-team of D'Antoni in wich played Kukoc, Rebraca, Tkishvili e many other.
Sofoklis is espected to offer a great game. After this I report you.
See you. 

P.S: excuse me for my non perferct language!


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## mattbyematt

Oregon Scientific Cantù defeat Benetton Treviso 72-69.
Shortsanitis (Cantù) has played 15 minutes with 4 points (2/3), 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 assists. Unfortunately Tyson Wheeler (Rhode Island) and Nate Johnson (Louisville) has served rarely Big Sofo, who was also entraped in the defense zone of Maurizio Gherardini's team.
A great defensive game for the power-forward of Greech, who has annulled Denis Marconato (starter of Italian National team), with a big contribution for the winner of his team. 
At the end of the match I've asked him if he think that could have a chance for Nba nex year. He's said: "For now I'm interested to work hard here in Cantù, I have to make some improvements before to have a chance overseas." Tomorrow you'll see Clippers versus Raptors? "Oh yes, I want to see my next teammate win over Raptors!"


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## Zalgirinis

Nice report. Keep them coming!


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## BobbyDigital32

*Re: Sofoklis Shortsanitis*



> Originally posted by <b>mattbyematt</b>!
> Hello to everyone!
> I'm an italian Clippers fan and it's my first message on basketball which I discovered only now.
> I live in Cantù, Italy, the city where Sofo plays.
> I see Big Sofo almost everyday, and if you want I can report of him. For now he have many problems, specially with referees.
> The boy (only 18 years) is a great worker on court, but he's fouled out too frequently. It's a fact of inexperience probably, but for the moment he seems not better then Darko Milicic is.
> This night there's the match with Benetton Treviso, ex-team of D'Antoni in wich played Kukoc, Rebraca, Tkishvili e many other.
> Sofoklis is espected to offer a great game. After this I report you.
> See you.
> 
> P.S: excuse me for my non perferct language!


Thank you very much. I would love to get as much Sofo information as possible.


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## MJG

Thanks for the report man -- while I don't post here that often, the Clippers are my #2 team, so I'm pulling for Sofo to be be able to eventually come over and contribute.


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## MagnusPinus

I'm italian too.. and I've seen some matches on tv... well sincerly I was not very impressed with Sofo...and not only because of the foul trouble..he doesn't seem too much athletic and good centers take on school him... maybe he is still inexperienced... and then he is too fat.. For example I remeber the match against Montepasch0 in which Chiaccig destroyed him.Anyway u can see him a lot more than me.. and I'm happy u can report what he does.. . SUPERB POST


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## mattbyematt

Great fear this night for the Greek center of the Oregon, Sofoklis Schortsanitis. In the kitchen of its house in fact there was a fire. The warning has been launch from the house neighbors which have been waked up towards hours 05,00 of this morning from the odore bad one in the air. Schortsanitis has been immediately transported at Cantù hospital for the controls. He has been be a matter of a great fright, fortunately without physical consequences.


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## bballer27

> Originally posted by <b>Zalgirinis</b>!
> Nice report. Keep them coming!


 i agree


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## mattbyematt

I report you a brief article on Big Sofo, courtesly from "Il Giorno" of Milan, edited today.




> Pizza, pasta and cakies goodbye. The dream of Nba in one slimming diet. It is the prescription for 2004 of Baby Shaq, rising star Greek-camerunense of Cantù. Also having upgrades immense, the colossus 18enne of Oregon Scientific Cantù is not still exploded: his weight is too much. After Christmas and the New Year's Eve dinner party he will have to lose at least 22 libbres (pound). Therefore he will improve its state of shape and will be decisive for the team of Cantù. And he will be able to head, after the summer, to the jump in the Nba. For the palate of Sofoklis Schortsanitis next twelve months will be of austerity: more meat, yields and verdura. More gassate water and little drinks. More proteins, little carbohydrates.
> A giant: 206 centimeters of stature. A mountain that walks: when the slid september balance disembarked from Greece in Brianza was not succeeded to find one in order to weigh it. That one placed in the old Pianella di Cucciago (the home arena of Oregon Scientific Cantù) caught up the 310 libbres But he was not sufficient to measure the tonnage of Baby Shaq. Therefore, impossible to know the weight of "Sofo" to his arrival. Same trouble for finding a t-shirt, shorts and shoes.
> All too much miniums, for a player maxi.
> The black pivot of Cantù, already chosen to the draft of the 2003 from the Los Angeles Clippers, where his model Elton Brand plays, wants to smash in Nba, but before he must gain the game with the balance. In last three months he has already lost 14-15 libbres But it’s not enough. The social doctor of the Basketball Cantù, Ezio Giani, does not have doubts: "Away others 22 libbres and Sofo will be more agile and reactive". Because Baby Shaq, in spite of his impressive size, is already enough mobile. "He is not at all slow - coach Stefano Sacripanti observes -. He is dynamic and he possesses good elevation. But sure he can make very better. His limits of game are in the ingenuousness and inexperience. However he has only 18 years and we do not want give him an excessive pressure. We think that for him the basket it still must be an entertainment". In Cantù he alive alone. He has left the family in the Greek Peninsula: "He supplies from himself to cook the food - ago to notice still the doctor of the club - and it is obvious that often he resorts to already ready foods. Moreover for a young person of its age it is enough difficult to have a sure nutrizionale rigor ". His preferred plates? "The Italian kitchen: spaghetti and pizza - Baby Shaq says -. Hamburger and POP corns? I don’t go crazy ". Capitan of Cantu team Dan Gay has practically adopted him: Schortsanitis often the evening supper to house of Gay, than ago also from driver, considered that Baby Shaq does not have the driver's license. He eats five times to the day, drinks liters of milks, plays to the playstation and always sleeps in a matrimoniale bed: habits and uneasiness of a colossus. When he travels in train or airplane acquires two tickets, because he occupies always two seats. Hard work to enter in a shower, does not find the jeans of his ransom extralarge. Stocking rigorously tennis shoes and wears one coveralls for comfort. From a series of assessments, Baby Shaq has little fat mass. "He has muscles and a skeleton a lot develops to you. He is hard - the Giani explains dottor -. But if he wants to smash in in Nba, like also in Europe, he must also become thin".
> 
> Paolo Marelli, journalist of "Il Giorno", Milan


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## qwertyu

Thanks for the reports. I'm greek and I'm interested in Sofoklis' development and I'm quite disappointed with what he's done so far.
Last year he wasn't fat but I guess the fact that it took him some time to sign with Cantu made him stay out of practice for a while and he's obviously one of those types who need to work out constantly to keep in shape.

I hope he will improve in the future. I'd like to see him for the Clippers one day.

Does he complain to the referrees a lot in Italy? He had some temper problems last year but I was hoping he would get over them. Ron Artest is also a friend of his (he came to Greece last summer to work out with him and help him prepare for the NBA) and I'm not sure that's a good thing.


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## mattbyematt

The last contest of Sofoklis has been very very bad, like that one of all his team, defeat for 97-68 from Scavolini Pesaro in a match of regular season of Italian championship. For the Greek giant have been only 14 the minutes on the parquet, with 2 points, fruit of a dunk, 1/4 to the shooting total, 4 personal fouls, 1 single rebound and 3 turnovers to forehead of a single steal. One of Sofo's contests gets worse until this moment. 
We hope that the boy resumes a lot soon
See u next...


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## bigbabyjesus

mattbyematt, thanks for these reports.

sofoklis looked really promising before the draft to me, and at one point I even thought the raptors should have taken him at #4, because of all the hype and when you read his scouting reports, you can only drool.

anyways i hope sofo can come over to the nba next year and make some contributions to the clippers. he probably won't see much time, like darko as there the same age, but i just want to see what this beast can do.


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## Tyrellaphonte

*sofoklis*

Whatever happened to *Sofoklis Schortsianitis*?

Post if you know if he'll be back in the NBA


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## jdg

Uh... wrong board, but I'm sure he'll play for the Clippers in a year or two...


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## Starbury03

Saw this on NBAdraft.net 

Sophocles Schortsianitis 6-8 PF (Cantu) 1985 -- Los Angeles Clippers

Weight has become a real issue for him. Doesn't appear headed for the NBA any time soon, if ever.

http://nbadraft.net/2004int-older.asp


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## mattbyematt

After months of uncertainty, it’s beginnning to understand for what reason last June L.A. Clippers have spent a choice for Shortsanitis. Big Sofo is coming out, with a lot of improvements that recently appears when I see him on the court during training and matches. He have lost at least 40 libbres, and this is the primary reason of Sofo’s improvements. Now he’s a real basketball player, from difense to offense, where force opponents to committ many fouls to arginate his power, just like the “real” Shaq, and just like the center of Lakers Sofo is not impeccable from charity line. What a pity! Why don’t you call Ed Palubinskas? Joking aside it’s not a big problem his lack of free throw, when he plays well like in this period all is forgiven from fans. His most improvements, however, are arriving from his defensive impact on the matches. In the three seconds area his long arms cover passing trajectories, his sense of position on opponents pick&rolls is improved a lot, then his better athletic conditions conducing him to blocks, not as Teo Ratliff do, but not bad as I can aspect. For playing in Nba teams probably he’s not ready, but if we consider that Sofo is just 19 years old we can prospect a future strars and stripes. A further consideration: Shortsanitis is working much on rebounds, and the results are coming, even if he’s not a 7’ feet player.


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## BobbyDigital32

> Originally posted by <b>mattbyematt</b>!
> After months of uncertainty, it’s beginnning to understand for what reason last June L.A. Clippers have spent a choice for Shortsanitis. Big Sofo is coming out, with a lot of improvements that recently appears when I see him on the court during training and matches. He have lost at least 40 libbres, and this is the primary reason of Sofo’s improvements. Now he’s a real basketball player, from difense to offense, where force opponents to committ many fouls to arginate his power, just like the “real” Shaq, and just like the center of Lakers Sofo is not impeccable from charity line. What a pity! Why don’t you call Ed Palubinskas? Joking aside it’s not a big problem his lack of free throw, when he plays well like in this period all is forgiven from fans. His most improvements, however, are arriving from his defensive impact on the matches. In the three seconds area his long arms cover passing trajectories, his sense of position on opponents pick&rolls is improved a lot, then his better athletic conditions conducing him to blocks, not as Teo Ratliff do, but not bad as I can aspect. For playing in Nba teams probably he’s not ready, but if we consider that Sofo is just 19 years old we can prospect a future strars and stripes. A further consideration: Shortsanitis is working much on rebounds, and the results are coming, even if he’s not a 7’ feet player.


 Thats very encouraging to here.


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## Weasel

Good news, if he can keep it up and devlop his game more than maybe he wil join the Clippers in the future.


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## faygo34

> P.S: excuse me for my non perferct language!


Your doing fine! :yes: and thanks for all these reports,your doing a great job of keeping us updated.


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## mattbyematt

Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde. Unrecognizable far home, how determinated and unstoppable when he plays in front of his fans. Sofo at the moment is this, a player who make of changeableness one of his characteristics. Guilt of age? Guilt of the referees that outside house boo always against him? Or other reasons? This is the question that Oregon Scientific Cantù’s fans and trainer, Sacripanti, have. We support the words with a pair of numbers. Slid week, match against Biella, direct adversary former Knicks player’s DeMarco Johnson. For Sofoklis a bad game, sluice with negative score, merit of an adversary who take him far away from the basket, his demerits for the insufficient concentration profuses in field. Between the little positive notes there are the rebounds captured from the Greek player. We come instead at last game: saying that perhaps it has been his better game from when has put foot in Italy, the player has shown the dowries that all the scout assigned him. Optimal mobility of feet for a player of that tonnage, movements from the low post in approach to basket of quality, which the adversaries can answer only making fouls, remarkable presence to rebound, above all in attack where now jumps more than the classic newspaper sheet, in addition to a not bad intimidatory presence. All this translate in figures means 13 points and 11 rodmans. It will continue? Or to the next game he will return to be more Little Sofo than Big Sofo? Stay tunedus updated.


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## Starbury03

He's huge looks alot like Oliver Miller, waste of a pick.

at the end of the page.
http://nbadraft.net/draftbuzz016.asp


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## Quasi-Quasar

Sofo voted number one center and number one player under 21 in his league.
http://cantubasket.telebasket.libero.it/polls.asp 

Go Sofo:yes:.


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## Volcom

Man from that pick he sure dont look Greek.


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## Quasi-Quasar

His mother is from Cameroon and his father is Greek, I guess his mom's genes are pretty dominant.


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## Weasel

He is a BEAST.


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## Natty Dreadlockz

Dante Calabria.. Nate Johnson and Tyson Wheeler are all on his team.. Make's me wonder if the league or Sofo is any good.


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## MagnusPinus

> Originally posted by <b>Starbury03</b>!
> He's huge looks alot like Oliver Miller, waste of a pick.
> 
> at the end of the page.
> http://nbadraft.net/draftbuzz016.asp


Lol..Is beacuse of italian food...Poor Sofo.. it's comprehensible..is delicious.. 
Anyway this year was negative, totally negative.. but the guy is very very young and the italian league is much tougher than u can think...so I don't wanna criticize him more...Just give him time..3-4 years at least and then will see.


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## Natty Dreadlockz

> Just give him time..3-4 years at least and then will see.


That's the prob, we don't have 3 or 4 more year's to wait and see how the youngin's will turn out.. We need player's who can produce or at the least contribute now.


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## Starbury03

why the clips already got Kaman, Wilcox and Brand then they could get a veteran useable big man(unlike OP)


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## Natty Dreadlockz

Just looking at thing's realistically.. Ely couldn't find the court behind Wilcox.. Brand.. Kaman and Dropdick, what make's us think XXXL Sofo will be able to develop through practice?


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## Knicksbiggestfan

Every time I see sofo he looks large, knows how to use his weight, but has little in the realm of post moves. I know this kid is a beast, he is strong and young but someone much teach him to bang in the post. The clippers are already stacked though and he should go to another team.


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## Weasel

Looks like Dunleavy just visited him. 
We could be seeing him in uniform next season.























More Sofoklis pictures are on the Clippers webpage.


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## Knicksbiggestfan

Check out that guy in third picture with his mouth open.


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## Weasel

> Originally posted by <b>Knicksbiggestfan</b>!
> Check out that guy in third picture with his mouth open.


He is in awe of Sofoklis' power.


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## HailSkins04

*What about Baby Shaq?*

What about the guy from Greece we drafted last year? I haven't heard anything from him since the draft. Do you guys think Sofoklis Schortsanitis is ready for the league. He could learn from Malone next year, and help make a big interior threat along with the Diesel.


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## MJG

He was drafted by the Clippers, not the Lakers.


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## Cris

:|


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## Sean

moved and merged to Clipper forum


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## dork

*Re: What about Baby Shaq?*



> Originally posted by <b>HailSkins04</b>!
> What about the guy from Greece we drafted last year? I haven't heard anything from him since the draft. Do you guys think Sofoklis Schortsanitis is ready for the league. He could learn from Malone next year, and help make a big interior threat along with the Diesel.


are you retarded?


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## Cris

*Re: Re: What about Baby Shaq?*



> Originally posted by <b>dork</b>!
> 
> 
> are you retarded?


Dude He Made A Mistake, It Happens,


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## Knicksbiggestfan

Funny mistakes are awesome.


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