# Petteri Koponen Playing Well for Finland



## BlazerFanFoLife (Jul 17, 2003)

> -Our three best scorers was today the three best players in the game. Especially young man Koponen was tremendous today and played mature basketball. He did the right choices throughout the game.


 http://www.blazersedge.com/story/2007/8/14/31555/9712

If Sergio or Jack don't work out for the future, for whatever reason, Koponen seems like he will be ready soon to play in the NBA.


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## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

He will fit nicely into our 12 man PG rotation next season


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## It's_GO_Time (Oct 13, 2005)

mediocre man said:


> He will nicely into our 12 man PG rotation next season



That is assuming we don't draft a couple more point guards next draft. :biggrin:


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## andalusian (Jun 29, 2006)

Kiss_My_Darius said:


> That is assuming we don't draft a couple more point guards next draft. :biggrin:


Rose could be the next Jason Kidd. Any team that gets him should be very happy.


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## Masbee (Dec 31, 2002)

mediocre man said:


> He will fit nicely into our 12 man PG rotation next season


Let's see:

We have:

1) Jack
2) Sergio
3) Blake
4) Green
5) Roy, can be included

6) Koponen can come over next season
7) Rudy can come over next season, he could play some point, though wouldn't on this team.

If we use our draft pick next summer on a PG:

8) 1st rounder

That's not a dozen.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

At his height, Koponen would definitly be playing center on the all PG rotation!


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## Blazer Ringbearer (Jan 28, 2003)

Man, I'd already forgotten about this guy...


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## Bob Whitsitt (Jul 12, 2007)

Blazer Ringbearer said:


> Man, I'd already forgotten about this guy...


Wait til the season starts and either Sergio or Green step up and surprise us.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

I wouldn't worry about it much. Portland is following the San Antonio model of stashing guys overseas for a year or two, so they have a continual influx of talent. If you have too many of something, you use that to deal for what you need.

The main thing that did jump out at me was the fact Portland went after so many point guards. It tells me the front office and coaching staff feel that PG is the weakness, not SF.


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## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

Masbee said:


> Let's see:
> 
> We have:
> 
> ...



Sorry, I must have miscounted.


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## Resume (Jul 17, 2007)

you tell him masbee lol


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## Resume (Jul 17, 2007)

you tell him masbee lol


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## Scipio (Feb 18, 2004)

He went on and scored 23 points against Croatia. We lost of course but he played very well against a team filled with Euroleague talent. Mainly playing against Roko Leni-Ukic, another NBA prospect drafted by Toronto.

Looks like he will have no problems playing for a mid-level euroleague team. Hopefully he'll find some team that'll give him playing time


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## dudleysghost (Mar 24, 2006)

Ugh. You never know with PGs in the draft, especially late picks. Maybe Playboy Pete will be our answer in the future. Very tough to predict. KP's strategy seems to be drafting a spaghetti-pile of young PGs and throw them all at the wall to see who sticks. I guess if we're thinking long-term, that isn't a bad strategy.


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## Scipio (Feb 18, 2004)

rumors are taking Koponen to Italy Virtus Bologna

http://195.56.77.208/news/?id=83432

They are very thin at Guard position but may be looking for a more experienced PG. They finished 2nd last year and will play in euroleague. It would be an excellent chance if he'll also get plenty of playing time.


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

I thought he struggled whenever he got in the game in Vegas.


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## Scipio (Feb 18, 2004)

HispanicCausinPanic said:


> I thought he struggled whenever he got in the game in Vegas.


I think he did OK when he played in his natural position, PG.


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## OntheRocks (Jun 15, 2005)

Scipio said:


> I think he did OK when he played in his natural position, PG.



Yeah, they had him playing SG a lot more than you would have thought they would... Guess they just wanted to give him playing time since they had to take a look @ Green and Sergio....


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## Scipio (Feb 18, 2004)

Little update what Petteri has been doing lately.

Finland just finished B-Division qualifiers and managed to win promotion to Division A. this means that we can participate in European Championship qualigiers next year. Petteri was integral part of the team backing up our Guards. Overall he averaged 10.6 p and 2.7 assist and shot trees with a good rate at 43.2% with a couple of excellent performances against Luxemburg (19/7a) and Romania (15/3). Here's the overall stats.

Even if the competition was not that good it's rare to see 19 year old actually making an impact on national team games. He'll face better competition next year.

On club level as you may know he'll still be paying in Finland and Honka. Don't know if that's the best place but atleast he will be the clearcut starting PG and get all the responsibility he can handle. He will be facing many former college players so the competition is not that bad. Plus he gets to train professionally for the first time and that means long days in the gym getting better and stronger (he admitted he could bench press as many times as Durant). 

Sorry to hear about Oden. One year in the lottery I guess and then eventually domination...hopefully.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

Scipio said:


> Finland just finished B-Division qualifiers and managed to win promotion to Division A. this means that we can participate in European Championship qualigiers next year. Petteri was integral part of the team backing up our Guards. Overall he averaged 10.6 p and 2.7 assist and shot trees with a good rate at 43.2% with a couple of excellent performances against Luxemburg (19/7a) and Romania (15/3).


Congrats to Finland! And thanks for the update on Petteri, Scipio.

Ed O.


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## drexlersdad (Jun 3, 2006)

yeah thanks for the update man keep em coming throughout the year!


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## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

yes thank you! GO FINLAND!


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## maxiep (May 7, 2003)

I haven't been tempted to purchase a basketball jersey since I was a teenager, but damn if I don't want a Honka Playboy jersey!


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## c_note (Jan 30, 2007)

andalusian said:


> Rose could be the next Jason Kidd. Any team that gets him should be very happy.


I don't get why people keep comparing him to Kidd. He's nothing like Kidd. He's more like a Dwayne Wade. 

FWIW


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## #10 (Jul 23, 2004)

Thanks for the update Scipio, any chance you could give us some background on Honka's name?


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## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

Ed O said:


> Congrats to Finland! And thanks for the update on Petteri, Scipio.
> 
> Ed O.


Ditto.


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## Iwatas (Aug 3, 2003)

If anyone finds a link to buy a Honka Playboy jersey, let us all know!

iWatas


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## Baracuda (Jan 10, 2007)

Kiss_My_Darius said:


> That is assuming we don't draft a couple more point guards next draft. :biggrin:


BPA = Best Point guard Available.


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## BBert (Dec 30, 2004)

Iwatas said:


> If anyone finds a link to buy a Honka Playboy jersey, let us all know!
> 
> iWatas


I searched a while back because I thought it would be cool to get one. No luck. I managed to find some player photos, and they (the jersey's) weren't great. They don't actually have any "Playboys" on them biggrin, and iirc, they said Nokia or something across the front in great big letters. I think the team is pretty 'minor league' and I doubt there is any way to get Honka jersey on the open market, unless maybe you know someone who lives in Finland.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

c_note said:


> I don't get why people keep comparing him to Kidd. He's nothing like Kidd. He's more like a Dwayne Wade.
> 
> FWIW


Other than that they both have Marquette experience (Rose playing at MU pickups through high school, Wade attending there)... I don't see why they'd be like one another. Rose is, from everything I've heard and read, a pure PG.

Wade is... not.

Ed O.


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## Resume (Jul 17, 2007)

thank you for the updates please stay around all year!


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## el_Diablo (May 15, 2003)

won't be easy getting those jerseys.. in Finland fan merchandise of domestic basketball teams is nowhere to be seen. here is the Honka website:

http://www.honkaplayboys.com/

it seems they don't have an english site, but considering Koponen is staying, I guess they might have use for one.

if you want to send a message to the club, there is an email-address on the following link:

http://www.honkaplayboys.com/yhteystiedot.php

.. and actually, the name "Playboys" is nowhere to be seen in the jersey as that is not much used. In Finnish media the club is always referred as "Honka".


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