Adria Gasol joins UCLA
I posted about him a few times before
http://nbadraft.net/forum/adria-gasol-future-marked-genetics
Its never a good sign when a 6'10" and growing brother of 2 NBA all stars goes under the radar and i had heard he doesnt have the passion for the game his brothers have,, but I guess it could be worse...he could be Lil Romeo
It is okay for a kid to not be pressured and figure out for himself if he wants to try to play basketball at a highly competitive level. His name and size afforded him this opportunity, and he can spend a year figuring out for sure whether he wants to do it. He isn't the first relative of a rich/famous person to be handed a walk on spot and won't be the last. There are no expectations and most important no Reeves Nelson. It cannot possibly be harmful, and if he does decide that he wants to commit to basketball is still 6' 10" and possessing the ability to train/travel with big brothers Pau and Marc in the offseason. If he decides he doesn't want to play ball, then there are worse places in the world to go to school than UCLA.
Going to college near where big brother plays is a good idea, I had forgotten there was another brother to be honest but he'll be on a lot of teams radar I would suggest. Don't forget that Marc Gasol was hugely overlooked and only drafted at 45, if this kid shows any potential, I bet someone will take a flyer on him higher up the draft.
When Memphis got Marc Gasol in the Pau trade, I wonder if they knew a bit more about him and insisted he was included or if Pau suggested they get his rights which the Lakers would have always agreed to in order to get Pau.
Who knows he may be a decent player. He has been in Spain the last few years so maybe he's gotten better. Either way between him, Joshua Smith, the Wear twins, and Tony Parker UCLA certainly has enough size to fill the paint and cause problems
at age of 18 Pau Gasol was backup big man in Spanish U-18, also same in U-19 team year after. He couldn't dominate his age kids. He wasn't neer something "BIG" untill his last season in Barcelona.
Adria is the Harvey Grant of the family. For those who don't remember Harvey was the twin of Horace Grant the later had a longer and more successful NBA career. Who knows though, Marc was a late bloomer don't see why Adria can't develop in a similar matter.
Dude averaging 17 and 9 as a 19-20 year old in the NBA is not being a late bloomer. Not sure what your definition of a late bloomer is?
My definition of late bloomer?
A kid who was not able to dominate his age kids. He was back up center in Spanish U-18 and U-19 teams, when he played his age kids. After that U-19 championship he just bloomed in his last season with Barcelona...so yes, kid who 6,4 pts, 3, 9 rb in 14 munutes
and 5,2 and 3,5 at world u-19
Is it realy hard to check this links?
Pau Gasol was just tall kid with lot of potentian before his last season with Barcelona...That's late bloomer, who just "bloomed" out of nowhere at age of 19 because before that he was average with playing with kids his age, not to metnion anything else
Here's the link:
http://www.rantsports.com/arenapulse/2012/08/17/adria-gasol-younger-brot...
Apparently he's kind of a longshot to make it to the NBA, BUT he hasn't finished growing yet standing at around 6-10 right now.
Thoughts?