[slash787Participant]

I think this guy is going to have a great season.  Any thgoughts?  If you do not think he will be anything special please share!

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 Living in Los Angeles I never thought he was going to be much of a pro when he was at USC. He has good touch and footwork but he’s proven to be much tougher and stronger than I remember. Haven’t seen much of him this season/preseason so I can’t comment on that yet.  

[apb540Participant]

Since I am a Sixers fan I was able to get a great look at him last year.  I’ll just list the major pros and cons that I saw in his rookie year.

Pros:

Nik has a well-rounded offensive game.  He shows the ability to consistently knock down outside shots, but he also has a couple of decent post moves (my favorite was his baby hook).  His footwork around the basket is very impressive, and the ‘touch’ he possess around the basket is equally as good, if not better.  He doesn’t look a full 7 foot (if that makes sense) but he has a very solid base which allows him to use his size to his advantage.  Much better offensive rebounder than defensive; he excelled at tipping in offensive rebounds as well as smacking the ball out to the perimeters

Cons:

Nik is not very athletic, although he holds his own at running the floor.  However, his lack of athleticism shows up on the defensive side of the ball.  He has all-around good bball IQ, but there are times where he is simply too slow or can’t jump high enough to make the needed play.  The lack of athleticism can also show on offense when he is rolling/driving to the basket, but his footwork and touch make up for it most of the time.  I was not blown away by his defensive rebounding, but its not awful by any means.  Nik comes off as a "soft Euro" but he shows the ability to get aggressive when needed, and that is all you can really ask of a player like him.  He shows the emotion of someone who got struck by lightning.

Conclusion:  I think Nik can develop into a fringe starting C.  He might not have the athleticism, size or strength to ever dominate, but his ability to score, bball IQ, and lack of depth at center will keep him in the league for years.  

Comparison:  I have not been able to think of a good comparison for Vuc.  He has a unique game.

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