[David Stern a.k.a. da muthaf@cking leader of da kryptsParticipant]

 A friendly game between Lithuania and Chech republic(no Vesely) mens basketball teams just ended. Lithuania won 94-77 and Valanciunas was unstoppable. 26pts 10reb on 9/10 shooting and 8/8 free throws. Chech republic doesn’t have the strongest frontline but Valanciunas proved that he can compete very well with phisically stronger centers. I think the raptors won’t need to wait a long time for him to contribute next year. Especially if he puts on some muscle this year. The Cavs will soon regret that they didn’t pick him up. 

[i’m jus so offendedParticipant]

 Shoot, they probably already do. I kept him on my mock as going to the Cavs at 4 even with all that contract talk right before the draft. The big time "expert" Chad Ford had him drop to the Rockets at 14 I think. hahahahahaha what a fool

[i’m jus so offendedParticipant]

 Shoot, they probably already do. I kept him on my mock as going to the Cavs at 4 even with all that contract talk right before the draft. The big time "expert" Chad Ford had him drop to the Rockets at 14 I think. hahahahahaha what a fool

[rileymcshea3Participant]

 Yeah I had Valanciunas going to the Cavs at 4 too

He would be great with Kyrie  and the Cavs could pick up a awesome forward in this years draft a put together a good team

[rileymcshea3Participant]

 Yeah I had Valanciunas going to the Cavs at 4 too

He would be great with Kyrie  and the Cavs could pick up a awesome forward in this years draft a put together a good team

[WizardofOzParticipant]

Why didn’t Vesely play?

[WizardofOzParticipant]

Why didn’t Vesely play?

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

I made the comparison about a month ago, this guy is starting to resemble Tim Duncan as a prospect. Very simlar built, skills is starting to evolve for Jonas, and his defense/rebounding will be there much like Duncan. High ceiling, but his game is comparable to Duncan.

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

I made the comparison about a month ago, this guy is starting to resemble Tim Duncan as a prospect. Very simlar built, skills is starting to evolve for Jonas, and his defense/rebounding will be there much like Duncan. High ceiling, but his game is comparable to Duncan.

[TheLastWordParticipant]

Beast. Toronto’s rebuilding days could be over with in 2013 when this guy comes over along with a high 2012 pick.

[Bison 49Participant]

It looks like he will be good, and has a chance to be really good.  If he has some True Grit it would really help.  In their own way both Nowitski, and Gasol are big euro players that had this.  The other guys who did not get to their level had a slightly different orientation.  From the looks of things Valanciunas looks to have some grit, and if he gets a lot bigger and stronger like he wants to he should get it.

Re:  Raptors next year.

They say you need a "Star" to win big, but when you have 3/4 big time players together (possibly DeRozan, possibly Davis, even Bargniani as a scorer, Valanciunas, maybe next year’s HIGH pick in a year or two) then it gives one player the opportunity to emerge as a true star.  There are other guys who could step up a lot as well in Bayless, and Johnson (as a valuable tough guy role player).  Nowitski, Garnett/Pierce/Allen were not seen as franchise caliber players until they had the team that allowed them to show this.

Not saying that these players will emerge to be top talents, but that the crop they have can, and that the lack of a true star now does not mean that one of their guys will not emerge into one in the right circumstances.

Things will have to go right and players will have to develop and do so as a team, but it could happen.

[Bison 49Participant]

It looks like he will be good, and has a chance to be really good.  If he has some True Grit it would really help.  In their own way both Nowitski, and Gasol are big euro players that had this.  The other guys who did not get to their level had a slightly different orientation.  From the looks of things Valanciunas looks to have some grit, and if he gets a lot bigger and stronger like he wants to he should get it.

Re:  Raptors next year.

They say you need a "Star" to win big, but when you have 3/4 big time players together (possibly DeRozan, possibly Davis, even Bargniani as a scorer, Valanciunas, maybe next year’s HIGH pick in a year or two) then it gives one player the opportunity to emerge as a true star.  There are other guys who could step up a lot as well in Bayless, and Johnson (as a valuable tough guy role player).  Nowitski, Garnett/Pierce/Allen were not seen as franchise caliber players until they had the team that allowed them to show this.

Not saying that these players will emerge to be top talents, but that the crop they have can, and that the lack of a true star now does not mean that one of their guys will not emerge into one in the right circumstances.

Things will have to go right and players will have to develop and do so as a team, but it could happen.

[TheLastWordParticipant]

Beast. Toronto’s rebuilding days could be over with in 2013 when this guy comes over along with a high 2012 pick.

[MCRIZZParticipant]

For anyone who cares this is the full game….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln7pNscQhGQ

 

if not these are the Val highlights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GsmvHygGw4

[MCRIZZParticipant]

For anyone who cares this is the full game….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln7pNscQhGQ

 

if not these are the Val highlights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GsmvHygGw4

[OhCanada-Participant]

Great stats and all but still, lets not forget that this Czech Republic team is ranked #56 overall in the Fiba World Rankings. Portugals team, Japans team, and Bulgaria’s team are all ranked higher then them so before we compare him to Tim Duncan lets think it over. In international basketball, this level of play, he does a great job fundimentaly. He rolls into the right position has great soft hands and excellent finishing abillity. He finishes strong and is not ever intimidated by defenders. He is putting himself in the right position, yet so far he has had no real resistance, I am not saying all these comparisons are wrong all Im saying is lets see how he plays against real resistance. When he plays an actaul good frontcourt lets see if he drops 25 on 90% shooting. Then I will be extremely impressed. One thing is for sure, Toronto has a keeper in Valanciunas.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Great stats and all but still, lets not forget that this Czech Republic team is ranked #56 overall in the Fiba World Rankings. Portugals team, Japans team, and Bulgaria’s team are all ranked higher then them so before we compare him to Tim Duncan lets think it over. In international basketball, this level of play, he does a great job fundimentaly. He rolls into the right position has great soft hands and excellent finishing abillity. He finishes strong and is not ever intimidated by defenders. He is putting himself in the right position, yet so far he has had no real resistance, I am not saying all these comparisons are wrong all Im saying is lets see how he plays against real resistance. When he plays an actaul good frontcourt lets see if he drops 25 on 90% shooting. Then I will be extremely impressed. One thing is for sure, Toronto has a keeper in Valanciunas.

[kobyzParticipant]

stop comparing him to the greatest PF of all time Tim Duncan, he is not genius and master of the game like him and nor has close to the influence of Tim, but you can tell he model his game after him.

i said before i see him in the NBA alot like Robert Parish, that more accurate comparison to describe his talent as he also more of a C than PF and have similar intention as a player like The Chief on the floor, very good bigman, respectable skilled, efficient, smart, aggresive, real present on both ends!

[kobyzParticipant]

stop comparing him to the greatest PF of all time Tim Duncan, he is not genius and master of the game like him and nor has close to the influence of Tim, but you can tell he model his game after him.

i said before i see him in the NBA alot like Robert Parish, that more accurate comparison to describe his talent as he also more of a C than PF and have similar intention as a player like The Chief on the floor, very good bigman, respectable skilled, efficient, smart, aggresive, real present on both ends!

[lalailaParticipant]

how about this..

Ceiling: Pau Gasol with defense and toughness – franchise player (yes he is from country but even i am afraid of Timmy comparison)

Floor: Bogut – something what you predict from your average 5th pick

Worst case: Robin Lopez (but he is working too hard not to be better i hope) 

[lalailaParticipant]

how about this..

Ceiling: Pau Gasol with defense and toughness – franchise player (yes he is from country but even i am afraid of Timmy comparison)

Floor: Bogut – something what you predict from your average 5th pick

Worst case: Robin Lopez (but he is working too hard not to be better i hope) 

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Nothing like a highlight package of running to the rim, catching dump offs or ally oops, and dunking on smaller, weaker opponents to overhype a player into thinking he is another Pau Gasol or Andrew Bogut. Because that is exactly how Pau Gasol and Andrew Bogut have become great, right?

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Nothing like a highlight package of running to the rim, catching dump offs or ally oops, and dunking on smaller, weaker opponents to overhype a player into thinking he is another Pau Gasol or Andrew Bogut. Because that is exactly how Pau Gasol and Andrew Bogut have become great, right?

[darius3milesParticipant]

When did Andrew Bogut become great?

[darius3milesParticipant]

When did Andrew Bogut become great?

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

When a guy is the second best defensive center in the league and is a solid low post scorer (though his touch was down last year from the block and line) in a climate where most centers can’t anchor a defense or be a solid post scorer, I characterize that as great. When a player gets to run under the hoop and catch dump offs and ally oops, I call that opportunistic, because lets face it DeRozan, Bargnani, and Bayless aren’t exactly looking for anyone but themselves.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

When a guy is the second best defensive center in the league and is a solid low post scorer (though his touch was down last year from the block and line) in a climate where most centers can’t anchor a defense or be a solid post scorer, I characterize that as great. When a player gets to run under the hoop and catch dump offs and ally oops, I call that opportunistic, because lets face it DeRozan, Bargnani, and Bayless aren’t exactly looking for anyone but themselves.

[M-DYMESParticipant]

Bogut is arguably the 2nd best center in the league.  He might not be all-time great, but he certainly is a great center in this era.  BTPH knows wassup. 

If Valanciunas’ floor was Bogut, then he would have been the #1 overall pick.

[M-DYMESParticipant]

Bogut is arguably the 2nd best center in the league.  He might not be all-time great, but he certainly is a great center in this era.  BTPH knows wassup. 

If Valanciunas’ floor was Bogut, then he would have been the #1 overall pick.

[WizardofOzParticipant]

These kinds of threads scare me because of the expectations being placed upon him by many fans.. already receiving praise as our ‘franchise C’ and such in posts here.. and when the day comes and if he doesn’t perform up to these expectations you’re going to see a similar instance unfold..

I love his game and I think he’s a solid young center with great basketball acumen for his age, you rarely find young Centers that are this advanced IQ wise and play like a 30 + year old Center. However, I think it is important to note his glaring weaknesses including his strength, foul rate, no left hand, and not much of a back to the basket game/threat. He possesses one main move with his back to the basket and its a sweep to the right either for a dunk/layup/hook. He’s inevitably going to get overplayed to his left shoulder and they will force him to go the other way and since he won’t be able to back down he’s going to pass it out or have to try facing up more often (which his face up game I’m still not very enamored with like some other people here).

He’s going to have to show a consistent catch and shoot mid range ala Nesterovic at the NBA level and he should be able to develop that quite easily with time. We’ve only seen him take a few shots so far from mid range and they’ve been money.

The reason his weaknesses scare me is because at the NBA level these are glaring, and he can get away with it at the Euro level against less menacing bigs. His motor and drive will help him excel and do well beyond what he’s capable of in terms of his game in his first few years, but his propensity to foul and his size is going to hurt him in his first few years against the likes of Dwight, Horford, Bogut, etc. This is why keeping your hopes a bit lower is going to get you a long way in appreciating what he brings to the table once he comes into the NBA instead of placing him on a pedestal as ‘another’ franchise savior which he is certainly not.

[WizardofOzParticipant]

These kinds of threads scare me because of the expectations being placed upon him by many fans.. already receiving praise as our ‘franchise C’ and such in posts here.. and when the day comes and if he doesn’t perform up to these expectations you’re going to see a similar instance unfold..

I love his game and I think he’s a solid young center with great basketball acumen for his age, you rarely find young Centers that are this advanced IQ wise and play like a 30 + year old Center. However, I think it is important to note his glaring weaknesses including his strength, foul rate, no left hand, and not much of a back to the basket game/threat. He possesses one main move with his back to the basket and its a sweep to the right either for a dunk/layup/hook. He’s inevitably going to get overplayed to his left shoulder and they will force him to go the other way and since he won’t be able to back down he’s going to pass it out or have to try facing up more often (which his face up game I’m still not very enamored with like some other people here).

He’s going to have to show a consistent catch and shoot mid range ala Nesterovic at the NBA level and he should be able to develop that quite easily with time. We’ve only seen him take a few shots so far from mid range and they’ve been money.

The reason his weaknesses scare me is because at the NBA level these are glaring, and he can get away with it at the Euro level against less menacing bigs. His motor and drive will help him excel and do well beyond what he’s capable of in terms of his game in his first few years, but his propensity to foul and his size is going to hurt him in his first few years against the likes of Dwight, Horford, Bogut, etc. This is why keeping your hopes a bit lower is going to get you a long way in appreciating what he brings to the table once he comes into the NBA instead of placing him on a pedestal as ‘another’ franchise savior which he is certainly not.

[WizardofOzParticipant]

BUMP

[WizardofOzParticipant]

BUMP

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

I still say his ceiling is a rich man’s Marcin Gortat. Which in this class was well worth a top 5 selection. I don’t think he will wind up a perennial All-NBA player but he is a traditional center that should solve the Raps low post problem for a while and might even make an All-star game or two in his prime.

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

I still say his ceiling is a rich man’s Marcin Gortat. Which in this class was well worth a top 5 selection. I don’t think he will wind up a perennial All-NBA player but he is a traditional center that should solve the Raps low post problem for a while and might even make an All-star game or two in his prime.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

4 fouls in 18 minutes for the "rich man’s Marcin Gortat." Those are Nikola Pekovic foul rates, just saying. Pekovic has NBA talent, but he’ll never make it in the league if he doesn’t learn to defend without fouling (though to be fair Minnesota is not exactly a place where anyone learns a thing about defense). No matter how many alley oops Jonas catches against the Pride of Prague, he is going to be riding the bench if he picks up fouls at the rate he did in the Euroleague or when facing Zalgiris, CSKA, and Unics. There is a Timofey Mozgov on every NBA roster, and Jonas has to learn to defend him and all those who are better.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

4 fouls in 18 minutes for the "rich man’s Marcin Gortat." Those are Nikola Pekovic foul rates, just saying. Pekovic has NBA talent, but he’ll never make it in the league if he doesn’t learn to defend without fouling (though to be fair Minnesota is not exactly a place where anyone learns a thing about defense). No matter how many alley oops Jonas catches against the Pride of Prague, he is going to be riding the bench if he picks up fouls at the rate he did in the Euroleague or when facing Zalgiris, CSKA, and Unics. There is a Timofey Mozgov on every NBA roster, and Jonas has to learn to defend him and all those who are better.

[Author]

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