NBA Comparison: Vlade
Divac

Strengths:
Quite possibly the top player of his class…Has an NBA-ready game…Exceptional
fundamentals…Always plays with a high level of intensity…Devastating
drop-step…Can shoot jump-hook with either hand…McHale-esque footwork on the
block…Very sharp mechanics on his jumper…Can shoot the ball out to 18
feet…Can handle the ball well for a 7-footer…Very creative in establishing
his positioning…Shoots an incredibly high percentage from the floor (64% this
season)…Unbelievable passer out of the double/triple-team…Stellar court
vision…A monster on the glass…Possibly the best rebounder (offensive and
defensive) in college basketball…Catches everything…Good one-on-one
defender…Isnt intimidated by anyone (in fact, he does most of the
intimidating)…Condor wingspan…Improving on his help defense, which accounts
for his higher shot-blocking numbers…A coach’s dream…About 10X better than
he was last season (and he was no slouch as a freshman, either)…Exceptional
lower body strength…Has dominated at the international level before committing
to Utah..High mental/physical toughness…Doesn’t get rattled easily…Has
plenty of upside remaining…The sky is the limit…Played well against Tim
Duncan during the summer Olympics…

Weaknesses: Has put up terrific
numbers in a lackluster conference (the Mountain West is far weaker in 2004-2005
than it has been in the past)…Will have to assume a high workload for one of
the worst teams in the NBA next season…Questions to how he will react to being
a high lottery pick after spending the last two seasons in relative
obscurity…Lackluster lateral foot speed (but not as slow as some say he
is)…Not an explosive leaper…Room for improvement at the free throw
line…Decent in the open court, but not outstanding…Occasionally, falls in
love with the same post move (simply because nobody in the MWC can defend
him)…Will need to take his lumps against the Duncans, Garnetts, and Nowitzki’s
of the world.

Notes: Parents are Croatian,
raised in Australia, schooled in Utah. Mountain West Conference Freshman of the
Year in 2004. Named MVP of the 2003 FIBA Junior World championships. Started for
the Australian National Team in the 2004 Athens Olympics. Led the Utes to an
18-game winning streak in 2004-2005.

-Nick Prevenas
2/23/05