“Money talks” was one of the biggest AC-DC’s hits and that song irresistibly reminds on sad European basketball destiny. All comments that “World is galloping with giant steps” to NBA and that “Europe was never so close to NBA” has no value when Arvydas Macijauskas, Cabarkapa, Sasa Pavlovic, Zoran Planinic, Mario Kasun, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Zeljko Rebraca, Fabricio Oberto, Linas Kleiza, Tskitishvili are spending the most important parts of their careers on the bench. Man who won 3 Euroleagues, European Championship, man who averaged 23.3 pts per match in 3 games against the U.S.A. in the 2004 and 2000 Olympics, Sarunas Jasikevicius, played 11 (and by words: ELEVEN) minutes per game for Indiana Pacers in this year’s play-off, in situation when one another European shooter was out because of injury. Is it possible that Rick Carlisle didn’t know what weapon he had just few centimeters far from hands… or head?

Europe is classic NBA reservation in this moment and with such money around it is unbelievable that picture will change.
But who can say anything to these young kids? Milicic got 5 million dollars for 4 years of sitting in Detroit. Hey, I will be first in line in the same situation tomorrow…

Dejan Bodiroga example doesn’t exist anymore. The best European player during 90’s refused all NBA offers and accepted to stay “only” living European basketball icon.
We had opportunity today to read that, maybe the only Serbian kid who can replace him, Nemanja Aleksandrov, will sign for Red Star this summer, rather then for some NBA club. After 1 year of non-playing and hard injury when his draft position dropped from “Top 5 picks” to “maybe second round” – Aleksandrov simply doesn’t have any other realistic option. Yes, he could sign for Benetton for 10 minutes in the game first 2 years, but 30 minutes in Red Star per match will be just perfect for possible NBA contract, 3 or 4 years later.
Everything is just preparation for NBA…

O.K. lets back to subject…
It can be noticed that Europe is priding with fact that Andrea Bargnani will be 100% Top 5 pick this year. One old Serbian byword says: “Wise man is shaming about things which crazy one is speaking”.
This information is unfortunately truth, and be sure that Atlanta (probably from 4th) or Charlotte (probably from 3rd) will not miss chance to finish the job. We’ll see this young Italian with funny red or blue hat and Europe can forget him. That strange masochism that we are proud on fact that one of ours is Top pick will kill all fight spirit that we can, maybe – just maybe, save those kids at homes.

At the other side, Renaldas Seibutis, MVP of the last U21 World Cup, simply doesn’t exist for NBA scouts. They said: “Yea, he’s good and his shoot is solid, but his physical constitution can not be corrected so much, and he is too short for today’s needs”. I just can say: “Thank you “experts”. If you think that you earn your salary then don’t cry 6 years from now when this man erases your team from the court in Olympics”.

They will not cry… they will buy him then…

Israeli public is speculating that their youngster Yotam Halperin can enter first round. “Unfortunately”, I must demand them. Not even one “expert” doesn’t see him as 1st round pick. In some calculations they are giving him 7th position among playmakers, which can catapult him around 45th – 50th position, but that is the best he can hope.
At the other side, Lior Eliahu, is interesting for Minnesota from 57th position.

Besides Bargnani, Tiago Splitter is almost for sure Top 10 pick. He can be chosen by Boston from 7th position. In other case he will wait until 21st position when Phoenix will grab new young star. If Boston takes him from 7th position, Splitter can hope that he will earn 1 967 000 $ for a year. Can TAU answer?

Possible European surprises on draft are Thabo Sefolosha from Biella (Italy) and Oleksiy Pecherov from Paris Racing. Sefolosha is guard from Switzerland. He had 30 minutes per game and used it for 12.3 pts, 2.3 assists and 6.8 rebounds per match. Pecherov, at the other side has solid marketing in front of himself with Tony Parker’s advertising. If you forgot, Parker is the owner of Paris Racing. This Ukrainian player has 210cm. He was spending averagely 19 minutes on the court this year with solid statistics: 11 pts, 6 rebounds.
Both players are planed for the first round (Phoenix and Washington), especially Sofolosha who will be there almost for sure.

Of course, don’t think that Spanish clubs were lucky to hide 2 biggest young stars. Jerry West, also known as “Mr. Clutch”, and man who’s on NBA logo, said few months ago that, if you are good enough, NBA will find you wherever you play. When he visited Belgrade last time, Partizan officials had to ask him to leave the first line in audience because club rule is that scouts can not seat there. “Mr. Clutch” left the first line, but he continued his job. West is working for Memphis today and exactly Memphis is interesting for Rudy Fernandez, maybe the best young European player.
Just on the last ACB League game against Menorca, Fernandez had match index 33. His 15 pts and 2.5 rebounds per game are guarantee letter for American Continent.
At the other side, Estudiantes star, and one of the rare European playmakers for 21st century, Sergio Rodriguez, is New Jersey’s target. He can go there and sit on bench next 5 years as replacement for Jason Kidd and Zoran Planinic who also have miserable minutes. In this season Rodriguez was scoring 8.6 pts and 4.8 assists per game.

But, sad European basketball destiny is not ending here. Saer Sene, Senegal international from Belgium Pepinster and Cibona’s Damir Markota are also close to first round.

Serbia offers 5 players: Nemanja Aleksandrov (FMP), Kosta Perović (Partizan), Marko Lekić (Atlas), Milovan Raković (Atlas) and Tadija Dragićević (Red Star).
France gives also 5 kids: Pape-Philippe Amagou, Yannick Bokolo, Mickael Mokongo, Sidiki Sidibe, Ali Traore.

Etc… etc… etc…

If you are interesting, I just can add that first pick this year will be probably Tyrus Thomas, power forward from Louisiana University, or LaMarcus Aldridge, pow. forw./center from Texas College.
2 biggest NCAA stars, J.J. Redick and Adam Morrison, will not be placed so high, especially J.J. Redick, after terrible performances on March Madness. Also, it must be said that Morrison has problems with diabetes.

Anyway, European strategy must be configured in way to return back to home Macijauskas and co. Arvydas had “brilliant” season with 7.1 minutes and 2.3 pts per game.
But, I doubt that Euroleague board was talking about this in Prague. They had to show town to David Stern…

Complete list of international players who can appear on NBA 2006 Draft

Paulius Jankunas, Zalgiris (Lithuania)
Yotam Halperin, Olimpija (Israel)
Andriy Agafonov, Khimik (Ukraine)
Nemanja Aleksandrov, FMP Zeleznik (Serb. & Mont.)
Pape-Philippe Amagou, Le Mans (France)
Andrea Bargnani, Benetton Treviso (Italy)
Thabo Sefolosha, Biella (Italy)
Panagiotis Vasilopoulos, Olympiacos (Greece)
Yannick Bokolo, Le Mans (France)
Goran Dragic, Slovan (Slovenia)
Carlos Cedeno, Guaiqueries (Venezuela)
Tadija Dragicevic, Crvena Zvezda (Serb. & Mont.)
Lior Eliyahu, Hapoel Galil Elyon (Israel)
Rudy Fernandez, DKV Joventut (Spain)
Kyrylo Fesenko, Mariupol (Ukraine)
Marko Banic, Bilbao (Croatia)
Ivan Koljevic, Olympiacos (Serbia&Mont.)
Rafael Hettsheimeier, Akasvayu Vic (Spain)
Marko Lekic, Atlas (Serbia-Montenegro)
Damir Markota, Cibona (Croatia)
Mickael Mokongo, Chalon (France)
Brad Newley, Townsville (Australia)
Oleksiy Pecherov, Paris Basket Racing (France)
Steven Markovic, Red Star (Australia.)
Hrvoje Peric, Split (Croatia)
Kosta Perovic, Partizan (Serbia & Mont.)
Giorgos Printezis, Olympiacos (Greece)
Viktor Keirou, SG, Russia
Mirza Teletovic, Bosnia
Marcus Vinicius, Brazil
Vladimir Veremeenko, Belarus
Vasily Zavoruev, Russia
Marcus Vieira de Souza, SF, Brazil
Milovan Rakovic, Atlas (Serbia-Montenegro)
Aleksandar Rindin, Gala Baku (Azerbaijan)
Sergio Rodriguez, Adecco Estudiantes (Spain)
Dusan Sakota, Panathinaikos (Greece)
Renaldas Seibutis, Olympiacos (Greece)
Saer Sene, Verviers-Pepinster (Belgium)
Brad Newley, SF, Australia
Rafael Hettsheimeir, Spain
Sidiki Sidibe, Levallois (France)
Tang Zhengdong, C, China
Dimitri Sokolov, C, Russia
Sun Yue, Beijing Aoshen Olympians (ABA)
Tiago Splitter, Tau Ceramica (Spain)
Ali Traore, Roanne (France)
Ejike Ugboaja, Union Bank Lagos (Nigeria)
Franko Kastropil, C, Croatia

6.5.2006