Decision to bypass Fazekas looking especially smart
So, I was a year off.
In the days leading up to the 2007 Draft, I convinced myself that the Utah Jazz were going to draft Nevada center/power forward Nick Fazekas, who was raw and needed work physically but also possessed the kind of outside shot that makes NBA general managers sit up and take notice.
I thought Fazekas would be a good fit with the Jazz who, even with Memo Okur, Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap, were headed into the '07-08 season a bit on the small side.
All along, colleague Ross Siler told me the Jazz had targeted Rice's Morris Almond, which also made sense. Before Ronnie Brewer's vast improvement last season, it looked like the Jazz might end up needing more depth and offensive ability at shooting guard.
On Draft day, the Jazz did not pull the surprise that I was half-expecting. They took Almond with the 25th pick and Fazekas slipped all the way to No. 34 in the second round, where he was taken by Dallas.
In this year's draft, the Jazz got a player whose game reminds me little of Fazekas, though most would agree Ohio State freshman Kosta Koufos has more all-around skill and greater potential to make an impact in the NBA.
My thoughts about the 2007 Draft resurfaced this weekend when I read a story about Fazekas and the struggles he endured during his first year in professional basketball.
Coming out of college, he was the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year and the leading scorer in Nevada history.
The success, however, didn't translate to the NBA. He played briefly with the Mavericks and their affiliate in the D-League, Tulsa. He ended up with the L.A. Clippers but now -- a month before the start of training camp -- he is searching for a team.
I doubt the Jazz are interested.
With Kyrylo Fesenko and Koufos already under contract, they will have enough young, unproved big men coming to camp.
-- Steve Luhm
In the days leading up to the 2007 Draft, I convinced myself that the Utah Jazz were going to draft Nevada center/power forward Nick Fazekas, who was raw and needed work physically but also possessed the kind of outside shot that makes NBA general managers sit up and take notice.
I thought Fazekas would be a good fit with the Jazz who, even with Memo Okur, Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap, were headed into the '07-08 season a bit on the small side.
All along, colleague Ross Siler told me the Jazz had targeted Rice's Morris Almond, which also made sense. Before Ronnie Brewer's vast improvement last season, it looked like the Jazz might end up needing more depth and offensive ability at shooting guard.
On Draft day, the Jazz did not pull the surprise that I was half-expecting. They took Almond with the 25th pick and Fazekas slipped all the way to No. 34 in the second round, where he was taken by Dallas.
In this year's draft, the Jazz got a player whose game reminds me little of Fazekas, though most would agree Ohio State freshman Kosta Koufos has more all-around skill and greater potential to make an impact in the NBA.
My thoughts about the 2007 Draft resurfaced this weekend when I read a story about Fazekas and the struggles he endured during his first year in professional basketball.
Coming out of college, he was the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year and the leading scorer in Nevada history.
The success, however, didn't translate to the NBA. He played briefly with the Mavericks and their affiliate in the D-League, Tulsa. He ended up with the L.A. Clippers but now -- a month before the start of training camp -- he is searching for a team.
I doubt the Jazz are interested.
With Kyrylo Fesenko and Koufos already under contract, they will have enough young, unproved big men coming to camp.
-- Steve Luhm
1:17 AM
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1 Comments:
First the Donyell Marshall crap that shouldn't have even dignified a response and now this... What's next? A Pavel Podkolzine update?
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