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martin
Posts: 69132
Alba Posts: 108
Joined: 7/24/2001
Member: #2
USA
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4:45 p.m. After the players get through stretching, the real work begins. Ronzone is keeping an eye on Pietrus. The last time we saw him in Zagreb, Pietrus shot just 1-for-8 from the field. Immediately, Ronzone is zeroed in on his stroke.
Pietrus is sinking 3s with ease. In the corner, on the wing, at the top of the key. Swish. Swish. Swish.
"He can't shoot," Ronzone says with a wry smile and a wink. Ronzone has followed Pietrus the past three years. He knows the player inside and out and has laughed at all the reports that claim he's not a shooter.
On defense, Pietrus is even more impressive. Pietrus is guarding the team's point guard and he's doing an amazing job. At 6-foot-6, 212 pounds, Pietrus shouldn't be able to move his feet like this. He sticks to his guy at every position on the court.
"He can't play defense, either," Ronzone says before a thunderous dunk by Pietrus rattles the empty gym. "No hops," Ronzone laughs.
Pietrus is the truth. Take his handle, athletic ability, outside shooting and ability to get to the hole, and you've got a sure fire lottery pick.
5:12 p.m. Boris Diaw is much tougher to get a handle on. He's long, has a great body, and it's clear he has great point-guard skills for someone who's 6-foot-9. He takes the occasional shot and swishes it, but it's still tough to get a read.
The problem with Diaw is that he's smooth. He makes playing basketball look effortless. That's great after you've already made it. But if you're still fighting to get drafted, it causes it's share of problems. Teams have questioned Diaw's aggressiveness and effort all year.
It appears to us he's trying. He just doesn't break a sweat doing it. It's easy to see why teams are in love with him.
Diaw's mother was a Hall of Fame basketball player in France. From an early age she taught her son how to play. She drilled him in the fundamentals of Euroleague basketball and scolded him whenever he got too selfish.
His mother still gets on him if he shoots too much. It's a blessing and a curse. Diaw may be the best big playmaker in the draft after LeBron. He's an athletic point forward with fantastic court sense. But he's also his team's seventh-leading scorer. When's the last time a small forward averaging less than 10 points per game was a lottery pick?
Still, this appears to be Diaw's year. In 2001, the Jazz flirted with taking him in the first round. When they couldn't give him a promise (they opted for Raul Lopez instead), Diaw pulled his name out of the draft. In 2002, Diaw was in the draft again. The Nuggets and Spurs flirted with him but in the end opted for something else. This year, the feedback is much stronger. Diaw is a likely mid-first-rounder. That will be enough to keep him in the draft.
"I think I'm ready," Diaw said. "My game has improved. But if I don't hear that I'm in the first round, I'll pull it out again and wait until next year."
5:30 p.m. Ronzone has an interesting theory behind what it takes to make an NBA basketball player. According to Ronzone, there are three skills that scouts are looking for when evaluating talent.
First, a player must have good hands. His ability to dribble, pass, shoot the ball and catch the ball are the elements scouts focus on.
Second, he must have good feet. Athleticism, footwork, coordination, balance, and jumping ability are key attributes.
Third, players must have a good mind. Basketball IQ is important, Ronzone says, but the player's work ethic, practice habits, desire and ability to listen to his coach are also major factors.
Ronzone claims European players' hands are the big reason they're the rage right now. Teams are no longer yearning for raw athletes who run the floor like gazelles. They want skilled players who can bring the ball up the floor, play multiple positions and shoot when open.
However, it's the Europeans' feet that get them in trouble. While the talent over here is improving, very few Europeans have the athleticism, quickness or strength to play in the NBA right away. That aspect must be developed.
5:45 p.m. The team takes a break. As the players head to the bench to rest or to get a drink, Pietrus runs over to the sidelines, grabs a ball and heads to the free-throw line.
He's the only one still on the court.
"That's as impressive as anything else he's done today," Ronzone said. "He's showing that he likes to play the game and he's dedicated to improving it."
Give Pietrus an "A" for his mental skills.
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