Tskitishvili admits that if he had to do over, he wouldn't have attempted an NBA career so soon.

"I was not experienced. I came here at 18 years old, and had never played a lot of games," said Tskitishvili, who averaged 3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in his first three seasons. "I was drafted as a talented guy, but had never developed my experience. I had a good shot. I could dribble the ball. I had all the techniques, an inside-out game. I just couldn't get it all together.

"If I was 25 years old, I wouldn't have cared about (being taken with the fifth pick). When you are young and taken at No. 5, people expect a lot from you. Sometimes you get down on yourself. I was the No. 5 pick, and I should be better than this. If I could take my time back, I would wait and come at this age. ... Now, I want to show that my weaknesses have gotten better. They know that I was a shooter, a perimeter guy, but I am just showing them that I have gotten better."

"I came in the league very young, and I didn't get the chance to play a lot," Tskitishvili said. "So I decided to play three years overseas. I had a lot of fun. I got my game right. I learned a lot, and hopefully it will help me in the future. I got stronger. I rebound better. It is what I needed. I was physically weak in my years in the league. Especially with my height, I needed to be stronger on the inside. I'm good outside and I can shoot the ball, but I have to get better inside."

At 7' he could be another player to seriously consider for an October training camp invitation.

"So, why should the Knicks waste their time on one of the greatest busts in the history of the NBA? Because he is a 7’0 tall force who can play either forward position, run the court, and hit a three pointer as well as anyone in the league. In essence, Tskitishvili has a potential skill set reminiscent to the likes of Dirk Nitowitzki, another seven footer who can drain a three point shot as well as anyone.


As of this time, Tskitishvili will only be involved with the New York Knicks as a player on their summer league roster. However, making the final 15 man roster is a very real possibility for Nikoloz. He has an NBA body and all star type potential, and he can undoubtedly be signed at a bargain price due to his past failures. Furthermore, Tskitishvili provides the kind of matchup problems that coach D’Antoni loves to exploit in New York. By putting a seven footer in the lineup at the small forward position late in a ball game, few opposing players in the three- slot will be able to contain him. The jury may still be out on Tskitishvili, but I have visions of him becoming a future star in New York."

- Jeremy Kaufman

great another big man who shouldn't be starting anywhere in the nba will be on our roster.

that said, he did play pretty well from what i saw of the game yesterday.

[Edited by - crzymdups on 15-07-2009 1:48 PM]

Skita outplayed ThaBust because he is older and has played against far more advanced competition. Skita is garbage. However, ThaBust looked like trash yesterday, but what he eventually did in college can't be a complete fluke. ThaBust will fill up the "big men take more time to develop" cliche quicker than anyone - and maybe after 2 or 3 years he will develop.

What he won't be is a star and he won't be anywhere near as good as Dikembe.

Should he have gone 2nd overall? Hell no. Is he a certified bust? Of course not.

What he will find is he can't body up bigger players. I mean he got owned by that bum Carter we have on our roster of all people - simply because he's rail thin and weaker than even any guard on the floor. So he better learn how to use finesse or he's going to be trash.

He's a superstar.

Let's see how he plays the rest of the summer league, but he is an inside presence and having that outside shot is a bench bonus for us. With a small contract as a 13 or 14th man, it's worth the gamble. Still want a place for Ewing Jr. though ;-)

I would give him a shot. Maybe he is at the point in his career in which he is ready to contribute to a NBA team.. he does have some skills.

He's at least as interesting a prospect as Morris Almond.

Hold up, Tskitishvile just busted another three...

Posted by fishmike:

Thabeet has still legs

only Euros can have stiff legs