http://acb.com/video/200405_J29_splitter.avi

It wasn't as impressive as the Petro clips. I'd take petro over him if I had to base it on these clips and what i've read.

Based on what you've read and what you se here what do you guys think?

[Edited by - Killa4luv on 04/23/2005 11:55:42]

Hard to tell from that clip.Both dunks he had noone in his grill.That defensive stop he just stuck his arms up.I doubt that would work against the more athletic big men in the NBA.

Im not saying that this kid wont be any good,just cant tell from looking at this clip.

Killa,Ive only seen small glimpses of Petro(which I liked)Im sure Im not the only one who would like to see more if you have any.

Posted by Kwazimodal:

Killa,Ive only seen small glimpses of Petro(which I liked)Im sure Im not the only one who would like to see more if you have any.

yeah i saw small clips as well. he dunked from past the dotted line, did you see that?

http://www.hoopshype.com/interviews/petro_sierra.htm

Here is an interview with Petro:

HoopsHype.com Interviews

Johan Petro: "I will put my name in the draft again next year"
by Jorge Sierra / October 5, 2004



You lived several years in the island of Guadalupe. Did you start playing basketball there?

Johan Petro: Yes, I started playing in Guadalupe. I started playing for a team called Baie Mahault.

How did you start playing?

JP: I was tall, so everybody started telling me that I had to play basketball. But the truth is I was not very interested in basketball at the beginning. I was more into soccer, karate and other things.

How different was life in Guadalupe to life in France for you?




JP: There are differences. The main difference is that there's more sun there. And also the lifestyle, the rhythm of life is very different.

Was basketball the reason you moved to France or was there any other thing?

JP: Yes, that was the reason. I got recruited by a team and I moved to France for basketball reasons only.

You didn't play much in Euroleague last season with your club Pau-Orthez. Do you expect to get much more playing time this season?

JP: I didn't play much last season because I was still was very young. It was my first year. This year, I'm not expecting that they'll give me a lot of playing time, but I hope to play more. That's what I'm working hard for every day.

You are going to play as a pure center there, right?

JP: Yes, of course.

Is that the position in which you would like to play or do you like power forward more?

JP: I can play center, but in the future I would like to play power forward more.

You declared for the draft last season. How close were you to finally entering the draft?

JP: I put my name in the draft last year because I wanted people to watch me. I just wanted to get more attention. I didn't withdraw because I was going to be No. 16 or No. 20 or whatever. I only wanted to draw more attention in hopes of getting a much better position in the next draft.

Which teams expressed more interest in you during the draft process?

JP: The team that expressed more interest was the Utah Jazz. After that, I think the Denver Nuggets were also interested. And also the San Antonio Spurs.

So your plan is to declare yourself eligible again next year, right?

JP: I will put my name again next year. I want to prove to the NBA that I can play. I want to prove that I'm not just a player with potential, but also one that can play now.

If you are not projected as a lottery pick, would you still enter the draft?

JP: I'm not worried about that. I'm not thinking about being in the Top 10, Top 15 or whatever. I'm just looking forward to working hard, have a very good season and show everybody what I'm able to do. And then, what happens, happens.

What would you say are your strengths as a basketball player?

JP: I would say my quickness, that I have good hands and my timing. I have a lot of great qualities (laughs).

And your weaknesses?

JP: I think I have to develop my body. I have to get a better body, get stronger. I think I need to improve physically.

Some scouting reports say that you have to improve your attitude too. Do you agree with that assessment?

JP: That's a little bit true. Maybe it's because I'm young, but sometimes you relax and don't give your best effort. I have to be more constant in practice and also in games.

There will be a lot of people watching you this season – NBA scouts, the media... Does it make you nervous at all?

JP: No, I'm not worried about that. I don't mind who's watching. I'm just going to try to make it the best I can and whatever happens, happens.

Do you enjoy getting all this attention from the media or does it bother you?

JP: It's not a problem for me. It has some positives. Sometimes I can use the criticism in the media as a motivation to get better. It's not a problem for me.

You had a scooter accident last year. Are you still riding the scooter or what?

JP: Not riding the scooter anymore. That was last year. At that time, the only way to get to practice was with a scooter because I didn't have a driver's license yet. I couldn't go to practice and back home any other way. But the scooter thing is in the past now.






Jorge Sierra is the editor of HoopsHype.com. Bouna Ndiaye, Johan Petro's agent, helped conduct the interview

http://nbadraft.net/petrointerview.asp

Yeah,I tried that too.Oh well here's another interview

By JD Sivignon -- 11/29/04




Johan Petro
photo: Roger Sivignon
Regarded by France as their next great center Johan Petro, a towering 6-foot-11 center playing for the French club Pau, is leaping up and down hardwood floors all over France. At just 18 years of age, he is already on every NBA franchises’ wish list and without a doubt will be drafted next June. In the meantime he refines his game under the tutelage of Coach Didier Gadou and has dedicated this year to hard work and improving his overall game. Very accomodating, he has granted our request to answer a few questions; he answered our questions with maturity uncommon for his age, mixing humility with ambition.

How did you get started in playing basketball?

JP: I started at age 13. I was at home not doing anything and my dad told me to go play basketball. But I wasn’t feeling it at first. I then decided to do some Karate. I got all the way up to a green belt. But then I decided to play ball on my own.

We shouldn’t mess with you then…

JP: You can mess with me just don’t go over the top, because I have some free style moves for you (laughs)

Do you kick the top of your locker like Marc M’Bahia (a former French basketball player that use to be African champion of Taekwondo) does?

JP: No, I don’t go that far but I have hit the tag with my name on it on occasions. I have lost some flexibility since I have stopped doing Karate.

Did learning Karate help your basketball skills?



Johan Petro
photo: Marco Martelli
JP: Yes it has helped me become a little more athletic, a little more coordinated than others who are my height and weight.

Can you describe your game?

JP: My game is not flashy, I play the typical center’s game, except I am a little faster than the others. There are things that I still cannot do with my left hand, but I’m working on it.

What is your main weapon?

JP: Right handed hook shot.

What is your main weakness?

JP: I still need work with my left hand.

How satisfied are you with the start of your season?

JP: I feel very comfortable at Pau (pro French team). The coach is very confident in my abilities. That helps. I’m getting playing time. So now I’m just trying to develop my game a little more, I need to play with a little improvisation while staying focused on our objectives. I need to give myself the tools to achieve this.

We have the impression that from time to time you can get into foul trouble?

JP: That’s what happens when you are young. To be 18 years old. There are certain fouls that would not have been called on more experienced players. There are veterans who have learned how to get certain foul calls. It will be less of an issue as the season progresses. This permits me to develop and learn new things.

What do you think of your team’s season so far?



Johan Petro

JP: It has been rather difficult. We play well one day and poorly the next. We just need to find the right chemistry and run with it.

What do you think of Pau as far as a developmental club that was able to develop most notably the Pietrus (Warriors, Suns) brothers, Boris Diaw (Hawks)…

JP: They make sure that their young players are not missing anything. From the beginning level to the professional level we work on the fundamentals. It is a great springboard club that I need to use to launch my career. It is less focused on individual talent compared to INSEP (Institut national du sport et de l’education physique[1]). Here, it’s more of a team game. Here, wins and losses are the only reflection of how successful a season we have.

Speaking of players from the Antilles what do you think about the players from there having too much of a laid back attitude, most notably in the case of Jerome Moiso (UCLA, Raptors).

JP: People say that players from the Antilles are nonchalant but that is not always the case. All you need to do is to watch Mickaël Pietrus to be convinced. I am often compared to Moiso but we’re not all the same. Moiso is Moiso and I’m just me. I do not believe that we look the same except maybe physically. I don’t have the same attitude.

Do you believe you are aggressive enough to make your mark in the NBA?

JP: I don’t know if I have the necessary aggressiveness. But I do have a certain aggressiveness within me. I need to learn how to express it. At the present moment I still have problems with this. Right know, if I am aggressive, I usually get called for three quick fouls and have to sit on the bench. I need to learn how to channel my aggressiveness and to use it when warranted.

Is this something that you are particularly looking to focus on or are you more concerned on other things?



Johan Petro
photo: Roger Sivignon
JP: The other things will come along by more practice time and game experience. But it is true that I need to work on my aggressiveness the most.

Do you model your game on any particular player?

JP: I often watch Duncan, Garnett and O’neal because I want to be a remix of the three. From time to time I compare myself a little bit, I try to evaluate where I stand, to work on what they do well so I can have a few more weapons. I try to be multi-dimensional, to be able to attack the rim with my left hand as well as my right hand, to be able to shoot from the outside.

You entered your name in the last draft before withdrawing. Were you close in staying in the draft?

JP: No, there was not much hesitation. I entered just to see where I stood, to find out what was expected of me. After getting this information I now have a concrete objective. I withdrew last year to progress this year to be more prepared for the upcoming draft.

Is it true that the Denver Nuggets promised that they would draft you 20th in last year’s draft?

JP: Yes, it’s true. I had three guarantees from teams, Denver, Utah, and if I’m not mistaken San Antonio. But I preferred to work on my game here because it would not have been the same over there. I know I made the right choice.

Is it more important for you to be drafted high or to be in the right situation?

JP: I’d rather be in a good situation. Being drafted high is not my most coveted desire, it’s being in the right situation. I don’t care where I go but I want to be in a situation where they believe in me. (laughs) Usually that means that you need to be a high draft pick, because those are the cases where they are more likely to believe in your skills… Unless your name is Tony Parker and that you fall into the right situation. I want to be on a team that will let me play, where I will have playing time.



Johan Petro
photo: www.JohanPetro.net
Would you be happy playing on the same team as another Frenchmen?

JP: Yes, of course! When you are part of a great NBA franchise, it’s great to have someone to talk to. Someone who can help you and who has experienced what you are about to experience.

Is your goal to be regarded as the best French player?

JP: No my goal is to become the best player that I can be. I will do my all to achieve this.

What do you think of the upcoming draft?

JP: I’m not thinking about it that much for the moment. I’m focused on my season and Euroleague, which just started. I’ have time to worry about it this summer.

What do you think about the trend of the NBA drafting European players?

JP: It helps me out (laughs). They make their own picks. If their drafting is based on “he says she says” without really knowing the true value of the player, that’s their problem. I’m not here for that, I want to show them my true skills and talent. That’s another reason why I decided to stay one more year in Europe.

The USA lost their Olympic gold title. Do you believe that the world has caught up with the USA?

JP: The world has caught up a little bit, for sure. The Americans did not send all of their best players, however. European basketball is rapidly evolving and we are not that far off.In your opinion what other French players could possibly make the transition to the NBA?

JP: The players who are currently playing for the Le Mans club, Sy, Bkolo, Koffi who have the prototype NBA body, and NBA game play style. They are not far off but they must impress an NBA team. This can be difficult at times.



Johan Petro
photo: Marco Martelli
What about Ian Mahinmi (plays for the Havre French club)?

JP: Yes, I can’t forget about him. We were not expecting much from him during the European Junior championships. But he demonstrated that he is a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Precisely, what do you make of the bronze medal during the Junior European championship, is it a deception or satisfaction?

JP: It’s more of a deception than a satisfaction, even though a medal is better than nothing. But it is a deception never less because that was not our goal. We only lost one game the entire tournament… the game that we couldn’t lose.

Does it give you a revengeful spirit?

JP: Yes, we are waiting wait for the next European championship with a chip on our shoulders. We want to prove that we are better than that. Much better!

You talk about the next European championships but which one’s? With the Espoirs (collegiate level) or the Seniors (pro level)?

JP: I will stay at my level for the mean time and play on the under 20 years old national team.

You watched the 2005 European championship qualifications, what did you think?

JP: France proved that even without it’s NBA players they can be competitive. That is a positive sign. Now we must perform well in the European championship and not play as badly as we have in the last couple years.

Is it a goal of yours to be a member of that team?

JP: (thinking) Yes, I believe it is. I know that I am not that far away from making the national team. So why not make it? We know that the French national team is in need of a big center. Knowing that I am one, why not? I would be so happy if I was able to participate. So I will try to have a good season and the reward will be to be selected on the national team.



Johan Petro
photo: www.JohanPetro.net
Do you believe that France can compete for gold in China in 2008?

JP: If all the players want to play for France then anything is possible.

What does playing for the national team represent to you?

JP: It represents France, it represents being French, it’s our country: where we live, it represents everything. The national team is something special, something not to neglect. I have always been willing to represent my team at every level. I value this opportunity, it is a sense of duty. At Pau our jersey has also a sense of value. When we wear our jersey we are representing the city and the sponsors we have certain image that should never be tarnished. It’s the same concept for the national level, except you represent the entire country.

What is more important to you, winning a gold medal for France or an NBA title?

JP: A gold medal is what is the most important from my perspective.

INSEP: National institute in Paris where the best under 18 athletes go to school together and play on the same team. Tony Parker was a member of the basketball team and went to high school there when he played for the pro Paris racing club.

Interview conducted in French by JD Sivignon, www.basketzone.com, translated by Eric Guilleminault.

Petro Interview Thoughts

by Eric Guilleminault

It is refreshing to hear of a player with such humility. He is not egotistical as is the case with many US players. He has not been corrupted by the me first attitude that many highly ranked high school kids have received through the AAU system and shoe companies. He has lived in Paris and now Pau on his own, far away from the Antilles and the French government has given him special treatment. But he has learned that basketball is a privilege.

He commented that it is an honor for him to play on the national team. He obviously learned that once you are on a team you represent more than yourself, you represent your team and even your country. After reading his interview and seeing how he represents himself off the court you wonder why there are not more US basketball players like him.

He is not the type of player who would refuse to play on his national team. He called it a sense of duty. It's too bad that more US NBA super stars don't view it the same way.

*One thing to note, if Petro is drafted he may miss out on playing with the French team because of NBA summer league.

Ehmm... is this a thread about Tiago or Petro? It looks like if you guys had to pick today, you would select Petro...

Posted by Knicksfan:

Ehmm... is this a thread about Tiago or Petro? It looks like if you guys had to pick today, you would select Petro...

Spitter is star potential Petro is not

Posted by Killa4luv:

Posted by gunsnewing:

Posted by Knicksfan:

Ehmm... is this a thread about Tiago or Petro? It looks like if you guys had to pick today, you would select Petro...

Spitter is star potential Petro is not

what are you basing this on? Seriously, I wanna know.

lottery projections. Splitter is projected to be a lottery pick. Petro is not. Where are the Knicks? In the lottery...

Ummph, Splitter better than PETRO because of predraft positioning. Well truthfully i've only seen a few clips of PETRO but I have seen an entire game with Splitter. Splitter did nothing of note that I saw with the exception of one block and even then the other team continuously drove the lane. His scoring was anemic even against that competition. PETRO did more in the few clips I saw than Splitter did in a whole game. It could be creative editing....it could be that Splitter was just having a bad day... To me PETRO will be a solid pick at the 8 spot just based on what i've seen in the clips and his interviews. At 19 years old and "argurably 7'0" I wouldn't mind one bit if Isiah went in that direction. As I said in another post: 8) PETRO.......15) Warrick, Grainger or Blatche (KT trade)..... and 29) Akindele.

We just can't afford not to draft at least 2 Centers for next season.

Extremely doubtful. They'll be lucky to draft one center.