An Overseas scout digests the draft / Oleskiy

[XxSpearheadxX]

This guy analyzes and puts together prospect profiles for International players.

He said he thought Pecherov was good enough to be a lotto pick this year:


18th Oleksiy Pecherov (Washington Wizards)
Pecherov just fell out of the lottery, but still a nice place for him, as he was totally out of the radar one year ago. After a great season in Paris, where he showed all of his qualities, this shooting big-man could have some impact in Washington right away. It does not seem that he will stay in France, but it is possible that he stays for one more year in a Euroleague team. But I think, the Wizards should bring him over right away and establish him as a future 6th man to bring some offensive firepower from the bench

http://www.europeanprospects.com/


After I heard this kid dominated Hilton Armstrong in their game together (Scouts vary their reports from - Oleskiy was surprising - to Hilton was dominated), as well as the fact he was the Global Games MVP in 2004 in Dallas as an 18 year old, a tournament in which the American team included Lemarcus Aldridge, Adam Morrison, JJ Redick, Rudy Gay, Josh Boone etc... I feel a lot better.

He seems to play better whenever given the chance to play American style ball, a good sign by me.

Also a lot of scouts are up and down on how athletic he is, some say he is quick and a "good" athlete, others say he is slow footed. From what I've heard its actually a little in between - he was a Soccer player and a thoroughbred athlete with quite an impressive vertical leap, but as he tried to bulk up he didn't balance it with plyometrics which lowered his explosiveness.

He is more of a leaper than a guy with an explosive first step. But when he elevates and shoots a turnaround on the post it looks real pretty.

Apparently since his last season in Paris he's leaned up and is working towards a better athletic model. From the tape I saw, he can elevate and throw down dunks on people with the best of them.

His rebounding definately doesn't come from bulk but from his leaping ability and long arms and determination. I dunno if he will ever be real muscular, but at 20 years old he could still add 5 inches or so to his vertical leap and get quicker.

Since he got bigger he stopped playing SF so much and is more PF and Center, though he can still take guys facing up if he needs too.

BTW, he really isn't a 3 point shooter, more of a Juwan Howard type with 18-21 foot range. So don't worry about him floating around the perimiter too much - I think his infatuation with Nowitzki is kind of like Jared Jeffries saying Michael Jordan is his favorite player.

Anyway, I'm excited to see Blatche and Oleksiy in Vegas games next month - from what I hear Oleksiy is a big time dunker whenever he gets the ball in the paint and is known to finish with contact. He is skinny though, who knows.

[Warhead36]

Nice reports.

I'm excited to see him in the Summer Leagues. I think we should keep him in Europe for at least a year though, to develop him more.

[dawgjk9]

to establish him as a future 6th man??? thats what that scout said? i dont want him ot be a 6th man...we need him to be our starting PF

[Warhead36]

to establish him as a future 6th man??? thats what that scout said? i dont want him ot be a 6th man...we need him to be our starting PF

He's saying he'd be our 6th man if we played him this year.

[dawgjk9]

ohhhh ok good...that makes me feel better about it. wow if he can be our 6th man this year thatd be awesome...haha total 180 on my feelings on that one..misunderstood it

[hands11]

to establish him as a future 6th man??? thats what that scout said? i dont want him ot be a 6th man...we need him to be our starting PF

No we dont. He is a pick to come off the bench for 2-4. If he can do more, thats just gravy.

Caron is the 3
Blatche is the 4


We will have him and AJ coming off the bench in 2 years. This team is going to be so awesome. Everyone just needs to be patient.

[XxSpearheadxX]

to establish him as a future 6th man??? thats what that scout said? i dont want him ot be a 6th man...we need him to be our starting PF

I think he meant like a 6th man his rookie year....


He is not staying in europe, he is considered NBA ready now.

[TheDirtbags]

Why is Everyone saying that Antwan is coming off the bench?

I dont kno wat league u guys think the Wizards are in......In the NBA..you start the best player/fit at the position.....

YOU DONT BENCH THE SECOND BEST PLAYER ON THE ****ING TEAM

[XxSpearheadxX]

Why is Everyone saying that Antwan is coming off the bench?

I dont kno wat league u guys think the Wizards are in......In the NBA..you start the best player/fit at the position.....

YOU DONT BENCH THE SECOND BEST PLAYER ON THE ****ING TEAM

I think they meant in future years, like once Blatche grows up. Even Antawn knows Blatche is going to be better than him if he keeps working at it, he's said so before.


By future 6th man for Oleksiy, I think the scout meant like not game 1, but at some point in the season, that is the impressionI was getting


Caron is the 2nd best player on the team, BTW, it is close though. Tawn is just such a defensive liability.

[jtyler42]

I like this pick the more I hear about this guy...

Where did you see tape of Olekisy play?

[XxSpearheadxX]

I like this pick the more I hear about this guy...

Where did you see tape of Olekisy play?

I saw some on Comcast Sportsnet, some on Yahoo and some from the Global games that they showed on NBA TV, I'll look to find what I can post here, at least the yahoo stuff I'm sure.


None of the tape was too great, but it did show him really get off the ground fast and high for rebounds and turnaround jumpshots. He also has a really sweet shot, though they show him hitting French 3's, about college range, his range is supposed to be best inside 18 -20 feet. Its a seriously sweet jumper with good elevation for a guy who has only been plalying basketball for 5 years.

His turnaround is obviously patterned after Nowitzki's, but Oleksiy jumps much higher but has shorter arms.

I read on a site talking about his effectiveness in the paint it said,

"Pecherov only has two moves in the paint - an extremely effective turnaround jumper and if he doesn't go to that he dunks it, with extreme efficiency from anywhere inside the paint."

"He gets off the floor fast, especially since he seems to have slowed down since he bulked up, but he has very strong legs and can get a one, two three bounce for rebounds before his opponents finish their 1st or second"

Those are 2 quotes I remember, I'll try and post more on him.