Kosta Perovic is doing all he can to make it with the Warriors

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The tall, lanky guy exiting a workout at the Warriors' training facility sports the look of any other young basketball player. Shorts, T-shirt, flip-flops.

He speaks English well and has spent so much time in the United States already that culture shock shouldn't be an issue.

"Except for playing in the NBA," Kosta Perovic said, "none of this is new."

That's why Perovic, a 7-foot-2 center from Serbia who signed with the Warriors this month, is the only team member currently in Oakland. He's here working on his upper-body strength and footwork to give himself the best chance to make an impact this season.

Perovic, 22, even begged off his country's national team with the European Championships upcoming - a decision that didn't make him many friends back home.

"I canceled because I want to prepare myself," he said. "This has been my wish since I was a kid, to one day play in the NBA. Now my wish is coming true. But I have to work to prove myself."

Perovic's arrival coincides with the buyout of the contract of center Adonal Foyle - whose limited offensive game never was going to fit into Coach Don Nelson's up-tempo style. Foyle's departure indicates the team thinks Perovic can be in the mix to back up Andris Biedrins.

"He's got a lot of skills," Warriors executive Chris Mullin said. "He works hard and only is going to develop more. We just have to be patient with him and see how his game translates to the NBA."</div>

Source: San Jose Mercury News

 

Good luck to him and I hope he becomes another low post scoring option.

I think none of our prospects will play much D, but the scoring might be nice.

 

Unless he discovers the Fountain Of Athlecism, I have a hard time seeing him getting PT. Unless his PT occurs in Bakersfield

I've just never seen the point with this guy. From what I've read, his athleticism is barely passable for the center position. And that's coming from the standpoint of an 'average' system, NOT a running system. Aside that, his rebounding is quite weak for a guy his size. I just don't see the point.

 

<div class="quote_poster">DTKennedy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Unless he discovers the Fountain Of Athlecism, I have a hard time seeing him getting PT. Unless his PT occurs in Bakersfield

I've just never seen the point with this guy. From what I've read, his athleticism is barely passable for the center position. And that's coming from the standpoint of an 'average' system, NOT a running system. Aside that, his rebounding is quite weak for a guy his size. I just don't see the point.</div>

I share the same thoughts. At least he won't be as bad as O'Bryant... well, maybe.

 

I don't see what the problem is -- he's a 7'2" kid who has yet to prove whether he can be a good player. Why did they draft him? Because he might turn out to be a good player. How do they find out? Play him. I have no problem with it. Sure the scouting reports say he has a soft touch but poor athleticism -- but to me, many good players had poor scouting reports, and many players with high scouting reports turned out to be busts. If you draft a guy, the least you can do is put him on the court and find out what he's going to make of himself. For a team that is lacking size in the middle, this is a good thing for the Warriors, IMO.

 

<div class="quote_poster">AlleyOop Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I don't see what the problem is -- he's a 7'2" kid who has yet to prove whether he can be a good player. Why did they draft him? Because he might turn out to be a good player. How do they find out? Play him. I have no problem with it. Sure the scouting reports say he has a soft touch but poor athleticism -- but to me, many good players had poor scouting reports, and many players with high scouting reports turned out to be busts. If you draft a guy, the least you can do is put him on the court and find out what he's going to make of himself. For a team that is lacking size in the middle, this is a good thing for the Warriors, IMO.</div>

Yeah I pretty much agree. I am just curious to see how he performs and what he can do, just like with all the other new additions to this team. It's good to hear that he's working hard. You can't dislike that.

 

<div class="quote_poster">DTKennedy:</div><div class="quote_post">
Unless he discovers the Fountain Of Athlecism, I have a hard time seeing him getting PT. Unless his PT occurs in Bakersfield

I've just never seen the point with this guy. From what I've read, his athleticism is barely passable for the center position. And that's coming from the standpoint of an 'average' system, NOT a running system. Aside that, his rebounding is quite weak for a guy his size. I just don't see the point.</div>

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AnimeFANatic Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I share the same thoughts. At least he won't be as bad as O'Bryant... well, maybe.</div>

<div class="quote_poster">Run BJM Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Agree, but Nellie played Raef LaFrentz and Shaun Bradley so maybe there is hope for him? Hes got similarities to those guys in that he can shoot well, finishes inside adequately, isn't a very good athlete but alters shots because of great height/wingspan, not a very good rebounder. I'm not expecting him to contribute but it would be nice if he became a rotation player.</div>

This guy was a pick out of the blue for me. I had to go by what Mullin said and his scouting of Perovic. Still have not seen him play even on video. Raef LaFrentz and Shaun Bradley? I hope he doesn't turn out to be another Patrick O'Bakersfield .

 

I remember Perovic had some potential as a lottery pick until he was scrutinized to death by international scouts over his limited offensive moves, rebounding ability, and defensive ability. From what I read the guy has some talent and potential to be something of a Zyldrunas Illgauskus (an all-star center in the East), but he has yet to prove himself. I'm probably guessing he'll be more like a light weight Jake Tsakalidis (a guy who was big and active but didn't really have much to stay in the league). I don't think there will be much that will stand out about his game other than height and limited shooting offense and some blocked shots. If he had the talent to go with the size, nobody would pass up the second coming of Illgauskus. In fact, he'll probably play more like this kid:

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/martynas_and...cius/index.html

only with more pro experience and probably a lot, lot stronger.

A guy 7'2" with some potential is always worth a 2nd rounder IMO. Those over 7 feet tall guys that can play for a pro team don't grow on trees.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Run BJM Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The thing with Martynas Andriuskevicius is that he never actually did anything at any level. Scouts saw his height, athleticism, he could nail some jumpshots in an open gym, etc but he never actually did anything on the court. With Perovic it was the same situation but he actually had a good year last season averaging 12/6 on a good european team. Granted those aren't mind boggling numbers, they're quite solid in a competitive league. I won't expect anything from this guy so if he does turn into a productive player its just a big bonus IMO.</div>

Maybe I'm overreacting on Perovic. It's really POB who gets to me. He was a #9 pick ferchrissakes and the guy can't even make the team!!! I just hope it's because of Don Nelson and we can trade the guy.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Run BJM Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The thing with Martynas Andriuskevicius is that he never actually did anything at any level. Scouts saw his height, athleticism, he could nail some jumpshots in an open gym, etc but he never actually did anything on the court. With Perovic it was the same situation but he actually had a good year last season averaging 12/6 on a good european team. Granted those aren't mind boggling numbers, they're quite solid in a competitive league. I won't expect anything from this guy so if he does turn into a productive player its just a big bonus IMO.</div>

Hence, he's way, way less experienced than Kosta but teams are still gambling that he can be developed. I said that. Perovic's situation is that while he's had more pro experience, he's been very limited in what he does for his team (mainly putback type offense and some occasional midrange shots). His productivity is said to be based all on size and he's not a back-to-the-basket player yet or that great of an offensive player. Then again I wouldn't know for sure as I'm regurgitating what the scouts say or what fans have said that is common throughout the web. And heck, how many scouts are watching him or publishing their findings to the public?

 

<div class="quote_poster">jason voorhees Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Maybe I'm overreacting on Perovic. It's really POB who gets to me. He was a #9 pick ferchrissakes and the guy can't even make the team!!! I just hope it's because of Don Nelson and we can trade the guy.</div>

Don't forget #9 in an extremely weak draft... besides LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy, who else did many feel good about? Morrison? Bargnani? Tyrus Thomas? Ron Brewer with the funny, mechanical jumpshot? Better than #9 than #1-#3 that's for sure.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Run BJM Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Well there seems to be conflicting reports on him depending on what scouting reports you read. Some say he has a post up game and a mid range J, some say he does nothing but put-backs, some say hes a solid rebounder and alters a lot of shots, others say hes a non-factor on defense/rebounding. Its hard to know what to expect from any aspect of his game really. I've even seen on wikipedia it says hes been compared to Nesterovic, which came out of nowhere since hes a much different player from Divac, Ilgauskas, or whoever hes been compared to.



Yeah that was a really bad situation. We were just one spot from getting Rudy Gay at least, after that it was all trash save for a few players taken long after POB. Still sucks to see POB be disappointing so far though, you don't expect it from a lotto pick like you would from a second rounder.</div>

True about scouting... how often are these guys watching him and how good are they of analyzing nba prospects? What merits good rebounding vs. excellent rebounding? Yeah I know.

I also forgot Rudy Gay, man. He actually did decently, but many felt he was still a tweener or is still a tweener. I think a wing that can handle the ball is a better fit for our system, but now that we have a few more ballhandlers replacing Jrich, who knows if Rudy Gay would be the best fit for us right now instead of Sjax. I still think Sjax is the best for what we need at SF (long range shooting, better ballhandling despite turnovers, experience) and maybe Rudy Gay might be the best for the small type of power forward that Nelly might want now and small forward later on when he increases his shot range consistency.

But here lies that thing you were talking about Run. Many people think Rudy Gay's ballhandling is actually pretty good as his bball smarts. The other thing is his rebounding any good to play the kind of power forward that Nelly would want? I feel as a small forward, the guy would need to improve his shot range because small lineups typically have to make plays like a playmaker and shoot like a guard.

 

<div class="quote_poster">DTKennedy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Athlecism,</div>

Just needed to ask...WTF is Athlecism?!?!

 

<div class="quote_poster">DTKennedy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Just needed to ask...WTF is Athlecism?!?! </div>

Well, DT, it's a word that is missing the "i" and the "t" to spell "athleticism".

The missing "i" and "t" spell "it".

So when basketball critics say, for example, "Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy Jr. just don't have 'it'," it means they have "athlecism" rather than "athleticism".

Okay, I'm being lame right now, so sue me!