The NBA Draft in June still has some heads spinning. There were plenty of picks that stunned fans and analysts alike. One of the most polarizing picks was the number five overall pick of the Toronto Raptors: Jonas Valanciunas.
Analysts and GMs applauded the pick, saying before the pick that Valanciunas was one of the best prospects in the draft. They loved his size, athleticism and free-throw shooting. But one of the red flags was the fact that Valanciunas was under contract with Lithuanian club BC Lietuvos Rytas. Not only that, but apparently the his contract buyout was a biggie, so he’d have to stay overseas even though he was drafted. Still, with the Raptors chances of returning to the lottery next year, the pick seemed like a good idea in the grand scheme of things in Raptor-Land.
However, fans have been bitten before. In the 2006 NBA Draft, the Raptors selected Andrea Bargnani with their first overall pick. Bargnani was seen as a versatile big man, who could score from virtually anywhere on the floor. But when it came to it, he was just a scorer, and seemed like a bad choice for a big man. He avoided contact. Didn’t rebound very well for his size and position. His defense was cited as the reason the Raptors were so bad last year. Fans quickly turned on the offensive mastermind.
As a result, you can’t blame them for being a little cautious with their new big man from Europe. However, while they’re both big and both european, and both will be playing on the Raptors, all similarities seem to end there.
In the past week, the Under-19 FIBA World Championship has been under watch by many basketball fans around the world. At this world stage, it was Jonas Valanciunas who has errupted to catch the eyes of the audiences. While the tournament is getting to the final stages, Valanciunas’s Lithuanian team has done quite well, defeating several high profile teams, like Team USA. All this has been accomplished behind Valanciunas’ tournament leading 21.4 points per game, and 14.6 rebounds per game (also leading the tournament.)
Valanciunas’ full game was on demonstration from the opening tip of the tournament. He’s shown a smooth shot from mid-range, and great free-throw shooting. Raptors fans however should be excited to hear that he’s not afraid of playing big. His presence in the paint, alone has altered shots and his help defense is definitely ready to make the jump to the NBA.
Any Raptors fans who are still on the fence with the Valanciunas pick, should really take a close look at his game overseas. He’s a far cry from Andrea Bargnani, and is exactly what the Raptors need.
Additionally with the stoppage of work in the NBA, it seems like that contract issue seems kind of moot now, especially if there are games missed due to the lockout. It gives him a bit more time to increase his confidence and work on his footwork. When he does come to the NBA though, he seems like he’ll be ready to contribute right away.