Built Ford Tough Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 I know there is the Jonas Valanciunas thread where I usually post Valanciunas related news, articles, stats, etc... but I figured I'd create a new thread for this because of how much I enjoy Sebastian Pruiti's work. I definitely recommend reading the entire article and not just the bit I post here since it is a fantastic read, like basically all of Pruiti's work. Anyways, here it is: Since the Toronto Raptors drafted Jonas Valanciunas fifth overall in 2011, the curiosity about the 20-year-old Lithuanian has only grown among basketball fans. With the news that he would make his NBA debut this season, the interest in his performance for the Lithuanian Olympic team was heightened even further. Coming into the Games, Valanciunas had already built a solid track record in international competition, dominating the 2011 U19 World Championships and putting together a solid campaign at last year’s EuroBasket. Those performances are what make Valunciunas’s struggles during these Olympics a disappointment. Averaging barely 10 minutes, 3.6 points, and three rebounds per game, he’s failed to make much of an imprint on the tournament. Taking everything into account — the previous international success, the tape of his domestic season last year for Lietuvos Rytas, and his Olympic struggles — I still think Valanciunas can have a positive impact when he joins the Raptors, but his time in London has shown that he has a few areas of weakness he’ll need to work on during his rookie season. Strength: Pick-and-Roll Play On the offensive end, Valanciunas's biggest strength is his ability to play in the pick-and-roll — a skill that fits well with new Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, who finished in the top 10 percent among all NBA players in pick-and-roll points per possession. This past season, Valanciunas scored 73 points on 56 rolls to the rim for an average of 1.304 points per possession on 77.1 percent shooting. Part of this success comes from how hard Valanciunas rolls off nearly every screen he sets. He only popped out after setting a screen six times all of this past season, and the hard dives he makes to the rim create opportunities both for him and his teammates. Combining that mind-set with excellent fundamentals (keeping the ball high after the catch and getting the ball on the rim quickly) makes him a player who can have a lot of success with pick-and-roll play in the NBA. Rest of the article... http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/34145/the-london-olympics-and-jonas-valanciunass-potential-for-the-raptors 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunkinDerozan Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 That was a very good read. My biggest hope coming into the season is that Casey will be able to discipline him into not taking as many fouls and being a better defender in the post. I think Casey will be able to do that and we'll see a much improved Jonas as the season goes on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 (edited) I don't expect JV to ever be the sort of player we throw the ball into and let him operate. If he is, great, but I don't expect that out of him... hell even the Anthony Davis will probably never be that type of player. Any big man who can run the floor, play defense, rebounds well, blocks shots, has good hands, can effectively player the pick and roll, and can hit a jumper, has a chance to be an all-star in today's NBA. Also, at this point, an elite help defender is pretty much more valuable than a good man defender when you're talking about a big man. Its why Serge Ibaka is going to get paid 12 million next summer. Just saying this in light of people questioning JV's post D. I think Valanciunas is going to be a good one. Obviously haven't gotten to watch him as much as I'd like, but even if he can only stay on the floor for 10-15 minutes a night for us, he is going to give us more in those 15 minutes than a stiff like Gray does in 25-30. I don't think there is an effective comparison for JV in the league today (don't buy the Noah or Biedrins comparisons.. feel like they are based mostly of size/build), but lets just hope he can be a good player for us in a few years. Edited August 7, 2012 by Check my Stats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sħãlïq™ Posted August 8, 2012 Report Share Posted August 8, 2012 Great thread! Jonas has quickly become my favorite overseas player!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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