Wizards Training Camp 2011: Jan Vesely Continues To Adjust
by Mike Prada on Dec 13, 2011 10:26 AM EST
in First-hand reporting
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PrintWASHINGTON, D.C. - It wasn't exactly Jan Vesely's best moment in Wizards training camp, but it was an example of what the rookie still needs to improve, so we're rolling with it. He had John Wall pinned on his back five feet from his basket in the post and got a pass in from the top of the key. The easy play was to turn and shoot over Wall.
Instead, he faded away and had his shot blocked, something he has a tendency to do, Flip Saunders said later.
"He’s got really good form," Saunders said. "He just has a tendency, he fades a little bit and loses his concentration."
Indeed, progress might be slow for Vesely this season, based on what we've seen the first few days of training camp. He's done well when he's been asked to play instinctively, but you can tell there are times where the wheels are still turning in his head. He admitted on Monday that he's still getting adjusted to the speed of the game.
"Yeah, a little bit. I'm think every day I'm getting into better shape, so I think it'll get easier," he said.
Before you freak out, though, understand that this all makes sense. The European game is so different from the NBA, something Vesely freely admitted on Monday. The shortened training camp hurts too, since it's less time for him to develop game experience. Finally, for now, there's plenty of depth at Vesely's position, so the Wizards are able to hone his fundamentals and develop him a little slower than most No. 6 overall picks.
That's all why Saunders doesn't seem concerned. Unlike Vesely, he doesn't think speed of the game is an issue.
"Of all of our players, he has great feel for the game. He really understands, passes the ball extremely well, makes the extra pass, knows when to hold it and when to get rid of it. The speed of the game, that' not his problem. That's his forte, as far as getting up and down," Saunders said. "For him, it's just working on his fundamentals, working on his shooting, all of those things. But as far as speed of the game, he's got that."
Vesely's been staying late to work on his free-throw shooting and develop consistency. When he's playing off the ball, he makes good cuts. When he's playing defense, he generally does well. It's when he has the ball and is asked to make a play that he seems to struggle.
The Wizards believe that'll come. It just might not come right away.
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sounds like he cant shoot or dribble
wow, no one could have seen that coming ;)
by DCrez on Dec 13, 2011 10:34 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Jan Vesely = Darko Milicic v2.0?
At least we didn’t pass over a Carmelo Anthony to draft him…still hoping the kid works out, but I’m not encouraged (yet).
No
JV is staying late and working hard. Look, there are plenty of raw prospects that come out of college. This guy is a tremendous athlete who is working hard to improve his game. I’m not saying he might not be a bust, but Darko comments seem misplaced. (Since they’re totally different players, just both Europeans).
Highly touted Europeans who may not have a true position in the NBA.
Milicic was supposed to be a beast PF/C. We’ve since found out that he doesn’t have the skillset to be dominant at either position. Have the Wizards drafted a player who presents a similar problem? It’s hard to see how a SF who can’t shoot, dribble, rebound or play stout defense winds up being a contributor, but admittedly it remains to be seen how he develops.
Just to be clear, I admire Vesely for doing extra work (I believe Darko and Pecherov were hard workers too), but if Vesely doesn’t work out at SF, I doubt he can play PF, which means he ultimately becomes, at best, a limited role player or out of the league. We both agree that it’s way too early to label him a bust.
except he has said in three interviews he hates to practice
by les boulez bomber on Dec 13, 2011 12:13 PM EST up reply actions
I dont get how Wiz fans are supposed to support the 7' Ves doing all the things
that people hate Mcgee ever attempting. How is that ever supposed to work out? It’s ok when one 7footer with a shaky handle tries to dribble too much or shoot 3s, but the other guy should be benched for it?
Yeah, one is a C and the other is a SF, but that’s irrelevant. They are both 7footers, if Mcgee doesnt have a sufficient handle to dribble much….how can we realistically expect Vesley will ever develop one? It’s not like he is 18, he is 23 and been a pro for 3yrs.
It just amazes how quickly it went from “Jan is the most nba ready player because of europe” to “Hopefully at some point late in the season Jan can contribute a little”
by DCrez on Dec 13, 2011 1:09 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
huh?
Position is a lot more important than height. Each position is asked to do different things on the court. SFs are called “wings” for a reason. They need to be able to dribble and shoot jumpers. Cs don’t need to be able to do those things.
Position is way more important than height. And yeah, its frustrating that Ves isn’t ready to contribute right away, but keep in mind that (1) there weren’t players picked lower than 6 that are much better, (2) it’s not like the BF community was dreaming of this guy, and is now being proven wrong, and (3) he’s our guy now, so we might as well start looking for upside.
In my opinion.... Position is determined by who you can GUARD
Defense is the determining factor – not shooting, dribbling or shot creation….
If Vesely can guard 3’s – then he’s a Small Forward… and you incorporate what he can do in your Offense accordingly… First and foremost, Vesely can guard on the perimeter. That was his game in Europe, and that will be his game in the NBA. He’s quick enough to stay in front of SF’s in the NBA- and his height and length give him an advantage in contesting shots and playing passing lanes. On Offense, you live with the fact that he’s not a competent shooter yet… You maximize his assets by running more… more back door cuts…. utilize his passing abilities… have him post up smaller players…etc…
Just because he can’t shoot or dribble , doesn’t automatically make him a Power Forward either…. If he can’t guard 4’s, then he’s not a 4.
Don’t force a round peg into a square hole.
I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.
that's not what I meant, sorry if i wasnt clear
i’m saying it’s unrealistic to think a 23yr old, 7footer will now develop nba level handles and jumper. He’s the same size as Mcgee and it’s not likely that he’ll develop a much better handle than javale who actually has a very good handle for his size. So if Mcgee shouldnt put the ball on the floor, how can we expect of Ves that he’ll be able to? I just dont see the logic in EG thinking he;s a SF
by DCrez on Dec 13, 2011 1:45 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Ah, gotcha
You may very well be right about that. Honestly, I’m not pinning a ton of hopes on this pick. It was a weak draft, we failed to pull off a steal of a trade, so we’ve added a piece that might turn into something special, but has a bunch of question marks. Eh, sounds about right. If we get lucky and he develops right, the team has a major weapon. Otherwise, we keep shopping for the right piece in the stacked 2012 draft.
FYI: He's 21 (born in 1990)
Not sure where you saw 23…
you know those euros and their fake ages
or is that africans?
seriously though, that’s good to see! not sure why i thought he was 23
The same way
Dallas can ask Dirk to shoot three’s and ask Tyson Chandler to play on the block. Don’t sell Jan so short on his skills. He’s not at NBA level with ball handling or the jumper, but I have to believe he’s much better than Mcgee at both.
I'm a Wizards fan. We've been trying to tell you about Lebron for years. Hated the man before it was cool.
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by returnofswagger on Dec 13, 2011 2:04 PM EST up reply actions
I'm not sure I see the value of saying our small forward
shoots and dribbles better than our raw center. Damning Vesely with faint praise?
No
I didn’t start the comparing. One’s a C, one’s a wing player.
I'm a Wizards fan. We've been trying to tell you about Lebron for years. Hated the man before it was cool.
Follow @Dylan___V
by returnofswagger on Dec 13, 2011 2:40 PM EST up reply actions
I hate that comparison
because Dirk is so other-worldly good he shouldnt be compared to anyone really. He was lights out shooter by the time he was a teen and Barkley called him a “genius” when he was like 18. By Ves’ age he was a 40% 3pt shooter and lighting up the league. Not fair to Jan to compare him to Dirk.
Um....
Dirk’s first year in the League he shot 40% from the field and only 20% from beyond the 3-point arc… He was a poor rebounder and fouled way too much. He could dribble in a straight line, but anything else, and he turned the ball over. He was so bad that Dallas fans were calling him a bust after his Rookie year.
He rededicated himself – shot a ton of shots in the off season, worked on his handle (which was NOT all that good coming into the League)… and took off from there…
But to say that Dirk was a lights out shooter early in his career – is just plain factually incorrect, especially looking at his Rookie year.
I won’t compare Vesely to Nowitzki – but I don’t see why Vesely’s shot and ball handling can’t significantly improve enough within a year or two for him to be a very, very good Small Forward in this League. It’s happened before.
I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.
Dirk shot 39% from 3pt when he was 23, which I thought Ves was
at 21 (ves’ age) he scored 17pts/night and 38%3pt
@DCrez Vesely is 21yrs old, not 23.
He has, however, been a pro for 3 years.
Who won? Who lost? Who cares?! The NBA is Back! - David Aldridge
What seems to be the officer, problem? - Randy Marsh
by Dutch Hoopfan on Dec 13, 2011 8:11 PM EST up reply actions
never mind, didn't see the correction from jakenblake
Who won? Who lost? Who cares?! The NBA is Back! - David Aldridge
What seems to be the officer, problem? - Randy Marsh
by Dutch Hoopfan on Dec 13, 2011 8:13 PM EST up reply actions
FYI
Darko wasnt worth his 2nd overall pick…especially since that was like the best draft class of the past 20 years…however, he is now a very solid Center, with good defense…
"Solid" centers average 6 pts and 5 rebounds?
And I won’t even get into his “good” defense. You’re kidding, right?
by Bassanova on Dec 13, 2011 1:20 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Darko's one of the best shot blockers in the league
by Kenny Sky Walker on Dec 13, 2011 3:59 PM EST up reply actions
Darko's averaged 1.2 blocks per game for his career...
to go with 3.8 rebounds while shooting 36.5% from the field. I’m afraid that means he’s not very solid and not one of the best shot blockers.
I think we all agree that there’s more to good defense than blocks (as we witnessed last year with McGee). How many people were labeling McGee as “very solid” or “good” defensively last year when he averaged 1.6 blocks per game?
Whoops
For centers, solid isn’t necessarily measured by individual stats. Check his team’s on/off rebounding and defensive stats. That would give you a better idea. If the team gives up fewer points and gets more rebounds with him on the floor, then he’s playing solid basketball.
In fact, that’s the likens of solid play we need from Javale.
by jones-y on Dec 13, 2011 6:12 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
is that really your impression?
Or are you just trying to be negative and disagreeable? How can you be complaining before the first game?
by Kenny Sky Walker on Dec 13, 2011 3:58 PM EST up reply actions
Disappointed, but not surprised
“..when he has the ball and is asked to make a play that he seems to struggle.” That’s the biggest part of being a 3 on the Wiz.
“The Wizards believe that’ll come.” Maybe. Veseley has a ceiling, just like other players. When I look at Singleton and Veseley, I would bet on Singleton getting further in the NBA than Veseley. On the Wiz, however, even Singleton will not meet their requirements if Ted wants to be a legit contender. The Wiz need players who can shoot. There seem to be several good college players that can fill that role at the 3. Hopefully, Ted will get serious about adding high-level talent around Wall (certainly, EG won’t do it).
by Izman on Dec 13, 2011 10:52 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Singleton averaged 37% on catch n shoot 3s last year
He just didnt do it much, but thats probably on team makeup more than anything. The skill is there, at least according to that stat.
by jones-y on Dec 13, 2011 6:15 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Huh? 37% from the COLLEGE 3pt land, which is not the same as the NBA 3
Singleton projects to be a descent catch and shoot guy, might become great at it. He also projects to suck at creating his own shot or a play for others off the dribble and he wasn’t efficient around the rim (post nor transition).
I think he has a good change to be a topnotch defender and to become an average offensive player. Might fit Wall very well and if we can add a Barnes, Gilchrist or Lamb who can really score and create offense, it could all fit Wall very nicely. Not sure where Vesely fits in all this but we’ll see.
Who won? Who lost? Who cares?! The NBA is Back! - David Aldridge
What seems to be the officer, problem? - Randy Marsh
by Dutch Hoopfan on Dec 13, 2011 8:28 PM EST up reply actions
Huh? 37% from the COLLEGE 3pt land, which is not the same as the NBA 3
Singleton projects to be a descent catch and shoot guy, might become great at it. He also projects to suck at creating his own shot or a play for others off the dribble and he wasn’t efficient around the rim (post nor transition).
I think he has a good change to be a topnotch defender and to become an average offensive player. Might fit Wall very well and if we can add a Barnes, Gilchrist or Lamb who can really score and create offense, it could all fit Wall very nicely. Not sure where Vesely fits in all this but we’ll see.
Who won? Who lost? Who cares?! The NBA is Back! - David Aldridge
What seems to be the officer, problem? - Randy Marsh
by Dutch Hoopfan on Dec 13, 2011 8:28 PM EST up reply actions
Huh? 37% from the COLLEGE 3pt land, which is not the same as the NBA 3
Singleton projects to be a descent catch and shoot guy, might become great at it. He also projects to suck at creating his own shot or a play for others off the dribble and he wasn’t efficient around the rim (post nor transition).
I think he has a good change to be a topnotch defender and to become an average offensive player. Might fit Wall very well and if we can add a Barnes, Gilchrist or Lamb who can really score and create offense, it could all fit Wall very nicely. Not sure where Vesely fits in all this but we’ll see.
Who won? Who lost? Who cares?! The NBA is Back! - David Aldridge
What seems to be the officer, problem? - Randy Marsh
by Dutch Hoopfan on Dec 13, 2011 8:33 PM EST up reply actions
You can say that again
Where do they teach you to talk like this? In some Panama City "Sailor wanna hump-hump" bar, or is it getaway day and your last shot at his whiskey? Sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here.
by CJHutch on Dec 13, 2011 8:56 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Sometimes, button bashing is not the the solution when the internet is not cooperating....
Who won? Who lost? Who cares?! The NBA is Back! - David Aldridge
What seems to be the officer, problem? - Randy Marsh
by Dutch Hoopfan on Dec 14, 2011 4:21 AM EST up reply actions
I still think he projects to be a PF
His skill set screams “athletic PF.” Give him a season or two to put on some muscle, and he should do well there.
It’s hard to take all the height and weight listings seriously, but based on those, he’s right in the mix for the proper size of a PF. Him at the 4 and Singleton at the 3 with Booker off the bench is a nice mix, if we end up without Blatche in the future.
I haven't seen Vesely in action but I don't think he's an eventual PF.
Every report I’ve seen on him says he’s a poor rebounder and is loathe to mix it up inside. We need a rebounder next to McGee.
Hollinger Agrees with me...
Not that that makes me right, but it’s another perspective:
“Although listed as a 3, Vesely, I strongly suspect, will play most or all his career at the 4. At 6-11, 240, and likely to add to the latter number as he gets older and lifts more, he’s more than qualified for the frontcourt in terms of size. Meanwhile, his perimeter credentials are shaky because he’s a subpar shooter and ball handler.
As an athletic 4, however, he’ll bring a lot to the table with his finishing skill and zest for dunking on people, and the bar will be much lower for how much his perimeter game needs to develop"
I’ve read that he’s not a great rebounder, statistically, but that it may just be due to the role he’s played on his teams. As for mixing it up, I’ve read that he’s active and aggressive defensively. Maybe he’s not a bruiser, but that still doesn’t mean that he won’t end up a better 4 than a 3.
by segastyle on Dec 13, 2011 11:25 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I hope you and Hollinger are right.
That said, rebounders tend to rebound regardless of position, shot blockers block shots, defenders play defense, etc.
As an "athletic 4"
Vesely will be, at best, a quality starter….
BUT
a 6’11" guy with his lateral quickness….. If he can play perimeter defense… and can develop his outside shot.. THEN you potentially have something special…
There are a ton of “athletic” Power Forwards like Vesely in the League- Working on their jumper… no real post game… but athletic, can dunk… run… etc…
There just aren’t many LONG, 6’11" wings with speed and quickness. If he can play defense against the Carmello Anthony’s, the Paul Pierce’s, the Gerald Wallace’s and Luol Deng’s of the League – Vesely would present a tremendous mis-match in the Wizards favor.
So – YEAH – Hollinger is probably right….. Most likely, Vesely will morph into a 4…. but I think the only way for him to be truly special, is to continue to work at being a wing player…
I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.
speights...
denver is about to acquire him from philly for a future second rounder…I’d give a second rounder for him easy…he has a very reliable jumper and grabs boards…not as tough as i’d like but he’d be great off the bench and as andray insurance
I was thinking the same thing...
….for a 2nd round draft choice! The guy is 24, (I think), and can still get better. Then again, I think his rebounding stats weren’t that impressive and there must be a reason why Philly gave him away farely cheap.
Can't say I'm surprised
Dude depended on his athleticism to succeed in Europe. Now everyone in the NBA is just as athletic if not more so. He’s not strong enough physically or on the boards to be a real PF (I tihnk at this point a guy like Jared Sullinger would work him over) and he’s not quick (or not used to the speed) enough yet to be a 3, not to mention his lack or ball handling, shot creation, or shooting ability.
I see him maxing out as kind of a back up 4, coming off the bench as a reserve or “energy” guy in a couple years once he starts using his jumping ability and length on the boards. I just don’t see him ever being enough of an offensive threat to be a starter.
Paves the way for TJ/Barnes/MKG/etc…..
by Ron Carlos Jeines on Dec 13, 2011 11:28 AM EST reply actions
Vesely needs to decide the player he wants to be.
I’ve watched a lot of him in Europe and I can tell you the guy was a 3, not a 4. He posted up when he had the mismatch, but he’s built for the wing. And there in lies the problem: he can’t shoot or dribble. This is why I voted for kawai leonard. Not because I don’t think vesely has the atheletic ability, but because he dones’t really have much skill and relied on his athletic ability in college.
The highlight video’s on Youtube are not indicative of his game at all. Sure he’s had some great dunks, btu he’s really a team player… a smart player and he loves to pass. He only shot the ball like 8 times a agme in Europe, almost always choosing to pass inside. This was mainly due to lack of confidence in his jumper. On defense, he loves to play team deam defense and help. HE is in the right position. He’s smart, doesn’t make stupid plays, but defers a lot to his teammates.
The fans on this page are correct however. Right now he just doesn’t have a position.
Vesely has to decide to bulk up and play 4…which isn’t realistic, or … more likely, become a lights out shooter like nick battum and play 3. I certainly vote for the latter. I don’t think he’ll ever be built for a 4 in the NBA.
by NotGivinUpOnDray on Dec 13, 2011 11:57 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
With the 5th pick of the 2002 NBA draft, The Denver Nuggets select.......
Nikoloz Tskitishvili……..
The one player I hope Vesely does not turn into is this guy. Coming out, Tskitishvili was a 6’11/7 foot foward who can run the floor, had really great athlesticism, and his coach in Europe, Mike D’Antoni gave him serious praise, but only stayed in the league for a few years. Not saying Vesely will be like him but I’m crossing my fingers haha. I think if he focuses on his defense and just hustling, doing the dirty plays like Andrei Kirilenko did his first couple of years than he should be fine.
Not a fair comparison. At all.
Skita was supposed to be “the next Dirk”, as was Maciej Lampe. Both came into the league as supposedly great shooters who simply needed to develop some toughness. Neither was reputed as being a decent rebounder, or lights out athlete.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/tracker/player?playerId=18338
http://hoopshype.com/draft/maciej_lampe.htm
Flip those comments and you get Vesely.
I’ll admit, the prospect of a guy who can’t shoot or dribble playing the 3 doesn’t even make sense on paper, let alone reality. I sorta feared Vesely might have problems figuring out his role early on. Smart money says he collects a bunch of DNP’s early on, then becomes a minor contributor once the playoffs are out of reach. That’s obviously not what you want from the 6th overall pick, but let’s hope Ernie and Co. know what they’re doing.
I’m not so sure they are.
AverageBro.com - @AverageBro
The Vesely Pick Was Insured
Chris Singleton is a SF and his game definitely fits the NBA. Vesely can be viewed as a “reach for the fences” pick while Singleton provides the safety net. The ‘11 class was considered “weak” and Vesely is going to take 3-4 years to develop before anybody can say he was a “bust” or he’ll be “great”. He’s in the mix now and it’s up to him to sink or swim, but it’s going to be a rough start.
True for the draft I don't think it was a bad pick.
Outside the top 3 guys it was all pretty much a crap shoot. Vesely definitely has his issues but I don’t really see anyone else drafted around him being immediate contributers (i.e. Biyombo) with the exception of Kemba.
by Ron Carlos Jeines on Dec 13, 2011 1:03 PM EST up reply actions
I thought Markieff would have been perfect for us.
Loves to play rugged, board/defend and has a very solid midrange J. At any rate, water under the bridge now, hopefully EG knew what he was doing
that's pure luck though, EG decided Ves was a better player than Singleton
the fact we ended up with “insurance” is dumb luck.
by DCrez on Dec 13, 2011 1:05 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Luck, but now on the roster
sure it was luck that Singleton slipped, but now that it’s happened it makes the Vesely pick look much better. It might not have been the intention, but it’s how it played out and it helps….bottom line.
by SpecialSauce on Dec 13, 2011 1:59 PM EST up reply actions
I’m looking forward to actually seeing this team on the floor in a full game. Im curious how the floor may look with JM, AB and JV all on the floor at once.
Don't think you see that much
because of concerns with floor spacing.
Starters will be Lewis-Blatche-Mcgee
As for combos, I think you’ll see only Vessely at the 3 when Blatche is at the 5 and Lewis is at the 4. That would give the Wizards great size, but wouldn’t create the shooting problems of playing alongside McGee.
Until he gets his shooting touch or dribbling down, I think it’s more likely you’ll see him as the 4 in small ball lineups.
I said it when the draft happend
Singleton could of been our 6th pick and Vesely should have been 18. Their careers will reflect as such
by KurisuDevil on Dec 13, 2011 12:28 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Vesely wouldn't be there at 18.
Singleton is a steal. So we win the draft. Just give Vesely time to adjust and learn now.
the man needs to hit the weight room
and put on some strength. He’s pretty uncoordinated from what I’ve seen, and one of the best ways to lock his body into form for both running and shooting is by toning his muscle. I see potential- he just needs to get stronger and more physical
"Through your existence, become wealthy, knowledge is king"- Nasir Jones
"When you play for the Wizards, [Gilbert Arenas] is like Michael Jackson. He's playin with a lot of Tito Jacksons." - Charles Barkley
I was trouble by this pick somewhat
simply because it appeared that we fell in love wit him too early in the process ou were hearing the Wiz love this guy as soon as the draft started heating up so Ernie fell in love quickly. my take on Euro’s like my take on the highschool kids back in the day wa ssimple how producive were they.
Vesely wasn;t real productive and wasn’t the star of his team. Why he was picked so hih is beyond me. I think he will figure out how to be productive at some point but when that point comes is beyond me.
I suspect Singleton will be a much better player early and later.
by jazzy1 on Dec 13, 2011 1:32 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Grunfeld needs to trade Vesely ASAP and get what he can for him
It’s obvious that Vesely is a bust. I haven’t seen him play in a game or scrimmage yet, but it is obvious he is a bust. Nearly every European that has come to the States has been terrific from day 1, so the fact that Vesely is struggling after four days of practices is a major red flag.
Trade him for a conditional second rounder if you must, Ernie. The Wizards need to move on and put this bust behind them.
by disgrunted on Dec 13, 2011 1:47 PM EST reply actions 6 recs
But they're two-a-days, so that's like eight practice sessions!
Cut our losses!
From the District of Columbia, home of the hyperbolic paraboloid transitional floating zone defense.
He is part of a deal that will bring us a marquee player in the near future...
Maybe its Dwight Howard, D Cousins or someone else. I can see it now… “Wizards are looking to deal to get Dwight Howard by the All Star Break”. “DHoward wants to play with JWall”. What do you think we would have to give up in order to make that a reality?
Howard says
Only teams that have a chance of resigning hi long term are NJ, ORL, LAL, and the World Champs.
I'm a Wizards fan. We've been trying to tell you about Lebron for years. Hated the man before it was cool.
Follow @Dylan___V
by returnofswagger on Dec 13, 2011 2:44 PM EST up reply actions
He says that now
But if he’s not traded before the season, there’s nothing keeping him from changing his mind. He list the typical two populare teams to mention, throws in his current team and the World Champs. So DC might not be up to LA or NYC standards as far as markets, but it contends with those of Orlando and Dallas. If Wall plays as good as he’s looked this summer, and our young guys improve enough to be good pieces to a successful team, we have enough assets (including salary space) to make a decent offer to Orlando without losing everything from our team.
DC's a better market than Orlando, no question
And if we got Howard, the bandwagoners would be coming out the woodwork.
From the District of Columbia, home of the hyperbolic paraboloid transitional floating zone defense.
This is a better discussion for a month into the season
Unfortunately, with no summer league and such a short training camp, we really won’t have a handle on Vesely until a little ways into the season. Not just because we haven’t seen much of him, but because he hasn’t had much chance to get acclimated.
As for his postion defensively, considering the style and size of most of the Pwoer Forwards in the league today, he can defend those. Especially after a year or two of building strength. He can probably also defend most SF, too. S o switching and defending the post and the exterior should be one of his pluses.
My issue is ceiling
Even if he’s not a bust if he reaches his full potential as a player I don’t think he’s more than a solid starter a rotation guy or slightly better. Was that really worthy at pic 6. This guy never projected to be a star I believe that high in the draft sure anyone can take a bust but bust with a guy projected to be special.
When he was drafted some around here hinted that his high selection might have been more
for marketing than his actual play…I guess a “great white hope” sort of thing, similar to trading for Yi last season due, in part, to DC’s large Asian population.
I couldn’t care less about that stuff (then again, I don’t pay the bills at VC). I just hope Vesely can play.
by Bassanova on Dec 13, 2011 3:10 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Ugh
I hadn’t heard that suggestion (marketing, I mean) but if true, that would be terrible news, and honestly, offensive. That suggests that (white) people would rather see someone that looks like them playing instead of winning basketball. C’mon, they don’t think the fans are THAT ignorant, do they?
Not white people, eastern european people
Less offensive, and also more accurate. There’s a Czech community in the DC area, apparently.
Let's give those Czech fans season tix! They should be our Ultra's!!
Welcome in the Hell of ChinaTown!! Leeeeeeeeeeegooo!!
tip: wait for the 1:10 mark
Who won? Who lost? Who cares?! The NBA is Back! - David Aldridge
What seems to be the officer, problem? - Randy Marsh
by Dutch Hoopfan on Dec 13, 2011 9:04 PM EST up reply actions
From all reports at the draft he has a high ceiling...
More than just a role player. But he seems like a sharp guy, athletic, and fast. Could work well with what we are building in the district. What I want to know is how are we going to pay for Javale after this year. If he keeps progressing he is going to demand 10 mil a year, just look at Deandre Jordan “goodness gracious” 4 yrs 43 mil, oh my. If he gets that I dont want to know what Javale is going to receive from us or another team. I hope they are working on an extension right now.
JVM's price
It’s gonna be high, the dude for all his problems and issues that we mercilessly pick apart here is a top young center during a time when many teams do not have any sort of decent center. Think about it; who are the other promising Cs? Cousins is one (who I would love to somehow obtain), M Gasol, Bynum (eh) and really that’s all I can think of off the top of my head. He’s probably going to demand ~$10M/year and I think we’re trying to save this cap space with that in mind.
by Ron Carlos Jeines on Dec 14, 2011 11:12 AM EST up reply actions
The 2011 draft class was utter garbage
I had to go google it just to refresh my memory for who was still around for the Wiz to draft. After Kyrie and Derrick went off the board it was always going to be hit or miss.
JV’s draft position was very much artificially inflated by the number of early entry withdrawals that happened due to the NBA lockout. If I remember correctly in most draft board’s he was squarely mid teens til pretty much every coveted college player decided to not go pro.
I guess what I am saying is stop calling him a 6th pick overall and lets just see what he can do. If he only becomes a high energy defensive stopper…..Great! If he develops a post game or any other semblance of offense…..Even Better!
The ’02 draft had only three players make multiple all star appearances. I have a feeling that the 2011 draft is headed down that path as well.
by ccrun1800 on Dec 13, 2011 4:20 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
His strengths are supposed to be energy and a knack for being in the right place at the right time. How about we give him enough time to get over the jet lag and let him learn the first three or four pages of the playbook before we call him a bust?
Seriously!
The kid has less than a half dozen practices under his belt. What did people expect? He was never supposed to be a finished product or a dynamic shooter or creator. Lets see him on the court before we start roasting him or the front office for taking him. As far as I’m concerned Jan Vesely wasn’t drafted to become the league’s next superstar. He’s young, he’s tall, athletic, and has the physical tools to play at the highest level. Remember he comes from an athletic family and has been around the sport all of his life. Pump the breaks and give the kid a shot before everybody labels him a bust.
by SpecialSauce on Dec 13, 2011 5:34 PM EST up reply actions
What did people expect?
Well, if you go back to around the draft everybody was saying he was probably the most nba ready guy because his athletic game would translate so well. And that playing in the vaunted Partizan league was levels above anything the ncaa offered so clearly he was facing tougher competition than the college kids here. Other people pointed out that apparently Ves was not as good as James Gist and didnt appear to have an nba SF skillset, so what was Eg thinking?
Look, I want the kid to be Dirk as much as anybody else….but let’s not pretend the feeling was we were drafting a guy who would come in and be ineffective for a year. Obviously cant make much over a few practices, but Ves needs to show something this year, the guy has been a pro for 3yrs and Ernie was repeatedly flying to Eastern Europe to see him…it should not take 2yrs for him to show. My point being, I dislike giving ernie a huge pass on picks like this due to their transition and blah blah blah. Wiz are investing a lot in this kid, let’s see if Ernie knows what he’s doing rather than say “Cant talk about Ves for 2yrs”
addendum to rant
because, for myself anyway, it’s not about Ves….it’s about whether Ernie is capable of building a quality team beyond pieces he falls into ass backward like Wall and Singleton. This is EG last year under contract, a decsion has to be made….although I suspect Ted’s already decided to keep him but who knows
Thats why he said
When John Wall was handed the hard hat after the first day of training camp, he kept the damn thing for himself.
He didn’t pass judgment on the player exactly. The point is that hopefully we shouldn’t give Ernie a pass on a player for two years that he drafted as “NBA ready”. Because some of us already doubt that he actually can build a contender through the draft.
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by returnofswagger on Dec 14, 2011 1:32 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Vesely is something of a project player.
I think he will be a 3-4 season player to wait on. i don’t think he was the 6th best player in the draft. He is a good, but very limited player right now. Lets see what his upside really is. It will be an interesting conversation after his 2nd season.
i refuse to evaluate vesely
until two years from now
by DarrellWalkerFan on Dec 13, 2011 7:23 PM EST reply actions
that's why Ernie drafted him
EG’s deal is up this year!
I think Flip
is gonna have Jan learning how to move off the ball. From what I always heard about him in Europe, he had an understanding of how to play off the ball over there. Now he has to transition to the NBA with that skill. Having him and Nick moving around off the ball would have teams really busy trying to make sure neither got to their spots with an open look or drive to the lane. Trying to do that, meanwhile having John Wall with the ball ready to attack the rim, and you have a very lethal combination on offense.
Jan will have to develop his jumper and handling though, no doubt.
No doubt about it
He’s a bust. Now, where’s that ledge?
Where do they teach you to talk like this? In some Panama City "Sailor wanna hump-hump" bar, or is it getaway day and your last shot at his whiskey? Sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here.
Screams Bust
My gut has been screaming BUST before the draft and I haven’t changed my mind. Had we not taken-him at 6, I bet Vesely would have fallen to the teens.
I predict that the other Euros taken well after Vesely will be better than him. Nikola & Donatas will be better contributors at 16 & 23 respectively.
I think that all three have a chance to be good to excellent NBA players
From what I have seen in Europe this year, Nikola (Real Madrid) is the furthest along of the bunch and may well have the highest upside as a scorer. Donatas (Prokom Gdynia, so he is not far from home!) is still pretty raw, but he can hit the three and is not afraid to play tough inside (his other teammates inside are two guys from the Polish national team, one of whom [Lapeta] is big and immobile which gives Donatas a chance to show his agility as well). If he can develop a good chemistry with his PG, Jerroll Blasingame, Gdynia might surprise some people in the European League. They tore apart Ljubljana in a home game last week.
Vesely at 21 is still growing into his body. We can speculate all we want as to whether he will ultimately be a long 3 or a quick 4, but genetics, time and perhaps the Divine Plan, will ultimaely decide this question.
omg rofl
everyone shouting “ZOMG, BUSTZ I KNEW IT!”…please, oh please shut up.
3 practices?
And he’s a bust?
You guys have seen enough?
…..seriously?…….God, it’s like a bunch of Redskins fans suddenly became Wizards fans. Be patient, for goodness sake. Could we, you know…maybe wait until AT LEAST a pre-season game?
by DCeee on Dec 14, 2011 12:00 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I agree however...
Jan should be given a proper trial period before this community calls him a bust. As stated further up the thread by Rook, Dirk was being called a bust during his rookie year and he turned out to be an NBA elite. I’m not saying Jan is going to be and elite player all i’m saying is he dissevers a fair trial.
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by Dutch Hoopfan on Dec 14, 2011 4:49 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
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