Just How Un-Athletic is Sixers Draft Pick Nikola Vucevic?

by Jordan Sams on Jun 23, 2011 9:21 PM PDT in 2011 NBA Draft

I tweeted these fun facts earlier, as I was ranting on how much I hated the Sixers draft, and that was before the selected Lavoy Allen with the 50th pick. I realize not too much can be taken from pre-draft measurements, athletic testing results, etc., etc. These tidbits of information aren't meant to completely discount Nikola Vucevic as a player or a prospect (that'd be stupid). They simply illustrate how incredibly un-athletic the Sixers new big man is.

Vucevic measured with half the body fat of Spencer Hawes at the combine. His vertical was still 4 inches shorter.
Only 14 players benched less than Vucevic at the combine. Only one of those players was over 6'8".
Of players drafted in the top 30 over the previous 11 years, only 1 had a worse vertical than Nikola Vucevic. His name was Pavel Podkolzine. Pavel Podkolzine was 7'5", 303 pounds.

*All measurements and athletic testing numbers are from the Draft Express database.

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makes me want to cry.

The Mikan Drill

by JoshuaR on Jun 23, 2011 9:23 PM PDT reply actions

Not number 1, number 3!

The Mikan Drill

by JoshuaR on Jun 23, 2011 9:24 PM PDT up reply actions

I guess white men really can’t jump, I wonder if he can even dunk (only half-joking)

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by Djax10 on Jun 23, 2011 9:25 PM PDT reply actions

They certainly can jump. Have you ever watched Jan Vesely’s highlights?

"Miami can’t beat Chicago, why? Because Chicago has everything Miami has and more.... I’ll grant you Wade/James stealing a game, or maybe two. But we’re seeing an OKC/CHI finals, and that’s a finals everyone will tune in for." - LeQuan Glover

by yosoysean on Jun 23, 2011 10:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes, speaking of Vesely, the Wizards are slowly putting together a nice young core. Wall, McGee, Young, and now Vesely and Singleton.

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by Djax10 on Jun 23, 2011 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions

I wonder if that’ll ever translate into a playoff appearance for them.

"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan

by jefu on Jun 23, 2011 10:46 PM PDT up reply actions

no way, white people can’t jump. Must defend stereotype despite how little sense it makes.

"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan

by jefu on Jun 23, 2011 10:46 PM PDT up reply actions

That’s just pathetic. I’m trying to find something nice to say. Cotdamn pathetic

Times change, like the climate I change. Check the forecast. I reign.

by secondroundpick on Jun 23, 2011 9:26 PM PDT reply actions

Good thing the bench press is the end all be all on a prospects ceiling

by B-DON on Jun 23, 2011 9:43 PM PDT reply actions

by andyreidswaistline on Jun 23, 2011 9:48 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs

Is he suppose to be an upgrade to Battie, since that’s who spot im guessing he is suppose to fill?

by clp2190 on Jun 23, 2011 9:53 PM PDT reply actions

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/746750-nba-draft-2011-how-nikola-vucevic-fits-on-the-philadelphia-76ers#

by ProfileEnt on Jun 23, 2011 9:55 PM PDT reply actions

His arguments are “he’s tall” and “he put up good numbers in college.” To be expected from BR.

I’m sure he would have been thrilled with Cole Aldrich last year. Half an inch shorter than Vucevic. 8.5% body fat. 11.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 blocks per game as a junior.

note: I chose Aldrich as a tall player who put up good stats in college and was drafted recently. I am not comparing their basketball skills or skin color.

by yosoysean on Jun 23, 2011 10:13 PM PDT up reply actions

Lord. Please let Evan Turner play AMAZING next season.

|TENNESSEE TITANS|PHILADELPHIA 76ERS|

by TitansJonne on Jun 23, 2011 10:00 PM PDT reply actions

To get him some PT we need to trade Igoudala

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by Djax10 on Jun 23, 2011 10:45 PM PDT up reply actions

this is not true at all unless you’re of the mindset that Turner is more of a three than a two.

"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan

by jefu on Jun 23, 2011 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions

its more the mindset that everyone plays worse when iggy is on the floor

and he’s a guy whose most effective on the offensive end as a point forward (although incredibly athletic he’s rarely been strong at getting to the cup outside of sick transition flushes), and both jrue + et want the ball in their hands.

for my record, turner is a 2.

by pqrk on Jun 24, 2011 5:18 AM PDT up reply actions

I disagree. The team was 36-31 last year when Iguodala played and 5-10 when he didn’t play. Clearly, when Iguodala was playing, the team was good enough to have a winning record.

"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan

by jefu on Jun 24, 2011 7:58 AM PDT up reply actions

In his defense he is at least has good size and length. he also does not seem unco-ordinated, nor does he seem to lack a passion for the game. A guy like Hawes strikes me as someone who plays basketball becasue he is tall. While Vucevic seems more professional and more of a guy who really lives to play basketball (so of a pro, improves his game each year etc.)

Not the player I would pick, but I hoping he can develop into a solid role player. Just wish he was a 2nd rounder like Todd McCullouch was.

by tk76 on Jun 23, 2011 10:13 PM PDT reply actions

Not to mention, Hawes is pretty uncoordinated and rather awkward around the rim.

"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan

by jefu on Jun 23, 2011 10:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Offensively, we have not seen a more polished center at the collegiate level in recent memory. He has every single post move in the book, along with the ability to go to those moves with either hand. He is awfully hard to predict since he goes to both his left and right shoulders equally well, with no problems shooting a turnaround jumper or jump hook regardless of what direction he goes. Hawes’ soft touch with either hand is awfully rare for a big man prospect (evidenced by his 54.1% field goal percentage), and makes him an absolute nightmare for bigger, less mobile centers such as Gray.

That was DX’s report on Hawes when he was in college.

by yosoysean on Jun 24, 2011 12:14 AM PDT up reply actions

one thing you can say for vucevic

he seems to care about basketball, has a much better j than spencer, and has solid footwork (at least offensively)

its not much, but its a 16th pick in a draft in which tristan thompson went 4th, and both kemba walker and jimmer fredette cracked the top 10…

by pqrk on Jun 24, 2011 5:19 AM PDT up reply actions

interesting. That didn’t translate in the NBA. I wonder if it was a combination of his lack of a work ethic and lack of nba-level athleticism.

"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan

by jefu on Jun 24, 2011 8:02 AM PDT up reply actions

Most of the players he is being measured against athletically are two years older than him and naturally going to test better (especially in the bench press).

He measured out at 6’9.5" a year ago in college and grew 2 inches since then! He will put on weight when he stops growing and given his body fat he will be a strong, skilled 7 footer.

Given that the basket is ten feet and he can get within 7 inches of that just standing there his verticle isnt something to put as much emphasis on as some on here are. I am in the camp that says he doesn’t have to jump as high as guys shorter tha him to be effective defending low.

I am shocked at how negative people are being to this kid. He is a heck of a basketball player with a good head his shoulders. Good pick at 16.

Peace

by Snowflakejr on Jun 23, 2011 10:29 PM PDT reply actions

There were several freshmen and sophomores who benched more than Vucevic. Age is not an excuse.

His vertical still matters on defense. It is also one measure of his athleticism. Poor athleticism = bad.

by yosoysean on Jun 23, 2011 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions

The bench number is useless. If you have the longest arms in the draft it makes it mechanically harder to bench press the same weight. If this guy has issues, it won’t be due to a lack of strength.

by tk76 on Jun 23, 2011 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions

i would say to look at marc gasol in the playoffs

and see how effective defending below the rim can be. he needs to fill out, but he could well be on his way to doing so.

by pqrk on Jun 24, 2011 5:20 AM PDT up reply actions

Quote of the night:

Quote of the night from Stefanski:

"This was a brutal draft," Stefanski said.

http://www.csnphilly.com/06/23/11/Sixers-draft-center-Vucevic-with-16th-ov/news_sixers.html?blockID=537123&feedID=6332

by tk76 on Jun 23, 2011 10:45 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Hahahahhaha

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by Djax10 on Jun 23, 2011 10:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Someone get Vucevic on Air Alert.

The Jruth.

by guitarmouse35 on Jun 23, 2011 11:09 PM PDT reply actions

I was hoping for Tobias Harris. He has a well-rounded game w/ some versatility when AI is traded.

by Frank Castle 22 on Jun 23, 2011 11:11 PM PDT reply actions

I can't believe

we passed on Chris Singleton to draft Todd Fuller 2.0. I mean this pk doesn’t make any sense especially since Iggy is on the block. Why not then draft Singleton who was the best defender left? Wow, I just hope Collins knows what he’s doing…

by sf drift king on Jun 23, 2011 11:18 PM PDT reply actions