SF Draft Option - Nicholas Batum

[LISTEN2JAZZ]

I could get on board with the Bogut pick because of his Croatian background and the fact that some of those guys from that area like Divac and Kukoc could play ball.

More important than that was the fact that Bogut played two years in the NCAA. There wasn't any real difference between him and any other NCAA player from a scouting perspective.

[Whiteman]

Honestly, I don't know where this Euro backlash stems from. There are plenty of excellent Euro forwards in the NBA. In fact, just check out this list of first rounders since 2001

Vladimir Radmanovic
Nikoloz Tskitishvili
Bostjan Nachbar
Jiri Welsch
Darko Milicic
Mickael Pietrus
Zarko Carbarkapa
Sasha Pavlovic
Borris Diaw
Carlos Delfino
Victor Khryapa
Sergei Monya
Sasha Vujacic
Yaroslav Korolev
Johan Petro
Ian Mahinmi
Thabo Sefolosha
Oleksin Pecherov

Batum might fit right in on that list, or he could be the exception - I don't know.

But Galinari is way better, and way more productive in Europe than anyone on that list ever was. Galinari is averaging 15 ppg in the Euroleague - and he's only 19! He's not an "upside" pick like Darko or Skeeta, he's proven that he can play.
Of course that doesn't guarantee that he'll make it in the NBA, many Euroleague stars (Jasikevicius) don't make it. But the same can be said of many college players (Morrison).

European players have been overhyped, especially between 2001-2005. But there is talent in Europe, and I'd hate to see the Bucks miss out on a good player just because he's from Europe.

[paulpressey25]

More important than that was the fact that Bogut played two years in the NCAA. There wasn't any real difference between him and any other NCAA player from a scouting perspective.

You're right.....great point....I always forget that.....that's why I don't count him so much in that basket of foreign players....nor Kleiza since he played NCAA ball as well.

But the rest of them? I still go back to the discussion Chuck D. and I had on the Euro drafting and the second round of the 2005 draft. Basically one foreign guy out of that second round made it (Gelebale), while 9 US players are decent contributors right now. Toss darts at the US players that year, and you had an almost 50% chance of hitting(guys like Monta Ellis, Ryan Gomes, etc.) Toss darts at the foreign guys and you had a 10% chance of getting Gelebale.

There are plenty of American busts.....numerically they are much larger than the foreign busts......but on a percentage basis, the American picks have a greater chance of making it on average.

[raferfenix]

We could really use an athletic defender at the 3, but hte last thing we need is another soft project, even if they have high potential. We have Ersan already as that kind of player, and he's put on weight and seems to be improving in Europe already.