JV at World Cup 2014

Darkseid · Post #21 » by **Darkseid** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 6:30 pm

Maybe he can turn into Patrick Ewing?

Thespianoid · Post #22 » by **Thespianoid** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 6:33 pm

Looking better in the recent pics, but needs to continue to lose that extra fat, especially in his midsection. That won't help him at all. Pic 7 makes him look a bit like Boris Diaw.

BackseatBoss · Post #23 » by **BackseatBoss** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 6:35 pm

Anybody knows if he's playing tomorrow?

artsncrafts · Post #24 » by **artsncrafts** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 6:45 pm

His new name is "EUROSHAQ!"

Also why all DNPs?

Thespianoid · Post #25 » by **Thespianoid** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 6:53 pm

artsncrafts wrote:His new name is "EUROSHAQ!"

Also why all DNPs?

he wasn't with the team for those games.

KarolisJ · Post #26 » by **KarolisJ** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 6:55 pm

BackseatBoss wrote:Anybody knows if he's playing tomorrow?

the coach said he would decide tomorrow

Thespianoid · Post #27 » by **Thespianoid** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 6:56 pm

KarolisJ wrote:
BackseatBoss wrote:Anybody knows if he's playing tomorrow?

the coach said he would decide tomorrow

Karolis, has there been any information from Lithuania regarding the coaching staff's/local press opinion on his weight? I remember they weren't pleased last year.

BangerBrotha · Post #28 » by **BangerBrotha** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:03 pm

Thespianoid wrote:
KarolisJ wrote:
BackseatBoss wrote:Anybody knows if he's playing tomorrow?

the coach said he would decide tomorrow

Karolis, has there been any information from Lithuania regarding the coaching staff's/local press opinion on his weight? I remember they weren't pleased last year.

This is not from national team coach, but from Jonas' former club coach,

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/496281278610964481[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/496281476670185472[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/496281713950343168[/tweet]

Lateral Quicks · Post #29 » by **Lateral Quicks** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:03 pm

He looks fat. And that new tattoo

KarolisJ · Post #30 » by **KarolisJ** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:07 pm

Thespianoid wrote:
KarolisJ wrote:
BackseatBoss wrote:Anybody knows if he's playing tomorrow?

the coach said he would decide tomorrow

Karolis, has there been any information from Lithuania regarding the coaching staff's/local press opinion on his weight? I remember they weren't pleased last year.

I'm sure there will be tomorrow

Jonas only joined the team today and I only hear few words from the coach during evening news. Nothing regarding weight though haha

Thespianoid · Post #31 » by **Thespianoid** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:08 pm

Well this is disappointing.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/496410488452816897[/tweet]

Need to maximize/preserve as much natural quickness as possible, I'm sure that's within the realm of possibility.

artsncrafts · Post #32 » by **artsncrafts** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:14 pm

BangerBrotha wrote:
Thespianoid wrote:
KarolisJ wrote:
the coach said he would decide tomorrow

Karolis, has there been any information from Lithuania regarding the coaching staff's/local press opinion on his weight? I remember they weren't pleased last year.

This is not from national team coach, but from Jonas' former club coach,

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/496281278610964481[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/496281476670185472[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/496281713950343168[/tweet]

Poor Jonas

dacrusha · Post #33 » by **dacrusha** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:25 pm

artsncrafts wrote:
Poor Jonas

Not sure why you're feeling sad... JV's biggest benefit to this team will be to further develop a back-to-the-basket power game and to become a defensive anchor and rim protector. Adding some muscle/weight will surely aid in this transition.

Once he sheds his euro body, he'll be better able to wreck teams down low.

Korr · Post #34 » by **Korr** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:35 pm

Him being slightly slower is the price you pay for the muscle required to play in the NBA. Not necessarily a bad thing for the Raps, but a bad thing for Lithuania.

artsncrafts · Post #35 » by **artsncrafts** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:37 pm

dacrusha wrote:
artsncrafts wrote:
Poor Jonas

Not sure why you're feeling sad... JV's biggest benefit to this team will be to further develop a back-to-the-basket power game and to become a defensive anchor and rim protector. Adding some muscle/weight will surely aid in this transition.

Once he sheds his euro body, he'll be better able to wreck teams down low.

As long as he can get defensive rebounds I am happy, thats where we are hurting.

BackseatBoss · Post #36 » by **BackseatBoss** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:38 pm

artsncrafts wrote:
BangerBrotha wrote:
Thespianoid wrote:
Karolis, has there been any information from Lithuania regarding the coaching staff's/local press opinion on his weight? I remember they weren't pleased last year.

This is not from national team coach, but from Jonas' former club coach,

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/496281278610964481[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/496281476670185472[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/LithuaniaBasket/status/496281713950343168[/tweet]

Poor Jonas

What are you talking about? The fact is that if Jonas remained skinny and quick, he would get manhandled in the NBA every single game. It's better that he put on weight. Maybe this season he will have a much easier time holding his post position, which I would take any day of the week over him being slightly quicker. Had he remained skinny, he would probably be like Vesely now, going back to play in Europe.

C_Money · Post #37 » by **C_Money** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:45 pm

That's a lot of games. He better take that whole month off to rest before the pre season starts.

Thespianoid · Post #38 » by **Thespianoid** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:51 pm

dacrusha wrote:
artsncrafts wrote:
Poor Jonas

Not sure why you're feeling sad... JV's biggest benefit to this team will be to further develop a back-to-the-basket power game and to become a defensive anchor and rim protector. Adding some muscle/weight will surely aid in this transition.

Once he sheds his euro body, he'll be better able to wreck teams down low.

You have to consider the tradeoffs when developing that power game though.

We've seen Jonas gain excess mass with a consequence of loss in quickness. This has hurt his defensive potential and rim protection as he can't move as fluidly. Also, a rudimentary power game/bully ball isn't as effective as a skill-based post game, which can be accomplished while retaining the necessary quickness to be an above average defensive anchor and rim protector. Jonas never had the vertical explosiveness to be a true defensive force, which is why he needs to retain as much of his natural quickness to make up for that physical disadvantage.

Now, I'm not saying he should be as skinny as he was prior to the NBA. No way. There just needs to be a balance between adding the mass and retaining his natural quickness.

I am a firm believer that a power game only goes so far. Developing intelligence and awareness with skill is a much better course of action to follow than to build up mass so as to bully through other players. And it's not even about a back-to-the-basket nature. Jonas already has the necessary skill there. To take the next step, he needs to improve his overall awareness, and further develop a faceup game.

Thespianoid · Post #39 » by **Thespianoid** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:53 pm

Korr wrote:Him being slightly slower is the price you pay for the muscle required to play in the NBA. Not necessarily a bad thing for the Raps, but a bad thing for Lithuania.

I wish it was just slightly slower though. He had above average quickness for his size, now he's below average. That's not normal.

MikeM · Post #40 » by **MikeM** » Thu Aug 7, 2014 7:54 pm

He looks a bit chubby now but he's obviously been bulking up until this point. He'll probably cut down during this month but retain most of the muscle he gained during his bulk.

Best case scenario is that he doesn't get slower but gets much stronger. Maybe this season he will be a little more used to the added weight and won't look as unconditioned as he did last year.