Bakovic could be the next Canadian to make it to the NBA.

polo007 · Post #1 » by **polo007** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 9:50 pm

http://www.insidetoronto.ca/sports/East ... icle/41308

Sophomore Boris considered legitimate NBA prospect

A trip from war-torn Sarajevo to a spot on the Toronto Raptors or another National Basketball Association (NBA) team might seem an improbable journey, but a Canadian basketball specialist says East York's Boris Bakovic could be one of the few Canadians to make it to the NBA.

Bakovic, now in his second year with the Ryerson Rams, was selected as Ontario University East rookie of the year as a freshman and named a member of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) all-rookie team. This past weekend, in only his second season, he took over again as top scorer in CIS basketball, averaging 24.4 points per game.

Michael Kennedy who runs International Big Man Academy -- a clinic for tall basketball players - said Bakovic's scoring is not the only reason he thinks the East Yorker is NBA material.

Kennedy said Bakovic also has the drive that he needs to go that far. Having spent 300 hours helping Bakovic improve as a player, Kennedy said he would have to polish his skills in Europe before he could make the NBA but he has what it takes.

J Dilla · Post #2 » by **J Dilla** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 9:59 pm

So will he have to go to a US college to get drafted or can he get drafted straight from Ryerson?

bychai · Post #3 » by **bychai** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 10:00 pm

Just because he's from Toronto, I'm going to go out on a limb and say he won't make it to the NBA

But maybe Rautins will have him on the national team.

mihaic · Post #4 » by **mihaic** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 10:04 pm

hump43 wrote:So will he have to go to a US college to get drafted or can he get drafted straight from Ryerson?

He can get drafted straight out of anywhere, including Ryerson

Meursault · Post #5 » by **Meursault** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 10:10 pm

if this guy is a legit prospect, and i were in his shoes, i'd take the SAT or ACT and seriously consider transferring. it's really hard to break into the NBA from Canada. Also, i don't think the 1-year sitout rule applies if one transfers into the NCAA, as opposed to within the NCAA

J Dilla · Post #6 » by **J Dilla** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 10:12 pm

Meursault wrote:if this guy is a legit prospect, and i were in his shoes, i'd take the SAT or ACT and seriously consider transferring. it's really hard to break into the NBA from Canada. Also, i don't think the 1-year sitout rule applies if one transfers into the NCAA, as opposed to within the NCAA

That's what I was thinking, unless all Canadian schools merge with the NCAA which sounds impossible.

Ian4 · Post #7 » by **Ian4** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 10:13 pm

lawl i went to junior high with him lol guy couldnt dunk at 6"4 . but he's a good guy lol i cant believe this if he made it .

Post #8 » by **Shaazzam** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 10:28 pm

Let's have a discussion without all the disruptions. Offending posts and their responses have been deleted. James699, your act does not have an audience here. -Shaazzam

Tony Massenburg · Post #9 » by **Tony Massenburg** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 10:35 pm

Kai Williams sophmore at South Dakota State will make it their before him.

vi3t · Post #10 » by **vi3t** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 10:47 pm

Tony Massenburg wrote:Kai Williams sophmore at South Dakota State will make it their before him.

yea not to mention olu ashaolu and robert sacre

Post #11 » by **ranger001** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 10:49 pm

The article says he considered US college but didnt want to leave his family. The only way he gets into the NBA then is to go to Europe first which his coach said.

Kennedy said he would have to polish his skills in Europe before he could make the NBA but he has what it takes.

Definitely a very long shot. He's only 6' 8", a crowded height in the NBA, scouts would have heard about him if he was an exceptional athlete or scorer.

AllKnowingNBAer · Post #12 » by **AllKnowingNBAer** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 10:56 pm

Well, he is Croatian/Serbian, so the Basketball blood is there. If he was just a random Canadian, then I'd say he has no shot for sure. Though I am kinda disappointed that he is only 6'8". If he were his brother's height, then we'd be talking. He'll likely have a decent career in Europe, like our last pseudo-Canadian prospect...Ivan Chiriaev!!!! Who, by the way, the NBA needs.

hype_2004 · Post #13 » by **hype_2004** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 11:00 pm

Kid's crafty and a very good shooter, saw a couple of his games in person. I would say his game reminds me a lot of Peja Stojakovic with a little Toni Kukoc's creativity. Being a Balkan-born Canadian gives him a very good chance of making it in the pro-leagues as he has mentors and progenitors that he can look up to as inspirations.

maddskizzle · Post #14 » by **maddskizzle** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 11:02 pm

wow, i go to ryerson and even i never heard of him
the only thing i remember from the mens basketball team was the front page spread that said "MARCH SADNESS" after a winless season 2 years back lol

jim rockford · Post #15 » by **jim rockford** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 11:22 pm

vi3t wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
yea not to mention olu ashaolu and robert sacre

what's up with these guys? i was hyping sacre but he seems stuck on the bench at gonzaga. only a freshman, but ncaa basketball is pretty weak these days.... and ashaolu has really fallen in the recruiting rankings. granted, his #3 ranking in grade 9 should have been taken with a grain of salt. rating grade 9's is pretty inexact i'd imagine. last i looked, he was #70 or similar in his recruiting class (which is still really good). has he chosen a university yet??

also, how many guys have ever transferred from CIS to NCAA? jerome pathon is the only guy i can think of, and that's football..... this ryerson kid could easily help alot of non-dominant schools and there's at least 300 of them (at least) that are decent.

t.dot-king · Post #16 » by **t.dot-king** » Fri Feb 8, 2008 11:36 pm

LMFAOOO boris sucks bro .. seen him play enough times .. he will get killed in the NBA... hes like 6'8" he isnt able to run like wings in the nba ... this guy would get killed in the Ncaa let alone the nba ..

jim rockford · Post #17 » by **jim rockford** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 12:24 am

t.dot-king wrote:LMFAOOO boris sucks bro .. seen him play enough times .. he will get killed in the NBA... hes like 6'8" he isnt able to run like wings in the nba ... this guy would get killed in the Ncaa let alone the nba ..

lame comment.... you really think a guy averaging 26 in the CIS would get killed in the NCAA LOL... i'll admit his average would plummet, but come on, yes, all the 6 foot 5 white guys would stuff him all day long. LOL..... you realize there are teams like UC-Santa Barbara, Cal-State-SLO in the NCAA. it ain't all kansas, kentucky, duke etc., there are 300 other teams.

t.dot-king · Post #18 » by **t.dot-king** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 12:51 am

bro I seen him play enough times to have my own opinion on the guy... he isnt fit for the nba.. and he wont make any good ncaa teams.. sooooooooo how the hell is this dude gonna make it to the nba? :lol:

anyways i went to his school while he played there East York C.I didnt look good to me duno wat all they hype is about

MikeM · Post #19 » by **MikeM** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 1:19 am

maddskizzle wrote:wow, i go to ryerson and even i never heard of him
the only thing i remember from the mens basketball team was the front page spread that said "MARCH SADNESS" after a winless season 2 years back lol

lol same. I barely even knew we had a basketball team.

talha_raps · Post #20 » by **talha_raps** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 1:27 am

went to highschool with him @ east york CI, he is a really good player but i don't think he has the quickness to make it to the NBA.