Does anyone read my posts?
Ahh, I'll just post it again.
A new scout for NBADraft.net has this series called "JNixon-Iggy9's (his forum username) Countdown to the Draft: 60 Prospects in 30 Days. He has Vesely at #6 on his board. He's the best scout I know and I value what he says very highly. Here's what he had to say about Vesely.
6: Jan Vesely, 6’11 240, PF/SF, KK Partizan Belgrade (Serbia), 21 years old
Vesely is a Euro prospect who has been known in scouting circles for a while, and he was a very likely lottery pick in the 2010 draft but he returned to Europe. There is considerable talent and potential in Vesely, and just enough ready-made ability to allow him to contribute a bit early on in his rookie year as well. Physically, Vesely is great. At 6’11 240, he’s an oversized combo forward. His size and length will make him huge for a SF, and he’s got more than enough size to compete at PF too. He could stand to get bigger and improve his strength though. Athletically, from what I’ve seen Vesely is also great. He runs well and shows great explosiveness and leaping ability. He’s also pretty quick, especially for his size.
Offensively, Vesely is pretty good right now despite not having considerable polish. As a shooter, he’s a bit shaky though. His release is high and he has the added advance of being 6’11, but his touch isn’t great although his mechanics are consistent and somewhat smooth. He will need a lot of reps and to work on making his mechanics more natural before he becomes dependable with his feet set or off 1 or 2 dribbles. It’s also worth mentioning that he has never shot better than 67.4% from the FT line, so he’s a bad free throw shooter, which speaks to his touch and need to improve. As a slasher, Vesely is better from the mid-range area against PF’s where he usually has a quickness advantage than he is on the wing against SF’s. His ball-handling skills aren’t great from around the arc, and he generally doesn’t create in isolation against SF’s. Only effective for 2-3 dribbles. Lucky for Vesely, and one of the main reasons he should be able to play early is that he doesn’t need to handle the ball a lot to be effective right now. Outstanding motor allows him to score off scraps plays. Willing and competitive player. Is outstanding in transition, one of the very best in this class, and sprints the floor and finishes emphatically in the open floor. Rarely looks to lay the ball in when close to the rim, and is more than capable of finishing very strong in traffic. Has developed the ability to post up SF’s. He’s extremely oversized for the position, so although he’s not super skilled down low and relies on a right handed jump hook and a quick drop step to get shots off, it’s a positive development. As he continues to add base strength, that skill will only get better. Not selfish as a passer.
Defensively, Vesely has potential but some concerns as well. Right now, his athleticism and length will allow him to be a versatile pick and roll defender and he should be able to effectively guard SF’s and PF’s in time. Right now he can struggle to guard PF’s due to his lack of great strength, and he struggles to contain the quicker SF’s too. Is a wee bit foul prone at times due to his struggles with matching up with certain types of players on this end, but as he gets stronger it should become less of a concern. He is a solid ball-thief and shot-blocker though, as his length and leaping skills help him greatly. Where Vesely really struggles at and puts a dapper on his ability to play extended time at PF is his rebounding skills. He’s a very mediocre rebounder, and well below average for someone with his level of athleticism and physical tools. That will have to improve.
Vesely has huge potential, and his skill level is developing. His ability to play without having to handle the ball a ton will be a tool that should allow him to get on the floor very soon and play solid rotation time for a rookie. Still, he’s a work in progress with his skill set offensively and his struggles right now defending a certain position make it likely that he will run into problems with fouls as he did overseas. Sooner or later though, Vesely will be a solid starting SF for a team. His defensive ability will improve in time, as it’s not a matter of athleticism, he just has to improve his physical tools and strength.
Sure Vesely needs polish, but I think he's being very underrated by this board.
