After Ricky Rubio, Jonas Valanciunas=International Superstar

[raptor21_85]

nice job Yoga, you're selling Val hard

[fredericklove]

I can't wait to see Val shines in the next 5 years and so on, and we can all watch the haters eat crow, if they do eat it, don't choke or else we'll have to call in a real doctor to help rescue them, and you might have to see a real doctor rescuing a fake doctor here.

[Egg Nog]

as a raptor fan, i hate threads like these.

[Yoga]

I agree with fredericklove and raptor21_2005

[Altered_Beast]

Rafael Araújo 2.0

when was the last time the raps ever made a good draft pick? 2003?

[doc.end]

I don't claim to know the future but as a Raps fan i do have hope.

I can however weigh arguments and it seems to me that there are three posts directly above mine that say a lot without saying much. .doc your statement that Marc Gasol was on a whole other level than Jonas was wholly refuted above and all this other rambling stuff above adds nothing to the conversation other than you insisting that you know better than everyone else.

I can also use my eyes and Mufasa's trip about JV not having strength seems silly to me as he is a very big and wide boy for a 19 year old. That he is afraid of contact is ridiculous too from what I have seen. Dude loves to mix it up in close.

I for one am very much looking forward to next year. (see my sig!)

What? Quote me where I am saying anything like that. Pathetic arguing. You can weight arguments? LOL.

[Yoga]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV9c0pBH5dM[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSMa4b3RTlc&feature=related[/youtube]

[droponov]

I'm not a Raptors fan, thank God.

I don't think the Gortat - who I rate as a very good player and higher than most - is a bad one. But his ceiling? If Gortat is Valanciunas' ceiling, which was Gortat's ceiling when he was 19? (Dr Mufasa: your thesis was that Valanciunas' ceiling was Gortat if Valanciunas is the great pick everyone is saying - quoting you. It wasn't your comparison because you didn't believe Valanciunas was a great pick - you had like 20 guys ranked ahead of him.).

But his ceiling has to be higher because Valanciunas has showed the talent to be a shot-creator. Perhaps he'll flop on that aspect of the game. But he certainly does have the potential, considering his flair and touch.

Evaluating Valanciunas solely for what he shows when he plays with grown up men is very misleading.

This reminds me of the discussion about Valanciunas' alleged foul proneness. Completely disregarding his age, experience and role.

Do you remember that, Mufasa? Do you still keep the same opinion?

[Yoga]

Jonas Valancinuas is playing right now: http://tv.lrytas.lt/live/

[Yoga]

box score here: http://live.baskethotel.com/unl/

Jonas V is great at free throws

[ISB]

Poor Mufasa. These dillusional Euros cannot be stopped.

[Kabookalu]

I'm a Raptors fan and although I would have chosen my words differently, I share much of the same opinion as Dr. Mufasa. He's going to be a great rebounder and defender one day, but I don't understand the infatuation with his scoring game which people here are really high on. He has great hands and mobility, but that's all I see right now. The only time he's ever looked like he could create his own shot was against under 19 year old Europeans (and he had a particular nice post up move against Kaman where he pump faked and then spun away from him which I thought was awesome).

I can't recall the exact names, but some people have said his potential is Pau Gasol. I have no complaints at all if that really is his potential, only good for us Raptors fans. I just don't see it though. I've always likened him to a taller and better shooting Amir Johnson which is an excellent player to have.

[7-Day Dray]

I agree mostly with Mufasa.

[Yoga]

Jonas V had a great game:

man he has a good motor!!! he's always moving

22 points (6/7 fg) (8/8 ft)
9 boards (4 offensive)
2 blocks
2 assists
1 turnover

all in less then 20 minutes!!

[zulu]

Jonas is going to be a beast one day. The problem with 90% of centers now is that they are all slow as molasses, which can't really be improved. Jonas has amazing speed and athleticism already, he will probably outplay gortat his first year in the nba.

[UcanUwill]

I agree mostly with Mufasa.

How is that? I dont think Jonas will be a superstar or anything, but almost everything Mufasa said about VAL is absolutely not true and makes no sense. I really doubt he ever watched him play...

Outdated articles and youtube does not make you an expert. The guy had Motiejunas at 4 and Valanciunas at 17 in his draft list... I mean geez, talking about no credibility... Sure Motiejunas looks more of a superstar on youtube, so thats understandable...

[SportsGuy8]

C'mon people, Jonas is a lot more talented than Gortat. Sure, it's obviously not 100% sure he'll end up better than Gortat (who's very good), but upside is MUCH higher.

Jonas has a great motor with good rebounding instincts. IMHO he'll become a C version of Kevin Love, with better defense and worse offensive game.

Speaking of his offensive game. He has great potential to be the best P'n'R big in the league (he's REALLY good at it), but he's going to need a great PG for that. Rubio would be a PERFECT guy for him, that would be quite nasty (and to think that the Wolves turned that combo down ... yikes). Unfortunately, most PGs in the league simply lack that, so it's going to be much harder for him.

With a perfect PG, I wouldn't be surprised if becomes a top 3 C in only a couple of years. Maybe a few spots lower without.

Jonas is a lot like Rubio, in a sense that he's going to do just fine in the NBA, because it suits him. He's going to have to work on getting stronger & stronger, though.

[Yoga]

+1 to what Choker said

[peja drobnjak]

i think a lot of you are underestimating the level of play in the nba

if he's as good as gortat right now i'll be 100% satisfied. he's not some generational talent, he's just a solid hustling pick and roll big.

also just droppin by to post dis vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf-AXJ5T2H4 (no 8 is the dunk to look out for)

also to say that mufasa is a laughably bad talent evaluator

[droponov]

I'm a Raptors fan and although I would have chosen my words differently, I share much of the same opinion as Dr. Mufasa. He's going to be a great rebounder and defender one day,

That's not Dr. Mufasa's opinion unless he's changed it.

but I don't understand the infatuation with his scoring game which people here are really high on. He has great hands and mobility, but that's all I see right now. The only time he's ever looked like he could create his own shot was against under 19 year old Europeans (and he had a particular nice post up move against Kaman where he pump faked and then spun away from him which I thought was awesome).

Against 19 year old Americans too. And this season he's doing it in some domestic league games as well.

18/19 year old post players creating their shots on the blocks versus grown up men in competitions like the Euroleague and the Eurobasket doesn't happen.

It's difficult to predict if Valanciunas will ever be a low post shot creator in the NBA, but the idea that he won't be because he's only done with playing against his peers and not at higher levels is completely inconsequential. A fallacy. I'd certainly advise any player with his hands, touch, length and fluidity to dedicate himself to that aspect of the game.