Aleksej Pokusevski

[TB]

I was high on Bol as well. I rank Poku higher because of two main reasons:
1) Bol Bol health concerns coming into draft
2) Wasn't sold on Bol Bol mentality and passion (this is not to say I know alot of about Poku in this regard)

If Bol was healthy, he would have been a top 10 pick, just like i think Poku should be this year.

[Catchall]

Weren't there also some questions about whether Bol could guard on the perimeter? It seemed he would be relegated to playing at the 5, yet he was a player that liked to hang out on the perimeter and didn't like to bang inside. It's a bit of the Thon Maker dilemma.

Pokusevski plays like a big wing and has a better chance to play naturally at the 4.

[Catchall]

[clyde21]

Weren't there also some questions about whether Bol could guard on the perimeter? It seemed he would be relegated to playing at the 5, yet he was a player that liked to hang out on the perimeter and didn't like to bang inside. It's a bit of the Thon Maker dilemma.

Pokusevski plays like a big wing and has a better chance to play naturally at the 4.

you're trippin if you think Poku can guard the perimeter in the NBA

[Hoopz Afrik]

Maybe my eyes are deceiving me but every piece of tape I've seen he seems a lot smaller than his listed measurements. There is no way that dude is 7'0"

[UcanUwill]

Maybe my eyes are deceiving me but every piece of tape I've seen he seems a lot smaller than his listed measurements. There is no way that dude is 7'0"

Looks 6'10 to me.

[clyde21]

ive been saying the same thing he doesn't look anywhere near 7 feet and if he actually is he plays way smaller

[Catchall]

His official measurement a year ago was 211 cm, which is 6'11". I'm guessing he's around 6'10" without shoes and 6'11.5" with shoes, so he lists at 7'0". A lot of the tape people are watching is half a year or a year old by now. He just turned 18 in Dec., so I wouldn't assume he's done growing.

If he's 6'11" with a 7'3" wingspan, then he's the same height and wingspan as Chris Bosh.

[clyde21]

list measurements all u want, he doesn't play that big, so it's irrelevant, he really plays like he's 6-8 or 6-9, which is fine for the role that he's gonna take in the NBA, but talking about him as a 7 footer doesn't really mean anything

[Catchall]

list measurements all u want, he doesn't play that big, so it's irrelevant, he really plays like he's 6-8 or 6-9, which is fine for the role that he's gonna take in the NBA, but talking about him as a 7 footer doesn't really mean anything

When he shoots off the dribble or on a catch-and-shoot over forward-sized defenders, it means something. When he comes over from the weak side and blocks shots, it means something. When he gets his hands on rebounds, it means something. When he finishes above the rim, it means something. Not sure what point you're trying to make here.

[clyde21]

list measurements all u want, he doesn't play that big, so it's irrelevant, he really plays like he's 6-8 or 6-9, which is fine for the role that he's gonna take in the NBA, but talking about him as a 7 footer doesn't really mean anything

When he shoots off the dribble or on a catch-and-shoot over forward-sized defenders, it means something. When he comes over from the weak side and blocks shots, it means something. When he gets his hands on rebounds, it means something. When he finishes above the rim, it means something. Not sure what point you're trying to make here.

no it doesn't because he doesn't have the apex of a 7 footer when he shoots, doesn't play like 1 at all, and he's pretty terrible at setting screens tbh i'm not sure why being a '7 footer' really matters

there are players that play their size, players that play bigger, players the play smaller, Poku plays smaller than he actually is if he really is 7 feet (and I still have major doubts just based on eye test).

[Mirotic12]

His official measurement a year ago was 211 cm, which is 6'11". I'm guessing he's around 6'10" without shoes and 6'11.5" with shoes, so he lists at 7'0". A lot of the tape people are watching is half a year or a year old by now. He just turned 18 in Dec., so I wouldn't assume he's done growing.

If he's 6'11" with a 7'3" wingspan, then he's the same height and wingspan as Chris Bosh.

That was 6-11 without shoes, not with shoes, when he was 16. NBA lists players now without shoes supposedly, even though bunches of guys seem to still be listed with shoes on. But that 6-11 measurement was without shoes.

He was listed at 2.12 m (6-11 1/2) barefoot by Olympiacos earlier this year. Even under the NBA's new barefoot guide listings, he would be listed at 7 feet, since they round up from every half inch.

Under the NBA's old listing guidelines (with shoes on), he would be listed at 7-1.

[Mirotic12]

Maybe my eyes are deceiving me but every piece of tape I've seen he seems a lot smaller than his listed measurements. There is no way that dude is 7'0"

ive been saying the same thing he doesn't look anywhere near 7 feet and if he actually is he plays way smaller

Looks 6'10 to me.

His barefoot listing was 6-11 at age 16:

https://eurospects.com/?page_id=8163

YEAR SOURCE HEIGHT W/O SHOES WINGSPAN
2018 BWB Europe Camp 6'11
2018 NBA Global Camp 6'11 7'3.25

At age 17 it was 6-11 1/2:

https://sportando.basketball/en/player/175104/aleksej-pokusevski/

Aleksej Pokusevski
Height: 2.12 (that's 6-11 1/2)

https://www.msn.com/he-il/sports/basketball/aleksej-pokusevski/player/sp-id-30306000000046762

Aleksej Pokusevski
Height 2.12m (6-11 1/2)
Weight: 93kg (205 pounds)


Both of those above listings are barefoot heights. He's not 6-9 or 6-10.

You guys also need to remember that in Europe they don't use the camera angle that makes players look taller than they actually are. In USA broadcasts, the NCAA, NBA, and G-League all use that manipulated camera angle that makes the players look bigger.

[Mirotic12]

This article is from when Poku was age 17.

https://www.fosonline.gr/basket/euroleague/article/45257/olympiakos-mpagern-monaxoy-89-69-pokoysefski-me-ta-papoytsia-eimai-2-15

Με τα παπούτσια είμαι 2.15 χωρίς 2.12. (Greek)

English translation:

Without shoes I am 2.12, and with shoes I am 2.15.

2.12 meters = 6-11 1/2

2.15 meters = 7-0 3/4

[clyde21]

what part of of 'i don't care about his listed height if he doesn't play that big' don't u understand? lol

he could be listed at 7-5 for all I care if he plays like he's 6-8

[EvanZ]

what part of of 'i don't care about his listed height if he doesn't play that big' don't u understand? lol

he could be listed at 7-5 for all I care if he plays like he's 6-8

Well except for the fact that he blocks a ton of shots.

[Mirotic12]

what part of of 'i don't care about his listed height if he doesn't play that big' don't u understand? lol

he could be listed at 7-5 for all I care if he plays like he's 6-8

I understand it perfectly. I'm not even talking about whether he plays like his height or not. In fact, he does not on offense, as he generally plays like a 7 feet shooting guard, much like Dirk did, at least for much of his career.

But several people are saying he's really only 6-9 or 6-10 in this thread, and that's simply incorrect. He's definitely a 7 footer.

[clyde21]

what part of of 'i don't care about his listed height if he doesn't play that big' don't u understand? lol

he could be listed at 7-5 for all I care if he plays like he's 6-8

Well except for the fact that he blocks a ton of shots.

he commits almost 1 foul for every blocked shot and he's playing on a B team in europe doing it, is that supposed to mean something?

[DeBlazerRiddem]

what part of of 'i don't care about his listed height if he doesn't play that big' don't u understand? lol

he could be listed at 7-5 for all I care if he plays like he's 6-8

Well except for the fact that he blocks a ton of shots.

he commits almost 1 foul for every blocked shot and he's playing on a B team in europe doing it, is that supposed to mean something?

Most bigs have more fouls than blocks, even in the amateur leagues. Pokusevski is at 1.7 block to 1.4 fouls or a ratio of 1.2.

Some other ratios of the seasons top shot blockers prior to NBA:

Whiteside: 2.25
Lopez: 0.875
Davis: 2.35
Turner: 1.08
Porzingis: 0.34
Gobert: 0.32
Aldridge: 0.8
Drummond: 1.22
Jackson Jr: 0.93

Obviously no one is saying he will be a Whiteside or Davis level shotblocker, but not only does your arbitrary metric seem to be meanginless but he actually compares well to the rest of the NBA's top shot blockers. He especially compares well to the 2 other players from a professional league.

The only other bigs in the draft that I can find with more blocks than fouls are Wiseman and Azubuike.

[clyde21]

Well except for the fact that he blocks a ton of shots.

he commits almost 1 foul for every blocked shot and he's playing on a B team in europe doing it, is that supposed to mean something?

Most bigs have more fouls than blocks, even in the amateur leagues. Pokusevski is at 1.7 block to 1.4 fouls or a ratio of 1.2.

Some other ratios of the seasons top shot blockers prior to NBA:

Whiteside: 2.25
Lopez: 0.875
Davis: 2.35
Turner: 1.08
Porzingis: 0.34
Gobert: 0.32
Aldridge: 0.8
Drummond: 1.22
Jackson Jr: 0.93

Obviously no one is saying he will be a Whiteside or Davis level shotblocker, but not only does your arbitrary metric seem to be meanginless but he actually compares well to the rest of the NBA's top shot blockers. He especially compares well to the 2 other players from a professional league.

The only other bigs in the draft that I can find with more blocks than fouls are Wiseman and Azubuike.

exactly right -- block rate doesn't really mean anything that's my point. just because he has blocks playing on Olymp's B team doesn't mean he plays like a 7 footer.

and comparing him to Bol:

Poku: 2.8 blocks / 2.4 fouls
Bol: 3.2 blocks / 2.0 fouls

so, I'm still wondering why EvanZ for example didn't even have Bol as draftable but has Poku in his top 5, i'm trying to reconcile the logic here.