Aleksej Pokusevski

Draft talk all year round

Moderators: Marcus, Duke4life831

doordoor123
Lead Assistant
Posts: 4,776
And1: 1,225
Joined: Jul 23, 2013

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#281 » by doordoor123 » Sat Aug 1, 2020 2:58 am

With the space in the NBA and without the checking Van Horn would have been better in this era. He would be a Tobias Harris type of player.
MemphisX
Analyst
Posts: 3,652
And1: 3,552
Joined: Nov 10, 2011

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#282 » by MemphisX » Sat Aug 1, 2020 10:54 am

He should go top 5 in this draft.
Check out my Memphis Grizzlies Youtube Channel --->>> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbB6yGykQEUwl9hqWYVp45g
Mirotic12
Lead Assistant
Posts: 5,422
And1: 2,465
Joined: Jun 29, 2014

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#283 » by Mirotic12 » Sat Aug 1, 2020 2:06 pm

Klomp wrote:AS A PRE-DRAFT PROSPECT, I just see a lot of similarities between Aleksej and Giannis. I kinda think someone will fall in love in the middle of the first round, especially with it being a weaker draft kinda like 2013.


Well, he is being trained by the same people Giannis was. Poku has been trained by Olympiacos since he was 13, and Giannis was trained by Olympiacos since he was 15. Even though Giannis was a Filathlitkos player, he had a lot of training with Olympiacos coaches and players. From the time he was 15, he was working with Olympiacos coaches and trainers and also some of their players like Vassilis Spanoulis, Georgios Printezis, Joey Dorsey, Kyle Hines, etc. - Olympiacos players that regularly worked with him in the summers.

Bartzokas, Olympiacos' main team's head coach also worked with him. Now, Poku has had some of the same youth trainers and coaches, and now works with Bartzokas, and also veteran players like Spanoulis, Printezis, Sasha Vezenkov, Kostas Papanikolaou. While both were also playing in the same competition level (Greek 2nd Division), at the same age.

So there are some definite parallels. But Poku started working with Olympiacos 2 years earlier than Giannis did, and he's obviously farther along in his skills development, in terms of shooting, passing, and ball handling, than Giannis was at the same age.
Mirotic12
Lead Assistant
Posts: 5,422
And1: 2,465
Joined: Jun 29, 2014

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#284 » by Mirotic12 » Sat Aug 1, 2020 2:11 pm

On the subject of how ready Poku is, which keeps being debated here, the head coach of Olympiacos' main EuroLeague team, Georgios Bartzokas has been evaluating Poku this summer. He finished his evaluation and decided that if he stays with Olympiacos, Poku will again play on their B developmental team, in the Greek 2nd Division. While also being on the senior team's practice squad, like last year.

Also, if he does stay, he will again play at the small forward position with Olympiacos B, in the Greek 2nd Division, as he is not considered strong enough yet to play the power forward position at the Greek 2nd division level.

So, as has already been said here earlier - he is a great talent, but he's a project. Not a ready made regular NBA player right off the bat, as some seem to think. If he comes to the NBA next season, he needs to be on a purely tanking team to get regular playing time right away.
nolang1
Assistant Coach
Posts: 3,959
And1: 1,749
Joined: Aug 03, 2012

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#285 » by nolang1 » Sun Aug 2, 2020 4:59 pm

Mirotic12 wrote:On the subject of how ready Poku is, which keeps being debated here, the head coach of Olympiacos' main EuroLeague team, Georgios Bartzokas has been evaluating Poku this summer. He finished his evaluation and decided that if he stays with Olympiacos, Poku will again play on their B developmental team, in the Greek 2nd Division. While also being on the senior team's practice squad, like last year.

Also, if he does stay, he will again play at the small forward position with Olympiacos B, in the Greek 2nd Division, as he is not considered strong enough yet to play the power forward position at the Greek 2nd division level.

So, as has already been said here earlier - he is a great talent, but he's a project. Not a ready made regular NBA player right off the bat, as some seem to think. If he comes to the NBA next season, he needs to be on a purely tanking team to get regular playing time right away.


Literally nobody is saying he’s going to be a good NBA player from day 1. Obviously rookies as a whole are bad and teams play them because they need game experience to improve. The point is that at least Pokusevski has more of a ready-made role player skillset and feel for the game that would allow him to at least be less bad than an inefficient ball-dominant player with bad defense would be.

Position-wise, yeah he’s a combo forward. For lots of teams, 3s and 4s are basically interchangeable and there’s going to be players you can put him on who either aren’t going to overpower him or could but lack the skill to do much about it (like with how efficient NBA offenses are, forcing them into running post-ups against a player who still has 7’3+ length and good shot-blocking instincts would seem to be a clear win).
User avatar
EvanZ
RealGM
Posts: 12,649
And1: 3,182
Joined: Apr 06, 2011

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#286 » by EvanZ » Sun Aug 2, 2020 5:06 pm

Yeah like Poku can go out there and do some of the things MPJ is doing right away. MPJ is basically spacing the floor (not even shooting that well tbh) and providing some weakside rim protection (actually better at that than I expected).
I was right about 3 point shooting. I expect to be right about Tacko Fall. Some coach will figure out how to use Tacko Fall. This movement towards undersized centers will sweep ng back. Back to the basket scorers will return to the NBA.
User avatar
clyde21
RealGM
Posts: 61,564
And1: 69,125
Joined: Aug 20, 2014
   

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#287 » by clyde21 » Sun Aug 2, 2020 5:30 pm

MPJ is a decent comp but he's not that level of shot maker at this point tbh
User avatar
Syd-TK3
RealGM
Posts: 17,076
And1: 17,525
Joined: Jun 07, 2015
 

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#288 » by Syd-TK3 » Mon Aug 3, 2020 5:49 am

He's been pretty up and down on some mocks but I'm expecting him to go in the lottery
Image
Clem
Ballboy
Posts: 2
And1: 0
Joined: Apr 18, 2019
       

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#289 » by Clem » Wed Aug 5, 2020 11:40 am

With boston having 3 1st. Rd. Picks the celtics will be at least looking at 1 maybe 2 draft and stash players poku makes more sense going to the celtics
User avatar
clyde21
RealGM
Posts: 61,564
And1: 69,125
Joined: Aug 20, 2014
   

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#290 » by clyde21 » Wed Aug 5, 2020 2:55 pm

Clem wrote:With boston having 3 1st. Rd. Picks the celtics will be at least looking at 1 maybe 2 draft and stash players poku makes more sense going to the celtics


Poku is not getting stashed
BlazersBroncos
RealGM
Posts: 10,106
And1: 7,803
Joined: Oct 27, 2016

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#291 » by BlazersBroncos » Wed Aug 5, 2020 3:39 pm

Poku is not getting stashed


Ya, he is coming over for sure. Either way, he would be a great fit in Boston with their earliest FRP. Make him a bench shooter who needs to hustle for his minutes as a rookie, then once he develops more he can unlock his handle and passing. He wont be worth the usage of a on ball forward until his shot is more consistent, hence what IMO his role as a rookie should be.

I would love if Portland took him. One of the only ways we can improve from that 2nd tier in the West is to hit on a high upside, risky FRP. Poku would be just that. And considering our last two FRPs (No-College-Ball-Simons + Under-20mpg-Little), we are comfortable gambling on upside.
Mirotic12
Lead Assistant
Posts: 5,422
And1: 2,465
Joined: Jun 29, 2014

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#292 » by Mirotic12 » Wed Aug 5, 2020 3:59 pm

Supposedly since the virus outbreak, he's been spending most of his time in Olympiacos' weight room.

Read on Twitter
User avatar
EvanZ
RealGM
Posts: 12,649
And1: 3,182
Joined: Apr 06, 2011

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#293 » by EvanZ » Wed Aug 5, 2020 4:24 pm

Mirotic12 wrote:Supposedly since the virus outbreak, he's been spending most of his time in Olympiacos' weight room.

Read on Twitter


If that is after 5 months of lifting, he's got a long way to go. :lol:
I was right about 3 point shooting. I expect to be right about Tacko Fall. Some coach will figure out how to use Tacko Fall. This movement towards undersized centers will sweep ng back. Back to the basket scorers will return to the NBA.
doordoor123
Lead Assistant
Posts: 4,776
And1: 1,225
Joined: Jul 23, 2013

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#294 » by doordoor123 » Wed Aug 5, 2020 5:11 pm

LOL I mean it could be true, but he's entering the draft. Could also just be people trying to sell him.
Klomp
Retired Mod
Retired Mod
Posts: 63,113
And1: 17,571
Joined: Jul 08, 2005
Contact:
   

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#295 » by Klomp » Wed Aug 5, 2020 5:44 pm

What about Rashard Lewis as a comp?
tsherkin wrote:The important thing to take away here is that Klomp is wrong.
Esohny wrote:Why are you asking Klomp? "He's" actually a bot that posts random blurbs from a database.

Klomp wrote:I'm putting the tired in retired mod at the moment
BlazersBroncos
RealGM
Posts: 10,106
And1: 7,803
Joined: Oct 27, 2016

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#296 » by BlazersBroncos » Wed Aug 5, 2020 6:59 pm

What about Rashard Lewis as a comp?


Lewis was a much better athlete in terms of vertical explosion even if he rarely used it. Poku will average more blocks than Lewis due to length, but in terms of going to the basket in traffic, Rashard was on another level IMO. I think Turk or a better passing KVH are the best comps.
Stillwater
RealGM
Posts: 15,734
And1: 3,655
Joined: Jun 15, 2017
   

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#297 » by Stillwater » Wed Aug 5, 2020 7:15 pm

EvanZ wrote:
Mirotic12 wrote:Supposedly since the virus outbreak, he's been spending most of his time in Olympiacos' weight room.

Read on Twitter


If that is after 5 months of lifting, he's got a long way to go. :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
This guy must love high reps or something eh
SUNDOWN BRINGS A WELCOME CHANGE TO EVERYTHING THAT'S HIDING
User avatar
getrichordie
General Manager
Posts: 9,414
And1: 2,308
Joined: Oct 22, 2015
 

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#298 » by getrichordie » Thu Aug 6, 2020 4:19 am

Stillwater wrote:
EvanZ wrote:
Mirotic12 wrote:Supposedly since the virus outbreak, he's been spending most of his time in Olympiacos' weight room.

Read on Twitter


If that is after 5 months of lifting, he's got a long way to go. :lol:

This guy must love high reps or something eh


That's what... 95 lbs, right? Yeeeeeeeeeesh!

Hey, KD came in and probably couldn't bench ****, but he made it work. He had a slingshot shooting form though...
[twitter] @thunderdustin
User avatar
clyde21
RealGM
Posts: 61,564
And1: 69,125
Joined: Aug 20, 2014
   

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#299 » by clyde21 » Thu Aug 6, 2020 5:13 am

if those are 45s then it's 135 lbs
Klomp
Retired Mod
Retired Mod
Posts: 63,113
And1: 17,571
Joined: Jul 08, 2005
Contact:
   

Re: Aleksej Pokusevski 

Post#300 » by Klomp » Thu Aug 6, 2020 11:22 am

NBA players aren't power lifters. They aren't going for their maximum weight possible.
tsherkin wrote:The important thing to take away here is that Klomp is wrong.
Esohny wrote:Why are you asking Klomp? "He's" actually a bot that posts random blurbs from a database.

Klomp wrote:I'm putting the tired in retired mod at the moment

Return to NBA Draft