HOT TAKE: Aleksej Pokusevski will win the NBA MVP (Within the Next 10 Years)

Biff · Post #121 » by **Biff** » Fri Apr 2, 2021 5:00 pm

Definitely a hot take but I was actually surprised with him the most recent time I watched him. He has a great feel for the game. He certainly has a place in this league if he can put some weight on and get a more consistent shot.

Mirotic12 · Post #122 » by **Mirotic12** » Fri Apr 2, 2021 5:01 pm

jake_swivel wrote:Guess i’ll have to take your word on it. From the highlight reel from before he got to the nba, his post game looks very well developed. Poku has no postgame whatsoever. Pau was definitely WAY more athletic than Poku, though. He’s authoritative in the lane. He’s not all finesse, which Poku is. Pau also averaged no less than 57% FG shooting for FC Barcelona and Poku is at 30% right now for the thunder.

I looked up Pau's EuroLeague stats at age 19. At 19, Pau shot:

55% FG
33% 3PT
61% FT

in EuroLeague.

He averaged:

4.3 points
2.1 rebounds
0.3 assists
0.1 steals
0.2 blocks

with Barca in EuroLeague.

http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_,Uz02qBnJiADOq5VntEf53.season_2000.roundID_2571.playerID_28569.teamID_1030.html

I'm not saying Poku is as good as, or better than Pau was at the same age.

Mirotic12 · Post #123 » by **Mirotic12** » Fri Apr 2, 2021 5:04 pm

UcanUwill wrote:Pau was just a world class tier 1 prospect, the fact he wasnt picked number one is just as much of the joke as Doncic not being picked number one. Pau was insane, overall amazing career, yet he is still very underrated IMO. I would rank Pau way above Pokusevski.

I'm not rating Poku on Pau's level as a player. I'm comparing the types of players. As for NBA scouts, talent evaluators, and draft pickers.......they are beyond being an absolute total joke, when it comes to assessing foreign players. It's to the point of being just downright pathetic.

MrSparkle · Post #124 » by **MrSparkle** » Fri Apr 2, 2021 5:10 pm

Given the low-regarded draft, I have no idea why Poku dropped to #17. His weight/frame looks unhealthy and absurd, but beyond that, he was the schnazziest passer in the draft after LaMelo, with shoot/dribble skills to boot. Complete boom or bust but what are FRPs for? Jalen Smith?

JonFromVA · Post #125 » by **JonFromVA** » Fri Apr 2, 2021 5:23 pm

MrSparkle wrote:Given the low-regarded draft, I have no idea why Poku dropped to #17. His weight/frame looks unhealthy and absurd, but beyond that, he was the schnazziest passer in the draft after LaMelo, with shoot/dribble skills to boot. Complete boom or bust but what are FRPs for? Jalen Smith?

It's the "or bust" part that will get a lottery GM fired. The risks are easy to justify later in the draft.

MrSparkle · Post #126 » by **MrSparkle** » Fri Apr 2, 2021 5:47 pm

JonFromVA wrote:
MrSparkle wrote:Given the low-regarded draft, I have no idea why Poku dropped to #17. His weight/frame looks unhealthy and absurd, but beyond that, he was the schnazziest passer in the draft after LaMelo, with shoot/dribble skills to boot. Complete boom or bust but what are FRPs for? Jalen Smith?

It's the "or bust" part that will get a lottery GM fired. The risks are easy to justify later in the draft.

Yeah, but there are Biyombo risks (i.e. all athleticism, no skill) and there are Poku/Giannis risks. The guy could hoop. Just saying, he should've been top-12.

Mickey8 · Post #127 » by **Mickey8** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 3:00 am

Pokusevski is fun to watch

Mr Puddles · Post #128 » by **Mr Puddles** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 4:17 am

I honestly was very impressed watching him today. From someone who has suffered through 3 years of having Dragan Bender as the franchise's highest draft pick in decades, Poku looks like what Suns fans hoped Dragan would be. Guy plays with passion and is already very skilled and nimble, he just needs to put it all together and develop physically. If he fulfills his potential he'll be a very good player.

TwitterFingers · Post #129 » by **TwitterFingers** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 4:39 am

I think he’ll flame out of the league in 2 or 3 years

Mickey8 · Post #130 » by **Mickey8** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 5:05 am

Since he returned from G league, he's playing freely , he's making less and less those unnecessary dumb mistakes and even when he misses now, those are very good attempts that he creates for himself off the dribble, lack of strength is evident there , unable to finish them , also his court vision is great , he had one fantastic assist tonight and the couple more that his teammates have missed . Hopefully they wont try to make him PF , he's a seven foot guard, thats his position, he could become walking mismatch on the offense in the future.

Grits n Gravy · Post #131 » by **Grits n Gravy** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 5:21 am

OP is destined to be right, how do I know? Cause the #17 that he was selected with was owned by and traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Just like Giannis in 2013(We had #14 and took the great, age defying Shabazz Muhammad, Giannis went #15) Poku will win an MVP and probably be considered the GOAT when he retires knowing our luck. I loved him pre draft and was the guy I wanted with the pick.

Mickey8 · Post #132 » by **Mickey8** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 5:24 am

Watch on YouTube

That pass on 2:03 :clap:

Oklahoma rebuild reminds me of Denver's rebuild, when they drafted Jokic and Murray years back , they are doing good things .

Sgt Major · Post #133 » by **Sgt Major** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 5:28 am

So our national team will really have Jokic and Poku in the starting lineup for at least next ten years. Scary.

Post #134 » by **dakomish23** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 5:34 am

I’m just happy so many who screamed bust look stupid.

As they always do when you try to determine the future for a kid with such a small sample size

Post #135 » by **dakomish23** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 5:36 am

Sgt Major wrote:So our national team will really have Jokic and Poku in the starting lineup for at least next ten years. Scary.

Imagine if they allowed a former Yugoslav team?

Leslie Forman · Post #136 » by **Leslie Forman** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 6:49 am

dakomish23 wrote:I’m just happy so many who screamed bust look stupid.

Don't count your chickens yet, he could still be a bust.

He has serious "still in the G-League in 2026" or "2026 NBA All-Star Vote Leader" energy.

KGtabake · Post #137 » by **KGtabake** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 6:53 am

Greek A2 division leads to NBA MVPs while Greek A1 division doesn't even lead to the NBA.
:banghead:

Mirotic12 · Post #138 » by **Mirotic12** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 8:28 am

KGtabake wrote:Greek A2 division leads to NBA MVPs while Greek A1 division doesn't even lead to the NBA.

NBA scouts and talent evaluators are a complete joke. They have passed up lots of guys from A1 that could have played in the NBA. And the ones they did pick...........they basically benched them without even giving them a chance.

The NBA probably thinks Greek A2 means it's a higher level than Greek A1, not lower. That's about how ridiculous their knowledge of it is.

Post #139 » by **dakomish23** » Sat Apr 3, 2021 4:22 pm

Leslie Forman wrote:
dakomish23 wrote:I’m just happy so many who screamed bust look stupid.

Don't count your chickens yet, he could still be a bust.

He has serious "still in the G-League in 2026" or "2026 NBA All-Star Vote Leader" energy.

You’re right. anything can happen.

Just seems real stupid to write off kids. Just look at takes about Ball after his first game

GreatWhiteStiff · Post #140 » by **GreatWhiteStiff** » Thu Apr 8, 2021 2:05 am

B U M P