I'm disgusted by the Knick fans at the draft and the stuff that they are saying after the draft. They're criticizing our second round pick because they've never read of him before. It's the 48th pick in the draft, the Knicks were never going to get a star player or even a player that will be expected to start this season. Kostas Papanikolaou was being booed before Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver finished saying "K."
Have some trust in this organization. The post-Isiah Thomas regime has not done anything completely and utterly insane yet. Yes, Amar'e and Chandler's contract are a bit inflated, but the team has tried to put the best team on the floor. If they think that this Greek player can help when he finally comes over from Olympiacos (most likely for the 2013-14 season), then wait and see.
He was being scouted by the San Antonio Spurs, which is a good sign. They seem like they can judge good foreign talent. It's not like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are both All-Stars or anything. Furthermore, Papanikolaou was projected to be a late first rounder to an early second round pick, so the Knicks seemed to have stolen him at 48.
He's not terrible.
Not at all.
Thats not true... it could have easily been Kris Joseph who would have been a great fit in NY. His play can be compared to Udonis Haslem and with some work he has the potential to play like a Chris Bosh or similar big man. Kostas is still under contract, has no experience playing against elite talent, and will not be able to even come to NY for another 2-3 years. Even after considering that, once he is eligible to play for the Knicks he'll most likely be taking his talents to the D-league affiliate.
ReplyDeleteOh so Kris Joseph has played against elite talent? The players in Greece are no slouches, which is why teams keep going back for more. If the European leagues are so deprived of talent, then the NBA guys would realize that and stop trying to recruit players from there. Kostas can come to the Knicks next season, and he was named MVP of the championship round 2 years in a row. NBA comparisons tell you absolutely nothing, so don't even attempt that argument with me. Also, in Europe, they teach all players to play all positions on the court. Though Papanikolaou is a small forward, he is a good ball handler and he can shoot and play down low.
DeleteJoseph can prove people wrong. But guess what, so can Papanikolaou.
1) Joseph played in one of the best college leagues in the world which happens to be better than the greek league.
Delete2) Can you name another prominent player that came out of Greece?
3)O and btw Joseph was a key in getting the Orange to the Sweet Sixteen under a coach who has produced some greats...Carmelo comes to mind
1. It's an opinion that the Big East is better than the Greek League, not all Greek players come to the NBA because, oh wait, some of them do not want to. Just like baseball scouts international players, basketball has international players.
Delete2. Drazen Petrovic comes to mind (oh wait, you don't know him? he was pretty damn good in the NBA). He's 4th on the all time 3 point% list, and was a star before he died in 1993. 6th on the all time 3 pointers made list, Peja Stojakovic. Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur played in Euroleague.
3. College coaches....did you know that Jim Calhoun of UConn produced both Rudy Gay and Hasheem Thabeet? Boeheim coached Jonny Fllyn (who is terrible) and Andy Rautins, who was released by the Knicks after barely playing. Sometimes coaches get to work with some terrible players. Other times, they get stars, it's luck.
I almost forgot, Vlade Divac and wait for it, wait for it, Dirk Nowitzki played in Euroleague
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