Goran Dragic will be a top 5 point guard in the NBA...

Bayless2Budinger

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In his prime.

No doubt in my mind. I dont always drink the kool-aid but this kid has that competitive fire that most Euros dont have. Hes athletic and is already a very good defender.

Things I like about him:

-Good size for a point guard (6'4)
-Tenacious Defender. ( This guy has given quick point guards like Tony Parker trouble over the years. He has the lateral quickness to stay with his guys and gets his hands on a lot of balls.)
- He is very creative with the ball in transition
- Great finisher and can get into the lane with ease
- Very athletic.

Things I dont like about him:
- Not a very good shooter right now although he has improved over the last couple years
- Not the best ball handler
- Makes some bad decisions

Now I know I am sure to get flamed for this but do not knock the kid until you watch him play. I've watched quite a bit of his games due to one of my friends being Slovian and he will be the best player that has come out of Slovenia.

Now we will just have to wait to see if he comes to Phoenix this year. Suns put a lot more into this guy than they have with draft picks in the past so I'm hoping they buy him out now.
 

HooverDam

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Im not sure how great of an accomplishment being the best player from Slovenia is, but I guess I'd have to look up a list of great Slovenian players. I am glad they got a PG, disappointed it took so much to get him and that Kerr was incapable of moving up past San Antonio and getting him free and clear.
 
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Bayless2Budinger

Bayless2Budinger

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Im not sure how great of an accomplishment being the best player from Slovenia is, but I guess I'd have to look up a list of great Slovenian players. I am glad they got a PG, disappointed it took so much to get him and that Kerr was incapable of moving up past San Antonio and getting him free and clear.

Miami moved up and got Chalmers with 2 future 2nd rounders and cash considerations so maybe that was what the market dictated. I dont know but I'm really happy about this pick. Second year in a row that I liked our 2nd round pick better than our 1st.
 

HooverDam

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Second year in a row that I liked our 2nd round pick better than our 1st.

Well, I can agree with you on that. I'm not sure what that means, but its kind of scary. I think it means that perhaps the Suns scouts are allowed to make the 2nd round picks and Kerr makes the first rounders :p
 

Andrew

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I still have no idea who this guy is, so don't mind me not being all hyped right now.
 

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Scouting Report:

Goran Dragic is one of most improved youngsters in all the Europe and Slovenia’s top NBA draft prospect at the moment.

In terms of physical attributes, Dragic features good, but not spectacular athletic ability. At 6-4 he has excellent size to play the point guard position in the NBA, while his wingspan also seems to be above average giving him additional length.

One of most impressive things about Dragic is the level of play he shows at just 19 years of age. Dragic is already among the best guards in a pretty competitive Adriatic league competition and was main reason why his team is in the running for a Final8 appearance despite being recognized as outsiders prior to start of the season.

Goran’s biggest strength has be his speed. Whether in half court sets, the open floor or on the defense end, Dragic impresses you with his quickness. His first step is excellent and he can get by most defenders at his current level with ease. On the defensive end his lateral quickness is also very good, allowing him to keep up with smaller guards equally well.

Offensively, Dragic uses his aforementioned speed to the fullest extent, getting into the lane on a regular basis. Once he gets there, Dragic is patient waiting for good looks to present themselves or passing the ball to an open teammate, showing good court vision. Dragic gets most of his assists in transition and from the solid drive and dish game he has, being able to beat his matchup of the dribble and therefore create shots for teammates in half court sets. When he has the chance, he executes the fast-break to perfection, either finishing it himself of by finding the open teammate. Goran also exhibits plenty of creativity finishing at the hoop with a diverse array of lay-ups. If he doesn’t go all the way to the basket, Dragic can stop and nail a mid-range shot, presenting very good accuracy out to 18 feet.

He plays within the flow of the offense, not taking ill-advised jumpers or forcing penetrations, despite the fact that he is by far the most gifted scorer on his team. Goran has very good ball-handling skills and can change directions quickly to get his man off balance and create space for himself to operate. When a mismatch occurs and he is defended by a taller opponent, Dragic will react immediately to the situation and drive aggressively to the basket. He off the ball movement is reasonably good, recognizing spaces in defense and exploiting them to get some cheap points.

The Slovenian is a very aggressive defender, chasing his man all over the floor and not letting him rest even for a moment. This leads to a good number of steals, and every now and then he is even able to pick his opponent’s pocket while he’s bringing the ball up the court. If he adds body strength without losing much of his quickness, Dragic has the potential to become a lockdown defender, as he has good size, length, athleticism and a great attitude. Goran is very tough kid, not shying away from contact and ready to sacrifice his body on both sides of the court. He is very eager to play defense and that is how he earned his role on the team in first place. Sometimes Dragic gambles for steals and loses his defensive position, but he is able to recover it quickly because of his speed.

As he showed on several occasions this season, Dragic is able to step up in the clutch and carry a team on his shoulders. Goran’s basketball IQ is not the highest around, but is still above average and by the progress he’s made this season you can tell he works very hard. Off the court, Dragic was never problematic and is considered to be well-liked by his older teammates.
 

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The Slovenian is a very aggressive defender, chasing his man all over the floor and not letting him rest even for a moment. This leads to a good number of steals, and every now and then he is even able to pick his opponent’s pocket while he’s bringing the ball up the court. If he adds body strength without losing much of his quickness, Dragic has the potential to become a lockdown defender, as he has good size, length, athleticism and a great attitude. Goran is very tough kid, not shying away from contact and ready to sacrifice his body on both sides of the court. He is very eager to play defense and that is how he earned his role on the team in first place. Sometimes Dragic gambles for steals and loses his defensive position, but he is able to recover it quickly because of his speed.


This part says a lot:)
 

Covert Rain

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Top 5?? I doubt it. In the NBA you won't be a great PG unless you can shoot. This guy can't shoot. Teams in the NBA will clog up the lane, not allow him to penetrate and dare this guy to shoot the ball. Unless he learns to shoot he will be nothing more then a spot minute backup in the NBA.

However, let's see him get to the NBA first. The Suns drafted this guy because they figured they would not have to pay his salary this year IMO. I seriously doubt this guy sees a Sun's uniform anytime soon.
 

mathbzh

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I saw him play against Parker and was very impressed by this young player. I just hope he will come very soon... before he receives a huge offer from an Euroleague Team.The kind of offer the Suns would not necessary want to match.
 

Bufalay

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This guy will be a good backup for Vujanic for years to come!
 

Muggum

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So he's going to break into the group of Paul, Williams, Nash, Billups, and Parker? Um. No.
 

dreamcastrocks

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So he's going to break into the group of Paul, Williams, Nash, Billups, and Parker? Um. No.

Nash probably won't be top 5 after next year. Billips might not be either.
 

Joe Mama

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Im not sure how great of an accomplishment being the best player from Slovenia is, but I guess I'd have to look up a list of great Slovenian players. I am glad they got a PG, disappointed it took so much to get him and that Kerr was incapable of moving up past San Antonio and getting him free and clear.

Honest to God Hoover, at this point it really seems like you are just looking for things to be unhappy about. First of all, how do you know they could have gotten ahead of San Antonio for anything less than they ended up paying for the pick? I think Steve Kerr, Richard Sarver, Mike D'Antoni, and yes, Bryan Colangelo have made some horrible moves over the last 5-6 years, but pick your spots to complain. They actually paid a little cash and moved up to get a guy they really like.

We can debate as to whether this guy will ever be a good NBA player. I plan on watching some video on him later today, but based on our numbers and the regular stat sheets as well as the draft reports I like the pick. I think if they honestly had him ahead of every other point guard except Derek rose they are smoking something really good though. Right now the guy can't shoot. According to what I've read it's not just that he's not a good shooter. He is a poor shooter. As an otherwise poster already pointed out, you'll never be a top point guard in the NBA without a good shot.

Joe
 

da_suns_fan

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In his prime.

No doubt in my mind. I dont always drink the kool-aid but this kid has that competitive fire that most Euros dont have. Hes athletic and is already a very good defender.

Things I like about him:

-Good size for a point guard (6'4)
-Tenacious Defender. ( This guy has given quick point guards like Tony Parker trouble over the years. He has the lateral quickness to stay with his guys and gets his hands on a lot of balls.)
- He is very creative with the ball in transition
- Great finisher and can get into the lane with ease
- Very athletic.

Things I dont like about him:
- Not a very good shooter right now although he has improved over the last couple years
- Not the best ball handler
- Makes some bad decisions

Now I know I am sure to get flamed for this but do not knock the kid until you watch him play. I've watched quite a bit of his games due to one of my friends being Slovian and he will be the best player that has come out of Slovenia.

Now we will just have to wait to see if he comes to Phoenix this year. Suns put a lot more into this guy than they have with draft picks in the past so I'm hoping they buy him out now.

Did you just say he's going to be a top 5 pg and then say he's bad shooter, ball handler and decision maker in the same breath?
 

YouJustGotSUNSD

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Top 5?? I doubt it. In the NBA you won't be a great PG unless you can shoot. This guy can't shoot. Teams in the NBA will clog up the lane, not allow him to penetrate and dare this guy to shoot the ball. Unless he learns to shoot he will be nothing more then a spot minute backup in the NBA.

However, let's see him get to the NBA first. The Suns drafted this guy because they figured they would not have to pay his salary this year IMO. I seriously doubt this guy sees a Sun's uniform anytime soon.

coughjasonkiddcough
 

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