Print
RSS 
Sign up for E-news
Draft Evaluations Continue With Iguodala & Biedrins
DRAFT EVALUATIONS CONTINUE WITH IGUODALA & BIEDRINS
Biedrins is one of the most promising big men prospects in Europe. The 18-year-old averaged 18.6 points and 8.2 rebounds for Skonto Riga in Latvia last year. He was a member of the Latvian National Team at the Euro Cadet Championship in 2001 and performed at the Euro Junior Championship 2002.
BobcatsBasketball.com visited with Bobcats General Manager & Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff and both players after the workout:
GENERAL MANAGER & HEAD COACH BERNIE BICKERSTAFF
(on Andre Iguodala)
It was really two pretty good workouts here. Andre is really starting to help himself in the draft. He’s athletic and shot the ball better than we thought. The one thing is that his mechanics were very consistent. He’s got that (Dwayne) Wade look and you know how successful he’s been because of his strength and body. As he moves around (to the other workouts), I guarantee you he will help himself and will move up in the lottery – no doubt about it.
(on Andris Biedrins)
I think he’s a little different than a lot of your European guys in that he doesn’t have the perimeter skills in terms of shooting the basketball. But for a guy that is 6-11, his ball-handling skills are good. I think he probably needs to strengthen up a little bit, but I think probably two to three years down the road that he can be pretty good basketball player.
(on selecting Biedrins in the first round)
Not with the fourth pick. He’s the type of guy you talk about if you acquire another pick – a late first-rounder. I would think right now he would probably go outside of the lottery somewhere – maybe to the teams that have two or three picks. That’s just my opinion. We like him because he’s 6-11, can handle the basketball, has a good work ethic, is fundamentally sound and can pass the basketball.
(on Iguodala’s athletic ability)
I like athletic basketball players and the versatility that he can bring to the table. The thing that I was impressed with is that we thought he had to improve his shooting, which he still does, but his mechanics and the rotation on his shots were consistent. His athleticism and the drills that we put him through, he was very good. It’s another barometer that we have in terms of when we bring others in.
(on Iguodala’s position in the NBA)
I think the two (shooting guard) and three (small forward), but guys like that you can have some fun with because you can make teams match up to you – in terms of his quickness and his ability to get to the offensive boards. Teams would have to match up when they talk about playing small ball. It would be small ball with athleticism but with big skills because of his ability to get to the boards.
(on Iguodala’s working with Tim Grover)
I’m impressed when a guy wants to go and work and put his summer in to work hard. I know what Grover’s putting him through and it’s hard work. That’s the first step, that the guy would have the desire to go and want to improve his game.
(on how he would compare Iguodala to Josh Childress)
I think that’s something that I really have to evaluate and really put some thought into it. In my opinion, he’s ranking right up there. Both of them are two pretty good athletic basketball players. I would say at a point like this that things seem to get better at four. You’re starting to see people as we bring them in that okay that might be one guy we like, but if there’s another guy there then we just move on because he’s a pretty good basketball player.
(on conversations with Orlando and the Clippers)
I have called Orlando and the Clippers and asked them if there’s anything we can do to help because I do think that they are both teams that need veteran players because they aren’t that far away. Obviously I’ve called both and they said they would document that and we’ll just go from there. But, we have opened the door and let them know that we do have an interest.
 |
(on whether he’s the most athletic player in the draft)
I think I have a lot of athletic qualities in my game and it shows with me doing a lot of different things on the court. I can play three positions and defend three positions -- point guard, shooting guard and small forward. I played a little bit of point guard in high school. Throughout college, I played a lot of the three position. I’m shooting the ball very well at this point in time, so hopefully that will continue and I’ll just mix everything together.
(on his shooting ability)
I’ve been working out with Tim Grover at Hoops Gym in Chicago and have added five pounds of muscle. He puts me through tough workouts in the morning and hitting the weights afterwards. I take a couple hours off and rest and then come right back and it’s straight shooting. I’m shooting at least 500 or 600 shots a day, so I’m just putting in work.
(on his workouts with Tim Grover)
They are just so intense. Basically, he’s getting me prepared for every workout I go to with everything that we do. His workouts are almost exactly the same and it’s carrying over. It’s showing because I’m doing well in the workouts everywhere I’ve been so far.
(on today’s workout)
I was very confident and comfortable with the situation. It was a lot longer and tougher because we had two guys, but I think it worked out for me because I got to show them every aspect of my game.
(on the strength of his game)
Just being able to do a whole lot of different things well. Some players can only post up or stay outside, whereas I can do both, plus I can defend.
(on where he thinks he’ll go in the draft)
With the way things are going right now, hopefully I’ll be in the top 10. Today’s workout was excellent and I played well in Chicago and then I’ll go to the next teams all the way down to 10. So, anywhere from three to 10, hopefully.
(on the similarities to Josh Childress)
I think he’s similar in length. I don’t know if he’s as athletic, but we’re pretty close. He can get up and go get the ball. He can rebound and push it up the court. I think the difference is that I’m a little bit more like a point forward. I get the rebound, bring it up, get inside and penetrate and dish it to the big man. Kind of run the team, where he’s like the guy who comes off the screen and gets it from the point guard. We’re similar, but a little bit different also.
 |
(on the workout)
The workout was good. It wasn’t very easy. There were some hard drills. This is my third official workout and now I know what is going on with the workouts. I know what I have to do and every workout is getting easier. I know where I have to put a little more intensity and where to put a little less and every workout is getting better and better.
(on his other workouts)
Last weekend I was in Seattle and yesterday I was in Washington.
(on coming from Europe to play in the NBA)
I know that it’s hard work and it’s not so easy to go from Europe to the NBA. I’ve been here in the U.S.A. for two months. I’m ready to work hard now that I’m here and I think I’ll be fine.
