Player: Jan VeselySpecifics: 21 years old; 6’11 (some scouts question) 240 pounds. Birth date: April 24 1990 Numbers: 10 pts 4 rebs in 24 minutes, 61% FG, 28% 3pts, 54% FT
Game Scouted:
1) Partizan MT:S v. Efes Pilsen, at Belgrade Arena
2) Partizan v. Union Olimpija, April 21st 2011.
BACKGROUND
Vesely is from the Czech Republic. Moved to Serbia in 2008-09 and signed to play professionally for BC Partizan Belgrade. He won the Serbian National Championship both years. In his first year as a pro he averaged 5 pts and 3 rebs in 17 games of Euroleague. In 09-10 he averaged 8 pts and 5 rebs in 22 games. Over the last three years his three point shooting has gone from 1 for 18 to 12 for 30 to this season 10 of 28 in 15 Euroleague games. He had his best games at the end of this year. In the final 4 games of the year in the “Top 16” games he played 31 mins per and averaged 19 pts 5 rebs . His team just won the Adriatic Final 4, he averaged 9 pts and 4 rebs in 24 minutes a game in the Final Four.
OVERALL
Vesely is very skilled for 6’11. From the video it is hard to believe he is really 240 pounds. The European game is mostly 1 in 4 out and he plays on the wing most of the game. At times they play him in the post on a smaller man. He is the equivalent of a small forward. His lack of strength prohibits him from having much success in the post.
He is playing big time competition and is a 20 year old amongst grown men. In one of the games I watched he played along with 4 former NBA players, Flip Murray, Bostjan Nochbar and others. Most of the players were well into their 20’s or into their 30’s.
Have to believe if he was a college sophomore he would be killing people.
He didn’t wow me with his game. He made an unreal play that will stay with me, but for the most part he was just a guy on the floor. He is 20 playing with grown men and holding his own which is the impressive aspect of what he is doing.
When he gets going he plays with passion. He plays fearlessly. I was left with the impression he wanted to be the man. He made the biggest impression when the game was in the 4th quarter and tight.
Athletically he wows you with above the rim slams and his length. Not sure about his pure speed or his laterally movement. It really depends if he is a 3 or a 4 and that is not clear.
QUICK SYNOPSIS
Athletically skilled big who plays on the perimeter. Very long and gets almost all of his shots above the rim. His questionable hands are a major concern coupled with inability to shoot free throws or consistently from the outside leave some questions. Doesn’t get asked to do much offensively and therefore hard to tell if he has an offensive game.
His NBA skills are length and athleticism, hard to project him as a 6’11 small forward.
Likely a 5 to 10 pick in this year’s draft
OFFENSE
The play that made me go WOW is hard to get out my mind. Down 7 in 4th q with 6:00 left he gets the ball on the right wing outside the International 3 point line. He has a pick waiting for him to his left instead he puts the ball on the floor and in one dribble gets to the rim for a thunderous dunk. It was absurd. Insane skill set to be able to make that play in one dribble. That is NBA skills. That translates and makes him a beast if he can do that with regularity.
Plays most of his offensive game above the rim on alley-oops and dives to the hole. His dribble drive game to the middle looks comfortable but only 1 or 2 dribbles, but he never finished and his shooting looks good but he missed.
Lack of strength and a concern on his hands are preventing him from being dominant. His shooting touch maybe impacted by a lack of touch which is exemplified by his drops and poor free throw shooting. That is not teachable if it is the issue.
Post Game: Is comfortable in the post getting position and uses his angles well. But he lacks the strength to hold position, catch and finish. In the games I watched he posted 6 or 7 times but never finished. He was always guarded by smaller guys and used his size but then got suffocated by the other defenders. Has a hard time holding position and making the catch in a position where he could make a move.
Shooting: Shot looks comfortable but didn’t go in. Plays much of the game on the outside. Took 2 three’s in one game and none in the other. At 6’11 has good range. Missed both his long shots in the game I saw. He shots three’s better as the season wore on but his free throw shooting got worse.
Rebounding: Willing and able, but again lacks strength and plays a lot of the game on the outside. Always looks to screen out a man and put a body on someone. Is not going out of his area to grab a board, but can get up higher to get a rebound if he has space and is without contact. Heads to the offensive glass almost every shot, I think looking for tip jam follow with his skills. Question whether he tracks the ball well.
Passing: Plays inside the team. Passed once off a drive which is an important skill. Considering how much he has played outside the arch he is a better than average passer for a big. Very patient on more than one occasion enter the ball in the post and then got it back only to re-enter it to the post.
Picks: He is big and long. Sets them but not a popper or a roller at this point in his game.
Understanding: Played inside the system. Didn’t force things. He never made a play that made you wonder about his intentions. Plays hard.
DEFENSEOverall: Has to do a lot of guarding out on the floor at 6’11. It looks uncomfortable and it is hard to imagine he will get away with that in the NBA against NBA caliber players. However, he did a good job of effecting outside shots and getting back to his man off help. He battles on the defensive end. He fights through picks and he holds his own when isolated one on one. His one close out was poor and he jumps at shooters rather than staying down on his close outs. He moves ok. Wasn’t embarrassed on the outside defending. Teams went at him. His team does a lot of switching and he has good awareness of what is taking place.
Post Defense: Didn’t play any in the game I saw, he is long.
On Floor Defense: Surprisingly good for 6’11 and 20 years old but I am not sure how it translates to the NBA. Uses his length well. Has a nice understanding of where he should be on the floor. Hard to tell sometimes in the European game what his assignments are as he protected three point line more than the rim. Got isolated a lot in space and held his own. In the most recent game they went at him and he was ok. My guess he would commit 9 fouls in his first summer league game.
Movement: Moves well and can get off the ground. Changed directions on the perimeter well for a 6’11 guy.
Pick and Roll D: He fights through picks when he has to. The teams does a lot of switching. He is usually guarding the ball handler.
Rebounding: Screens out but isn’t strong. Doesn’t have the ability to get off his man to get up for the rebound.
Shot Blocking: Active and can protect the rim.
SKILLSBalance: Very comfortable in his body. Play Hard: Nothing spectacular but when the game got tighter he got more intense and more active,Hands: This is my biggest concern. He dropped three passes in the game I watched. He is a bad free throw shooter and his three point shooing isn’t good but his form is. If he has bad hands he will not be an NBA player. Feet: Moves well and jumps out of buildingPressure; Belgrade Arena was amazing. Fans all standing. Big building. Fans are insanely close to the action. Attitude: Checked out with 3:24 left in the 4th down by 4 playing well and went to the bench revving up the crowd rather than sulking. Plays with a lot of emotion.
PROJECTIONS
This is tough because so many parts of his game are question marks. Will he shoot, is he a three or a four.
Best Case Scenario: Detlef Schrempf or Lamar OdomLikely Case Scenario: Hakim Warrick
2011 Utah Jazz Draft Central