Washington Wizards Select Oleksiy Pecherov with First Round Pick
Oleksiy Pecherov
NBAE/Getty Images VIDEO: Pecherov on Stage | AUDIO |
“We really like Oleksiy’s upside,” said Grunfeld. “He’s a very good outside shooter, he’s a tough rebounder, and he’s improved tremendously every year. He’s a very competitive player. We like the fact that he’s strong in the pick-and-pop game and we think he’ll really be able to keep the defense honest with his outside shooting ability.”
“Washington is a great city,” said Pecherov. “The Wizards have a great team with very good players and I think I can help this team in the future.”
Pecherov, 20, was an early entry candidate in the 2006 NBA Draft. He began his professional career in his native Ukraine where he was a member of the Ukrainian National Team. Pecherov participated in the Global Games in Dallas, Texas in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and was named Tournament MVP in 2004 after averaging 23.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Most recently, Pecherov played for Paris Basket Racing during the 2005-06 season and averaged 11.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in 21.0 minutes per game.
In the second round, the Wizards selected Vladimir Veremeenko (Vlad-DA-meer Ver-A-men-ko), a 21 year old, 6-10 forward from Belarus.
Wizards Analyst Glenn Consor's Thought's: Is NBA ready as a rebounder, but can stick the jumper...Is a very versatile 6'11 player - he runs the floor and can pull out bigs, with great quickness...With Andray Blatche , and Peter John Ramos coming on strong, Pecherov...Could take some time to develop, put on muscle, and gain experience.
It has been stated by many NBA scouts that if Peter John was coming out this year he would be a lottery pick...Wizards love the way Pecherov from the Ukraine moves and runs the floor, great upside, with strength...A Pau Gasol type player...Is a solid pick with an emphasis on the fact that Ernie loves the core players on this team...Passed on Marcus Williams, Josh Boone, and Alexander Johnson...Wiz looking towards the future - the right pick here
ESPN.com Insider
The word was that the Wizards made a promise to Pecherov a while ago, so we knew this was coming. Pecherov is a talented player who reminds me a little of Keith Van Horn. He's big and he can rebound the ball. He can step out and hit a 3-pointer. A nice pick for the Wizards. He's probably a year or two away (and could actually stay in Paris another year), but I like this pick for the Wizards. With another year or two in Europe, he would've been a potential lottery pick.
SI.com
A Ukrainian in Washington, D.C.? The Cold War is officially over. This 6-11 forward is skinny and raw, and might need a year or two to blossom, but he can shoot and rebound. GM Ernie Grunfeld is quietly stockpiling big men (see Andray Blatche, P.J. Ramos). If one or more ever pans out, it will pay off big time.
DraftExpress.com
Pecherov’s main virtue and best skill on the floor is his shooting stroke. Many of the offensive situations he enjoys have the jumper as the final purpose. He displays nice mechanics, looking fluid while executing it, being able to nail his shots off the dribble, although feeling more comfortable in static fashion, while he enjoys three point range. He also uses his shooting ability in the low post, where he likes to finish with a rather effective turnaround jumper that rather difficult to stop.
CBSSportsline
A steadily improving Ukrainian who at last found consistency during this past season, he'd be a nice piece for the Suns to add. He can shoot it a little, moves fluidly and offers excellent size.
NBADraft.net
Athletic European with inside/outside game ... Very skilled big man. Knows how to play close to the basket, but excels outside ... His coordination and height are a great combination ... Plays very well on the perimeter, jump shot out past 20 feet is consistent...Not the classic banger of a power forward ... Lacks the foot speed to defend small forwards ... Must become better defensively ... Lacks a great back to the basket game ... Needs to develop better consistency
FoxSports.com
Pecherov does many things adequately, but nothing in his game stands out. He is a solid athlete and possesses decent range on his jumper for a power forward. He lacks ideal strength in a "four", needing to add about 20-30 pounds to fill out his frame.
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