Marty Blake on Songaila; also, Songaila not interested in Europe

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

First, here's NBA scouting guru Marty Blake on Songaila (and this guy knows
what he's talking about):

Marty Blake's post-draft analysis

from NBA.com

Q. Who are some of the less well-konwn players that have impressed you?
Blake: . . . Darious Songaila(50th to Boston)could be a find for Boston.


--- snip ---

Now, here's the link and story from today's Herald on Songaila and other
C-notes. The quotes from Papile at the end crack me up. He lumps Blount in
with Kedrick and Cook, so I'm now officially worried about Kedrick and Cook.
In fact, he acts like Blount has been some great find. He looks good in the
uniform, but he's yet to show he can play. Songaila is like the anti-Blount.
He isn't athletic and won't win any footraces, but he knows how to play.
That's no guarantee, and if Songaila didn't have legit PF/C size, I'd say he
had no chance. But he has the size. He has the skills.

Anyway, here's the story:

http://www.bostonherald.com/sport/celtics/cnots06282002.htm
<http://www.bostonherald.com/sport/celtics/cnots06282002.htm> 

Songaila, agent believe he's ready 

Celtics Notebook/by Steve Bulpett 
Friday, June 28, 2002
Darius Songaila was a low-feeling Lithuanian when he went to the Internet
yesterday morning and read about how the Celtics had drafted him but didn't
want him. Sort of. 
There was much talk about how the Celts would like the 50th pick to perhaps
spend a bit of time readying himself overseas before they take him onto the
roster. But after much international experience and four years at Wake
Forest, the 6-foot-9 Songaila believes he is ready now. 
Yesterday his agent said the Celtics will change their tune once Songaila
comes in and begins working out for them next week. 
``Darius is an NBA player. There's no doubt in my mind about that,'' said
Mark Bartelstein. ``I think the Celtics went into the draft with the idea
that maybe they'd take somebody in the second round who needed to go
overseas for a while. Then again, I don't think they expected Darius to be
available there.'' 
Nor did Bartelstein or Songaila. They had pretty much been assured that he
would not get past Sacramento with the 28th and final pick of the first
round. But the Kings ended up taking point guard Dan Dickau in a prearranged
deal that sent him to Atlanta. 
``So all of a sudden the Celtics see Darius there and they can't pass him
up,'' Bartelstein said. ``He's too good a player. And I think once they
spend time with him they're going to be very happy he doesn't want to go
overseas. 
``You're talking about a guy who I think is a perfect fit for the way Jim
O'Brien likes to play. He likes big men who can step outside and shoot.
Darius can shoot 3s effortlessly, but what makes him different is that he
can also go inside and bang. You tend to find guys who like to float around
the perimeter and don't like to bang, but Darius is a very physical,
knock-your-chin-off type of guy. I think he's going to be a real good pro.''

No rest for Papile 
Hours after he got home from the draft, Celtics player personnel director
Leo Papile was headed to the airport for a 6 a.m. flight to Detroit to coach
the BABC in the 16-and-under nationals. He and the C's are in the process of
dealing with free agents - both their own and those on other teams who may
come with a ``friendly'' price tag. 
``I think it behooves anyone in my position to think long-term even though
you're having current success,'' said Papile, whose BABC group is the
defending champion in the Motown event. ``And I think through the dark ages
here one of the things I always felt is that we weren't that far away. I
thought we were athletically challenged, and I think we've addressed that to
a degree. But I think the new rules of the league allow you to be less
athletic and more successful. It's a little like college basketball with the
team defense allowing you to be better on the help side. That erases you
having an eraser. 
``Now I think the challenge is to develop a JV team to get ready to play
varsity some time next fall. Our JV team - Kedrick Brown, hopefully Mark
Blount's back with us, Omar Cook, Joseph Forte - we have to get those guys
to where they can be counted on as rotation players. It may take something
happening to a regular to have one of those guys get into one of those
roles, but they have to be ready nonetheless. You have to still think long
term: What do we have currently here that can become rotation players and
what is around the league as far as minimum free agents? We've had a good
run with the short money guys like (Bruce) Bowen, Adrian Griffin, Damon
Jones, Mark (Blount) - guys like that who have contributed. I hold a lot of
hope out for Cook, Brown and Blount.'' 
Potapenko on mend 
Songaila will have company when he shows up at Healthpoint next week to work
out. Among others, Brown will be in, and Vitaly Potapenko is there rehabbing
from his ACL surgery.