Fw: Insider continues its look at Pavel Podkolzine.

["Josh Ozersky" <jozersky1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven Wallace" <swallace4922@attbi.com>
Newsgroups: alt.sports.basketball.nba.boston-celtics
Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 1:26 PM
Subject: Insider continues its look at Pavel Podkolzine.


> The ultimate out-of-nowhere story
> By Chad Ford
> NBA Insider
> Saturday, June 7
> Updated: June 7
> 12:35 PM ET
>
>
> CHICAGO -- The giant is out of the bag.
>
>
>  Sleeping Giant
>  Until last December, when Insider Chad Ford heard the tale of a
mysterious
> big-man discovered in Siberia and stashed in Varese, Italy, to develop,
few
> people in the NBA had even heard of Pavel Podkolzine.
>
> But between Ford's story then and his visit to Italy for a first-hand look
> last month, Podkolzine went from anonymous to the top of the charts.
>
> Dec. '02: Big men, tall tales
>
> May '03: Meet goliath
>
> Two hundred NBA scouts and GMs crammed into the Gold Coast Multiplex on
> Friday to watch 7-foot-4, 300 pound Siberian center Pavel Podkolzine.'s
> first workout. The obscure 18-year-old big man whom no one had heard of
six
> months ago went from the ultimate sleeper to a top-10 lock in slightly
more
> than 40 minutes.
>
> "Holy sh--!" one NBA GM told Insider. "He's amazing."
>
> "I don't believe what I just saw," another GM told Insider. "That's the
most
> potent combination of size, strength and agility I've seen since Shaq."
>
> "I was a skeptic when I read all the reports about him on Insider,"
another
> GM began. "I love the international kids, but I thought things were
getting
> out of hand with Pavel. I'm converted now. That's one amazing prospect
right
> there."
>
> "What does Yao Ming do that he doesn't?" another GM said. "Yao's feel for
> the game at this point is much better, but from a physical standpoint,
he's
> more explosive."
>
>
> Podkolzine
> Podkolzine aced his first test in the NBA. He shot the ball extremely
well,
> threw coach Billy Bayno around in the post like a rag doll and ran the
floor
> like a guard.
>
> Almost everyone in attendance quickly drew comparisons between Pavel and a
> young, agile Arvydas Sabonis.
>
> "People in the NBA don't remember Sabonis when he was young," one
> international scout said. "They only remember the slow version. Pavel
seems
> to have all of those same skills at the enormous size. If he develops a
real
> feel for the game, you will see him dominate the NBA for 15 years."
>
> For those of you still skeptical about the big fella's NBA potential
> consider this. Of the 20 or so team executives I talked to after the
> workout, none of them projected Podkolzine to last past No. 10.
>
>  " If I'm Carmelo Anthony, I'm sweating right now. Based on potential,
he's
> right up there with LeBron and Darko. "
>   - An NBA GM, on Podkolzine
> Some think he'll go much higher.
>
> "He'll go anywhere from four to seven," one GM said.
>
> "He won't get past six," said another.
>
> One really went out on a limb. "If I'm Carmelo Anthony, I'm sweating right
> now. Based on potential, he's right up there with LeBron and Darko."
>
> Indeed, after the workout, the Denver Nuggets were among the plethora of
> teams calling Pavel's agent, Justin Zanick, trying to schedule a private
> workout. Ironicaly, Carmelo met Podkolzine in the hotel lobby when
> Podkolzine checked in. Carmelo looked up (way up) and just said, "Damn!"
>
> Zanick, a new NBA agent who used to work for super-agent Mark Bartelstien,
> also went from obscurity to one of the most powerful agents in this year's
> draft overnight. After the workout, he couldn't talk for two minutes
without
> being interrupted by a team trying to arrange to see Podkolzine again.
>
> Most won't get the chance. The buzz is so high on Podkolzine right now,
> Zanick is thinking of shutting down his workouts.
>
> Podkolzine will take the NBA physical today, then begin a tour of lottery
> teams interested in him. Whether he actually works out during those visits
> remains to be seen.
>
> He'll be in Memphis on Tuesday. Milwaukee the next day, New York on
> Thursday, Miami either Friday or next Saturday, and in L.A. to meet with
the
> Clippers on June 15. The Nuggets, Raptors and Bulls also will get visits.
>
>
> At 7-foot-4, Podkolzin has size and mobility, but he lacks game
experience.
> Of course, everyone is taking this workout with a grain of salt. It
revealed
> nothing about court IQ, the ability to be physical with stronger, more
> athletic players, or game-time savvy. Podkolzine played a total of 120
> minutes last year in Varese. That's three full games. In other words,
> everyone understands he's a project -- a guy a couple years away from
having
> a big impact in the league. But with those type of physical skills, it
> appears teams are willing to take the risk.
>
> With his buyout taken care of, and concerns about his ankle dispelled,
> Podkolzine has a great chance of being the second international player
taken
> in the draft. With Darko Milicic, France's Mickael Pietrus (Bulls GM John
> Paxson just flew over to France to get a second look) and Poland's Maciej
> Lampe also generating a lot of buzz, it appears a record four
international
> players will be selected in the lottery.
>
> Podkolzine is surprised at all of the attention. "I can't believe how many
> people came to see me?" he said. "I thought, like, 10 people will be in
this
> gym. I don't even play this year."
>
> Pavel claims he got nervous when the stampede of NBA scouts flooded into
the
> gym. It didn't show on the court. "I wanted to go and shake everyone's
> hand," he said. "But there is too many. Many, many people came. I just
hope
> I was worth the time."
>
> After the workout, Podkolzine's attention turnsed to food and shopping. He
> skipped his usual pizza for some more American-style fare. "I'm not
Italian
> anymore," he says with a big grin. "Now I'm American."
>
> After lunch, he was anxious to hit Niketown, hoping to find some Michael
> Jordan wear. It's impossible to find that stuff in Italy, and even the
store
> manager isn't sure they make things big enough for a 7-foot-4 kid. After
> some serious searching, they finally find some gear big enough. Size?
> XXXXXL.
>
> Everywhere he goes, people flock to him. He takes the time to stop and
talk
> to each person. The smile didn't leave his face all day. Even off the
court
> he seems shocked with all of the attention.
>
> For all of his special qualities on the court, Pavel's best attributes may
> be off it. He's kind, warm and humble. He has no idea who he is or what he
> could become.
>
> "He is a gift from God," adviser and former coach Gianni Chipparo said
after
> the workout. "Pavel is a great kid. He works hard, and he just wants to
get
> better. He has the chance to be very special on the court. Off the court?
> He's already arrived."
>
> So, where will Podkolzine go?
> Pavel Podkolzine isn't likely to bump LeBron James or Darko Milicic out of
> the top two spots in the draft, but after that it's almost a toss-up.
Here's
> a breakdown of the teams considering drafting him:
> 3. Denver Nuggets: Carmelo who? GM Kiki Vandeweghe is intrigued. Would
> Denver swap the No. 3 pick with Toronto (who really wants 'Melo) for the
No.
> 4 and a couple of future first-rounders?
> 4. Toronto Raptors: They need a big man in the worst way. Chris Kaman
worked
> out for them earlier in the week, and it went well. But Kaman doesn't have
> the upside Podkolzine does. Can GM Glen Grunwald wait for the 18-year-old
to
> develop?
>
> 5. Miami Heat: Pat Riley looked like he was in love Friday. With 'Zo
moving
> on, they can use the help in the paint. But does Pat have the patience to
> wait on Pavel. History says no.
>
> 6. Los Angeles Clippers: Their scout, Fabricio Besnati, helped discover
> Pavel. He's been begging GM Elgin Baylor to draft him ever since. Now that
> Elgin has seen what the buzz is all about, will he pull the trigger? They
> have to replace Michael Olowokandi someday.
>  7. Chicago Bulls: If Jerry Krause was still around, he'd be burning up
the
> phone lines to get this kid. However, it looks like GM John Paxson is
> looking for someone to help the Bulls right now.
> 8. Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks have scouted him well and will take him if
he
> falls this far. However, no one in the organization believes he'll be on
the
> board for them now.
>
> 9. New York Knicks: Podkolzine is no Frederic Weis. Team president Scott
> Layden said he was impressed, but like the Bucks, he's pretty sure Pavel
> will be gone. Can he move up and get him?
>
> 13. Memphis Grizzlies: Team representatives looked forlorn Friday. They
were
> seriously considering him at No. 13, but now they know he'll be taken long
> before that. Could they sneak up to No. 4 by offering the Raptors Stromile
> Swift and the No. 13 pick?
>
> 23. Portland Trail Blazers: Despite picking so low, they have their eye on
> Podkolzine, too. Would the Raptors take Rasheed Wallace in exchange for
> Antonio Davis, Hakeem Olajuwon's expiring contract and the rights to
Pavel?