Which former first-round picks are trying to earn their way back to the NBA via Europe?
Gone are the days where being a first-round pick nearly guarantees at least a four-year NBA career, with several opportunities to produce before teams give up on you. With the new CBA, teams are cutting costs from every possible angle, and with many options for minimum salary players from the D-League and overseas developing, more and more first-round picks are finding themselves on the outside looking in if they fail to establish themselves early on.
With the Euroleague top 16 and Eurocup last 32 set to begin, here is a look at 5 former first-round picks who could potentially earn a return to the NBA in the near future.
courtesy of Euroleague.net
1. Jan Vesely, 7’0” PF, 1990
Team: Fenerbahce Ulker (Turkey), Drafted: 6th overall in 2011 by Wizards
When it comes to the development of a player, situation, fit and expectations are everything. As a super athletic 7 footer, the Wizards drafted Vesely 6th, with the hope that he could develop better ballhandling and shooting skills that would allow him the versatility to be a top forward in the league. However, Vesely’s skills and basketball IQ didn’t develop at the rate that Washington had expected, and the pressure for Vesely to perform weighed heavily on him, with his confidence dropping lower after each sub-par performance.
Vesely returned to Europe this season to play under legendary Coach Zeljko Obradovic for Fenerbahce, and has been quickly picking up the pieces of his career. His outside shot is still nonexistent, but he runs the floor like a deer, moves well without the ball, and has been making a big impact so far this season. Now that he is focused more on being himself and playing to his strengths, instead of living up to the expectations of his high draft selection, he is showing signs of the confident player who had an epic kiss with his girlfriend on draft night.
Vesely likely will not be available to NBA teams this summer, since he has a second year on his contract with Fenerbahce, but he likely will get another shot in the league if he keeps making positive progress. Perhaps in his second go around, he will play a lot looser with more realistic expectations.
2. Anthony Randolph, 6’11” PF/C, 1989
Team: Lokomotiv Kuban (Russia), Drafted 14th overall in 2008 by Warriors
Entering the draft after his one season at LSU, Randolph was projected to be a can’t-miss prospect due to his length and versatility. At 6’11” Randolph is a guy who could get a block or a rebound, then be the first guy up the floor to finish with a slam. However, Randolph struggled to find consistency in his time in the NBA, and bounced around to five teams through his six-year career.
After a subpar year with Denver, Randolph took his talents to Russia, signing a 1 year deal with Lokomotiv Kuban. Randolph hasn’t exactly been blowing away the competition, playing in the super competitive VTB league and the Eurocup, but he has been solid thus far this season, averaging 10.4 PTS and 4.2 REB. Kuban is one of the more difficult high level teams in Europe to play for, since the travel, weather and language barrier are very intense, and the style of basketball can be a culture shock.
While Randolph will need to take a step up over the second half of the season for an NBA team to be interested in him for more than a non-guaranteed deal next season, he is going in the right direction. With more NBA teams shifting to small ball lineups with their second unit, Randolph can carve out a niche for himself as a versatile and energetic 4/5 off the bench, who could change the pace of the game with his athleticism.
3. MarShon Brooks, 6’5” SG, 1989
courtesy of OlimpiaMilano.com
Team: EA7 Armani Milano (Italy), Drafted 25th overall in 2011 by Celtics (traded to Nets)
Brooks came to the NBA as a heralded scorer from Providence, who seemed like he could have a Jamal Crawford type impact with his ability to create his shot from anywhere. After averaging 12.6 PPG for the Nets during the lockout year, Brooks struggled to find consistent minutes, with his defense and shot selection giving coaches valid reason to hesitate to put him on the floor.
This season, Brooks has taken his talents to Milan, where he has been killing it in the Italian League (15.3 PTS, 42.3% 3PT), but struggling in the Euroleague (8.5 PTS, 32% 3PT). Star guard Daniel Hackett is suspended for only Italian League play for missing the Italian National Team this summer, giving Brooks more minutes and touches in domestic league play, where he faces lesser defenses. In Euroleague, where every possession matters, Brooks has been less effective in his more limited opportunities.
If Brooks wants to turn his one year European stint into an immediate NBA return, he will need to find himself in the Top 16 of Euroleague, and show he can perform when the stakes are higher. Everyone knows he can light it up when the game is open, but he will need to show NBA personnel that he can be a winner in a team concept during set game situations.
4. JaJuan Johnson, 6’10” PF/C, 1989
Team: Besiktas Istanbul (Turkey), Drafted 27th overall in 2011 by Nets (traded to Celtics)
A star at Purdue, Johnson was traded to Boston on draft night for MarShon Brooks, where he barely left the bench during his one year stint there. After being thrown into the Courtney Lee trade with the Rockets, he was let go and had an unsuccessful year in the D-League, where he bounced around three teams.
Johnson went to Italy last season, where he found his rhythm again with Pistoia, playing with point guard Brad Wanamaker, who helped Johnson adjust seamlessly to Europe. After helping a small budget Italian team get to the playoffs, Johnson drew the interest of Besiktas (who many readers may remember from Allen Iverson and Deron Williams’ stints there, not so much Adam Morrison’s), and has been one of the best big men in both Turkey and the Eurocup.
Despite having a light frame, Johnson has an excellent touch around the basket, and is a natural scorer. Simply put, you can’t teach someone to be that long, and have such great hands. Johnson tried to be more of an outside player in his first go around in the pros, but that just is out of character as he is a guy who does most of his damage in the paint.
Johnson has done a good job figuring out who he is during his time in Europe, and while he still is too light to match up against most big men in the NBA, he may be able to carve out a career if he sticks to what he knows. In the next year or two, Johnson will need to decide whether he wants to chase being one of the top big men in Europe, or return to the states to try to earn back the NBA career he seemed destined to have in his time at Purdue.
5. James Anderson, 6’6” SG, 1989
Team: Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania), Drafted 20th overall in 2010 by Spurs
Most players take time to adjust to playing in Europe, even players who have NBA experience under their belt. Ty Lawson struggled during the NBA lockout to perform for Zalgiris, one of the most storied clubs in Europe, and his time there was cut short because of the mutual disdain built between him and the club from his sub par performances.
Anderson however, has been lighting it up from the start for Zalgiris, averaging 17 points a game on 38.7% 3PT (over 6 attempts!), and has established himself as one of the premier wings in the Euroleague this season. After showing he can start and score in the league last year for the lowly Sixers, Anderson is showing that he can be a shot maker in meaningful minutes this season, and will have plenty more chances to show it during the Top 16 round.
After getting the experience to play with the Spurs early in his career, and now getting a chance to learn a new perspective on the game in Europe, Anderson could find himself as a crucial shot maker off the bench for a contender next season. That is, if a European team doesn’t open up their wallet for him.
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AJ Mitnick is an American living in Israel and working as an assistant coach in the Israeli Basketball Winner League. A graduate of IDC Herzliya, Mitnick is an assistant coach with Bnei Herzliya, following three seasons with Maccabi Rishon-Lezion. Follow him on Twitter.