[GOD]

I have heard several people say top ten, a few say top 5, I personally think he would go 3rd, but I really don't know. He is the best player in Europe by far, great scorer, great passer, great court vision, very athletic and more. His drawbacks are that he is only decent on defense, is 23 years old, and some say his handles are limited, though I don't really see that.

Last year he went 24th, partially because of his contract status, and back then people were saying that if he was able to be drafted directly in to the NBA than he would have gone in the mid to late teens. And this year he improved tremendously, winning MVP of all the tournaments he was in so far, and likely to win MVP of his league.

ULEB 07/08 - 22.6mpg, 15.2ppg, FG% 46.8, 3pt% 39.1, FT% 94.1, Reb 3.4, ast 3.7, stl 2.0
ACB O7/08 - 28mpg, 21.6ppg, FG% 49.7, 3pt% 42.2, FT% 91.1, Reb 3.1, ast 4.2, stl 2.2

Also, remember that assists are recorded differently in Europe and those numbers would basically be much higher in the states.

Here is compilation


Highlights from a recent game

[luther]

3-5. And yeah, I think he'd have gone in the teens last year if he had been coming over immediately.

[B-Roy]

5-10

Eh, 7.

[Rule_By_His_Own_Hand]

I looked at some more clips with his name in a search and on youtube for just added videos I got here some Spanish fans are arguing about Spanoulis being better than him, so I would say no way in hell he would be a top 3 pick.

there's the commentary

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3b_XfVMu6qQ

here's the clip

[GOD]

Originally Posted by Rule_By_His_Own_Hand

I looked at some more clips with his name in a search and on youtube for just added videos I got here some Spanish fans are arguing about Spanoulis being better than him, so I would say no way in hell he would be a top 3 pick.

there's the commentary

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3b_XfVMu6qQ

here's the clip

Just cause one person made a clip that said he is better makes it so?

And I think it is totally reasonable for you to not think he is top 3, but where would you place him? top 5? top 10, top 20? or 50th where Spanoulis was drafted?

[Plastic Man]

He is not "the best player in Europe by far". I don't know how high he'd go, I just thought I'd point that out.

peace

[andalusian]

Rudy's biggest problem is that he is light for his height - this would not go well with NBA people - so I can't see him as a top-5 pick despite his success in Europe. I would go somewhere in the 7-10 range.

He might still be one of the best 3 players to come out of the draft class when all is said and done - but I just do not see him drafted that high.

[Rule_By_His_Own_Hand]

Originally Posted by GOD

Just cause one person made a clip that said he is better makes it so?

And I think it is totally reasonable for you to not think he is top 3, but where would you place him? top 5? top 10, top 20? or 50th where Spanoulis was drafted?

Players right now in Europe probably better than him:

Terrence Morris
Dimitris Diamantidis
Ramunas Siskauskas
Theo Papaloukas
Trajan Langdon
Antonis Fotsis
Vassilis Spanoulis


I am not saying Rudy cannot play in the NBA. He is something like a younger Brent Barry type player but he has less handles than Barry and needs to work on that a little bit. Honestly if the Blazers really want a PG/SG/SF from Europe Diamantidis should be there man if you want my honest opinion. He's 6-5 40 inch vertical, he's got a 7-0 wingspan, he's a great ball handler, he's the best team defender in the WORLD and he's got a point guard mind and mentality, he can run a team as a point forward even. He has pure point guard attitude. He can play the 1,2,3 and guard the 1,2,3. He is a player that would gladly accept being a role player and does not care at all about shots or scoring. He would literally be the PERFECT player to match with guys like Roy, Alridge, Oden.

[Plastic Man]

^^Throw in Splitter, McIntyre, Lavrinovic and a bunch of other names too. I mean, Fernandez has been putting up nice numbers in the Spanish league (which is one of the best European leagues), but he's never played in the toughest European competition. I'm sorry but putting up big numbers in the ULEB cup is not something to label a player the best by far. I doubt he cracks the top 10. He's an awesome talent though, no doubt about it.

peace

[Rule_By_His_Own_Hand]

Originally Posted by Plastic Man

^^Throw in Splitter, McIntyre, Lavrinovic and a bunch of other names too. I mean, Fernandez has been putting up nice numbers in the Spanish league (which is one of the best European leagues), but he's never played in the toughest European competition. I'm sorry but putting up big numbers in the ULEB cup is not something to label a player the best by far. I doubt he cracks the top 10. He's an awesome talent though, no doubt about it.

peace

Yeah I forget some names also like Pekovic as well. Rudy I really think I lien to a young Brent Barry with less handles (he can fix that because he just really hasn't needed his handle to be that good so in the NBA he would surely imporve on it). The kid obviously can be even a very good player in the NBA. Now when I say young Brent Barry not nearly that flashy of a player but pretty similar nonetheless I think.

But I think Rudy is getting thrown in the same hype machine that Jasekivicius was before he came to the NBA. he's being way overhyped right now. Like I said I really think a guy like Diamantidis or even Siskauskus would be a really nice fit in Portland whereas Rudy will just be another young player that needs to develop. Some NBA coaches don't play these guys. Look at Sergio right now under Nate.

Then you have a guy like Macijuaskus who was better than Rudy is now when he cam to the NBA and he showed up apparently out of shape and Byron Scott just threw him in the trash bin immediately. Spanoulis is an example of a player with great potential that came to the NBA too early. He went to the NBA after his rookie year of Euroleague and got a coach that will not develop players, etc.

So all I am saying is the thing that REALLY matters for these Euros is get the right coach and right team situation for them. Look at Belineli for instance. These guys get so frustrated and so mad and might even leave after one year because they aren't like US ballers. They are used to being the man on their team or even in their league. Then they leave friends and family and they take less money to ride on a bench.

It's a bit different for a guy like Splitter that's a big man coming over you know the big men will get a look for sure. Rudy better be careful and if the Blazers are not going to be just the perfect team for him he should do exact same thing Scola did. And really like I am saying there are other players in Europe that would fit Portland probably better. But even the GM's of the NBA teams get all caught up in players that are surrounded by hype.