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Updated: 6/30/2005 12:36:09 PM




By Chris Ekstrand 
SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NEW YORK (Ticker)  The impact of international players on the
NBA draft Tuesday was not as great as it has been in recent

Only seven players born outside the United States were drafted
in the first round, down from eight in 2004 and the record of
nine chosen in 2003.  The total number of players born outside
the United States was less by a small amount as well, with 19
players being selected Tuesday, one less than the 20 selected in
2004 and two fewer than the record 21 players in 2003.

The first-round selections included Andrew Bogut of Australia
and the University of Utah, the first pick in the draft by the
Milwaukee Bucks;  Fran Vazquez of Unicaja Malaga in Spain was
the 11th pick by the Orlando Magic; Yaroslav Korolev of CSKA
Moscow was chosen 12th by the Los Angeles Clippers;  Francisco
Garcia of the Dominican Republic and the University of
Louisville was picked 23rd by the Sacramento Kings;  Johan Petro
of Pau Orthez in France was selected 25th by the Seattle
SuperSonics;  Linas Kleiza of Lithuania and the University of
Missouri was tabbed 27th by Portland and traded to the Denver
Nuggets; Ian Mahinmi, a 19-year-old forward from Le Havre in
France was picked 28th by the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.

There are several reasons for the slight decline in the number
of international players in the NBA draft.  First, international
players are taking a more calculated look at their probable NBA
draft position before deciding to enter their names for the
draft at a young age.

Whereas in past years, some players competing in European
leagues did not have the resources to accurately assess where
they might be chosen in the NBA draft, today players get
substantial, detailed feedback from NBA teams.

Once this feedback is received, players and their
representatives both inside and outside the United States make
an educated decision whether to stay in the draft or withdraw
their names and wait for another year.

This season highly-regarded young prospects such as Rudy
Fernandez of DKV Joventut (Spain), Nemanja Aleksandrov of Reflex
(Serbia/Montenegro), Marko Lekic of Atlas (Serbia/Montenegro),
Kosta Perovic and Predrag Samardziski, both of Partizan
(Serbia/Montenegro) and Marko Tomas of Zagreb (Croatia) decided
to withdraw their names from consideration prior to the draft
and hope for a higher evaluation in future years.

Another top young big man, Tiago Splitter of Tau Ceramica in
Spain, withdrew his name because he could not successfully
negotiate a buyout of his contract agreeable to both parties.
Splitter would likely have been a top 15 pick in the 2005 NBA

Another factor is that NBA teams have realized that drafting an
18 or 19-year-old player from Europe poses some of the same
challenges as drafting an 18 or 19-year old player from the
United States.  These younger players are often not ready for
the physical and mental demands of NBA play.  They are not
strong enough physically to battle the tough, mature bodies in
the NBA and they often have a learning curve about the
opportunities and drawbacks presented by the NBA lifestyle.

Finally, some NBA general managers have come to the realization
that their fear of missing out on the next great young prospect
with seemingly limitless potential must be weighed against the
realities of their own short-term job security.  Drafting an
18-year-old player who may be sensational in three years can
ultimately benefit the organization, but if that long-term
project player hinders the team's ability to win games in the
short term, that general manager may not retain his employment
long enough to reap the benefits of that pick himself.

69-61 with 50 seconds remaining in the fifth and deciding game
of its ACB championship series with Tau Ceramica Sunday night,
it seemed that Real Madrid's dreams would not be realized.  What
took place next was a series of events so unlikely writers in
Spain immediately dubbed it "The Impossible Minute."

Everything needed to go right for Real Madrid.  Everything had
to go wrong for Tau Ceramica.  And that is just what happened.

After Luis Scola, a draft pick of the NBA champion San Antonio
Spurs, hit a free throw to increase Tau's lead to eight points,
the hometown crowd was already celebrating Tau's victory.  Real
Madrid rushed the ball upcourt, and Frenchman Mickael Gelabale,
who was chosen with the 48th pick in the 2005 NBA draft by the
Seattle SuperSonics, hit a rare 3-pointer to trim the lead to

Tau in turn tried to rush the ball upcourt to beat the pressure
defense of Real, but Scola was sandwiched under the basket and
failed to convert, losing the ball out of bounds with only a few
seconds elapsing on the clock.

Real Madrid pushed the ball upcourt and Justin Hamilton (20
points) slashed to the basket and scored. Tau Ceramica,
unusually flustered, turned the ball over again, with guards
Pablo Prigioni and Travis Hansen suffering a miscommunication at
the worst possible time.  Real Madrid got the ball back with 17
seconds remaining, trailing by three.

Real Madrid's Moustapha Sonko quickly worked his way to the
basket and was fouled, but he hit only one of two free throws,
giving the ball back to Tau with 13.7 seconds remaining and a
69-67 lead.  Tau's Tiago Splitter tried to inbound the ball, but
under heavy pressure from Real Madrid, threw the ball wide of
its mark, yet another turnover that gave the ball and one last
chance to Real Madrid.

Alberto Herreros, a 36-year-old veteran who had not scored the
entire game, was in the lineup for the last possession and he
did not disappoint.  Herreros, who has played in the ACB for
more than 15 years, got open in the corner and hit a 3-pointer
that amazingly put Real Madrid ahead, 70-69.  One more defensive
stand was needed, and when Jose Manuel Calderon missed a
3-pointer, Real Madrid was the champion.

Despite having a terrific season, Tau came up short in both the
Euroleague, where it lost the final game to Maccabi Tel Aviv,
and in the ACB final, losing to Real Madrid.

Axel Hervelle, a reliable player all season for Real Madrid and
the 52nd pick in the NBA draft Tuesday by Denver, contributed 12
points and six rebounds in the victory.  Hot-shooting guard
Arvydas Macijauskas led Tau Ceramica with 24 points, while Scola
added 15 points and six rebounds.

Chris Ekstrand is a freelance writer and former editor of the
NBA draft media guide. Please send questions or comments to

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