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  • Koponen Will Not Join Blazers

    Finland's very own Petteri Koponen will not be joining the Portland Trailblazers...at least not in the next half a year.

    There was talk of the Blazers signing the 30th pick in this years draft to a rookie contract, but they requested that he play in Europe for another year because there was a lot of competition at the PG spot (Jarret Jack, Steve Blake, Sergio Rodriguez, Tuareen Green).

    The 19-year-old, who wowed NBA scouts at camps this summer, enlisted in the army instead. He's going to serve his mandatory army stint while playing for his hometown team, the Honka Playboys.

    Koponen would look much better wearing the Blazer's black and red
    "I really like the attitudes of eagles. They never give up. When they grab a fish or something else, they never let it go. It doesn't matter. In a book, they write they find a skeleton of [an] eagle and there is no fish. It means that the fish beat him and killed him, but he didn't let go." -- Donatas Motiejunas

  • #2
    The best thing to do really, actually he should stay in Europe 3 or 4 years more.
    Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
    Artificial Nature

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    • #3
      Absolutely right, he's got a great potential, but first he would have to develop his fundamentals and skills a lot more here (he's still has not even played euroleague). If he goes now, there would be more probabilities of failure in the NBA adventure.
      I KISS BASKET

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      • #4
        when i looked @ this photot he first thing I thought was uniform worn by the commanders/officers of the empire in star wars...but in camo form. anyone else think so?
        "A nationality that easily feels wronged is an insecure one, and one that will be difficult to progress."-Anonymous

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        • #5
          Koponen clearly wants to return to NBA summer league as fast as he can and earn there a spot in the Portland roster. To spend 3-4 years in Europe, playing at higher level, does not seem to fit his or Portland's plans at the moment.

          After watching European point guards and shooting guards having lots of trouble in NBA, why would he spend years in learning skills that eventually will not be appreciated in teams where he really wants to play, that is, NBA? There is also a huge risk, that he would not find enough game time in a top Euroteam and his development would stop. I guess that's why he stays at home, working with a coach that he knows well.

          Then again, I wonder why on earth he can't be happy to aim for top Euro teams... NBA is still _the_ dream for many players.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Phantim3dx
            when i looked @ this photot he first thing I thought was uniform worn by the commanders/officers of the empire in star wars...but in camo form. anyone else think so?
            How old are you? ...actually, now that you mention it...
            Originally posted by Hakkapeliitta
            Koponen clearly wants to return to NBA summer league as fast as he can and earn there a spot in the Portland roster.
            I think that's probably Portland's expectation for him, don't you?
            I guess that's why he stays at home, working with a coach that he knows well.
            I thought he decided to stay at home so that he could simply finish his time in the army. If army service is a requirement in Finland, I think he's making a good move as a young man. The army is obviously giving him some flexibility and he'll be able to improve his weight training by remaining in Finland.

            Stve Blake is Portland's starting PG, but he's bounced around the NBA so much he might be traded before next summer (I think he's a good player, but just hasn't stuck with any team). Jarret Jack is the back-up PG. He's got energy and an up-tempo game, but I've read that he turns cold easily. Of course, Sergio Rodriguez is a project for the Blazers. I think Koponen could probably battle Rodriguez for "garbage" minutes this season, but if he continues to develop in Finland, builds up his speed and gets more strength (he looks pretty skinny), than I think he could enter a good situation with the Blazers in the next year or two.

            I've never seen Koponen play. Anybody have some video links that they could give me?
            "I really like the attitudes of eagles. They never give up. When they grab a fish or something else, they never let it go. It doesn't matter. In a book, they write they find a skeleton of [an] eagle and there is no fish. It means that the fish beat him and killed him, but he didn't let go." -- Donatas Motiejunas

            Comment


            • #7
              just some clips on the youtube





              His manager of course won't make it any easy on him probably trying everything just to get him in NBA. I wish him all the luck there, however problems european guards (especially PG's) tend to have there aren't just a coincidance.
              Originally posted by Jon_Koncak
              That's funny shit.I cant believe there are sports fans thinking like it.It's like Federer losing to random Japanese player in round 1 of French Open but tournament director stepping in and saying "hey it was a fluke win who wants to watch a random Japanese guy in next round,Federer qualifies"

              Comment


              • #8
                How the hell will he develop his skills in his home town team and the local coach? Why not go to a decent European club and instead of army? Strange kid.

                Originally posted by parso
                Gomelsky doesn't know @@@@ about basketball
                Originally posted by sseppel
                it's not asking too much for someone to know where the fuck he is.
                Originally posted by UMUT_FB_LAL
                Scola makes me wanna touch myself, no homo

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by mvblair
                  I think that's probably Portland's expectation for him, don't you?
                  I thought he decided to stay at home so that he could simply finish his time in the army. If army service is a requirement in Finland, I think he's making a good move as a young man. The army is obviously giving him some flexibility and he'll be able to improve his weight training by remaining in Finland.
                  Portland certainly wants to check him again asap and not to lose him for 3 or 4 years - a possible euro contract and buyout would make a fast process much tougher. If I remember right, Portland has a recent bad example of a prospect who is not getting any game time somewhere in Spain? Anyway, also Koponen has constantly stated that his target is NBA.

                  The army service is a bit tricky question. Famously Hanno Möttölä never went there. He did not pass the medical examination as he got "flat feet"?! But he has served well for Finland in other ways. Promising sportsmen have a special system where they pass the service in six months and comparing to regular guys, have lots of freedom to practise, play games etc. During his first week, Koponen slept three nights at the barracks ... and the beginning should be hard... But yes, it's a nice move, shows some respect to the home country.

                  I believe that Koponen - and his supporting team - is wise and enough patient to foresee, that it's better to come to NBA as a young prospect, ready to learn local style, than an established europlayer who wants playing time right away. Therefore beginning might be slow and full of setbacks, but that will not be a disappointment for him - Finnish fans and media on the other hand may wonder...

                  There are some clips of Koponen in Youtube. Apart from the "usual" alleyoop pass to Batum (Hoop Summit 2007) and some summerleague clips, here's a four part video of finishing minutes of one Finnish 1st league game during last season. Koponen won the game with two excellent passes and last 3 point shot. Check out also Kimmo Muurinen (a national team player) and his bonehead attitude to dive after every ball - and the way he comes back in the next attack.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    He should sign with a mid-level team in Europe and play some decent minutes (15-20mpg) instead of playing 40mpg in some mediocre Finnish league. Stupid decision. Sitting on the bench in NBA and having good practise with some decent individual coaches would do better for him than playing for Honka Playboys.

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                    • #11
                      Arkadios, judging from your location, you should support Finnish league having one more respectful player in rotation as well as know how close and good teacher-pupil relation Koponen and his coach Mihailo Pavicevic have.

                      The army is obligatory: if you don't want to do it, you face usually 13 month civil service period in a hospital or something similar. You get out only because of some religious reasons or because of medical reasons. Möttölä's case was an exception, Koponen is currently joined in the army by our tennis star Jarkko Nieminen, who's in top 30 of the world. Koponen's decision to stay in Finland is probably 50-50 between how to get this army "problem" solved and tactics with Portland to be back there asap.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        You know the name of another really good prospect of european basketball that went too early to the NBA cause apparently blazers wanted him "at all cost"?? Sergio Rodriguez. You can take him as an example.
                        By the way, they are both pg's, as is Saras, as is Spanoullis (more or less)...

                        I think he really would need to develop himself in an Euroleague team, but anyway if he decide to go to the NBA now, i hope i'm wrong and he will be successful.
                        I KISS BASKET

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I understand that is obligatory, but surely none is dragging you there by force. I suppose you can postpone it for some years. If he is in the army at 19 and playing for mediocre team he won't develop much. How many Europeans made it in the NBA without playing in the Euroleague first? The only one who plays in the NBA now and comes to my mind is Nowitzki. Even Saras who was in NCAA played in Euroleague first and then made it to NBA.

                          Originally posted by parso
                          Gomelsky doesn't know @@@@ about basketball
                          Originally posted by sseppel
                          it's not asking too much for someone to know where the fuck he is.
                          Originally posted by UMUT_FB_LAL
                          Scola makes me wanna touch myself, no homo

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Guys, I'm with you here, personally I'd rather see him playing in better Eurolevel in next years. I was just trying to figure what he and his support team are thinking. For some weird reason they seem to be only ones - with Portland staff - who think that "mediocre Finnish league" will be enough good for his development. We shall see. His agent has certainly used very well all the hype Koponen generated earlier this year. But we have to admit, both the player and the agent have also been so far extremely successful in their job. Nevertheless, their view and tactics for the future are risky, in worst case Koponen gets lost somewhere on the NBA bench or their farm league, trying endlessly to get the spot on the court.

                            As Koponen wants to pass the military service properly - as about 90% of all young men still do - there's a strong point to do the military service now and not wait for later. If and when he will continue his career somewhere abroad, at that point it will be much tougher to return to Finland and stay here for six months. Can you imagine any team letting him do that?

                            Of course he should have born and lived enough long in Ã…land islands, because in that case, you don't have to do the military service. But there the level of basketball games are even worse... if there are basketball teams?

                            By the way, the season has started up here. In the first game Honka had a rerun of last year's finals against Lahti and won this time, too. Koponen 42 minutes (1 overtime) 10 points (streaky shooting), 3 reb, 2 as, 2 st, 4 to (Lahti is well known to have best and hardest working defenders for guards in Finland).

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Hakkapeliitta

                              Of course he should have born and lived enough long in Ã…land islands, because in that case, you don't have to do the military service. But there the level of basketball games are even worse... if there are basketball teams?
                              I have been to Ã…land (very nice place btw) and as far as I know there are no basketball teams there. Over the summer there are some training camps (some of which are organized by Swedes) but that's pretty much it.

                              I agree however that it is better if Petteri does his national service now rather than later. Just get it out of the way.
                              The Euroleague Organization and Mr Bertomeu are like the Bulgarian Government: corrupt, partially stupid, and a huge underestimator of people's intelligence.

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