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  • #16
    Finland's Athletes in Military -- November 6, 2007, Helsingin Sanomat

    ....Since 2005 the Häme Regiment Sports School has experimented with a 180-day training model. The model is aimed for sportsmen competing abroad, as well as for those who still live in Finland but who have already signed a professional precontract.

    The 2nd Reconnaissance Company’s barrack room No.13 accommodates Nieminen and 12 other athletes – among them the NBA-drafted basketball player Petteri Koponen.

    While Koponen and his service mates took to target practice at the shooting range, Nieminen had his physical examination, picked up his service gear, and learned how to make his bed army style.....
    He'll need to improve his shooting if he joins the NBA.
    "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

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    • #17
      "What's more important, one Finnish championship or a player's whole career". That's the rhetorical question Playboys coach Pavisevic gives as Petteri Koponen follows Finnish Finals from the bench after a bone in his right arm's thumb was broken against Lappeenranta in the semifinals.

      While speculations go on if this is just a scam and Koponen would appear in the decisive moments, all is still targeted to NBA summer camp and no risks are taken. The thumb should be ok long before June, when Koponen is planning to return to Portland's summer practices.

      During the season Koponen has mostly led very nicely Playboys' team, although their gameplan seems to leave a lot of freedom for him to run the game. Is this a good gameplan or way to get some serious practice for Koponen, who knows. Nevertheless, 18,8 points/game and 4,1 assists/game are the most important statistics. In points, he's the only Finn in the league's top15. All this, while the army service is still going on.



      In the finals Playboys play against Kouvolan Kouvot, a decent and stable team that has been somewhat underestimated during the season. Then again, from the top Finnish teams they are the only ones who manage to keep their team together for the whole season and actually are still getting better.

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      • #18
        Great! Thanks for the update, Hakka.

        Has Koponen mentioned the coaching situation in Portland? A lot of fans of Sergio Rodriguez say that their caoch, Nate McMillan is not being fair to Rodriguez (and other players). Rudy Fernandez also has that concern. Has Koponen mentioned it?
        "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

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        • #19
          Originally posted by mvblair
          Has Koponen mentioned the coaching situation in Portland? A lot of fans of Sergio Rodriguez say that their coach, Nate McMillan is not being fair to Rodriguez (and other players). Rudy Fernandez also has that concern. Has Koponen mentioned it?
          I haven't noticed any official statements or views on that matter, and fans are mostly counting American guards and already by then getting a worrysome picture on Koponen's chances to get minutes - that is, if you feel enough positive to state that Koponen will get to the team in the first place. Anyway, I can't believe that the team woul keep all current guards and get both Rudy and Petteri into the team, too - there's just not enough room in the team?

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          • #20
            Originally posted by Hakkapeliitta
            I haven't noticed any official statements or views on that matter, and fans are mostly counting American guards and already by then getting a worrysome picture on Koponen's chances to get minutes - that is, if you feel enough positive to state that Koponen will get to the team in the first place. Anyway, I can't believe that the team woul keep all current guards and get both Rudy and Petteri into the team, too - there's just not enough room in the team?
            No, there's not enough room, you're right. However, there is always the possibility of a trade, whether for Koponen, Rudy, Sergio, Blake, or Jack. I know Portland fans are clambering for something to be done about the PG situation because that is their weakest position right now.
            "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

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            • #21
              Honka/Playboys won the championship 3-1. Koponen played only last 8 minutes of the series, as Honka fell to foul trouble at that moment. Anyway, team and coaching experience added with some excellent clutch playing from Akeem Scott won in Finland, although all games were very tight.

              Koponen's next target is NBA summer league. Furthermore, coach Pavisevic has had some talks about becoming an assistant coach in an NBA team "with a player from former Yugoslavia" as he reveals. But who knows... He was invited and spent last year's summer league at Portland's bench.

              Another internationally interesting player might be Honka's and national team's Kimmo Muurinen - he played mostly very well in the finals -, who already during this season was pretty close to sign with Aris. He probably will go abroad for the next season, and if Aris was interested, why not that team again (with Herbert who has good Finnish contacts) or some other Euroleague/Ulebcup-team.

              A link to the team's website, currently jubilating the achievement:

              Honka playboys is a basketball news hub and a team of enthusiasts who love the game of basketball, we share all funny and interesting news from the world of basketball.

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              • #22
                New summer, new beginning: military service is done and Petteri Koponen flies to Portland next Sunday. There's a nice interview at:

                Our Finnish sportswriting friend sat down with Petteri Koponen before the young PG embarked on his journey to the states. Enjoy! COMING TO AMERICA: PETTERI KOPONEN ARRIVES AT PORTLAND THIS...


                & what comes to his chances to play in NBA and if he IMO should stay in Europe... nothing has changed since last year.

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by Hakkapeliitta
                  & what comes to his chances to play in NBA and if he IMO should stay in Europe... nothing has changed since last year.
                  Thanks for the interview. There was another note about Koponen in the Portland Tribue:
                  NOTES - June 19, 2008, by Kerry Eggers, Portland Tribune

                  2007 first-round draft pick Petteri Koponen has been practicing at the Blazers’ Tualatin facility this week after arriving from his native Finland on Sunday. The 6-4, 195-pound point guard was taken with the 30th and final choice of last year’s draft, making him the first player in his country’s history to be taken in the first round. Koponen averaged 18.4 points and 4.1 assists while shooting .565 from the field and .434 from 3-point range in leading the Honka Playboys — got to love that name — to the Finland Pro League title for the second straight year, earning most valuable player honors. “And there are some players over there,” Pritchard said. “It’s not a walkover league. To be 20 and win that award, it’s something.” Koponen and his coach, Mihailo Pavicevic, came to Portland early to prepare for the Las Vegas Summer League. The Blazers begin play on July 14, and Koponen will be part of their team. “He came early all on his own,” Pritchard said. “He wants to be here. He wants to prove to the coaches he deserves to be on the team next year, and he’s committed to becoming the best player he can be. One of the things that attracted us was his work ethic.”
                  "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

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                  • #24
                    Well, if this guy plays in Portland (I mean, really plays), I guess we can all say that Sergio Rodriguez got completely owned...
                    It's a bird? It's a plane? No, it's Rudy!

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                    • #25
                      Nice article (in Spanish) about Koponen's current situation. Use Babelfish
                      Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
                      Artificial Nature

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                      • #26
                        finnish article, need english translation

                        Can anyone translate this article to english please? Thanks.

                        Koposen pelioikeudet omistavan Portland Trail Blazersin manageri Kevin Pritchardin päätöstä Koposen suhteen odotetaan ensi viikolla, kun Pritchard palaa lomaltaan.

                        - Kyllähän se vähän harmittaa, kun itse odotan täällä koko ajan heidän päätöstään. Toivottavasti he tekevät ratkaisunsa ensi viikolla. Tämä odottaminen alkaa tuntua jo vähän pitkältä, Koponen paljastaa.

                        Portlandin joukkue on NBA:n nuorin, siksi paikan saaminen on vaikeaa. Puolenkymmentä NBA-seuraa on kiinnostunut Koposesta, mutta Portland päättää tällä hetkellä kaikesta.

                        - Portlandilla ei ole mitään kiirettä minun suhteen ennen kauden alkua ja se tekee tilanteesta minun kannaltani vaikean. Eurooppalaisseurat ovat koko ajan rakentamassa joukkueitaan ja joka päivä menee paikkoja sivu suun.

                        Eurooppalaisseuroihin rekrytoidaankin kovaa vauhtia NBA-miehiä, sillä Euroopassa ei ole palkkakattoja. Jos Portland venyttää päätöstään Koposen suhteen kauden alkuun saakka, joutuu Koponen odottamaan lokakuuhun asti.

                        - Jos NBA:sta en saa sopimusta, pääsen varmaankin Eurooppaan pelaamaan. Sopimus ei välttämättä ole yhtä hyvä kuin mitä saisin tällä hetkellä, Koponen pohtii.

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                        • #27
                          Originally posted by geeup
                          Can anyone translate this article to english please? Thanks.
                          http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/muutlajit...4771?koripallo
                          Koponen is getting a bit tired of Portland, as they keep on thinking and thinking Koponen's situation. But Portland is not in a hurry at the moment. This means that each week/day there are less good positions for Koponen in Europe and as he keeps waiting, in the end he might have to settle for an average deal in Europe and miss some of the offers he's given at the moment. Nevertheless, he wants to check Portland to the very end, which might mean waiting until October.

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                          • #28
                            Looks like Koponen's rights are now held by the Mavs. They've now got Beaubois and Terry playing the same sort of position as Koponen, so we'll see what happens. I have no idea what Koponen's contract status is.

                            Mavericks and Blazers Trade On Draft Night -- By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer, June 22, 2011

                            ....The Mavericks also picked up the rights to Petteri Koponen, who is playing in Europe. A point guard from Finland, he’s spent three years with Virtus Bologna in Italy.

                            [Donnie Nelson, Mavs GM said] "Petteri is a young combo guard who was a first round selection in 2007 and is developing nicely in Europe.”

                            ...
                            "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

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