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New Orleans Pelicans 2015 NBA Draft Profiles: Aleksandar Vezenkov

By Matt Cianfrone

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It is that time of year again. With the NBA Draft just a few weeks away it is time to start looking at players that the New Orleans Pelicans can potentially draft. While most of the players that we profile will be second round players since the Pelicans currently only have a second round pick, there will also be a few first round talents mixed in with the bunch as well. Considering the Pelicans are pretty set in the backcourt and at power forward the profiles will focus on wing players that fit into a small forward role and backup big men, places the Pelicans can stand to get a bit better. 

Yesterday’s look at Alpha Kaba marked the first look at potential draft-and-stash candidates for the Pelicans if they decide to use their pick without adding a player to next season’s roster. Now we take a look at another one of the draft-and-stash players that could be available in the second round with Aleksandar Vezenkov, a forward from Cyprus.

The Basics: 

Age: 19

Height: 6’9”

Weight: 225 pounds

Wingspan: Unavailable.

Standing Reach: Unavailable

Max Vertical: Unavailable

2014-2015 stats: 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 37.3 three-point percentage in 32.5 minutes per game for a team in Greece.

Draft Projections: Late first to second round.

Strengths: 

Any team drafting Vezenkov is doing so with the hope that his scoring eventually translates to the NBA. At just 19 years old, Vezenkov led the Greek league that he played in, in scoring, an incredible feat for a young player in any pro league. Vezenkov was able to do so thanks to two things that should be able to translate to the NBA— shooting and instincts. Vezenkov shot 37 percent on three-pointers this season on 4.8 attempts per game, combining great volume with great efficiency. Those 4.8 attempts weren’t all wide open spot ups either as Vezenkov showed a tendency to knock down jumpers off of step-backs, out of the pick-and-pop and from very deep.

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Vezenkov also showed great instincts which allowed him to be a force in transition despite a lack of athleticism. As his DraftExpress video shows, Vezenkov showed a knack for reading the situation correctly and timing his leak outs perfectly to get behind the defense and score in transition.

Finally, Vezenkov already has played in the professional league in Greece since he was 17, meaning he has more high level experience playing against adults than most players in the draft. While that wasn’t against NBA level talent it should at least lower the learning curve for him a bit compared to some other players.

Weaknesses: 

Unfortunately despite all of Vezenkov’s strengths there is a huge question mark that has forced him into the late first round or second round and may cost him a spot in an NBA rotation which is his athleticism. Vezenkov just isn’t a very athletic player in any sense as he struggles with explosiveness and quickness and can be seen in watching film of him.

That lack of athleticism makes it hard to see who Vezenkov can defend at all at the NBA level. There is no way at all that he seems likely to be able to stay in front of wing players meaning he would have to be a stretch-four in the NBA, something that his shooting would allow. Unfortunately at 6’8” Vezenkov may not be big enough to play at that spot defensively depending on how his wingspan plays out. At just 19, Vezenkov should be able to put on some muscle which could help defending power forwards, but as the NBA gets more and more athletic players like Vezenkov could be left in the dust.

Projected Role: If Vezenkov ever does make it over to the NBA he seems likely to be a stretch-four off of someone’s bench that completely twists the way a defense moves thanks to his shooting. If he is able to figure out how to defend at least competently it would be a great thing for his career but until he shows improved athleticism that he will need to do that it is hard to see it happening. That said he would be a great draft-and-stash lottery ticket for the Pelicans in hopes he can eventually take over Ryan Anderson‘s role.

Information from this post came from DraftExpress. 

Next: Micheal Qualls would be the opposite of Vezenkov. A D guy who needs to find a 3.

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