Bryan Colangelo learned to tap the Euroleague as general manager with the Toronto Raptors. He continues the tradition with the Philadelphia 76ers. Will it work this time?
Bryan Colangelo is the President of the Philadelphia 76ers, and by all rights it’s general manager. But this is not his first gig. Upon his hiring, we investigated the track record of Colangelo. First as the heir apparent to his father Jerry Colangelo at the helm of the Phoenix Suns. Secondly, as the general manager of the Toronto Raptors. But it was the cold temperatures of the city of Toronto which thwarted his efforts to attract top NBA stars to play there.
Similarly, it’s the uncertainty of the trajectory of the Philadelphia 76ers which gave free agents pause. After all, it’s about money, opportunity, and championships, right? That’s the selling point of all franchises, although only have handful of teams are truly in the championship running any given year. Much like Toronto, Bryan Colangelo sought free agent help for the team.
In both cases, the NBA free agency market turned a cold shoulder to Colangelo. During his tenure with Toronto, Colangelo struck out in the traditional free agent talent. Undaunted, he turned his wallet towards Europe.
Next: Euro-Raptors
Euro-Raptors
In those days, the rough physicality of USA basketball was falling behind the more finesse style of international play. So it made sense for Colangelo to tap the “new style” to give his team an advantage.
Over time, he signed Jorge Garbajosa from Spain and added two Slovenian players, Rasho Nesterovič and Uroš Slokar. He brought in Anthony Parker, an American, from the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. He even managed to coax Italian coach Maurizio Gherardini from Benetton Treviso to come in as vice-president and assistant general manager of the Raptors.
Eventually, reporters from Europe were covering Raptors’ games and attending press conferences, and it wasn’t long before sports reporters dubbed the new team the “Euro-Raptors.”
But the NBA does not sit idly by. The Raptors tried to build their franchise around European stars and failed. Other NBA teams, like the Boston Celtics, countered by stockpiling NBA stars. The result? The Raptors did not appear to play in synch. The pieces assembled by Colangelo appeared to be just that, pieces. Europeans were pushed around. On top of that, cultural differences were largely ignored. Casual work ethics imported to the team were quickly assigned the blame of the team’s struggles.
And in the NBA, you can’t “order” a player to work hard.
Next: Wiser, not smarter
Wiser, not smarter
Now in Philly, Colangelo is attempting to augment the team with European talent. Will it work? Well, you can’t fault what he started with.
Former president Sam Hinkie stored away NBA treasures for Colangelo. When Bryan Colangelo looks at the Philadelphia 76ers, he does not see a veteran Chris Bosh needing veterans to synch in with.
He has Ben Simmons to build around. He has Joel Embiid to build around. Add Dario Saric to the list of players build around. He has Jahlil Okafor to build around. He even has Nerlens Noel to build around.
The job just became phenomenally easier for him.
When he was building in Toronto, he already had three year veteran standout power forward Chris Bosh to build upon. That forced him to target the second contract players – players who emerged from their rookie salary seeking sun fun and moolah. In Toronto, Colangelo could only guarantee the moolah.
In Philadelphia, the team is growing the players around the cornerstone. Choose a player and build around him. Colangelo learned in Toronto that the spine of the team must be drafted, hard-working players who will assume leadership of the team. Until Simmons, Embiid, Saric and more are in their fourth season, Colangelo simply needs to reinforce them with veterans of high caliber.
Next: The Next Wave Of Euroleague
The Next Wave Of Euroleague
The Philadelphia 76ers are already set to be reinforced with Euroleague players. With shooting guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot on the roster, and Furkan Korkmaz maturing with Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketball Super League, the team is already set up for Euro-reinforcements.
But the team also holds the rights to 6-foot-3 Serbian point guard Vailije Micic. And the team now has two first round and two second round draft picks in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Who might be on the radar for the Philadelphia 76ers next year? Sixer Sense writer Owen Nelson did a great job in running down key prospects per position for the 2017 NBA draft, but his format was focusing on NBA positions.
From that group, several names show up with a European background. Knowing we have a president who has no hesitation crossing international bondaries, who might we be looking at?
We have a few names to keep an eye on.
Next: Frank Ntilikina
Frank Ntilikina
Strengths At 6-foot-5 and with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, this player would be the top of the top of the charts under Sam Hinkie. The fact that he hails from Ixelles, Belgium may have him at or near the top of Bryan Colangelo’s chart.
Ntilikina is a point guard that combines an imposing frame with an excellent skill-set. Much like Ben Simmons, he is an excellent passer with great court vision and basketball IQ. He works hard to be successful on defense. So far, he manages to sustain strong on-ball pressure while staying in front of the opposition. Marry that with his nearly seven foot wingspan, and Ntilikina could definitely be asked to defend multiple positions at the next level.
Weaknesses He does not appear to enjoy driving to the basket. He can dribble, and is very athletic, but he does not move very far when he approaches the basket. That tendancy to become semi-stationary allows defenders to anticipate where he will set up and cheat by leaning that direction.
Here is a highlight video of the young man
https://youtu.be/pvv2cfGqioE
While there is plenty of time before the 2017 NBA draft, this young man is worth keeping on your radar.
Next: Jonathan Jeanne
Jonathan Jeanne
Strengths a 7-foot-2 power forward / center, Jonathan Jeanne is a front court player. However, by the time the NBA draft rolls in, the Philadelphia 76ers will likely be facing a serious decision about retaining several players, including the likes of Nerlens Noel.
Jeanne may make that decision easier.
He is excellent at shot-blocking and defending from the weak side. He also has a suprisingly robust jump to pair with his height and wingspan, giving him incredible characteristics to defend in the modern NBA.
Offensively, he moves well without the ball, and is a better than expected passer. Has a nice touch on shooting.
Weaknesses He needs to add strength and muscle to his barely 200 pound frame. While doing so, he will also need to improve his shooting. If he shows improving trends on his shooting this year, it will pave the way for his likely lotter selection in the 2017 NBA Draft
But I know you want more, so here is a highlight video:
https://youtu.be/uhr7WQITco8
Hailing from France, he will have a french connection with Joel Embiid and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. A true sleeper pick for the 76ers. Keep him in mind if the team needs front court help next season.
Next: Nik Slavica
Nik Slavica
Strengths Nik Slavica is a 6-foot-8 shooting guard/small forward from Croatia. He was considered for the 2016 NBA Draft, having worked out for both the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic. While he had a shot at a second round draft and stash, he reportedly withdrew from the draft.
In 2016 FIBA , he averaged a 52.5 percent shooting accuracy, while averaging 7.7 points per game on just over 18 minutes of play on average. He also contributed 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He also participated in the Croatian national team in the Olympics, the same team many followed due to the presence of 76er Dario Saric.
Weaknesses He is young and still needs some polish. Had the Olympics played before the 2016 draft, he may have found himself on an NBA roster today. As a wing, he’ll need to work on his long-range shot, which came in at just 33.3 percent accuracy.
He is still raw. I’d like to see him bolster his handle and ability to work in traffic. Adding more distance to his shots would help as well. Another year will help him develop his skill.
And of course, a complimentary video for you.
He’s a nice sized prospect at a position of need on the team.
Next: Michael Fusek
Michael Fusek
Strengths He is 7-foot-5 and a center from Slovakia. He is surprisingly agile for a big man, adding a 30 inch leap to an already towering vantage point. Defensively, he is nearly NBA-ready. He excels at shot-blocking and is a solid rebounder.
Weaknesses He is awfully tall, but only 220 pounds. As such, he will be pushed around like a tumbleweed in the NBA. He also is extremely raw on offense. In two seasons in Eurocup play, he averaged two and four points per game respectfully.
If you want to catch the young man’s highlight video, you find find it here at this link.
Once more, he is a true sky scraper. If the 76ers deal a center, you can believe the team will consider someone of Michael Fusek’s stature.
Next: Albertpo Abalde
Alberto Abalde
Strengths A 6-foot-7 small forward from Spain, Alberto Abalde would find himself passing one year point guard Sergio Rodriguez. Although he would miss out on playing with Rodriguez, his language is not the only similarities.
Abalde can shoot, in 2015 boasting the statistical anomaly of shooting 42 percent from both the floor and from three-point range. In just 17.6 minutes of play, he scored 7.0 points per game for FIATC Joventut. in 2015-2016.
He hails from the same system that incubated Kristaps Porzingis and Gonzaga’s Domantas Sabonis. As such, he is getting well-schooled in basketball fundamentals. He has good burst, and exhibits a good handle on the ball.
Weaknesses His shots tend to be “streakish” , which is common with less experienced players. He also fails to use height advantage over a defender, as he prefers spin moves to put him into a position to drive to the basket.
And yes, we do have the obligatory video:
Abalde is another player who could contribute to the 76ers in the 2017 NBA draft.
Next: Philadelphia 76ers: The Next Duncan and Shaq Rivalry?
All told, the trend towards European players should not be the primary source of building blocks for the team. But to round out the team’s roster, there are plenty of options in the 2017 draft. It may very well be that Bryan Colangelo will need to bring players across the Atlantic.
It’s something we know he’s comfortable with.