Zack Cooper Talks With Simonas Baranauskas About Jonas Valanciunas

[DG88]

A nice listen on Jonas here's the link
http://www.fan590.com/media.jsp?cont...2_113753_12340

[Stahmenah_Vybz]

LOL I was about to post the same link. Good to see J.V. getting props around the world and from NBA Reporters. Seems like he is getting more Name Drops online than any other 2011 NBA Draftees. Was to go on this one B.C. Looks like Turkey and Kanter is out of the Tournament. That's life right?

Go Raps Go.

[Jaworski]

JV vs Nowitzki & Kaman... stats say 2 blocks - but i counted 4

[albertan_10]

Anyone an ESPN insider who wants to post or sum up what the article by david thorpe is? http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story...-high-ceilings I think it'd be interesitng

[DG88]

Here a nice read from ESPN on Valanciunas

Through seven games, as the tournament hosts advanced into the quarterfinals, he has averaged 10.4 points and 3.6 rebounds, an efficient haul in only 17.4 minutes per night. Impressive for a player who is six years younger than anyone else on the Lithuanian roster, he has increasingly been on the court at key times. It is a reward, he says, for a year of dedication that bore dividends in July's FIBA Under-19 world championship in Latvia, where he led his country to an unexpected gold medal while taking the MVP award for the tournament. Now he's getting his shot at the big guns, and taking advantage.

"Last year I got some experience in the Euroleague which was good for me, going up against big centers across all of Europe. It was a big boost for me," he revealed to ESPN.com.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/...as-living-hype

[Joey]

Here a nice read from ESPN on Valanciunas

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/...as-living-hype

Indeed, nice find!

Love to hear this:

I feel good but I can't stop working because if I do, I'll be staying where I am. I want to go further.

This as well, (especially considering I also made the comparison to Sabonis):

Watching from the bench, Chomicius sees certain comparisons with another Lithuanian giant who eventually came into the NBA. He once played alongside Arvydas Sabonis for the Soviet Union (both men won Olympic gold in 1988) before they teamed up for their newly independent nation. A mature presence, Valanciunas is not your typical prospect, he adds. And even amid the intense scrutiny of an entire country at EuroBasket, no one is concerned about his lack of experience.

"It's not a surprise for me that he's performing here for us because I played with Sabonis when he was the same age and we were world champions," Chomicius said. "He was at a similar place in his development. You have to come in and bring energy and do what you know. We've seen that with Jonas."

[ezz_bee]

JV gives me a boner. 2012-2013 here we come!