Petteri Koponen

Petteri Koponen - 30th pick, 2007
Combined three-point shooting of 96-191 (50.2%) across EuroLeague and ACB play draws the eye. But Barcelona needed a set-up man and a go-to guy all year. And Koponen, frankly, wasn’t as good as years past. Suitably talented and experienced that he wouldn’t look out of place in an NBA game, yet now 30, he seems very unlikely to ever play in one.

Petteri Koponen - 30th pick, 2007
A good player at the Euroleague level, but never quite met all the billing of his youth. Solid , heady, capable, controlled, large and offensively talented, and could merit the end of an NBA roster, yet should probably stay where he is.

Petteri Koponen (30th pick, 2007)

- Similar to Freeland, the drafted-and-stashed Koponen has developed as a player, but not as much. Playing for Bologna, Koponen has averaged 12.4 points and 2.3 assists in 29 minutes a game, on percentages of 42%/36%/87%. He's your classic combo guard, in both size and skillset, with no gaping flaws to his game but also no obvious strengths. Were he to join Portland tomorrow, his impact might not be any greater than that of Patty Mills. The stylistic differences would be many, but the overall impact about the same. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, since Patty Mills is a decent NBA player, but you'd like a bit more from your first rounder.

Chances of making the NBA expressed as an arbitrary percentage: 20%

In Italy, Bucks draft pick Szymon Szewczyk signed a two year extension with Air Avellino. He ranked second the team in rebounds last year behind Chevon Troutman, was second in points behind Dee Brown, and also managed not to get arrested in a drunken car wreck unlike the other two. Another NBA draft pick signed in Italy, Petteri Koponen, is to remain in Bologna for at least one more season. And ex-NBA player Jumaine Jones is staying with Pepsi Caserta for at least one more season, which really crippled this otherwise infallible post.

- Petteri Koponen

Blazers draft pick Koponen is still only 21 years old, but is already playing his second season with Canadian Solar Bologna in Italy's Serie A (known as La Fortezza Bologna until about two months ago). Last year he was something of a bit part player in Serie A play, but this year he's one of their best, ranking second on the team in minutes per game (26.8) and points (11.7). Koponen is shooting 44% from three point range and is also third on the team in assists with 1.7 apg, a team where the team leader (Andre Collins) has only 2.6 in over 29 minutes per game. Good old Italy.