Link to article TREVISO, Italy -- There's the beautiful weather and scenery and the scrumptious food of northern Italy. There's the laid-back atmosphere and the chance to get on the court and up close and personal with the players. There's the expert coaching by the likes of the Rockets' Dennis Lindsey, the Pistons' Tony Ronzone, the Mavericks' Rolando Blackman, the Bobcats' John Blair Bickerstaff and ESPN's own Fran Fraschilla. And there's one more thing that sets the Reebok Eurocamp apart: It produces NBA draft prospects. Over the past three years the camp has produced three lottery picks, including No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani, seven first-rounders and another 17 second-round picks. Compare that with the NBA's top draft camp in Orlando. The past three years that camp has provided zero lottery picks and six first-rounders. Representatives from every NBA team, including Mavericks president Donnie Nelson, Rockets GM Daryl Morey, Raptors assistant GM Maurizio Gherardini, and Wolves GM Jim Stack, are back for the fifth annual Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy. The Eurocamp, run by Timberwolves scout Pete Philo, has become the gold standard for NBA draft camps. Once again it's chock full of talent, for both this draft and next year. I've now watched the players for two days and here's a look at five draft-eligible players who have a good shot of getting selected this year. On Tuesday, we'll break down a number of interesting 2008 NBA Draft prospects playing here. Marco Belinelli, SG, 6-6, 208, Italy Belinelli has been on the NBA radar screen for years and got a significant boost to his stock last year when NBA GMs and scouts flew to Italy to see Bargnani play. Belinelli's team, Climamio Bologna, played Bargani's team, Benetton Treviso, in the Italian League Finals, and Belinelli's stellar play moved him up the charts. By the start of the season, many teams had him ranked in their top 20. But then his team fell apart. And his jump shot, which was his biggest asset, failed him. His numbers dropped to 12.8 ppg and 32 percent from 3 this season. In 2005-06, he averaged 13.4 ppg on 44-percent shooting from 3. What happened? No one knows for sure. Shot selection was a major issue this year -- with his team struggling, Belinelli might have tried to do too much. He also plays a little wildly at times, rushing shots before he sets his feet. But scouts still think he's a great shooter with deep range. And Belinelli sees the glass as half full. "My whole life I can hit the shots," Belinelli told Insider. "This year they aren't going in, so I worked on the other areas of my game, dribbling and passing. I think I'm a better player and I know I can still shoot." His performance in the first two days of camp was a mixed bag. On the one hand, Belinelli's expanded offensive repertoire might help his stock. In previous years, he was little more than a spot-up shooter. In the two Eurocamp games, Belinelli showed that he had a quick first step and really could get to the basket. Combine that with some explosiveness jumping (36-inch max vertical) and Belinelli seems like a much more complete prospect. On the other hand, his shooting woes continued. In the first game, Belinelli struggled from the field shooting 3-for-13 and 2-for-6 from 3-point range. He continued to take some wild shots, most of them just rimming out. In the second game on Sunday, Belinelli found his stride a bit, going 4-for-8 from the field. More importantly to NBA scouts who think his shooting woes are something temporary, he showed his ability to get to the line, taking 19 free throws in the two games. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with his stroke. In fact, in the early morning five-spot drills, Belinelli shot 8-for-10 from NBA 3. "I think NBA teams are really sleeping on Belinelli," one NBA executive told me. "They fall in love with our young players who are not ready, and then forget Belinelli. He has very good experience playing in a very difficult league. He is better than what people have told me. He is big and athletic and can score lots of ways. He should be higher." At least one NBA scout agrees: "After the first 13 or 15 picks, I'm not sure why you wouldn't take him. He's one of the few guys who could come in and help a team right away." That's what Belinelli is banking on. He can pull out of the draft before the June 18 deadline if he wants to and try this again next year, but he told me he really prefers to stay in the draft and come to the NBA next season. "This is my dream," Belinelli said. "I don't care about how high I get picked. I just want it to be a good fit like Andrea got in Toronto. I don't want to sit at the end of a bench. I want a team who understands how I can contribute." Belinelli will hit the road on Monday. He works out in New York on Wednesday for the Knicks and Nets. He then has workouts scheduled with the Pistons, Wizards, Clippers and Suns. Ali Traore, PF, 6-10, 245, France Traore, 22, was one of the stars of the Orlando predraft camp. This is Traore's third appearance at the Eurocamp. He's shined the past two years with his excellent footwork and size around the basket. Last year he got some meaningful playing time with Roanne, averaging 9.9 ppg and 5.5 rpg in 20.3 mpg. With a 7-foot-4 wingspan and great size, Traore has started getting some mention as a potential late first-round pick. He doesn't have great athleticism and is just a so-so rebounder, but the guy is really good around the basket -- kind of an Ike Diogu-type player. This year at camp, Traore is off to a slow start. After getting fed for layup after layup by the Orlando camp's two best point guards, Florida's Taurean Green and Marist's Jared Jordan, Traore got a little frustrated with his lack of touches on Sunday. He ended up with 10 points and 5 rebounds, but shot the ball only six times. At times his frustration spilled out onto the court, as he refused to run up the court on a few possessions after getting frozen out. Look for Traore to go somewhere between No. 25 and No. 40 on draft night. Someone will overlook his shortcomings and tab him an interesting overseas project for the next couple of years. I could see a team like the Sixers (they have three first-round picks) being willing to take a chance on him late in the first. Rodrigue Beaubois, PG, 6-2, 170, France Beaubois is a 19-year-old point guard who really has surprised a number of NBA scouts here. I don't think anyone came into the camp expecting much (in fact, few had ever even seen him play) but just about everyone is impressed with his athleticism, quickness, length (he has a huge 6-9 wing span) and hands. Physically, he resembles Rajon Rondo. Beaubois was discovered by Warriors guard Mickael Pietrus at one of his camps in Guadeloupe. Each year Pietrus works with hundreds of kids and narrows it down to a handful that he'll help get jobs in France. Beaubois is the first kid to make it this far. "He's a very good player," Pietrus, who is attending the camp in Italy, told ESPN.com. "I think he is developing the skills to be a pro. He just has to be patient." Beaubois had 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting in 20 minutes of play Saturday. That was enough, apparently, for some teams. Beaubois agent, Bill McCandless, told me on Sunday morning that he got a couple of offers from teams in the second round. The idea is that if Beaubois stops playing, stays in the draft and is available, they'll take him. I think that might be overdoing it a little. Beaubois seems like a prospect, but he doesn't have the strength or the experience to play in the NBA anytime soon. He's a "down-the-road" prospect. Still, teams know that he might come at a much higher price next season, so maybe they're willing to take the chance now. Beaubois was on the roster of the Eurocamp All-Star game on Sunday but didn't play, raising some eyebrows and suspicions that he might have taken someone up on the offer. Not bad for 20 minutes of work. Joao Gomes, SF, 6-8, 215, Portugal Gomes, 22, is a long, athletic 3 who put up good numbers (17 ppg and 6 rpg) in Portugal this season. Like Traore, he has played at the camp before and impressed everyone with his raw tools last year. This year he has added some strength, smoothed out his jump shot and shown a better feel for the game. He still spends too much time on the perimeter and doesn't really create for himself, but he's got enough shooting abilty to overcome some of those concerns. He's definitely a project, but might be worth a flier in the second round from a team willing to wait for his development. He's got the raw tools to be a NBA player someday. It will just take patience. Giorgos Printezis, SF, 6-9, 223, Greece Printezis has had the best camp of any player here, raising the chances he merits a second-round selection. The 22-year-old small forward appears to have lost 15 pounds, and has come in quicker and more explosive than we've seen him in the past. He was excellent in the first game on Saturday, scoring 13 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and shooting 2-for-3 from 3 in 30 minutes of play. He followed it up with a solid second game, scoring 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Printezis is a hustle player with good toughness and a nice shooting touch. He's not an amazing athlete, but his size, basketball IQ and hustle make up for some of that. He averaged 11.2 points and four rebounds and shot 40 percent from 3-point range in about 21 minutes for Olimpia Larisa in the Greek league this season. Nikita Shabalkin, F, 6-9, 234, Russia Shabalkin is another early-entry candidate who's been to the Eurocamp before. Last year he was one of the better young players in the camp, but this year he's struggled. He scored four points on 2-for-6 shooting in his only game action so far. He seems to be caught in between positions at the moment. He doesn't really have the strength or inside game to play the 4 in the NBA, and he lacks the athleticism and lateral quickness to get it done at the 3. The more he matures (he's 20), the more his body looks as though it's not going to cooperate with his NBA goals. Others potential draftees: Luka Bogdanovic, F, Serbia; Milovan Rakovic, F, Serbia; Julio Toledo, G, Brazil
expert coaching of dennis lindsey...he never coached any higher than being an assistant for a juco team in florida...sure doesnt take much to become an expert
no i didnt because he has never coached above the junior college level...have you seen him coach? thats the point, the rockets are more about the spin than the product.
The fact that I have not means that I can not comment on his coaching abilities. Front office personnel people routinely work out players, utilizing what are known to be coaching skills. I would suggest you similarly refrain from commenting on what you can not possibly know.
so you think hes an expert at coaching? you must be part of dadumb's cd lovin crew. oh and vspan too...cd is a genius as are all of his minions...i just forgot that for a second or a decade
Dear Mr Genius Read the words before employing your sophomoric venom. While you're at it, respectfully disagree with anyone without engaging puerile insults everso dadumbly. I feel confident this is the last time I will address you directly. ...x...
