Eliyahu and Newley progressing, but more improvement still needed

http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/International_Update-279095-34.html

International Update
Eliyahu and Newley progressing, but more improvement still needed



The Rockets believe Lior Eliyahu is a special offensive talent.



Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer
Houston - Although Lior Eliyahu and Brad Newley play professional basketball thousands of miles away, they never slip far from the minds of the Houston Rockets' brain trust. Both players are projects in every sense of the word, but they also possess unique offensive skills which give the team hope they can one day earn roster spots and contribute to a championship-caliber club.

So just when might that day arrive? It's obviously impossible to say right now, but that didn't prevent Rockets.com from picking the brain of Scouting Director Gersson Rosas in an effort to glean some insight into what the future holds for this particular pair of international prospects.

Lior Eliyahu - Maccabi Tel-Aviv

"Lior had a very good year two years ago – his first year in Maccabi," says Rosas. "He really played in some big games and showed, especially offensively, an ability to do some special things.

"But this year there was a coaching change at Maccabi and as a result there was a lot of uncertainty with the roster and playing rotation. It affected him because he was one of the young guys. That’s understandable because anytime there’s a coaching change, roles and priorities change. But it affected him and he had a real up-and-down year (his minutes and points per game averages both slipped significantly). We would have liked to see more continued development from Lior this past year; especially considering the first year he had there at Maccabi, but that sort of thing happens with young players.

"We really need Lior to become more balanced in his game, especially defensively – better approach, better structure, better discipline – and it’s things that most young players struggle with. But he’s a special talent offensively; I think his ability to run the floor and score at his position is pretty unique. He’s got big hands and he’s pretty athletic for that level, and can really finish around the basket. We see Lior as this type of next-generation four here in our league; a guy who can handle, who can drive - especially in our offense - from the elbow and high post, and make some plays.

"We expect a lot from Lior this year. He’s currently a free agent; there’s a chance he goes back to Maccabi, but some other teams in Europe are really making a play for him. So it’s going to be something we’re really interested to follow, because we really feel like the guy’s got a strong profile in this league with his ability; it’s just going to come down to him developing his overall game and improving his body."

Brad Newley - Panellinios BC

"We’re really excited about Brad," says Rosas. "I think it really speaks to the strength of our organization in that nobody really knew Brad the way we knew Brad going through the draft evaluation process. We felt really good about Brad and were fortunate to get him when we did (2nd round, 54th overall selection of 2007 NBA draft).

"It’s great to see Brad go to Greece and have the type of season he had. It wasn’t a great season, but it was good and it was typical of what you’d expect from a first year player in Europe. Because the season is longer, he hit the rookie wall a little bit, but he does some things offensively that really excite you. He’s very aggressive going to the basket.

"He loves to play, loves to be around the game, and this year we saw growth from him in that he extended his range out to the three point line which is good for us because it fits in well with how we play. He maybe fell in love a little too much with his three-point shot, which hindered some of his strengths like getting to the free throw line. But that’s typical of a young guy; they’re trying to find themselves, trying to stretch their games, while at the same time maintaining balance."

"He just moved up to Panellinios in Greece, a higher level team, where he's going to get a good level of experience versus a high professional league. Australia is trying to qualify for the Olympics at this point and he's also a big part of that; that's why he wasn't with us in summer league this year. So he’s a guy who we’re keeping a close eye on; because of his position, there’s probably a little bit more of an opportunity on our roster."

On Keeping in Touch

Says Rosas: "We take that very serious. We want them to feel like Houston Rockets. It’s simple things, but it goes a long way with these guys: We give them gear, we give them teaching tape, we give them media guides – not only for them, but for their families. We want them to feel part of this organization and feel valued, because even though they’re just property right now, we look at them as future Rockets.

"We’re in constant communication with the coaches and general managers of their teams, because we need all the feedback possible. We’re very detail oriented in that we’ll follow their season statistically and through video. Individually, just in terms of developing their overall games, we’ll give suggestions, and we’ll do it respectfully through the coaches and personnel people at those teams. We want to do it in a way that supports what the coach and GM are saying. We take that very seriously. We stay in contact, whether it’s through phone calls or emails, throughout the year. We want to be in their ear letting them know that we’re watching and paying attention."

On the Future

"We’re a little different in terms of the way we develop our foreign assets," says Rosas. "We want these guys playing. We want them developing their overall game. If someone has a special ability or special talent, there’s definitely a role for specialists on rosters in this league. But at the same time, we feel like the best way to maximize our guys' potential is through developing their overall game, and they do that by playing at a high level – which as you’ve seen in Europe with all the free agent exodus, that league is pretty strong.

"So in particular with Lior and Brad, we feel like they’re in good situations. They’re in places in their careers where there’s a learning curve; it doesn’t do us any good to bring a guy like Lior or Brad over right now because our roster situation, and where we’re at in terms of winning now, is too valuable to sacrifice a guy’s development by having him sitting on the bench.

"Trades really impact our roster situation, and a perfect example is Maarty Leunen. He’s a guy who really played well and impressed us in summer league and has really helped himself. Now, depending upon what happens with our roster, he’s more ready to play in terms of overall game. He’s a guy you can put on the floor, not in a regular rotation role, but in a spot minute role where you feel pretty confident in the guy. He’s maybe not as talented overall as a guy like Lior, but maybe more consistent in terms of his game and what the coach can expect from him.

"At the end of the day, our coaches and front office staff are going to bring in the guys who are going to give us the best chance to win, game in and game out. So a lot of Brad and Lior's potential for the future has to do with them just getting better and developing themselves into NBA-ready players."