Recent Cenk Akyol Video

[KB21]

Cenk Akyol

It's going to be interesting to watch his development overseas.

[gsuteke]

he can hit a couple of free throws, a 3 pointer, and he can't finish in the lane. this is a highlight video?

[Weez]

yeah, not really all that impressive...

[Popeye]

He is like 17 or 18

[wasBlackHawkDown]

I didnt see anything special and most of the garbage I did see wouldnt go down in the NBA.

[y2kenta]

Not enough to really get a good idea for how good he is or is not, but he definately looks like he has some handles, bbIQ, and great size. We need to see more from him.

Now Andrea Bargnani's video showed a lot and he looks like a poor man's Dirk. He looks very good over there, but I'm almost certain he wont play immediatly over here in the NBA.

[twentythree]

Here in Istanbul, I'm watching Cenk every week. He is not ready for NBA right now. His team Efes Pilsen was knocked out by CSKA Moscow in the quarter finals and Cenk didn't get so many minutes from the coach. (because of experience)

Let me tell you about his improvement this year. Firstly, he is NOT and WON'T BE a point guard like some of you guys think. His handling and basketball iq is good for a swingman, but he can't play at 1.

This year Cenk add some bulk to his frame. However, because of spending so many hours with weithlifting excercises, he lose his shooting performance, which I think he will correct till this summer.

Cenk's improvement is on his defence. He is nearly perfect in zone defence, and persistent in one on one. In the last game, even he played only 8 minutes, he was really good against JR Holden and Trajan Langdon. But in one of the vital positions at the end of the game, he couldn't catch Langdon and Trajan scored a clutch three pointer. You can say this is because of is inability to defend more athletic players, but I think Langdon beat him with his experience.

Lastly, Cenk told Turkish newspapers he won't go to Hawks this year. He says he needs to stay at least two years, which I believe in that's true. He is a great potential, but still very very raw. I hope we will all watch him in World Championships on the bench after Hidayet Turkoglu. If not, he will be the star of Turkish Junior Team with Bucks' (let me say Tulsa's) Ersan Ilyasova.

If you have any questions about him, I can answer.

[vdunkndunk]

^Thanks for the info, twentythree!

[thesheedera]

23- when he said "two years", is the current season the first, or is he saying that after this season finishes he will stay there for two additional seasons before the NBA?

Thanks, great info. He may never be a PG, but if he develops into an NBA player, he can certainly help our backcourt.

[twentythree]

Quote:

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23- when he said "two years", is the current season the first, or is he saying that after this season finishes he will stay there for two additional seasons before the NBA?

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Yeah, he meant two more seasons.

[Johnnybravo4]

I don't know why he would wait two more years..because it doesn't matter when he comes he still has to get adjusted to the NBA. It took Dirk a couple of years

[CBAreject]

Surprised that someone put that together as highlights. I am surprised they put a missed 3 ptr and a missed lay-up in that mix...and free throws??? Free throws might be on sportscenter when they're analyzing the game, but in a personal highlight video?

[CBAreject]

The Bargnani video on the same page is pretty good.

[gsuteke]

who the heck needs a shooting guard?

WTF IS BILLY KNIGHT DOING?!?!?!?!?!

[Lascar78]

so Billy Knight is an idiot for who he picked with the FIFTY NINTH PICK in last year's draft? Please.

Look at the 5 last picks

Amir Johnson

Marcin Gortat

Uros Slokar

Cenk Akyol

Alex Acker

Wow, BK really blew it

[gsuteke]

so what you are proposing is that Billy should keep throwing ish against a wall until some of it sticks?

i'm assuming that is what you are proposing because it is exactly what you are saying.

[Nicholasp27]

it was the 59th pick, which means u pick an overseas prospect to develop for free overseas until the future, when u may bring him over or trade his rights...this is what the spurs and other good teams did

bk asked his men who the best overseas potential player was and picked him...it's the 59th pick and that's what u do with the 59th pick

in 5 years, he may be a great backup to jj or a good backcourt mate for jj or chill or whomever else we have at that point

[Lascar78]

what I am saying is that it is absolutely ludicrous to judge a GM over who he picked with the 59th pick in a draft. He got a foreign kid who may or may not pan out, and is highly unlikely to ever be successful for us if he ever comes. Just like every other 59th pick.

Somehow I doubt that Pacer fans are saying that Larry Bird is an idiot for picking Rashard Wright with the 59th pick in 2004 because of his position.

59th picks are not expected to contribute unless you get EXTREMELY lucky

Hell I would be willing to bet that nobody picked 55th or worse has ever played a single minute of NBA regular season action.

And you are calling our GM an idiot over who he took a gamble on in that area

[tmac13]

Well, I agree that you can't judge BK on who he drafted with the 59th pick, however I think it is very appropriate to judge BK on what positions he continues to draft..Do you realize in 3 drafts he has NEVER drafted a 1, 4, or a 5?

Diaw, Hansen

Chillz, Smoove, Donta, Ivey(a college 2)

Marvin, Salim(a college 2), Cenk

Thats 9 draft picks that play 2 positions..I know he drafted Ivey and Salim with thoughts of making them point guards, but if you want a point guard, draft a point guard.

Thats why I don't put much stock in the "BK will definately draft a big this year" camp, because so far, he has spent 100 percent of his picks on natural 2's and 3's..

[AHF]

Quote:

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Hell I would be willing to bet that nobody picked 55th or worse has ever played a single minute of NBA regular season action.

And you are calling our GM an idiot over who he took a gamble on in that area

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You'd be wrong but the exception to the rule shows why it was a good pick.

Manu Ginobili was a high risk, overseas developmental player selected 57th overall by the Spurs.

That was the right approach to the pick by the Hawks. Take a shot on a guy who can develop on someone else's dime whose draft rights you will hold if he pans out.

Good pick.