Draft Prospect: Omer Asik

[Marcus Bryant]

Full Name: Omer Faruk Asik
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 7-0 / 255
Birthdate: July 4, 1986
High School:
Team: Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul
Country: Turkey

NBA
NBADraft.net
DraftExpress

[50 cent]

Several of the mock drafts having us take him with our last pick.

I wonder if Taruky is a fan of Omer?

[Mr. Body]

Another big man a long way away.

[urunobili]

UNREAL

SI has us picking this guy with the 26th.... ROFLMAO

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...t.3/index.html

[timvp]

Actually, there are two other foreign players that I think might be even better than Gallinari and both are in this draft. Unfortunately, contracts may get in the way of either ever coming to the NBA.

The first is Omer Asik, a Turkish center who played for Fenehrbace Ulker in Istanbul this past season. In 279 Euroleague minutes -- granted, a smallish sample -- his performance projects to 12.2 points and 13.5 boards per 40 minutes, with 52.3 percent shooting and a 15.23 PER. He blocks shots, too, setting a Euroleague Round of 16 record for rejections this year.

He's 22, he's 7-feet tall with a decent frame, and he's relatively new to the game and still improving. So what's the hang-up? Apparently he signed a five-year deal to stay in Turkey with no buyout, meaning he might not play in the NBA for a long time. That would be a shame. I have little doubt that Asik should be a lottery pick, but the contract issue may leave him as a mid-second rounder.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/...hollinger_john

Asik at 45 would be good value if everyone decent is off the board.

[T Park]

I'd rather save him for the 57th.

5 years? Dude isn't available till 2013...

[MoSpur]

No buyout? When did he sign this contract? He must have been blown away by that contract or just very young to sign it w/out a buyout. Or maybe he didn't have any confidence he'd ever make it to the NBA

[Marcus Bryant]

#57 sounds about right, if there isn't another international prospect with upside and a shorter contract available...

[T Park]

#57 sounds about right, if there isn't another international prospect with upside and a shorter contract available...

Yeah, I can see the 57th as being a "Its late, lets get the best player available" pick and him being the best available and saying it and swallowing the 5 year bullet.