Ex-Sixer Vucevic becoming a beast in Orlando
It's going to be more interesting everyday to watch the player that former 76er center Nik Vucevic becomes with each passing day, particularly in light of the way the second-year player in emerging.
Ex-Sixer Vucevic becoming a beast in Orlando
John Mitchell, Inquirer Staff Writer
PHOENIX -- It’s going to be more interesting everyday to watch the player that former 76er center Nik Vucevic becomes with each passing day, particularly in light of the way the second-year player is emerging.
No one in Philadelphia last season saw the soft-spoken Vucevic, the 16th selection in the 2011 draft, as anything special as his time wound down with the Sixers. In fact, we hardly saw him at all as the season wound down.
In fact, by the time the playoffs rolled around, Vucevic, who made 15 starts for the Sixers during the regular season, was little more than an afterthought. By the time the playoffs wrapped, Vucevic had made one postseason appearance, playing a grand total of three minutes and making a free throw – in a loss to Boston.
But the guy who was sometimes described as a little too meek to make a difference and was shipped to Orlando to help the Sixers acquire injured Andrew Bynum is now, all of a sudden, one of the best rebounders in the league.
Surely no one in Orlando expected Vucevic to grab the 29 rebounds he hauled in against Miami on New Year’s Eve and break the franchise’s 19-year-old single-game rebound record held by Shaquille O’Neal, but that’s exactly what he did.
If the Sixers don’t get anything out of Andrew Bynum – who is somewhere in the murky world of an unspecified ‘six-step process’ of returning to the court – trading Vucevic could turn out to be the biggest mistake they made in the offseason.
The argument goes that sometimes guys put up big numbers on bad teams, and this is true – but that’s at the offensive end. Rebounding is all heart, guts and determination. When the ball goes comes off the rim, the guy who gets it is the guy who wants it the most and it doesn’t matter what type of team he’s on.
Looking at the way things are right now, it’s not going out on a limb to suggest that Vucevic, over the long haul, will be a better rebounder than anyone currently on the Sixers active roster. He’s averaging a double-doubles (10.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, good enough for seventh in the league), and he’ shooting better than 50 percent from the floor. Over the last five games, he’ averaged 14.8 boards.
He’s only going to get better – with playing time, of course. Heck, in a few years from now we might be looking at the No. 16 pick in the 2011 draft as that class’s steal.
I was furious Vucevic didn't get minutes in the playoffs. Mind-boggling... and i constantly mentioned as much in my posts (i know i told you so is lame but i can't help it!). In particular i thought he would have played well against Garnett (as he did in the regular season). He has a strong and wide lower body...like Turner or Barkley. I think his body type has as much to do with his rebounding ability as his heart.
I complained as much about losing Vucevic as anybody (in fact i thought at the time i was the ONLY one who cared).....but i still hold out hope for the Bynum trade. As good as Vucevic can be....i don't think he'll ever be a difference maker....and if you want to try for a championship you have to have a dominant player. There are only maybe 10 or 15 players in the league with the ability to dominate. Bynum, when healthy (LOL), can dominate. Despite grabbing 29 boards in a game i doubt Vucevic will ever be a dominant player in the playoffs.
I'm getting a little sick of the doom and gloom. Yea Collins is frustrating in many facets....as is the team....but building a contender is very difficult in the NBA. I'm grateful the Sixers are an organization that is making bold attempts to be one....cuz that is what it takes. Holiday is becoming a star. To my surprise Turner has proven valuable (i was as wrong about Turner as i was right about Vucevic). Thad Young got better. Collins is sometimes a problem.....but the biggest problem of all for the team is that it has no dawg in the bones. LouWill would help with that a little....but Iguodala certainly wouldn't and i don't think Vucevic would enough either. Bynum is exactly what this team needs. In March i think we will all see that to be the case.— murdock101- Sedale--you summed it up perfectly .This is where its is at the present moment.How would Nic and Iggy look with Jrue Evan and Thad as a starting lineup?
The sixers --went old--Brynum is young but his legs are not--When he gets back most will be just waiting for a body part to give out.
DC said it again after the Suns game--If Jrue is a little off sixers will struggle==dosent sound like a deep team.
Ill give them credit--they stay close but are not consistent.
Congrats to Nic--i watch many of the ORL games--And If Harkless ends up being good.........— HO HUM - FIRST OF ALL--JOHN--i love your work--you go --in a classy way -where others do not......... in here ---Since not many have posted in here...Below is a direct quote last weekend from George Karl on Andre--contrary to some posters--this is how his new coach feels after 30 games.
Nuggets head coach George Karl was elated to add Iguodala to his roster, and is already starting to see the impact Iguodala will have on the team long-term.
“I see it when we play well,” says Karl. “Andre is a good, solid basketball player. He doesn’t have a flamboyant part to his body of work, other than his open court dunks, stuff like that. He’s a good passer, good rebounder, good offensive player, good shooter. None of those I’d say he’s great at and in the NBA I think we get excited about greatness instead of just good, solid basketball players. Andre is just a solid piece to a good team and the more that we have success, the more we win, the more people are going to appreciate it.”
He is a GREAT robin--trouble in Philly--there was no Batman--and he had to be put in that position--makes you wonder why no Batman would come here??For last years team to achieve what they did is a tribute to them.
— HO HUM - They've now dealt two agile 7-footers who can run the court and shoot with a decent touch in the form of Vucevic and Jason Smith who has been playing solidly off-the-radar down in NAwlins fo' dem' Hornets. Both of them would've given us a far more imposing and athletic front court than what we currently have. Unsure of what we may've gotten in Smith deal but he too was overlooked and unsung. What coulda been??— JB Nyce
- FIRST OF ALL--JOHN M--i love your work--you go --in a classy way -where others do not..if you read your blogs posts....... in here --
-A PRIME example--just look at the blog headline--it is 1/2 the size of the other--almost as an afterthought----and to me it is big news--as the sixers roled the dice and have come up with snake eyes so far----
Right now it is a black eye---Again--i remember vividly --DCa et al--i believe they were in Chicago when they said they had their man and they were going to fashion their team after the Thunder--but things have changed--
I may be pushing this point to much--but how can you be confident this will work out when AB himself--said --his words--"there is no cartilage
left in the knees and in addition they are arthritic " his words--and the sixers brass did not know this--If so they are a bunch of...................
— HO HUM - A beast, really? If you give a 7 footer 30 minutes on a bad team he'll give you those stats by accident. I'm not saying he doesn't have a chance to be a good player, but let's not get carried away.— JayOfDaJungle
- In the immortal words of one Florida Evans .................. DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!— Da Fredster
- wasted second pick in the draft on Evan Turner (abbreviation for "turnover")...draft Moultrie in first round who technically can't even make the team....misjudge Vucevic's skills......trade for the stiff Bynam who can't play....wow what a franchise. what kind of a mentor is DC when his point guard continually makes bizarre turnovers in crunch time? This team takes crazy shots at the most inappropriate times and seems to be unaware that they are not on the playground. I thought this season was going to be different when DC had a preseason to prepare his young players. Wasn't that the excuse
last year? Sorry DC this all reflects on you. As much as I respect you I think you suck as a coach.— garyv - said it before hawes should have been traded not vucevik who probably won't avg double digt rebounds but points he will, the other young player sixers sent in the trade just watching a couple of college videos could quickly turn into a iguodala type defender who explodes to the basket and can shoot the ball from outside,bynum may not play this season at all if collins wanted turner over favors or cousins and backed this latest deal it is time for him to hit the road....— only 9
- The conclusion: DC is bad for young players. What he did with Nic he did with ET!— Sixersorever
- The Philly teams always seem to disappoint.— Andrew Grier
- Vuc is a good player, still should have drafted Faried though, who is a better player. Faried is a man and plays like a man possessed, and a better pick and roll defender than Vuc or the stiffs on the 6ers— femmeballr
- Plus Nik signed 5 yr deal total is less than Bynum for this yr.— AlwaysRight
- Well well well...look who's talking bout Collins now..I have said last year that Nic Vukes is good and Collins is not playing him...now we see how good he is...just like Speights before him...and if the sixers FO did not sign Turner to a extension Collins would have done the same to him trade him. The problem is Collins he is the worst!!! He is a below 500 coach who couldn't win with Jordan and Pipen nuff said..!!!— male
- The problem is not DC's coaching....it's his talent evaluation. He has absolutely killed us with his personnel decisions the past 2 seasons. Gave away Vuc, Speights, this years first pick (Harkless), a future first pick, Iggy, Lou (not resigned). In return we have a broken down Bynum and overpaid J Rich. And let's never forget 2 seasons of getting Jodie Meeks rammed down our throats. It wasn't Iggy holding back Evan Turner. It was Jodie Meeks...amazing!— dave13
John Mitchell is in his second year covering the 76ers for the Inquirer after joining the paper in November 2011. He covered the Washington Wizards for the Washington Times from 1998 to 2008. He's also worked at the Philadelphia Tribune, the Wilmington News Journal, Courier-Post, Trenton Times and Elmira Star-Gazette.Born and raised in West Philadelphia - not too far from Will Smith - he graduated from Overbrook High School the same year the 76ers won their last championship. He's a proud graduate of Howard University and the proud father of two sons, Jared and Jordan.
ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI
Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.
