It’s beginning to look like the Toronto Raptors actually new what they were doing when they selected Lithuanian big man Jonas Valanciunas with the #5 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Widely regarded as the best International prospect available on draft night, some teams hesitated on selecting the 19 year old, 7 foot center because of an overbearing European contract that may keep Valanciunas overseas for another season or two.
But due to the current NBA lockout that some predict may potentially last until the 2012 off-season, and with news that Valanciunas was the standout star at the most recent FIBA U-19 World Championships, the Raptors are now looking like geniuses for taking Jonas over a superstar collegiate player like Kemba Walker or Jimmer Fredette, whom some thought could have helped right away.
Valanciunas wasn’t just good in the World Championships, he was outright dominant, winning the event’s MVP Award behind averages of 23 ppg, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks in the Tournament. He had some great individual games like a 26 point, 24 rebound, and 5 block night against Poland and 36 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals to help Team Lithuania take home the gold medal over Serbia.
He also proved to be able to hold his own against some of the best collegiate talent that the United States had to offer as he thoroughly outplayed Team USA’s best big man Patric Young of Florida by tallying 30 points and 15 boards compared to Young’s 15 and 7. Even more impressive, Valanciunas almost single-handedly outplayed the entire American frontcourt of Young, Tony Mitchell(North Texas) and Meyers Leonard(Illinois) as the latter two players could only muster 8 points and 11 rebounds combined in USA’s 2 point win.
While he still is considered rather raw offensively, Valanciunas appears to be a difference maker from day one on defense once he ever does set foot again on American soil. Having a defensive minded big man to play alongside the offensively geared Andrea Bargnani may prove to be one of the best frontcourt tandems in the league come 2012 and beyond. Now they just need to figure out what to do at PG with the aging Jose Calderon as the incumbent.
Check out Jonas Valanciunas’ MVP Highlights from the FIBA Worlds:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
