Jazz look at Podkolzine

Jazz look at Podkolzine





By Steve Luhm
The Salt Lake Tribune

In an NBA draft class loaded with young centers and power forwards, the "Biggest One of Them All" worked out for the Jazz on Wednesday.
Pavel Podkolzine is a 19-year-old Russian who stands 7-foot-5, weighs 300 pounds and wears a size-21 sneaker.
Unfortunately, Podkolzine also has been diagnosed with acromegaly, a disorder that occurs when the pituitary gland produces excessive amounts of growth hormones. The malady was discovered just days before the 2003 draft, when he had been expected to be a lottery pick.
Not knowing the exact ramifications of the diagnosis, most teams -- including the Jazz -- told Podkolzine and his agent that they could not risk taking him.
Podkolzine hastily withdrew his name from the draft and returned to Italy, where he continued his basketball career while being treated with medication for his pituitary disorder.
So far, surgery has been avoided.
"It is very good right now, very better," Podkolzine says.
Asked about Podkolzine's health, Jazz vice president of basketball operations Kevin O'Connor said, "It's a concern, but not nearly the concern it was last year because everybody was hit with it at the 11th hour."
According to O'Connor, the Jazz have turned over Podkolzine's medical records to their team internist, Russell Shields.
Utah owns the 14th, 16th and 21st picks in the first round. If Podkolzine is available, Shields' opinion on his physical condition will go a long way toward whether the Jazz take the gigantic center.
"We've put it in Doc Shields' hands," O'Connor said, smiling.
"If somebody does not get me before Utah, that is O.K.," said Podkolzine.
O'Connor isn't sure Podkolzine will be available when the Jazz make their first pick in the draft, saying, "He's all over the board. I've heard him as high as 10 and as low as 25."
Podkolzine worked out in Utah last year -- just before his pituitary condition was diagnosed -- and Jazz officials liked him.
But do they feel the same way now?
"He's a good shooter," O'Connor said. ". . . and he's fairly light on his feet."
Podkolzine has also slimmed down in the year since the Jazz have seen him work out.
"He's really improved there," O'Connor said. "His body is better. . . . There's some definition there."

Along with Podkolzine, centers Peja Samardziski (6-11) and Robert Rothbart (7-1) also worked out for the Jazz.
A native of Macedonia, the 18-year-old Samardziski played in Europe last season and is considered a likely first-round pick, when as many as 14 centers and power forwards could be selected.
Rothbart is a high-schooler from Sacramento. He has been recruited to play at Indiana next season and must quickly decide whether to remain in the draft or withdraw and play for the Hoosiers.
The deadline for withdrawing from the draft: today.
Like so many other underclassmen, Rothbart's decision will be based on whether he thinks an NBA team will take him in the first round.
Even if Rothbart decides to withdraw from the draft, however, the experience of working out for NBA teams has been beneficial.
"It's been great," he said. "It's been worth a lot to me, being able to compare myself to the rest of the world. . . . I think I'm doing pretty good."
"None of these players are NBA-ready yet," O'Connor said. "What you do is take a look and project them two or three years down the road. Will they be NBA-ready then? That's really what you are trying to figure out."
The Jazz continue preparations for the draft this morning, when four players will audition at the team's practice facility.
The group includes Minnesota forward Kris Humphries (6-8), DePaul forward Andre Brown (6-9), Spanish center Tiago Splitter (6-11) and Croatian center Damir Omerhodzic (6-10).
Of those four players, Humphries is considered the top prospect. As a freshman last season, he averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds.








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