Nikola Vucevic, PF

Vucevic (pronounced VOO-chay-vich) is regarded as one the elite international imports eligible for the 2011 NBA Draft that starred in the NCAA. The Trojans' multi-talented big man played 87 games in his three-year career in the United States, averaging 11.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

His 694 career rebounds are tied for 13th on USC's all-time list and he became the only Trojan to capture the Pac-10 Conference rebound title in consecutive seasons, a feat he accomplished in 2010 and 2011. His 8.0 rebounding average ranks 10th all-time in school history and after averaging 17.1 points and 10.3 rebounds in 2010-11, he became the first Southern California player to average a double-double since Jaha Wilson in the 1994-95 season.

Vucevic scored 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in USC's 2011 NCAA Tournament first-round loss to Virginia Commonwealth, which was his 22nd double-double of the season, fifth best in the country. He was named to the 2010-11 All-Pac-10 first-team and garnered All-American recognition. His 350 rebounds as a junior rank third on the school's season- record chart and his 582 points scored were the 10th-most in a campaign by a Trojan.

Vucevic hopes to follow in his father's footsteps and play professional basketball next season, as he tries to "grab the brass ring" by earning a roster berth with a National Basketball Association team.

Borislav Vucevic played basketball professionally in Europe for 24 years, and was a member of the Yugoslavian national team. He also coached professionally in Belgium.

The son didn't know whether he could live up to the legend of his father, but he told him he would try. "Do you want to play basketball?" asked Borislav, just making certain. "Yes," said Nikola, then age thirteen. "I will do everything to be one day like you, a professional player."

Borislav told Nikola he was talented but that he had to work. "You can be a lot better than I was," Borislav said. But Nikola never thought he could come close. He believed his father was that good. On a recent afternoon, the two sat beside each other on a plush leather couch outside the USC men's basketball locker room. They share many features: Same dark, deeply set eyes, same square hairline, same square jaw.

Borislav, 52, stands about as tall as the 6-foot-10 Nikola, 20, as only Borislav's salt-and-pepper hair and a few creases in his face seem to separate them. The father hadn't seen Nikola play since he was age sixteen, but he came from their home in Bar, Montenegro, in late February to watch four USC games. USC won them all behind Nikola's play.

"He's better now than I was at his age," Borislav said. "Nikola is a really good player, an NBA player if I've ever seen one," Washington Coach Lorenzo Romar said. Said UCLA

Chimed in Arizona All-American forward Derrick WiIliams, "Vucevic is a really great player. He's top five in the league and a definite NBA guy. He averages 19/10, that's better than me. He should get more credit."

UCLA head coach Ben Howland stated, "I look at mock drafts and I just don't understand why Vucevic isn't up there. He does everything. Shoots well, rebounds well and has a real presence about him." Nikola knows he's not a top-five pick. "If they say I'll be a first-round pick, it doesn't automatically make me leave," he pointed out.

Nikola's mother also played professional basketball in Bosnia. They moved to Montenegro when he was a teenager, and in 2007 he was voted the best young player in Montenegro and was a member of the country's U-18 national team. He was ranked as one of the top four players in Montenegro in 2005 and 2006.

Vucevic later moved to the United States, settling in Simi Valley, California, where he attended Stoneridge Prep. He was named team captain as a senior, leading the squad in scoring (18.0 ppg) and rebounds (12.0 rpg). Despite playing just one season in the U.S., HoopsScoopOnline rated him the 26th-best overall prospect in the nation.

Vucevic enrolled at Southern California, but sat out the first eight games of the 2008-09 season while waiting for the NCAA Clearinghouse to confirm his amateur status. He would go on to play in 23 games, averaging just 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds while playing a key role in the front court rotation at forward and center.

As a sophomore, Vucevic was named the Pac-10 Conference's Most Improved Player and was the recipient of USC's Top Rebounder Award, as he had a breakout season for the Trojans. He finished second on the team with a 10.7-point scoring average and paced the squad with 283 rebounds (9.4 rpg), the 13th-best season total in school annals. He went on to lead the team in scoring five times and in rebounding 20 times while starting 30 contests. His 39 blocked shots are the second-most by a USC sophomore.

In 2010-11, Vucevic paced the Trojans and ranked 16th nationally, as he pulled down 10.3 rebounds per game. He led the squad with a 17.1-point scoring average and finished fifth nationally with 22 double-double performances. He also blocked a career-best 47 shots and was credited with 54 assists.

After the Trojans' loss to Virginia Commonwealth in the 2011 NCAA tourney, Vucevic announced that he was leaving Southern California to enter the 2011 NBA Draft. "After consulting with coach Kevin O'Neill and my family for the past few weeks, I have decided to skip my senior season and enter the NBA Draft," stated Vucevic. "It was a very tough decision for me because I really love USC and my teammates."

"Nikola is a special part of our team," said O'Neill. "There were many discussions, including last summer when I went to Montenegro. Nikola feels this is the right time for him and we fully support him in his decision. At no point did I try to talk him out of it."

"We did the research, presented the pros and cons to him and we back him 100 percent in his decision. He is a special talent and has the ability to defend both the four- and five- positions at the NBA level, which is a plus. What people often forget is that Nikola will not turn 21 until late October."

Positives: Hard worker who puts in lots of hours in the gym to expand his game … Is not a great passer and lacks strength, but does a good job taking charges and is effective at clogging the passing lanes, using his long arms and above average wing span (7' 4 1/2") to alter shots (eighth in school history with 95 blocks and recorded 45 steals) … Has become a solid rebounder, showing the reach and leaping ability to get up and over other big men for the ball and is especially effective at securing the "sphere" from the defensive end … Is slowly adding to his offensive arsenal, and showed much better range and confidence in getting out to the perimeter and attempting treys last year (made 29-of-83 attempts) … Has also shown a decent one-dribble jumper from mid range and has gotten more than 60% of his points coming off spot up and pick-&-pop action … As his scoring has increased, he has also shown a better handle on the ball, cutting down on his turnovers from previous seasons … Good at distributing the ball out of tight areas and his ability to pull back and deliver on jumpers forces bigger defenders out from under the basket to guard him, or he will simply fire up his shot quickly and with a high release, preventing the opponent an opportunity to alter his shot … Even without great strength, if a dense gives him an opening, he will take it with no hesitation, drawing contact along the way, as he's had pretty good success at the charity stripe … Uses his length and size well as a floor spacer and gets a lot of his shots to connect from the low post … Has greatly improved his right-hand hook shot consistency from as range of 10-12 feet away from the basket … Is very active on the court without the ball and has that gliding motion when he gets the ball in the post, using his elevation to "sky" over smaller opponents … Has very good timing and second jump skills going for the block or rebound … Has that "small forward's" out-side shooting ability, showing much better confidence in his mid-range shot and despite his size, has had good success firing from the perimeter … Facing the basket, he does a nice job of pulling up and sinking the fade-away jumper, showing good range and a high, quick release … Might lack the quickness to play in an up tempo attack, but has enough to slip past and slash to the basket when matched up vs. a frontcourt opponent … Shows the moves to get under the more physical opponent to complete the play in the low post, but needs to do it more often … Has a good understanding of the game, showing the court vision to pass the ball around, working nicely in unison with his guards … Can surprise a lethargic defender when he sets his feet and uncorks a mid-range jumper … Has the quick first step needed to gain advantage on a slower defender and while he has good leaping ability, he also uses his long reach and timing to get a fair share of defensive rebounds (needs to fight for position better on the offensive boards, though) … Kicks the ball out quickly to the open perimeter shooter when facing double-team activity inside … Gets his man out of position with his pump fakes and can finish at the basket with either hand … More of a finesse-type scorer, but is growing confidence in his ability to drive with the ball … Can draw contact on his way to the rim in attempts to get to the charity stripe, where he shows a good release and high arch on his free throw attempts.

Negatives: Like most of this draft class, Vucevic needs to develop more upper body strength … Very good at attacking the boards for rebounds, but without more power, he has had times where the opponent will back him down in the post … Has just marginal lateral quickness, evident when forced to defend on the perimeter, as quicker three-forwards and two-guards have had very good success beating him off the dribble … When that happens, and without good recovery speed, he will often hack and get into foul trouble (disqualified from five games last year) … Will still gets bounced out by bigger men on drives to the basket, but will still make a concerted effort to draw contact, and has become a 74.6% shooter from the foul line … Not that great of a ball handler and can only keep the ball on the court on straight-line drives for a dribble or two before the defense converges on him … Has a predictable scoring game (gets most of his points near the basket), but did show better range from the perimeter as a junior (took 83 of his 122 career trey attempts last season) and is working on improving his one-dribble jumper from mid range.

Compares To: RYAN ANDERSON, Orlando -- Vucevic is a very impressive perimeter shooter for a big man, and this asset to his offensive game allows him to still be involved as a scorer, as he has not yet developed the raw power needed to drive to the basket consistently. He is quite effective as a defensive rebounder and shot blocker, which will allow him to earn quality minutes at the four-forward spot. He can also garner minutes at center. He's still going to need another year to refine his overall game, but of all the big men in this draft, he could be a potential steal in the late first/early second round picture. He also has the option, as an international player, of returning to school (Europeans must declare by June 13th their intentions) and he can also head to Eurpoe for a year or two, if there is an NBA lockout.

--Dave-Te' Thomas

All-American third-team selection by The NBA Draft Report, earning fourth-team honors from FoxSports.com … Added All-Pac 10 Conference first-team accolades … Started all 34 games, as he teamed with Alex Stepheson to give the Trojans a strong presence in the paint, both offensively and defensively … Vucevic led the Pac-10 and finished fifth in the country with 22 double-doubles, while Stephenson was third in the conference with 12 double-doubles … The tandem also ranked first and second in the Pac-10 in rebounding with Vucevic grabbing 10.294 boards and Stepheson averaged 9.2 rebounds per game. Vucevic (16th) and Stepheson (46th) were the only pair of teammates in the country ranked in the top 50 in rebounding … His 350 total boards were good for third on the school season-record list … Blocked 47 shots (1.382 bpg), tied for third on USC's annual record chart … registered a career-best 54 assists (1.6 apg) and had 18 steals (0.5 spg) … Led the squad in scoring with 582 points (17.118 ppg), as he hit on 50.5% of his field goals (215-of-426), 34.9% of his three-pointers (29-of-83) and 75.5% of his field goals (123-of-163) … He became the first Trojan to average a double-double since Jaha Wilson averaged 14.2 points and 10.1 rebounds during the 1994-95 season … Led the conference in total rebounds and defensive rebounds (253), as he ranked second in minutes per game (34.9), fourth in blocked shots and third in scoring average … Registered thirteen 20-point games.

Named the Pac-10 Conference's Most Improved Player … Given the Harold Jones Award as USC's most improved player and the Top Rebounder Award at the team awards banquet …

Had a breakout season, finishing second on the team in scoring (10.7 ppg, 321 total points) and first in rebounding (9.4 rpg, 283 total, ranking 13th on the school season-record list) … Led USC in scoring five times and in rebounding 20 times, including the last nine games … His 283 rebounds led the Pac-10, as he averaged 6.3 offensive rebounds per game and posted 39 blocks, ranking fourth in the conference … His .504 shooting percentage (126-for-250) led USC and was seventh best in the Pac-10 … Had the second most blocks ever in a season by a Trojan sophomore and the third most rebounds … Started all 30 games for USC and posted 10 double-doubles.

Missed the first eight games of the season while waiting to have his amateur status confirmed by the NCAA Clearinghouse … Played in 23 games, as Vucevic averaged 2.6 points (59) and 2.7 rebounds (61) while earning three starts … Made 57.8 percent of his shots from the field (26-for-45) … Also starred for Montenegro while playing in the U20 European Championships during the summer.

Vucevic played in 87 games at Southern California, scoring 962 points (11.06 ppg) as he made 367-of-721 field goals (50.9% ranks 11th on the school career-record list), 37-of-122 treys (30.3%) and 191-of-256 free throws (74.6%) … Registered 45 steals (0.5 spg) and 97 assists (1.1 apg) … Recorded 694 rebounds, tying Lorenzo Orr (1992-95) for 13th on the Trojans' all-time record chart … His average of 7.977 rebounds per game is good for tenth on USC's career-record list … His 283 rebounds in 2009-10 rank 13th and his 350 boards in 2010-11 rank third on the school season-record chart … Only Ron Riley (398 in 1970-71 and 369 in 1971-72) had more rebounds in a season at USC … His average of 10.294 rebounds per game last season is good for 11th on the Trojans' annual record list … Ranks eighth in school history with 95 blocked shots … His 47 blocks in 2010-11 tied Abdoulaye N'diaye (2005-06) for eighth place on USC's season-record list.

Attended Stoneridge (Simi Valley, Cal.) Preparatory School as a senior, as he averaged 18 points and 12.0 rebounds for head coach Babacar Sy … Was the team's leading scorer and rebounder, serving as squad captain … Arrived at the school in October, 2007, from his native Montenegro … Ranked by HoopsScoopOnline as the No. 26 fifth-year senior in the country.

Business major … Vucevic's father, Borislav, played professionally for 24 years and was a member of the Yugoslavian national team. He also coached professionally in Belgium … Nikola's mother played professional basketball in Bosnia … His family moved to Bar, Montenegro when Vucevic was a teenager … In 2007 was voted the best young player in Montenegro and is a current member of the U-18 national team … Ranked as one of the top four players in Montenegro in 2005 and 2006 … Born 10/24/90 in Switzerland … Resides in Bar, Montenegro.