It's Not Too Late - Get a 1-in-12 chance to win up to $1,600 with Fantasy Basketball Premium Games

Overview

A relative unknown, Koponen caught the attention of NBA scouts with his sensational performances at the 2007 Nike Hoop Summit. His play so impressed former Memphis executive Jerry West, that the astute talent scout traveled to Finland to see Koponen play, comparing him to two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash.

The 19-year-old began playing for the Honka Playboys in their junior league in 2004. He guided the team to a second-place finish in the Korisliiga League, the top level of competition in his native Finland. Operating as the team's point guard, he averaged 12.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists while appearing in 55 games during the 2006-07 season.

Koponen shot 54.2 percent from inside the 3-point line (130 of 240) and 39.2 percent from 3-point range (89 of 227) while connecting on 84.1 percent of his shots from the charity stripe (159 of 189). He totaled 205 assists with nine blocked shots and averaged 1.7 steals per game. He was charged with 157 fouls and turned the ball over 133 times (2.7 turnovers per game).

Scouting Report

Positives: Has a well-built frame with a long reach and quick moves to the basket...Despite his age, he shows good court vision and decision-making, as he will generally take what the defense gives him rather than try to force the issue...Has a good eye and a high release firing from 3-point range, but is the type of unselfish player who will look for shots for his teammates first, rather than make himself the only scoring option...Has the skills to play tight in pressure defense without committing the foolish foul...Shows good awareness and quick hands to execute the pick-and-roll...Has a nice spin move to avoid the defender coming from his blind side and is alert to locating open cutters...Prefers to shoot from mid-range or along the perimeter, but has the slashing ability to take the ball inside to create...Glides through the air to draw contact...Uses his court vision well to break down and capitalize on the soft areas of the defense...Keeps defenses honest by forcing men out of the paint to guard him along the perimeter, as he can be deadly once he gets into a rhythm of firing his jumpers from 3-point range...Goes through progression reads well to find the open outlet before deciding if he will create a shot for himself off the dribble...Does a good job of setting up screens in the paint...Can connect off the dribble with either hand...Knows how to use his length and wingspan to alter the opponent's shot and is a capable defender.

Negatives: Until playing in the 2007 Nike Hoops Summit, he rarely faced top competition in league play...Is unselfish to a fault and he tries to feed his teammates more often than taking an easy shot himself...Must show better drive through the lane, as he prefers to park on the perimeter rather than penetrate at times...Has a very quick release, but needs to improve the lift on his jumpers...Struggles some to stay in front of quicker guards in one-on-one action...Better in the open court, as he feels constricted and will force some passes when operating in half-court activity.

Compares To: STEVE NASH, Phoenix. Jerry West likens Koponen's style to Nash's. He is unselfish to a fault, but shows good mid-range shooting ability and is almost automatic at the free-throw line. He might not have the quickness to push the ball up court as a point guard, but his keen scoring touch could see him develop into a nice combo guard coming off the bench.

Personal

Born 4/13/88...Resides in Helsinki, Finland.

Copyright (C) 2007 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.