Stevens and KO Offer Scouting Report on 'El Hombre Indestructible'

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2013/09/brad_stevens_kelly_olynyk_offe.html


Brad Stevens, Kelly Olynyk offer brief scouting reports on Boston Celtics center Vitor Faverani

Print Jay King, MassLive.com By Jay King, MassLive.com
on September 13, 2013 at 6:38 PM


BOSTON -- At least until he plays his first game for the Boston Celtics, Brazilian center Vitor Faverani remains a mystery.

We know he's a 25-year old who averaged 9.3 points and 4.6 rebounds last year for Valencia in the Spanish ACB, widely regarded as the world's second-best league (behind the NBA). He stands 6-11, weighs 233 pounds (at least according to Draft Express), and answers to several glorious nicknames, including El Hombre Indestructible -- which, in English, means The Indestructible Man.

But as far as what he might bring to the Celtics lineup, we're relying mostly on what people have said. YouTube highlight reels can only provide a small glimpse into a player's skill set, and he doesn't even have many of those.

Giving us a little more Faverani insight Friday was head coach Brad Stevens, speaking at a community event in Dorchester.

"I think he’s a skilled big, he can shoot the basketball, he can score it on the block. He is a big, long guy, and he’s a really nice kid who wants to learn," said Stevens. "He’s still very young, although he’s been a professional (in Spain) for quite a while. But I think he’s going to be a good player."

Asked how the Celtics might use Faverani, Stevens added, "I think you look for things that you can do, within a system, to take advantage of all of your bigs' strengths. Do I have an exact sense? No, because I don't know exactly who will win those spots and who will be playing. But I have a general sense of what guys do well and I'm starting to formulate some ideas of how guys will best fit together. But (it's) ard to tell right now. We haven't seen any of these guys play five-on-five as a group, or really get up and down. We're limited in what we can do in the preseason."

Rookie big man Kelly Olynyk has seen Faverani in workouts, but noted that's obviously not the same as full-court games.

"He's good," said Olynyk. "He's a smart player, he's pretty skilled actually, got a little athlete in him as well. He's a solid all-around guy. I think he's a hard worker, he's going to be good for us in the future and even this year. I'm looking forward to stepping on the floor with him."



bob
MY NOTE:  Please God let Faverani be a pleasant surprise.


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