A True Draft Sleeper, Kyrylo Fesenko
Luis Fernandez
If there was one player everybody wanted to see in Treviso, it was Kyrylo Fesenko. NBA teams, European teams, even ourselves, Fesenko was at the top of most peoples agenda. The Ukrainian big man hadnt enjoyed the biggest exposure playing for Cherkassy in his homeland, and the EuroCamp was a terrific opportunity to get a first-hand look at him.
Unfortunately, it didnt happen, as visa problems restricted him from entering the country. Instead, thanks to Synergy Sports Technology, we got our hands on a Cherkassy game from the domestic league against the Ukrainian powerhouse BC Kiev. A good chance to see Kyrylo in a competitive setting (even if it resulted in a big victory for Kiev) against a high-level squad.
No wonder why everybody wanted to see Fesenko. The guy certainly looks intriguing.
It starts with a remarkable physical/athletic profile. Not only is he a legit seven footer with a nice wingspan, and it doesnt finish with his strong body and solid frame; Fesenko is a pretty athletic guy who actually uses his gifts with a notable level of activity. Hes a high-energy player, even if his flame diminished a little bit in the last quarter, with the game resolved and too many minutes played under his belt.
In terms of skills, were talking about a pure inside guy, a player who doesnt seem to look at the basket unless hes within 10 feet of it. He doesnt seem to consider the possibility of shooting the ball at all, even if he enjoys a wide open position. Its also a rare feature to see him putting the ball on the floor, unless hes evolving in the low post.
For the most part, his production comes in the form of dunks. He moves pretty well off the ball, looking for low-post looks, trying to fill spaces and rolling after setting picks. If he receives it close enough to the basket, he will try to attack the rim regardless of whether theres opposition or not, forcing some fouls in the process. He can comfortably perform one-handed dunks, and for him it seems very easy to get up for the dunk, being quick enough to get the job done before the defensive help arrives.
His obsession for the dunk becomes very obvious when he cleans the offensive glass, as he tries to put back everything that falls into his lap while in the air with a strong dunk. Hes a very solid rebounder, particularly on the offensive end, where he shows nice aggressiveness and a certain ability to avoid the opponents box-out to gain good position. On the defensive end, he sometimes is caught unfocused, not delivering the proper boxing-out effort. Still, he has the strength, athleticism and apparently solid hands to come away with the ball.
Back to his scoring skills, we could also see him once evolving in the low-post in a one-on-one setting. And it was a very solid move, putting the ball on the floor to bang his opponent a little, and then using his left shoulder while spinning to gain room and deliver a short right-handed jump-hook off the glass. Fesenko seems to enjoy at least decent footwork and nice footspeed, but still were not sure about the quality of his jump-hooks, his soft touch and his left hand.
Defensively, hes again an active guy, but the kind of player who looks first for the block rather than to stop the rival with his body. Thats particularly obvious in defensive rotations. Although for the most part, he recognizes when and where to help a teammate, he doesnt seem very willing to take charges to force offensive fouls, and goes directly for the block if he has the opportunity. In many other situations, hes a player that never avoids contact, but he just doesnt seem keen on being rolled over by a rival. Anyway, he enjoys solid lateral quickness, he intimidates thanks to his length and provides a nice effort.
Apparently, enjoying a solid understanding of the game, its hard not to think of other international guys such as Andris Biedrins or Anderson Varejao when trying to project what kind of player he might be able to become in the NBA. Still we dont have enough elements of judgment to formulate a solid enough prediction about Fesenko, although there is more film in the mail Considering the tools he has at his disposal, it probably wouldn't shock anyone if he ended up landing in the first round.
Unfortunately, it didnt happen, as visa problems restricted him from entering the country. Instead, thanks to Synergy Sports Technology, we got our hands on a Cherkassy game from the domestic league against the Ukrainian powerhouse BC Kiev. A good chance to see Kyrylo in a competitive setting (even if it resulted in a big victory for Kiev) against a high-level squad.
No wonder why everybody wanted to see Fesenko. The guy certainly looks intriguing.
It starts with a remarkable physical/athletic profile. Not only is he a legit seven footer with a nice wingspan, and it doesnt finish with his strong body and solid frame; Fesenko is a pretty athletic guy who actually uses his gifts with a notable level of activity. Hes a high-energy player, even if his flame diminished a little bit in the last quarter, with the game resolved and too many minutes played under his belt.
In terms of skills, were talking about a pure inside guy, a player who doesnt seem to look at the basket unless hes within 10 feet of it. He doesnt seem to consider the possibility of shooting the ball at all, even if he enjoys a wide open position. Its also a rare feature to see him putting the ball on the floor, unless hes evolving in the low post.
For the most part, his production comes in the form of dunks. He moves pretty well off the ball, looking for low-post looks, trying to fill spaces and rolling after setting picks. If he receives it close enough to the basket, he will try to attack the rim regardless of whether theres opposition or not, forcing some fouls in the process. He can comfortably perform one-handed dunks, and for him it seems very easy to get up for the dunk, being quick enough to get the job done before the defensive help arrives.
His obsession for the dunk becomes very obvious when he cleans the offensive glass, as he tries to put back everything that falls into his lap while in the air with a strong dunk. Hes a very solid rebounder, particularly on the offensive end, where he shows nice aggressiveness and a certain ability to avoid the opponents box-out to gain good position. On the defensive end, he sometimes is caught unfocused, not delivering the proper boxing-out effort. Still, he has the strength, athleticism and apparently solid hands to come away with the ball.
Back to his scoring skills, we could also see him once evolving in the low-post in a one-on-one setting. And it was a very solid move, putting the ball on the floor to bang his opponent a little, and then using his left shoulder while spinning to gain room and deliver a short right-handed jump-hook off the glass. Fesenko seems to enjoy at least decent footwork and nice footspeed, but still were not sure about the quality of his jump-hooks, his soft touch and his left hand.
Defensively, hes again an active guy, but the kind of player who looks first for the block rather than to stop the rival with his body. Thats particularly obvious in defensive rotations. Although for the most part, he recognizes when and where to help a teammate, he doesnt seem very willing to take charges to force offensive fouls, and goes directly for the block if he has the opportunity. In many other situations, hes a player that never avoids contact, but he just doesnt seem keen on being rolled over by a rival. Anyway, he enjoys solid lateral quickness, he intimidates thanks to his length and provides a nice effort.
Apparently, enjoying a solid understanding of the game, its hard not to think of other international guys such as Andris Biedrins or Anderson Varejao when trying to project what kind of player he might be able to become in the NBA. Still we dont have enough elements of judgment to formulate a solid enough prediction about Fesenko, although there is more film in the mail Considering the tools he has at his disposal, it probably wouldn't shock anyone if he ended up landing in the first round.