CSKA Moscow head coach believes the Russian point guard needs to bulk up to play the highly physical brand of basketball in the American league
Minnesota Timberwolves roped in Russian point guard Alexey Shved over the summer and based on the skills alone, the young swingman has all the makings of a successful player in NBA. However, according to his outgoing CSKA Moscow
coach, Ettore Messina, Shved needs to be physically stronger in order to be a breakout point guard in the NBA.
“Alexey has for sure the talent to play there. He’s probably at a good age to go there. I think they will ask him to use his creativity on the floor,”
“I think they will ask him to use his creativity on the floor. At the same time, I think they will ask him to become stronger physically because contact is a very big factor in the NBA.”
Alexey and Messina have worked together for over an year team. The coach spent last season working as an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers on Mike Brown’s staff, but returned to the 19 time Russian champions for the coming
season.
He had a few pointers for Shved on his debut to the American style of basketball.
“If he manages to, let’s say, play through the high level of contact that there is in the NBA, for sure he has the talent to be a very, very interesting player at that level.”
Shved is very skill full when it comes to ball distribution and shooting and can be an asset for the Wolves. He recently won a bronze medal with the Russian team at the London Olympics by defeating Argentina. Coming into his first
year in the NBA, he would be accompanied by his Russian team mate Andrei Kirilenko, who is a 10 year veteran in NBA.
The presence of Kirilenko will go a long way in the acclimatization of Shved and if he live up to his potential, the Wolves will be one tough side to beat.
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