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Koufos sees upside with Utah
GlenOak graduate knows he found a good home with Jazz
Friday, June 27, 2008
BY Todd Porter
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER
PLAIN TWP.
There were no long faces. No one turned the television off at Kosta Koufos'
house after the Cavaliers passed on him with the 19th pick in the first round.
In fact, given every opportunity to use an excuse, Koufos refused to do so.
So did his agent, Mark Termini.
More than two hours after the first round of the NBA Draft started, Kosta
Koufos still didn't know where he would play in the NBA. There were center-
forwards selected in front of Koufos that were head-scratchers to many fans,
but those players fit a given need an individual team had that Koufos didn't.
Finally, though, the Utah Jazz looked up at their draft board and the 7-foot-1
center from Ohio State and GlenOak High School, the one with the sure-thing
perimeter jumper, the baby hook, the 265-pound frame and 6 percent body fat
still was available.
Jazz Head Coach Jerry Sloan and General Manager Kevin O'Connor couldn't dial
Koufos' phone fast enough.
Koufos didn't pout about the money he didn't get Thursday night. That's not
money he lost because he never had it.
Instead he looked at what was important: His situation.
In being selected by Utah, Koufos gets to learn behind a center, Mehmet Okur.
The two are similar perimeter centers. He gets to learn Sloan's offense and
run it with one of the best point guards in the game, Deron Williams and one
of the best scorers in the game, Carlos Boozer.
"The Utah Jazz understand, appreciate and value the skill set and demeanor
that Kosta is bringing to their organization," Termini said. "It's a great
situation, and in the long run, it doesn't matter where he was picked,
because he has the same opportunity."
What Termini means is Koufos can sacrifice a few bucks in rookie salary for
two seasons to learn the game from one of the best teachers in Sloan. Utah
is a shrewd organization that wins and contends in the playoffs by drafting
players like Koufos.
Twenty teams passed on Koufos, and more than a half-dozen needed a player
like him. The Jazz were thrilled he was still on the board. Shrewd teams
capitalize on everyone else's mistake.
"I worked hard in my workouts and I felt confident in myself," Koufos said.
"Something don't play in your favor, but at the same time you can make a
positive situation out of a negative and that positive is being a part of
the Utah Jazz."
Under Sloan, maybe now Koufos will learn the nuances of the inside game.
When Sloan phoned Koufos after the pick was made, he didn't waste time
talking about the 19-year-old's role on the team. He didn't mince words in
talking about expectations.
The Jazz were serious about this pick. They're serious about Koufos becoming
a contributing player.
Koufos won't say so, but there has to be a part of him that's motivated by
being passed over by his hometown Cavaliers and a handful of other teams that
expressed serious interest leading up to the draft. On Thursday night, Koufos
and his family walked into Munson's Homeplate Sports Pub to a standing ovation
for a press conference. Before it started, one fan barked out, "Koof, the Cavs
shoulda drafted you!"
By now, though, Koufos was beyond that. He never talked about what didn't
happen, but what did and what can.
Termini wouldn't use anything as an excuse. Koufos was the 23rd player taken
in the draft. Other than money, there isn't any difference between 10th and
23rd. Both get the same two-year guaranteed contract and patience to develop.
Both get the benefit of doubt from organizations.
Koufos didn't slip because teams were gun-shy over whether he would bypass
the NBA and play in Greece, where he would earn twice as much money. Koufos
and Termini made clear the young player's intentions.
He's staying in the NBA. He will play for the Jazz.
"My main priority is NBA basketball," Koufos said. "I'm just focused on being
on the Utah Jazz. I want to try to help them win games and work hard for
their organization. ... I made it known my priority is the NBA and I'm
sticking to it. I feel I can be a great player in the league. That's a dream
of mine and I'm going to fulfill it."
Touching a dream never does go quite like it's supposed to. Touching a dream
doesn't happen for most people.
Surrounded by close family and friends, Koufos watched, at times painfully,
and waited for his name to be called. When it was, you know how it changed
him?
It didn't.
He shook off the disappointment of not being selected higher, but embraced
the fact that he is a first-round draft pick and heading to Utah today.
He'll be smiling all the way there, too.
Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail:
todd.porter@cantonrep.com
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=418273
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