Yup, the whiteboard says “HAPPY.” Photo courtesy NBA.The Washington Wizards lost the NBA Draft Lottery back in mid-May, chance pushing where their 23-59 record was slotted back two spaces to the unenviable position of sixth. After the disappointing finish that brought Wizards fans back to earth from the high of winning the lottery and John Wall in 2010, ESPN started to show highlights of the potential 2011 prospects.
“Jan Vesely,” I sarcastically said to one of my team rooting cohorts, “he sounds like such a Wizard.” Meaning, with the supposed plan for rebuilding set forth by Ted Leonsis, but with the announced caveat that he doesn’t meddle up in the business of team president Ernie Grunfeld, team fans remained as confused and pessimistic as ever as to exactly what move would be made.
Would Grunfeld boldly make a trade to get draft dazzlers Derrick Williams or Enes Kanter? Would he take a safe pick who could play defense for a change? Or would he, as his draft record for the most part shows, attempt to swing for the fences with supreme offensive style, but little substance?
Well, as Thursday night’s draft approached, all signs pointed to the Wizards selecting a big man from overseas. And a majority of fingers pointed to that same Jan Vesely. Internet research on the native of the Czech Republic provided that he was tall, skinny, Euro and could dunk the hell out of the ball. (But little else.) YouTube dubbed Vesely “The Flying Ninja” (though he prefers “The Flying Czech”).
Still, was this the guy, a 6’11”, 240-pounder not many had heard of, on whom Grunfeld wanted to stake his reputation? Does he fit the mold of toughness and defense that the Wizards so desperately need? He can barely shoot free throws, sinking just 43.8 percent of them while playing for a Serbian team in the Euro League last season.
As the decision became apparent leading up to last night’s draft — Grunfeld, usually one to play his cards close to his vest, dutifully invited members of the Czech Republic embassy to the Wizards draft party at the Verizon Center, and of course, that leaked to the media — this Wizards fan relented heavy doses of skepticism. Developing, changing and untrustworthy European basketball sterotypes be damned, the Wizards had scouted Vesely. A lot. And other NBA teams obviously thought highly of him. So be it. It wasn’t all about Marsha for a change — Jan would get some time to shine.
At least the Wizards might entertain with John Wall running the fast break, dunks from a Czech, alley-oops to “Pierre” (JaVale’s McGee inane alter-ego that he like to himself in the third person as on Twitter), Jordan Crawford taking unfathomably crazy shots, and Andray Blatche propelled by vodka farts and Internet club night pictures. The Wizards wouldn’t be able to defend worth a damn, but they might represent the next closest thing to Grunfeld’s “Fun Street” vis a vis the Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison teams that have gladly faded to a distant memory.
Then there was the kiss. Well disseminated by now: as soon as Vesely was selected by the Wizards, he jumped up, buttoned his coat and laid a big, passionate smooch on his almost equally as tall basketball-playing girlfriend. Fans at Newark’s Prudential Center, where the 2011 draft was held, hooped and hollered as only those from the home of “Jersey Shore” can. Analysts smiled. Tweeters on Twitter zinged. Everyone was happy, if not for the simple fact that Vesely was not a cold, Ivan Drago-type stiff from whom an enchanting siren couldn’t coax a reaction.
The kiss gave Vesely a personality. As a member of the attending media, it was a slight relief to have something other than broken-English basketball to query the 21-year old about.
The kiss made Vesely’s girlfriend, Eva Kodouskova, an icon approachable by journos as well. Her English, as a architecture student in Prague, better than her boyfriend’s, revealed that Jan is just a jokester who has no problem getting along with just about anyone.
The kiss helped save the draft, quelling the cold smirks scratching their head and wondering if Vesely was the next Oleksiy Pecherov. The kiss, combined with the fact that Chris Singleton out of Florida State, dubbed by analysts as the best defender available, made Washington’s 2011 Draft Night a resounding success.
Now the NBA just needs to resolve their labor dispute so the young Wiz kids can get on the floor and start growing together for next season. Sounds like a daunting task now, but not daunting enough to ruin the magic of a kiss.
