Blazers draft Victor Claver in first round
Thursday, June 25 | 8:13 p.m.
BY BRIAN HENDRICKSON
OK, so I've always said that the move Kevin Pritchard often makes is the one you were never talking about, hearing about, or even considering. Drafting Jerryd Bayless last year was example No. 1.
Example No. 2: Victor Claver.
The Blazers drafted the 6-foot-9 Spanish small forward with the 22nd pick in the first round Thursday night, a move that came as a shock to nearly all the media gathered at the team's practice facility to cover the draft. Nearly everyone went scrambling to read the draft media guide to get caught up on a little known player who did not work out for the Blazers in Portland this summer. The basics: He averaged 8.4 points and shot 65 percent (26 of 40) from the field while playing for Pamesa Valencia in the Spanish ACB League last season before missing most of the season with a knee injury.
It's possible that this pick is Portland's way of using its pick without having to commit to a player immediately. The Blazers have focused on Europeans when drafting late in the first round before -- see Rudy Fernandez and Joel Freeland -- knowing that they either wouldn't be able to bring them over immediately, or that the the Blazers didn't need the help immediately and could afford to let them develop in Europe.
Now, since most people in Portland won't know anything about Claver, here is some of his bio information from the NBA's draft media guide.
Victor Claver
Full Name: Victor Claver Arocas
Position: Forward
Height/Weight: 6-9 (2.06 m)/ 224 (102 kg)
Birthdate: August 30, 1988 (Valencia, Spain)
Team: Pamesa Valencia (Spain)
Spanish EBA Season G GS FGM FGA PCT FTM FTA PCT REB AST STL BL PTS AVG 2004-05 17 52 101 .515 38 63 .603 76 25 15 18 187 11.0 2005-06 29 117 201 .582 59 86 .686 157 25 35 25 380 13.1 Totals 46 169 302 .560 97 149 .651 233 50 50 43 567 12.3 Three-point field goals: 2004-05, 15-for-49 (.306); 2005-06, 29-for-72 (.403). Totals: 44-for-121 (.364). Spanish ACB Season G GS FGM FGA PCT FTM FTA PCT REB AST STL BL PTS AVG 2006-07 23 25 47 .532 16 26 .615 26 10 8 6 90 3.9 2007-08 37 57 100 .570 34 54 .630 112 37 22 9 230 6.2 2008-09 15 26 40 .650 23 34 .676 66 9 17 8 332 8.4 Totals 75 108 187 .578 73 114 .640 204 56 47 23 652 8.7 Three-point field goals: 2006-07, 8-for-27 (.296); 2007-08, 26-for-71 (.366); 2008-09, 17-for-40 (.425). Totals: 51-for-138 (.370). Eurocup/ULEB Cup Season G GS FGM FGA PCT FTM FTA PCT REB AST STL BL PTS AVG 2007-08 14 3 17 31 .548 3 6 .500 35 9 13 8 61 4.4 2008-09 4 3 5 9 .556 0 2 .000 10 6 0 3 10 2.5 Totals 18 22 40 .550 3 8 .375 45 15 13 11 71 3.9 Three-point field goals: 2007-08, 8-for-25 (.320); 2008-09, 0-for-2 (.425). Totals: 8-for-27 (.296).
An early entry candidate for the 2009 NBA Draft. Originally an early entry candidate for the 2008 NBA Draft
before withdrawing his name from consideration.
Career Highlights: Has played his entire career for Pamesa Valencia in Spain, rising from their youth teams to
their senior team in 2006-07. A member of the Spanish Junior National Team. Averaged 15.6 points, 5.3
rebounds and 2.0 assists at the 2008 U20 European Championship in Riga, Latvia. Produced 17.6 points, 8.6
rebounds and 2.4 assists per game at the 2007 U19 World Championships held in Novi Sad, Serbia. Helped
Spain capture the bronze medal at the 2006 U18 European Championships held in Amaliada, Greece, averaging
14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds. Contributed 1.9 points and 1.7 rebounds at the 2005 U18 European
Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia.
2008-09: Averaged 8.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per game over 15 games with Pamesa
Valencia. Had 20 points in the season opener vs. Zaragoza. Totaled 23 points vs. MMT Estudiantes. Missed
much of the season with an injury suffered early in the campaign. Also posted 2.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in
15.3 minutes per game over four Eurocup contests.
2007-08: With Pamesa Valencia, averaged 6.2 points and 3.0 rebounds in 17.7 minutes a contest in Spanish
ACB league play. Posted a high of 24 points at Gran Canaria. Averaged 4.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.6 min-
utes a contest in ULEB Cup play. Scored in double figures three times, registering a high of 16 points at
Azovmash Mariupol.
2006-07: With Pamesa Valencia, averaged 2.3 points and 1.0 rebounds in 6.6 minutes a contest in Spanish ACB
league play. Scored a high of 12 points at Bilbao. Contributed 11.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in four playoff con-
tests. Registered 18 points vs. Real Madrid in Pamesa Valencia's only win in the five games series.
2005-06: With the Pamesa Valencia second team, averaged 12.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in Spanish EBA
league play over 27 contests. Contributed 15.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in two playoff contests.
2004-05: With the Pamesa Valencia second team, averaged 11.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in Spanish EBA
league play.
Strengths: Long, athletic and runs the floor well. Possesses a good basketball IQ and lets the game come to
him. Moves without the ball effectively. Prefers to face the basket and has range on his perimeter shot.
