Apr 26 12:08 pm

PHO 135 PHI 149

PHI 123 PHO 134

PHI 135 PHO 106

PHO 111 PHI 131

PHO 113 PHI 128

PHO 123 OKC 118

OKC 134 PHO 140

PHO 116 OKC 118

PHI 119 MIL 102

OKC 112 PHO 130

One of the biggest days of the year on the NLL calendar is Draft Day and GM Blackmajestic was determined to ruffle some feathers and make a splash.
With a number of enquires from various franchises in the days leading up, picks 15 and 17 weren't realistically going anywhere with a number of targets falling right in the sweet spot for the New Orleans front office.
With Chandler Parsons offically opting out of last year of his contract at the start of the Free Agency period and already being shallow at the two spot, the New Orleans draft team targeted two wings that have bucket loads of potential with their two first round selections.

Furkan Korkmaz, SG
The highly touted shooter out of Turkey was regarded as the second best international prospect for the majority of the lead up to Draft Day, with only with Dragan Bender ahead of him on the board.
At an impressive 6 foot 8 tall without shoes and claims to be still growing, Korkmaz has the rare ability to potentially win both the three point contest and the dunk contest on All-Star weekend.
With a high release point, a sweet follow through on his shot and a quick ball release, Korkmaz boasts an impressive 44 percent from three point land in multiple season in the BSL and Euro league.
Korkmaz's handles are quite underrated, as he can navigate off ball screens and capitalize on hard closeouts with drives. Korkmaz can also create space or even shake defenders with crossovers.
But one of his biggest draw cards in his athleticism. Winning last year BSL dunk contest, dressed in a Darth Vader costume, Korkmaz ability to get to the rim and finish with authority will be welcomed by the open arms of New Orleans Pelicans fans.
Like many players entering the Draft, strength is Korkmaz's major down fall. Weighing in at around 170 - 180lbs, this was the main reason he didn't see much time in the lead up to the draft, as he is too slight to guard opposition Small Forwards but slightly too tall to guard Shooting Guards, leaving defensive break downs to occur. As a overseas stash though and being the second youngest player in his draft class at 18 years old, Korkmaz has all the time in the world to continue to work on his game and to put on some muscle.
For a teenager who was arguably a top 10 pick a few months ago, with laser like shooting and hops for days, for Gm Blackmajestic to take him with the 15th pick was a no brainer. Drawing comparisons to Kevin Martin, Devin Booker and New Orleans own, Marco Belinelli, Korkmaz's jerseys will sell like hotcakes when he arrives in the NLL.



Timothe Luwawu, SG
In a league where "3 and D" prospects are highly sought after, the New Orleans front office selected a prototype player that fits that mould. Another European wing that has experience playing against grown men, Timothe Luwawu has many strings to his bow.
The French national stands at 6 foot 7 and has a wingspan of 7 foot, combined with his freakish bounce, has some managers drooling.
As mentioned, Luwawu has a number of tricks in his bag that he can pull out in any given scenario to score. Consistent three point shot, check. Ability to finish above the rim, check. Proven slasher, check. Quick in transition, check. Improved ball handler and court vision, check... Luwawu does a lot of things well but doesn't dominate in any given area specifically, which may be why he fell on some draft boards. A mixed bag.
It's his defensive game that's his bread and butter though. Luwawu's long arms and violent lateral quickness will keep ball handlers on their toes when he is on the court. With the ability to guard all three perimeter positions and when fully engaged Luwawu will cause turnovers in a hurry.
Like everybody on Draft Day, they are not the complete package and there is always work to be done. Though he has improved his ball handling, Luwawu often has trouble reading defenses and often tries to go for the hero plays, leaving him somewhat red flagged as turnover prone, though with less handling responsibilities at the next level, the turnover rate shall drop.