Pacers chooses Goga Bitadze with 18th Pick in the NBA Draft
Goga Bitadze is headed to the Indiana Pacers after being taken with the 18th pick in the NBA draft.
The good news is the Indiana Pacers took one of the best players available in Goga Bitadze. The other news is Indiana now has three centers on their roster worthy of playing time.
Well, the name of one of the teams he played on is awesome: KK Mega Bemax. Secondly, he is already a meme after he was ignored at the draft’s media day for Zion Williamson. He is regarded as one of the drafts best international players, as he hails from the Republic of Georgia.
As far as basketball goes, he can screen the crap out of opponents and pass the ball well, which seems like needed abilities if the Pacers plan on using him for pick and rolls. His 3-point shooting isn’t there yet as it was 31.3% in the EuroLeague this season, but the mechanics are there.
Defensively, the basketball IQ is clear in the way he covers his opponents on and off the ball. His 2.3 blocks a game aren’t bad, either. And if you aren’t a fan of Myles Turner’s lack of rebounding, Goga excels at that as well.
There’s a soft touch in his game with both passing and catching, which bodes well for his future as a spot up shooter, especially if he develops his range. He made his début in a Serbian league at the age of 16 before moving on to Mega Bemax, with produced Nikola Jokić, Ivica Zubac, and others.
Source: 8points9seconds