Overview

Printezis is a rare breed at forward, showing the acceleration and quickness normally associated with a shooting guard.

Unlike most European players, he possesses great strength to dominate in one-on-one situations. With his ability to consistently connect on his mid-range jumper, he forces the opponent to leave the paint in order to defend around the perimeter.

The 22-year-old has been playing professional basketball since 2000-01. He played in the Asteras Ag. Dimitriou (Greece) youth teams before signing with Olympiacos Piraeus. He has been a member of the Greek Cadets National Team and also played at the 2001 European Cadets Championship. He was a member of the Greek Under-20 National Team and played at the 2005 European Under-20 Championship.

In 2005-06, Printezis played in 23 games as part of a deep frontcourt rotation for Olympiacos. He shot 63.6 percent from the field and 69.2 percent from the charity stripe while averaging 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. He was loaned to Olympia Larissa in 2006-07, another team loaded with frontcourt players. He appeared in 14 games during the regular season, finishing with 100 points (7.1 ppg), 47 rebounds (3.4 rpg) and seven blocked shots.

In his last two seasons with the senior teams, Printezis played in 37 games, hitting on 81 of 125 two-point shots (64.8 percent) and 11 of 41 from 3-point range (26.8 percent), adding 48 of 67 free throws (71.6 percent) for a total of 243 points (6.6 ppg). He grabbed 120 rebounds (3.2 rpg) with 15 blocked shots, adding 18 steals and 19 assists. He turned the ball over only 19 times and was called for 44 Personal fouls.

Scouting Report

Positives: Has a tall frame with an impressive wingspan and standing reach...Shows developed muscle tone and good strength to play power forward, but with his quickness getting up and down the court, along with his mid-range scoring ability, he might be a better fit at small forward in the NBA as his body continues to physically mature...Active under the basket, using his length and elevation well to secure the rebound...Works well without the ball in his hand and gets most of his points facing the basket, as he uses his speed well to slash to the basket...Very aggressive fighting for position or going after loose balls...Has enough range to connect from the 3-point area, showing good pump fakes and hesitation moves to get the defender to commit too early...Tireless worker who will do the little things to help the team (set the screen, take a charge)...Shows no hesitation attacking the rim...Does a nice job of contorting his body to draw contact on the way to the basket...Can get to the rim consistently due to his explosive initial step...Finishes well in transition, even after absorbing contact...Forces his man out of the paint -- if left alone on the perimeter, he can consistently hurt the opponent with his jumper from his triple-threat position...Has the long arms and good hands to feather the ball into the basket...Sets his feet and squares his shoulders well, showing a high enough release point that defenders struggle in attempts to block his shot...Light on his feet, showing the leaping ability and reach to alter the opponent's shots...Has enough elevation going to the rim to be an effective dunker.

Negatives: Needs to get more comfortable playing with his back to the basket...Has good court quickness, but his lateral agility is limited due to hip stiffness...Marginal ball handler who does not have the hands to keep the ball on the floor for long...Fails to create his shot off the dribble...Will bite on hesitation moves, lacking the change-of-direction agility to get back into the action once an opponent slashes on him...Needs to take a clearer path to the basket, as he tends to get over-aggressive at times, resulting in foul trouble (also prone to traveling violations)...When he does put the ball on the floor, his high dribble soon results in turnovers...Must improve his intermediate-range scoring skills...Gets into a rhythm where he just shoots the ball up rather than setting his feet properly (when he does this, his stroke becomes very inconsistent).

Compares to: ANDRES NOCIONI, Chicago. Printezis is much more aggressive going to the rim than Nocioni and shows better foot speed, but both are good face-to-the basket types who might be a better fit at the "three" spot rather than at power forward. Printezis is unlike most European players, as he shows excellent strength and efficient one-on-one skills. He is developing his mid-range shot to force the opponent out of the paint to defend and has that explosive first step slashing to the basket. He is very active on the court, especially in attempts to box his man out. He is quick attacking the basket and while his shooting stroke needs refinement, his athletic ability warranted serious consideration in the draft's second round.

Personal:

Born 2/22/85...Resides in Athens, Greece.