Image via WikipediaIn the not too distant past, there was an influx of talented, highly-skilled, foreign NBA ready big men arriving on American shores ready to prove themselves in the best league in the world. The likes of Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming, Nene, and Andrew Bogut have become proven commodities for their respective teams, if not the face of their franchise. The combination of a lack of NBA ready big men born within our own borders, and the tantalizing prospect of finding the next Dirk Nowitzki or Pau Gasol, has seen NBA scouts scour foreign gymnasiums and playgrounds in search of the next international superstar.
Tiago is a prototypical Greg Popovich type of player, and will fit perfectly into San Antonio’s system. He adds much needed youth and depth to the Spurs frontline, and will make life much easier for Tim Duncan.
He has the ability on offense to hit the open jumper, finish inside with either hand, run the high-post offense with his remarkable pinpoint passing ability, set solid screens, and should excel in running the pick and roll with pick and roll extraordinaire Tony Parker.
On defense, Splitter will bump and grind until the final whistle, and fight for any and every rebound in his vicinity, much like his new teammate DeJuan Blair. While he is not a shot blocker, he is an excellent man to man defender, and his combination of speed and quickness will help on defensive rotations as well as defending the pick and roll. He seldom makes mistakes on this end of the court.
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