SShoe Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 KFNS just said Ian has officially declared for the NBA draft. I still doubt he'll be actually leaving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVBilliken Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 One of the guys on KNFS also mentioned that Ian's 17 year old brother, who is a skilled 6'8" player, was considering joining Ian at SLU next year and redshirting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SShoe Posted April 25, 2006 Author Share Posted April 25, 2006 I just think there's no way Ian will not be back next year. As Frank, Brian, and Bob are discussing it's Ian trying to get an idea about where he is and what he needs to do to jump up the draft charts. However, in no way is he ready for the NBA at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Julius Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 >One of the guys on KNFS also mentioned that Ian's 17 year >old brother, who is a skilled 6'8" player, was considering >joining Ian at SLU next year and redshirting. I have met Alex and worked him out a few times. But I am pretty sure he is a 2008 kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashvilleBilliken Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Thoughts? I'd venture to guess you're one of only a couple people who read this board that have seen him play. What were your thoughts? Is he as raw as Ian was as a freshman? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenmetz Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Hey, I'm ready to start the Voyoukas Dynasty at Saint Louis!!!!!! Sign that KID UP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBand Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 April 25, 2006 Men’s Basketball Contact: Doug McIlhagga VOUYOUKAS DECLARES FOR NBA DRAFT ST. LOUISâ€â€Saint Louis head men’s basketball coach Brad Soderberg today announced that junior center Ian Vouyoukas (Athens, Greece) has declared his eligibility for the National Basketball Association June draft. Vouyoukas has not hired an agent and has kept open the option of returning for his senior season. He has until June 18 to remove his name from the early entry list. “Ian’s dream, and that of virtually every player in college basketball, is to one day play in the NBA,†Soderberg said. “We fully support Ian’s desire to be a professional and are happy there is a mechanism that allows him to gauge his draft status.†The 2006 NBA Pre-Draft Camp will be held June 6-10 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. The Pre-Draft Camp annually invites prospects to work out and be evaluated by league coaches, general managers, scouts and front office personnel. Vouyoukas has not yet received an invitation to attend but anticipates the opportunity to work out for individual teams. “After a solid season this year, I would like to see where I stand as a player and realistically judge my ability in relation to the NBA draft,†Vouyoukas said. “It has been my lifelong dream to pursue an NBA career. My family and I believe now is the best time to utilize the process that is available to us and keep my option open to continue my career at Saint Louis.†After his breakout junior year, the 6-foot-10, 270-pound Vouyoukas was named the Billikens’ Most Valuable Player, selected first-team All-Atlantic 10 Conference and received the A-10’s Chris Daniels Most Improved Player award. He ranked 14th in the A-10 in scoring at 13.9 points per game, sixth in rebounding at 7.4 rebounds per game, fourth in blocked shots at 1.9 blocks per game and 13th in free throw percentage at .725. He shot 54.8 percent from the field, which would have led the A-10 but did not meet the minimum made. Vouyoukas holds the Bills’ team record for blocked shots by a junior with 55, which ranked third on the Bills’ all-time single-season list. When Vouyoukas blocked five shots against Chicago State, it was the first time that a Billiken had blocked five or more shots since Melvin Robinson rejected six Eastern Illinois shots on Nov. 30, 1989. Vouyoukas replicated the feat by blocking five in the first half against Xavier at Savvis Center. The Billikens finished 16-13 overall in their inaugural season in the A-10 in 2005-06 and tied for third in the league race with a 10-6 mark.  www.slubillikens.com  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Can't fault him. I just hope there's no agent out there that twists his mind and says, "you'll be drafted". Does anyone think he's really NBA material at this point? I'd say no, but why not figure it out without incurring a penalty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SShoe Posted April 25, 2006 Author Share Posted April 25, 2006 SLU and Ian will be holding a press conference today at 3 o'clock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Julius Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I am not sure of what Ian was like as a freshman but I would venture to say rawness is a genetic trait. Alex is tall and he loves the perimeter, but his body is probably more suited to be an in the paint type of player. He needs a bit of work and some toughness, but he could transform into a pretty good player like his brother did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDELL Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I told you guys,Coach told me hes just seeing where hes at in the draft,and to get some publicity for his self and SLU.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 tdell, you were right. thanks for the info. it makes sense. i just hope the wrong people dont put thoughts in his head. i would hope either coach soderberg goes with him or we send coach thorpe with him at the camps. tdell, do you know the freshman center, will lawson, who is a freshmen at althoff? any background as to family or relation that played before and how big they were? it seems will has the potential to become a legit 6'8" or bigger and the body to go with it adn i was curious if he has the people around him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVBilliken Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 >I have met Alex and worked him out a few times. But I am >pretty sure he is a 2008 kid. That was my impression as well, that the kid was a 2008 recruit. But the guy on the radio said without hesitation that Ian's brother was thinking of coming to SLU and redshirting next year. If Alex is qualified to attend college, why wouldn't the kid want to spend a year with his brother and prepare himself for playing college ball in the USA? Sounds like a great plan to me. Get acclimated to school and college in the USA and hang with his brother for a year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I have heard that to 1. Beat any other school to the punch 2. Get him ready to play college ball that SLU would consider bringing Ian's brother over here a year early and redshirting him. He can qualify for college most definetely so I say why not. Another year of him in Greece probably doesn't help his development and allows other schools the time to evaluate and recruit him more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basketbillfan4life Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I also have watched the kid play. He likes to shoot, he prefers fade aways to taking it to the whole. He can run the court very well. His jumping abilities arent special, but he is still 17, he'll get there. I think we should sign him or else we'll lose him to another university next year for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 .....time to send Ian's parents on a second honeymoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashvilleBilliken Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Well, the publicity has started. Ian's declaration is "Headline News" on ESPN's college bball section. Not much, but it's more than the Bills usually get! http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2006/ne...tory?id=2421198 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tseugnekillib Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 hey bauman, you got on the IV bandwagon just in time.....two months ago you were still doubting his talents. If AB would had been coaching Ian, he probably would be a lottery pick and SLU would be out a very good center. Hopefully, we will see him playing as a Billiken next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBand Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Brian Stull interviewed both Ian and Soderberg this afternoon. Inerview will air during the 6- 630 segment of Sports Overdrive tonight on am 920 WGNU. Out of towners can tune in at WGNU.net. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDELL Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 I dont know Lawson,a while back I posted a topic "Is Jimmy McKinny a N.B.A. prospect"?Everybody said no.Jimmy was at SLU's open gym last Saturday, he said he has 11 invitions to NBA tryouts.I think Ian might get drafted which means another losing season for us (SLU) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleacherBum593 Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Hopefully, Ian will just go for the experience, then return for his senior season. But, the way the NBA throws money around, who knows... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Even with the lack of true 5s in the draft, I still don't think Ian is a first rounder. Jimmy will get plenty of tryout invites, though he will be the one passing out water to the players, not one of the players. Jimmy has USBL written all over him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SluSignGuy Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Ian took a little time to grow into his body some. It could just be general experience from being a Freshman to Sophomore to Junior, but he just needed some time to get his body physically to its potential. If a Big Man can wait it out as long as possible before playing College ball, I think it is better. But one of the experts can chime in on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 the nba draft is all about potential. they couldnt care less if a player is "ready". that said, the fact is that even though ian worked very hard on getting in better shape and stronger, he still appears to be undersized and needing to be even faster, stronger and showing out court skills imo. i would be shocked if ian gets drafted. however, i believe that ian is going to get a chance to play against the best be coached by some big time nba people and learn exactly what he needs to hear to put himself in the best position one year from now. assuming he takes that to heart, this only bodes well for the billikens as i would assume that ian then takes the necessary steps to try to accomplish what he learns the next month or so the rest of the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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