Moments after being selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Jonas Valanciunas was asked to explain his playing similarities to Chris Bosh.
“I don’t know. I have, uh, not so strong body so, I don’t know, uh, I can move fast so I think I’m it.”
The broken English was almost expected of a 19 year old kid who had no basketball experience outside of his homeland Lithuania. Valanciunas was instantly thrust into the North American spotlight upon being drafted. His future team, the Toronto Raptors, had high hopes for the young centre after losing Bosh to free agency the previous summer. His arrival was marked by an uproar of fans who had grown tired of Bryan Colangelo‘s affinity for European players. It was clear that Valanciunas had a lot of adjusting to do both on and off the court before he could prove his legitimacy to the city.
Valanciunas #Helladope last name
— Amir Johnson (@IamAmirJohnson) June 24, 2011
The welcoming period lasted more than a year. He chose to stay with the Lithuanian club BC Lietuvos rytas for the 2011/12 season rather than join the Raptors- the NBA lockout played a key role in this decision. While this delay allowed Valanciunas to further develop his game, he lacked exposure to the North American culture and media. By the time he finally took the court in an NBA game on November 1 2012, he was very much still the foreign kid who was limited in his social capabilities. But his transition had finally begun. With the help of fellow Lithuanian and teammate Linas Kleiza, Valanciunas quickly adjusted to the NBA lifestyle over the course of the 2012/13 season.
“This summer was a little different for him because everybody put very high expectations on him and everybody expected him to be that guy right away. He just wasn’t 100% ready to do that.”- Kleiza
There was no doubting his personality. He came across as both outgoing and enthusiastic in interviews and media events. It was unfortunate that his bright personality had been hindered by the initial language barrier. Over time, however, Valanciunas made leaps and bounds in his ability to interact with teammates and the press. His progress may be attributed to the strong influence of his American teammates. Out of the 15 man roster, 11 Raptors were American in Valanciunas’ rookie year. In addition to Kleiza, he formed bonds with Amir Johnson and fellow rookie Terrence Ross.
In the video above (posted nearly two years after he was drafted), Valanciunas pokes fun at Ross and even cracks a sarcastic comment. It’s clear that his English skills improved in the few months of NBA experience he had under his belt. At the beginning of his rookie season, when asked about his post-draft interview, Valanciunas responded:
“I don’t want to remember that day because of my language. I had an English teacher at home. I took two lessons per week. I’m trying to improve. You can improve just speaking with another person, having a conversation. It helps. Us talking right now, it helps. Maybe I will be better than I was five minutes ago.”
Again, there was a significant change in his verbal fluency. This improvement is definitely a testament to the close bond shared by teammates that sometimes goes unnoticed. Aside from speaking to his peers, he assimilated himself with North American culture by following popular trends. He familiarized himself with the work of the Raptor’s Global Ambassador Drake. You can follow him on Twitter @JValanciunas. He was seen sporting a Bart Simpson backpack on frequent occasions during his rookie campaign. The sophomore has demonstrated his support for the Toronto Maple Leafs and holds random contests on his Facebook page. The list goes on and on. Valanciunas, like many others, has embraced Toronto and allowed the city to shape his off-court personality.
The second-year centre has also seen simultaneous growth in his on-court performance. Compare his rookie numbers to his current statistics (per 36 minutes):
2012/13 Season: 13.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.9 BPG
2013/14 Season: 13.7 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 1.2 BPG
At first glance, the difference between years is incredibly underwhelming. However, the intangible components to Valanciunas’ game have improved since his rookie year. For example, he is always aggressive when battling for defensive boards, and has added a pump-fake/drive to his repertoire. While he has shown flashes of brilliance this season, there is absolutely no question that his game needs refining. He has not yet reached “franchise player” status, and it could be awhile before he actually does. Here are the statlines for three notable centres in their second year of play (per 36 minutes):
Shaquille O’Neal: 26.5 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 2.6 BPG
Dwight Howard: 15.4 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.4 BPG
Joakim Noah: 10.0 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 2.0 BPG
Right now, Valanciunas’ stats slightly resemble that of Howard and Noah. He is nowhere near the level of O’Neal in his sophomore season. Still, this is an encouraging sign. Before he can attain a dominant/superstar status, however, he must address the obvious flaws in his game. He lacks the reliable post game and relentless thirst for rebounds exhibited by the aforementioned big men Additionally, his main weaknesses are ball control (in the post) and setting screens. As Raptors fans know, there have been far too many instances of turnovers inside the paint and illegal picks from the big man. These issues are the reason for his inconsistent minutes this season. Valanciunas has yet to gain the full trust of coach Dwane Casey, and consequently his growth has been stagnant.
Valanciunas’ disappointing year may also be attributed to the high expectations bestowed on him by Toronto. He was heralded as the new hope for a suffering franchise. DeMar DeRozan has taken on that role, and fans just have to accept that Valanciunas’ developmental period will last a little longer than expected. The potential is still there. It’s just a matter of commitment and patience.
So far, Valanciunas has done a remarkable job in comprehending the Canadian and American ways of life, and he’s only going to advance. His English might not be perfect, but he can articulate himself well enough to deliver meaningful statements and witty remarks. He has come a long way from the unprepared 19 year-old at the 2011 draft. And while his on-court production might not yet be at the level Toronto expects, he has undoubtedly become a fan favourite for his charismatic and ambitious spirit.
