With this season drawing to a close and the playoffs merely a dream, I’m sure everyone is looking forward to next season. In amongst the draft hype of who the Sonics will pick this spring, you’ve got to wonder about the current roster, as well as people like Mickael Gelabale.I know what you’re thinking: What’s a Mickael Gelabale? Well, he’s a 6’8” SG/SF with a massive wingspan who can hit jump shots, play tough defense, and handle the ball on occasion. He’s also a possibility for the Sonics’ roster next season after being drafted in the 2nd round last spring.
Currently, Gelabale is playing for Real Madrid in the European League, where he averaged 8 ppg in about 23 minutes during the regular season. Of note, he shot close to 50% from the field, including nearly 40% from 3 point range and 77% from the FT line. (Coincidentally, one of his teammates at RM is former Sonic tryout and ex-Duck Alex Scales).
Gelabale played solid minutes during the regular season, posting double-digits in scoring seven times, but has yet to reach double figures in the post-season, which is going on as I write this. In all honesty, his stats regressed from the previous year with Real Madrid, but it seems to be more of a fewer minutes situation than anything else.
Gelabale is like a combination of Damien Wilkins and Desmond Mason if you ask me. He can block a few shots, hit the occasional 3, hit his free throws, and play good perimeter defense. He’s hit a high percentage of his shots in the Euro league, but I’m curious if that’s because he’s able to get separation from people over there – something he would have more difficulty doing in the NBA. It’s worth noting that one of his teammates at RM is Louis Bullock (former Michigan star), who regularly scores 20+ points in the Euro League (just to give some frame of reference to Gelabale’s stats).
In reading about Gelabale, one nice thing about him that emerges is that he’s not the kind of player who forces a shot, something which would work to his advantage in Seattle. He’s never going to be option #1 or even #2 on offense as a Sonic, so if he can lay back and wait for his shot he can be effective, sort of the way Damien was last year in the playoffs. As someone who can slash to the hoop, hit 18-foot jumpers, or come off screens, Gelabale can score in the NBA. Whether he can hit the NBA 3 is yet to be seen. As a bonus, he has played the point on occasion for Real Madrid, and showed the ability to handle the ball with decent ability.
34 comments:
I'm french and I saw Gelabale play many times
your description is pretty good, he is a good defender, good shooter (NBA distance won't be a problem) and also a good passer (he can play the 3, 3 and 1 position)
he won't be a star, he needs to add muscles too, but a solide defensive role player
He played with the French National Team and was probably the best player on the court behind Boris Diaw (he played better than Tony Parker or Mickael Pietrus)
Thanks for your input, Frenchie. Having watched Gelabale play, that's quite a compliment for you to say he was better than Pietrus or Parker (I've always loved watching Pietrus play for Golden State; the whole multiple-position thing is a uniquely European asset - Kukoc, Nowitzki, etc.).
Let us know whenever you hear anything on the téléphone arabe regarding if Gelabale plans to come to Seattle.
He already said he will come to seattle this summer
his coach didn't like it, that's why Mickael didn't play a lot in the second part of the season
That makes sense. I read a quote from Gelabale on the internet where he said he "might" come to Seattle, leading me to think that he still might stay in Europe, but I guess he has to be careful in what he says to the press.
his stats in the European Championship with the French National team :
8pts (69%) with 50% behind the 3pts line (5/10) 3 rebounds 1,3 assists and 1,3 steals in 25 minutes
Pretty good stats as he wasn't a primary offensive option, he has been pretty efficient
he defended well in this competition too
and just for the anecdote he won a slam Dunk contest in france with a perfect rider;)
sorry the slam dunk Contest was in Spain
Great; I had no idea he could dunk like Desmond as well. If the Sonics can line up Wilcox and Gelabale for next year, we could be revisiting the glory days of Kemp & Co. when dunks were in abundance.
By the way, I really appreciate your info on Gelabale. It's difficult to find information on the internet and it's nice to have someone with quick access to it.
:)
but don't dream too much, he will have troubles physically in the NBA
Very skinny for the moment, i think he has to gain 10/15 kilos to become a really great player
And even he is able to dunk very well he doesn't do it much in games (he is more a shooter than a slasher); but with work it can change
Anybody else wonder how many minutes Gelabale could get for Seattle? As I see it, the next season could break down like this:
PG: Ridnour 30 min
Watson 25 min
SG: Allen 35 min
Wilkins 18 min
SF: Lewis 35 min
PF: Wilcox 30 min
Collison 25 min
C: Petro 20 min
Swift 20 min
That's enough minutes right there to just about fill up one game, and Gelabale hasn't gotten off the bench yet. His minutes would have to come from somebody else's, but I don't know who that would be. Any guesses? [And, yes, Biggie, we know who you think they should sit (it rhymes with puke).]
his profile on Draftexpress is almost perfect :
http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=104#
I hope the Sonics Won't draft a SG to let him have his chance as Allen's backup
10 minutes from the bench would be good for him
Seems pretty inconsistent from the numbers. Hard to see where he would fit in. Then again, I don't see where our next draft picks will fit in either if we don't get rid of someone (like, maybe Soft Lew). We'll already have Moore, Wilks & Felix benching most of the time, with Earl, Nick, Omen & Swift/Petro seeing most/all of the back-up action.
"Seems pretty inconsistent from the numbers"
Be careful with the numbers, the Spanish League is very strong (second league in the World) and Madrid is one of the Best team of this league
He is just a role player in Madrid and his coach doesn't use him well
Makes you wonder what the Sonics plan to do with their draft pick this year. If they package it with Danny Fortson's expiring contract (sorry, Fort, but you know your time here is numbered, right?), they might be able to get a veteran center that can help the youngsters.
Or, better yet, send the pick with Fortson and something else to Toronto for Chris Bosh. A man can dream, right?
Good point on the numbers. I guess if he comes, it will be interesting to see if he puts someone out of a job in training camp!
Draft pick, Danny and Lew might be appealing to someone. Especially if he's gonna opt out anyway. We all know he wants the max (don't we?), but few here think he's worth it (AFAIK).
Just wondering, Frenchie, but what sort of talk has Johan Petro received in France since his solid play with the Sonics? I know NBA basketball must rank pretty low on the newscasts, but I'm curious what notice he's received, if any.
"Just wondering, Frenchie, but what sort of talk has Johan Petro received in France since his solid play with the Sonics? I know NBA basketball must rank pretty low on the newscasts, but I'm curious what notice he's received, if any."
NBA basketball is more and more present in our medias because of the very solid season of some of our players (Parker, Diaw)
There is also a Noah mania because his father is a legend in France, a lot of people just discovered the existence of the NCAA with him:)
But Petro is not very mediatized for the moment, of course sports channels (we even have NBA TV in France !;) ), sports magazine are talking about him but not the others medias...
It will come with his progress. If Gelabale comes it will help too (two french players in the same NBA team is something incredible)
But seattle is becoming one of the favourite franchise of french people
PS : I hope you will understand my poor English:)
if my link works you should be able to see some Dunks by gelabale
Gelabale Showtime
This kind of funny, but nbadraft.net has the Sonics taking Allen Ray from Villanova with their 2nd-round pick.
I mean, seriously, what would be the odds of the Sonics having two shooting guards - one named Ray Allen and the other named Allen Ray? It's got to be one in one trillion.
Some game Action now
Gelabale1
Gelabale2
Gelabale3
Gelabale4
Gelabale5
This is all I have, but now you know him better
It's strange, I liked watching Gansey and WVa in the tourney the past couple of seasons, just because they were all white guys, but didn't play like white guys. It's hard to explain, but it's easy to hate Duke because they all look they come from money, but the WV guys all looked like they came from West Virginia.
That said, I would be shocked if Gansey ever becomes more than bench filler in the NBA. He's a determined young man, but that doesn't make up for the talent gap.
Bottom line, the key word in any mock draft is "mock," as in it is easy to mock them because the guys that make them are flat-out guessing.
For my money, the best NCAA game of the past 2 seasons was last year when WV won in double OT in the 2nd round. Gansey went crazy towards the end of regulation and into OT - hitting 3's, blocking shots, making steals. It was like he was channeling Larry Bird and Reggie Miller all in one motion. No matter what he looks like - you can't help but root for the guy because of his passion.
I know what a kilo is but i have no idea of who you are talking about, Pittsnogle ??? Gansey ???
Damn it's already midnight here, to be a Sonic fan in france is a nightmare !
I live near Marseille, and strange things happen in the French Riviera too
lol
Are we all forgetting Pat Ewing, David Wingate and all the other guys in the Big East who started the whole tee-shirt under the jersey phenomenom. Plus, didn't Charlie Villanueva wear a shirt when he was at UConn?
What a strange Website, as a reaction to an article about Gelabale you are talking, for an unknow reason, about College players with t-Shirts under their jersey !
LOL
Vive Supersonicsoul.com !
Another win against the Blazers, three in a row (I think it's the first time with Hill)
Wilcox is da man !
Can't wait to see this team next season !
I really think this is the Best roster we have since the Shawn Kemp era
back to the Top Baby !:)
I gave you Gelabale's stats in the European Championship :
8pts (69%) with 50% behind the 3pts line (5/10) 3 rebounds 1,3 assists and 1,3 steals in 25 minutes
But I believe it would be easier for you to see the value of his stats with Mike Pietrus's Statistics in the same competition :
11,5pts 4 rebounds 0,6 assists in 26 minutes
He scored more because he was one of the stars of the team (he had the ball a lot more than Gelabale) and because he had 2 big games (23 and 21 points) but like i already said Gelabale played better (more constant)
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