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Andris Biedrins is only 17, and in many ways, it's obvious. He's sitting with his older brother, 21-year-old Uldis, at a hotel in Los Angeles during All-Star weekend in February, talking about his experiences playing professionally for Skonto Riga in his native Latvia. When it comes to Andris' success against older, tougher veterans, Uldis pipes in to take some credit: "I have been beating him up for years," Uldis says. "He's used to it."
As for taking in the Los Angeles scene, especially during the weekend-long debauchery that accompanies All-Star festivities, Andris also was prepared for the kind of nightlife attendant with being a promising hoopster. That is, until his mother, Inita, got hold of his plans: "After the games are over," Inita says, in Latvian, "I tell him to go back to the hotel and go to bed. And he does."
With players in the NBA draft getting increasingly younger, curfews and bullying brothers no longer are oddities for potential lottery picks -- teddy bears and story time can't be far behind. Many decry the presence of American high school kids in the draft, but the same trend toward youth has taken over internationally. It creates uncertainty. Not only is it a crapshoot to pick a teenager in June, it's a crapshoot just figuring out who will be in the draft.
Biedrins is a rarity. He is certain he will enter the draft, and he will be
a lottery pick. He's a pure power forward, a lefty with a good frame. He is
6-11, athletic and a terrific shot blocker, with a mean streak not usually seen
in kids his age (one scout compares him with Kenyon Martin). He runs the floor
and has a fairly polished back-to-the-basket game. He originally planned to
attend a prep school in Washington, D.C., but his status as a pro in Latvia
washed out those plans. When he hitched onto the DC Assault AAU team last year
for the Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas, he was dominant, averaging a triple-double.
Biedrins, who turns 18 on Friday, understands that being a lottery pick won't necessarily translate into immediate success. He has watched last year's No. 2 pick, Darko Milicic, with great care. "I have done all I can do in Latvia," Biedrins says. "Even if I don't play, I will be getting better just by practicing. I think Darko does the same."
But after Biedrins, issues of youth and contract buyouts dominate the international scene. There will be eight to 11 international players chosen in the draft's first round, but who goes where largely will depend on which players are on the board. Some definitely are in the draft, and some will come in only if a team guarantees a certain draft slot. Others are not likely to enter but could change their minds and create a late stir.