Shooting/Scoring: Predrag Drobnjak has a fairly polished offensive game at this point in his career. He's far more comfortable handling the ball on the perimeter than down low. From 15-18 feet, his jumper is solid, a la Horace Grant or Charles Oakley. In the post, Drobnjak has bulk but little else, lacking any moves. Down low, his favorite shot is the dunk, a welcome change from Vin 'no dunk' Baker. In Europe, he was able to put the ball on the floor and drive the lane against slower centers, but in the NBA, his speed is somewhat below average, so this move is not as effective. If he can't break the habit, turnovers will ensue. Drobnjak's an adequate free throw shooter. Grade: C+

Floor Game: Drobnjak is a decent ballhandler. Unfortunately, he thinks he's a little better than he is, which can lead to overdribbling and turnovers. He moves the ball well around the perimeter for a big man. Drobnjak also uses his bulk to his advantage and sets a mean pick. Grade: C+

Rebounding: Offensively, Drobnjak is a below average rebounder because his focus is on the perimeter. Defensively, he is a solid rebounder. He does a good job of getting position, though this summer he struggled at times because he was so shocked to have athletic opponents go over him to grab a board. Once he counters this, he should be fine, and he isn't afraid to throw his weight around a little. Grade: B-

Defense: Drobnjak has the tools to be a fine defensive big man in the NBA. In the post, he has the size to bang with almost any NBA big man other the Shaqs of the world (and who can?) He will have to learn to use this size a little more effectively. Opposing players who can face up will probably be able to get around Drobnjak, however. He is a decent shot blocker, lacking great leaping ability but making up for it with solid instincts. Grade: B-

Intangibles: Part of the thinking behind the Sonics' move to get Drobnjak was having him around to mentor fellow Yugoslavian native Vladimir Radmanovic, the team's first round pick, in a similar manner as the Kings having Vlade Divac to mentor Peja Stojakovic during his first years in the US and NBA. By all accounts, Drobnjak is a hard worker and solid citizen. Grade: B+

Overall: Perhaps even more than Radmanovic, Drobnjak has a significant adjustment to make to the NBA, and more specifically a generally far better skill level. Though Drobnjak has NBA talent himself, he's not used to playing against players who do, and this will be the key transition. It would not be at all surprising to see him start out slowly but progress quickly throughout his rookie season, perhaps even challenging newcomer Calvin Booth for the starting center job by season's end. At any rate, Drobnjak will provide a stronger inside presence on defense than the Sonics have had from a reserve center in quite some time. He compares extremely favorable to ex-Sonic reserve center Greg Foster, who is similarly a jump shooter on offense. However, Drobnjak is far more willing than Foster to play defense, and does not hold the same inflated self-worth which led Foster to shoot entirely too much during his one season in Seattle. Grade: B-

December 1 Update: In a disappointing development, Drobnjak was injured during a pre-season game and missed over a month. Since returning, he has shown the skills he was expected to provide -- a big body, excellent touch from the outside, and good passing skills for a big man. While these skills may have endeared to some fans, they haven't done so for Coach McMillan, who has used Drobnjak sparingly.

January 1 Update: Perhaps the biggest Sonic disappointment during the month of December was Drobnjak's spotty play. So far, he has adjusted poorly to the NBA, and even his infallible skill (jump shooting) has failed him this season. On the boards, Drobnjak has been by far the worst Sonic big man, and defensively his poor foot speed has proven the catalyst of his demise. Hopefully, a strong 14 point, 6 board effort to close 2001 against Toronto will spark improved play; otherwise, Drobnjak could find playing time hard to come by.

February 1 Update: Drobnjak's already poor play regressed even further during the month of January. Drobnjak's reputation for solid shooting has been shattered; during January he shout just 32.4%. As well, mental mistakes mounted during his limited minutes.

March 1 Update: At last, the Peja Drobnjak the Sonics expected prior to the season emerged during the month of February, notably after the injury to Vin Baker. While shooting a solid 48.4% from the field, Drobnjak significantly increased his per-game averages to 7.5 points and 3.2 rebounds, providing the Sonics a strong bench presence up front. The big change was that Drobnjak's jumper began falling with consistency, allowing him the latitude to also get to the hole.

April 1 Update: For the first time in his career, Drobnjak became a starter during the middle of March. The move agreed with the Sonics, who subsequently went on to win seven of their remaining eight games during the month. Although Drobnjak's shooting slumped a bit, he conintued to be effective by doing a better job on the boards and vastly improving his defense, nearly blocking a shot per game.