Shooting/Scoring: Vladimir Radmanovic caught the eyes of NBA scouts with impressive shooting in several pre-draft workouts. In one session, he drilled 21 of 25 three pointers, only to come back and repeat the feat at his next workout. There is no question that Radmanovic will be able to score at the NBA level next season, primarily from the perimeter. He is equally effective from beyond the arc or just inside it. Getting to the lane is not a great problem for Radmanovic, though his finishing ability is somewhat suspect. He finishes much better on the break. Radmanovic's post up game is extremely raw, and he probably won't be asked to work in the post much this season, though he could eventually develop this area of his game. Though his European stats don't suggest it, he has demonstrated good marksmanship from the free-throw line. Grade: B

Floor Game: Radmanovic experiences many of the ballhandling difficulties to be expected from a 20 year old with only three years of professional experience. He will on ocassion attempt to do too much with the ball, leading to turnovers. Though he would not be a player you'd want bringing the ball up, he is a decent dribbler for a small forward, and this should become a strength in time. Radmanovic is a good -- and willing -- passer. He has somewhat suspect hands when receiving the ball, especially bad for a small forward. Grade: C+

Rebounding: At this point in his career, Radmanovic is only adequate on the glass. He needs to improve his technique, relying largely on raw talent now. With good size for a small forward and long arms, he has all the tools necessary to become a fine rebounder, and should be counted on to improve during the season with instruction and experience against NBA caliber players. Grade: C-

Defense: The reputation preceding Radmanovic prior to the draft was that he was an unusually strong defender for a European player. It's tough to say whether that phrase would be considered damning with faint praise. At the beginning of the summer, Radmanovic looked a bit lost on d in scrimmages, but reportedly became more comfortable -- and more succesful -- as he gained Summer League experience. He should be a good defender at the small forward position, what with his quickness and long arms. After picking him, Sonic coach Nate McMillan spoke of using Radmanovic at four defensive positions, but, at least for the time being, this seems like a stretch. In the post against power forwards, he is simply not strong enough, and has no savvy to make up for this disadvantage. Perhaps down the line he will become a capable post defender, but not now. Radmanovic would also seem to be mismatched against point guards, where he would not be quick or smart enough to stay with them. For now, he is best utilized at small forward with perhaps some occasional work at off guard. Grade: B-

Intangibles: Though Radmanovic's intangible qualities would generally have to be considered a mystery at this point in time, he did say all the right things after his selection, appearing happy to be in Seattle, and appears to have a strong work ethic. Radmanovic's transition to American life will be smoothed by the presence of Seattle of his parents and fellow Yugoslavian Predrag Drobnjak. Grade: Incomplete

Overall: It's been quite a journey upwards for Radmanovic in the middle part of this year. As recently as May, he was hardly a common name amongst draft experts, let alone the fans. By virtue of some fantastic workouts, he vaulted into the lottery, quite a significant improvement. Normally, I'm wary of players who are drafted largely on the strength of camps and workouts, but that generally applies to college players who have underachieved and try to make up for it just prior to the draft. This is not the case with Radmanovic. Though his European numbers were not gaudy, he was regarded by foreign basketball experts as a future star. Now, Radmanovic has also backed up his selection with a strong performance at the Shaw Summer League in Boston, where observers considered him one of the top talents. Radmanovic does find himself in a bit of a poor situation to display his talents. Despite being arguably the best outside marksman amongst this rookie class, he's not one of the best on his team with three players returning who finished in the league's top 10 in three point percentage. One of those players is Rashard Lewis, who will play ahead of Radmanovic this season and, unless one moves to the power forward positon, blocks his path to a starting job. The two will probably play together at least 5-10 minutes per game this season against the opposition's reserves. Expect Radmanovic to get 20-25 minutes per game and average 6-8 points and 3-4 rebounds next season. Grade: B-

December 1 Update: Radmanovic is a rookie, and unsurprisingly has struggled at times. He started out the season well in the rotation, but since went cold from the field and became turnover-prone. Since, he's exited the rotation for the most part, though he looks to maybe be returning. Rad's defense has been spotty, as he's too often gone for the steal and sometimes struggles knowing where to go. On offense, he needs to learn to let the game come to him as opposed to forcing it. These are things all rookies struggle with ... it's hardly time for any concern.

January 1 Update: Any questions about Radmanovic's ability to adjust to the NBA were quickly erased with -- aside from a sprained ankle and a slight concussion that caused him to miss three games -- a stellar month of December. On both offense and defense, Radmanovic's mental ability was markedly improved, as he allowed the game to come to him on offense and played intelligently on defense. His outside shooting has been excellent, as he leads the team in three point percentage, and he's getting to the basket more. On defense, he's shown remarkable ability against bigger players -- even defending Alonzo Mourning -- and surprising shot blocking ability. Radmanovic now looks capable of big things ... soon.

February 1 Update: After a strong start to the month of January, Radmanovic's play dropped off later in the month. His three-point shooting, which had him in the league's top five at one point, fell dramatically as his poor two-point percentage improved little. His rebounding numbers were also well done.

March 1 Update: After Vin Baker's injury, Radmanovic got the chance to become a regular starter for the first time in his career. Despite playing against much bigger players, Radmanovic was able to hold his own defensively and on the boards. He improved the Sonics' offense by giving them another three-point shooter and a far better passer than Baker.

April 1 Update: Radmanovic was off to a fabulous start to the month of March, including a breakthrough game on national television against the Minnesota Timberwolves, before his month was ended by a sprained toe suffered diving out of bounds in pursuit of a loose ball.