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Damir Markota, F, Serbia
The small forward formerly known as Damir Omerhodzic has gone under a major identity shift both off and on the court this year.
Markota has been a prospect in Croatia for years but finally got major playing time on a Euroleague team this season and responded. He has great athleticism and size for his position and is an excellent perimeter shooter. In a league where "length" is valued so greatly, his arms are on the short side -- one scout called him a "T-Rex." But he makes up for that with his size and elevation on his jump shot.
I watched a tape of a workout that his agent Marc Cornstein held for him and Vladimir Veremeenko in New York on June 12. Markota shot the ball very well, especially at the beginning of the workout, and showed off his above-average athleticism. (Veremeenko actually showed himself to be a little more skilled in the workout, but scouts are concerned he will be a player without a position in the NBA.)
With a number of NBA teams in attendance, no doubt many walked away impressed, and even more have become fans in private workouts.
What's really kept Markota's stock down is the notion that he's immature and prone to trouble off the court. The stories about his escapades in Europe and in the United States are voluminous, but the word is that Markota matured in the last year and stuck to playing basketball. A few teams that have interviewed him said they came away with the impression that Markota is a changed man.
On talent, he's a definite first-rounder, but on reputation he may be forced into the second round. If he really has changed, the team that gets him in Round 2 is getting a steal.