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RAW INTERVIEW: Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor on Kosta Koufos, click here SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Utah Jazz picked up another center who can shoot from the outside in the first round of the NBA draft.
Now they have to see how ready for the NBA Kosta Koufos is at just 19 years old. The Jazz took Koufos with the 23rd overall pick Thursday, surprised to see the 7-foot, 265-pound center out of Ohio State still available.
Koufos entered the draft after just one season at Ohio State. Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said it was a pretty good season -- Koufos averaged 14.4 points and 6.7 rebounds and was third-team all-Big Ten. Koufos decided after just one year with the Buckeyes he wanted to go pro and on Thursday night felt justified when he went in the opening round, although it was later than even the Jazz expected.
"I worked hard. No regrets where I was picked," Koufos said in a conference call.
The Jazz took two European prospects in the second round and expected them to stay overseas with the possibility of coming to the NBA in a year or two. Koufos is the only of the three picks the Jazz expected to play in the summer league and report training camp.
And they have some flexibility if Koufos isn't quite ready. Utah's pick was actually two earlier than the Jazz had a year ago, when they took shooting guard Morris Almond at No. 25. Almond spent most of last season in the NBA Development League.
Koufos did not come to Utah for a workout, which O'Connor said wasn't surprising because many expected Koufos to go before Utah's first-round pick. When the Jazz saw Koufos was still available, O'Connor said Utah was quick to grab him, regardless of his youth and lack of experience.
In addition to his size and statistics, O'Connor said the Jazz were impressed with how Koufos handled the pressure of following Greg Oden -- last year's top overall pick in the draft -- at Ohio State. "That's a pretty tough go," O'Connor said.
Although Koufos helped lead the Greek team to the silver medal in the under-18 European Championships in 2007, he's actually from Canton, Ohio.
O'Connor said Koufos is similar to Utah center Mehmet Okur in his size and outside shooting ability. Koufos made 22 of 63 3-pointers in his only season with the Buckeyes. O'Connor said Koufos already has the size to play inside in the NBA, but the Jazz are expecting Koufos to need some work, especially defensively.
The Jazz are deep enough at center that they won't need to rush Koufos into the lineup next season. He will play in the summer league and the Jazz will evaluate him again during training camp before deciding whether Koufos will start the season in Salt Lake City or with the Utah Flash of the Development League.
"It's really going to depend on him," O'Connor said. "When you have experienced team like that, you love to be able to work players in at their pace."
Koufos was the first of three picks that Jazz had in Thursday's draft. Utah took Croatian center Ante Tomic (7-2, 225) with the 44th pick and Serbian forward Tadija Dragicevic (6-9, 222) at No. 53. O'Connor said both players would be spending at least another season or two in Europe. "These are investments in the future," O'Connor said.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
