Position: center/forward
Height: 6-10
Weight: 285
College: Wright State
Born: March 21, 1975
Opening day (2002) age: 27
Drafted: 1996, first round, pick 12, Cleveland
NBA exerience: Six years (zero with Sonics)
Hand: Right
Acquired: Traded by Boston Celtics on July 22, 2002 with guards Joseph Forte and Kenny Anderson for guard Shammond Williams and forward Vin Baker.
Nicknames: Ukraine Train, V
Contract status: Signed through 2004-05 season
2001-02 in Review: Vitaly Potapenko entered the 2001-02 season as the Boston Celtics’ reserve center for the second straight season. Instead of splitting time almost equally with starter Tony Battie, however, Potapenko saw Battie earn the majority of the minutes and was left with only 17 a game for himself. The change in this arrangement was due largely to Battie’s development, but Potapenko was also less effective. His shooting percentage dropped for the third consecutive season from 47.6% to a too-low 45.5%. Potapenko ended the season with the lowest per-game averages of his Boston career, 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Nevertheless, he remained a key contributor and Potapenko’s loss on the eve of the playoffs with a torn ACL was a difficult one for the Celtics, who did still manage to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Previous Career in Review: A native of the Ukraine, Potapenko attended college in the US at Wright State, from where he was drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1996. During his first two seasons, Potapenko played off the bench for the Cavs, averaging 7.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game during his second season. That and an injury to incumbent Zydrunas Ilgauskas made Potapenko the starter during the 1999 season, but the Cavs still were willing to deal him when the opportunity to acquire a sure lottery pick from the Boston Celtics came along, with Potapenko also netting center Andre DeClercq. During his first two months with the Celtics, Potapenko was at the top of his game, shooting 52.1% from the field and averaging 10.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a starter. The Celtics rewarded him with an extension paying him $33 million over six seasons. During the 1999-2000 season, Potapenko continued to demonstrate the ability to be a solid starter, albeit in minutes reduced to 23 minutes a game. His play slid during the 2000-01 season as he shared minutes with Mark Blount, who became the starter by the end of the season, and Battie. His averages of 7.5 points and 6.0 rebounds represented a decline from his performance during his first two seasons with the Celtics.
Shooting/Scoring: Potapenko is an accomplished face up shooter out to 16 feet from the basket. However his fundamentally sound shooting mechanics and his face up jumper are clearly the extent of his offensive repertoire. Potapenko has limited back to the basket offensive game. While he is able to free himself for an open look with a quick spin move that belies his 285 pound frame, his lack of jumping ability results in numerous blocked shot attempts in the paint. Potapenko is a spot up jump shooter and must rely on his teammates to create shots for him. In the Sonics system, where motion creates open shot opportunities for big men stationed on the perimeter, Potapenko might thrive and should get more shots than the 3.8 per game he received with the Celtics last season. If so and if he plays regularly, Potapenko is very capable of providing 8-10 points per game.
Grade: C-
Floor Game: Potapenko's floor game is very limited because of his poor hands and careless ball-handling ability. His hands are terrible and passes must be telegraphed for him to receive them. There have been countless occasions where Potapenko has received a pin point pass from a penetrating teammate that drew the interior defender away from him and freed him up for an easy look at the rim but more often than not the pass was fumbled out of bounds or into the hands of another waiting defender. Additionally, on the low block Potapenko is prone to try and dribble his way to an open shot and collapsing guards with quick hands can often create turnovers this way. He has average vision for a big man and consequently has an average passing.
Grade: C-
Rebounding: Potapenko is a fundamentally sound position rebounder as he blocks out exceptionally well in a league where that skill has been all but lost. However, his inability to get any lift hampers his ability take rebounds away from opponents outside his "zone." Consequently Potapenko finished 31st in the top 50 NBA rebounders per 48 minutes, averaging 12.4 in that span last season. However, on the offensive glass Potapenko ranked third overall, averaging 6 per game a year ago. This can be attributed to his tireless effort, solid positioning and the fact that the Celtics were a poor shooting team which increased his rebounding opportunities.
Grade: A-
Defense: Potapenko is an excellent position defender and picks up defensive schemes easily. He is able to use his bulk and enormous strength to keep most NBA centers from getting solid low post position and for his size, he moves his feet well and will position himself well to draw the offensive foul. However he is foul prone because he tends to push with his hands too often. Potapenko doesn't possess the quickness or leaping ability to challenge shots from athletic and taller players and consequently he is not a shot blocker, averaging a paltry 0.40 blocks per game for his career.
Grade: C
Intangibles: Potapenko brings excellent intangibles to the court and locker room and this is where he earns his keep. A weight room warrior, Potapenko is one of the stronger players in the league and he is unafraid to throw his size around and use his strength and toughness in physical confrontations with opponents. Potapenko has, on numerous occasions, jumped into the fray to protect a teammate and that toughness and "I'll protect your back" mentality has earned him a special place in former teammates’ hearts. Potapenko gives maximum effort in practice and games and is professional both on and off the court and is considered a very coachable player.
Grade: B+
Overall: Looking for post scoring from the center position, the Celtics decided this summer to trade for Seattle SuperSonics forward Vin Baker, who they plan to move to the pivot. With Baker and Battie on board, Potapenko became expendable and he -- and the three remaining years on his not-inconsiderable contract -- was moved as part of the deal for Baker. The first goal this summer for Potapenko has been to get healthy, with reports indicating he might return anywhere from the start of the season (his own timetable) to as late as January. When he is at full health, Potapenko’s role on the Sonics is very much up in the air. The Sonics may not have any stars up front, but between Jerome James, Calvin Booth, Vladimir Radmanovic, and Peja Drobnjak, there will be precious few minutes for Potapenko. He does bring the Sonics an element of toughness and physicality they had previously lacked in the post-George Karl era, and that may be enough to win him a regular role once he proves he’s healthy. Or he may not be part of the rotation at all. Either way, Potapenko will probably play the fewest minutes of his NBA career.
Grade: C+
Thanks to Hoopsworld.com’s Ravi Singh for writing much of this scouting report.