DC and Drago reconnect during the summer

Collison, Thornton Highlight Hornets Summer League Roster

Posted by Joe Gerrity
www.hornets247.com blog
July 01, 2010 at 15:11 Central

The Hornets have announced their full NBA Summer League Roster, which includes second year guards Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison. It may come as a surprise to some, but as of now the Hornets two first round picks, Quincy Pondexter and Craig Brackins, are not on the roster despite what numerous media outlets are reporting.

We can speculate that the two draft picks will be included after signing their rookie scale deals, but since that deal which will likely bring them to New Orleans won't be official until July 8th, the Hornets can't comment, and the players can't be included on any official rosters. It must be noted that the Hornets 11th pick, Cole Aldrich, is not on the roster.

The following is the roster as released this afternoon by the Hornets (click here)

And here is some basic info about players not named Collison or Thornton-

Maurice Ager- Drafted 28th overall in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. In four NBA seasons Ager has averaged 2.0 points and 6.1 minutes in 78 games played (four starts). Most recently he played with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League, beginning in January of 2010.

Armon Basset-Undrafted out of Ohio, Basset led the *Bobcats to a stunning opening round victory in the NCAA Tournament over third seeded Georgetown. He was the MAC Tournament MVA, averaging 29 points per game. On the season he averaged 17.1 points and made 2.18 three pointers per game.

Josh Carter- Currently under contract with the German League club EWE Baskets Oldenburgof the Euroleague through the end of the 2010/2011 season. Carter was undrafted after playing his college ball at Texas A&M. He finished his college career as the most accurate career three-point shooter in A&M history (.425).

Aubrey Coleman- Undrafted out of Houston, Coleman led the entire NCAA in scoring with 25.6 points per game. He also led team in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and steals (2.7 spg). Needless to say, he's a scorer. His season high was 38 points at Tulane University, so perhaps he was born to play in New Orleans.

Brian Cusworth- A big, smart center who played at Harvard, Cusworth most recently averaged 10.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 22 minutes per game playing for Suzuki Manresa of the ACB, the top Spanish league.

Nikola Dragovic- Undrafted out of UCLA, Dragovic averaged 12.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in 30 contests for the Bruins. He's still very young and fairly raw. It wouldn't be surprising for him to impress during summer league.

Kyle Hines- One of six NCAA players to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 300 blocks in a career (2,187, 1,047, 349). Last year he played with Prima Veroli in Italy, averaging 18.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.5steals and 1.6 blocks in 40 games. Has a huge wingspan, but is very undersized for his position (SF/PF)

Liam Potter- A huge center out of Sacred Heart, Potter averaged 9.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks (.505 FG%) in 27.3 minutes per game in 29 games. He was named most improved player in the Northeast Conference by league coaches after his final season in college so he's probably nowhere near his potential yet. He's originally from England.

Sean Sonderleiter- At 29 years of age, Sean is likely to be one of the oldest players at summer league. Last season he averaged 11.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in 45 contests (28 starts) with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBADL.

Carlos Wheeler- A New Orleans native, Wheeler is 32 years of age and still looking to make it into the NBA. He's played literally all over the map, with his best statistical season coming when he played with Plannja Basket Lulea in Sweden, averaging 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds in 26 games.

UCLA's Dragovic may have sway on wins and losses

UCLA's Dragovic may have sway on wins and losses
By Jon Gold, Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Daily News
Updated: 02/16/2010 10:59:47 PM PST


So, it seems, as Nikola Dragovic goes, so goes the UCLA men's basketball team.

In nine Bruins wins, Dragovic leads the team with 15 points per game on 50.6 percent shooting. He did not play in two other UCLA victories.

In UCLA defeats, however, Dragovic slips to 9.1 points on 29 percent shooting.

In the consecutive losses to Cal and USC, Dragovic had 19 points on a combined 6-for-22 shooting, including 1-for-11 from 3-point range.

Freshman center Reeves Nelson has a similar pattern. Nelson drops from 14 points per game in victory, to 8.7 in defeat.

Do the Bruins ebb and flow with Dragovic and Nelson?

"I wouldn't even say it's about being part of the offense; it's about being into the game," UCLA senior shooting guard Michael Roll said. "When they're not playing well, as a team we have a tendency to check out. They have a tendency to not play as hard if things aren't going their way. If we can get them to turn that around - as a team, we all need to play harder if they're not playing well, just to pick up the slack."

While Dragovic has been prone to poor shot selection, Nelson is just hoping for more shots.

Nelson's touches have been erratic at times, and so have his points - from 19 against Washington State on Jan. 23 to 11 at Oregon on Jan. 28, from 18 against Stanford on Feb. 4 to a combined 16 against Cal and USC - as he continues to learn how to get open and how to use his legs in the post.

"You can't really pass the ball into yourself, so it's just up to the guards to either take open shots or get the ball inside," Nelson said. "It's easier said than done, I guess. But it's up to them - they run the offense."

Bumps and bruises
Ben Howland said at Tuesday's news conference that James Keefe was not looking good for this week, after dislocating his shoulder in Friday's practice.

"He's unlikely for this week - he did have the MRI read that he had on Sunday morning, and basically it showed that there's not a lot of new activity," Howland said. "My hope is he'll be able to play in our last four regular-season games. He's gonna need surgery once the season's over - the screws are still in place, but I think it's pretty clear they're going to have to go back in there and take a look."

How USC-UCLA became a Serbian rivalry game

How USC-UCLA became a Serbian rivalry game

Bruins' Nikola Dragovic will square off against Trojans' Nikola Vucevic for the last time in college Sunday night at the Galen Center.

UCLA's Nikola Dragovic and USC's Nikola Vucevic play against each other for the last time on Sunday, with each having won twice in the college rivalry.



By Chris Foster
The Los Angeles Times
February 13, 2010 | 5:30 p.m.


Nikola Dragovic was too much to handle. He was older, and already competing with the best Serbia and Montenegro had to offer.

So Nikola Vucevic, 12 years old and three years younger than his "godbrother," battled as best he could. His uncle's Belgium professional team was practicing for a Euro League game in Serbia, but the real competition was on the side court.

This was the first time the two had met, even though their families were bound by basketball and friendship, and the outcome was predictable.

"Did he tell you who won?" Dragovic said.

Vucevic had already 'fessed up.

"Oh, yeah, he won," Vucevic said, but quickly added, "but he was older."

He still is, but the gap in skill has closed.

Vucevic, a 6-foot-10 sophomore forward for USC, has come a long way, literally and figuratively, since that day. He is the Trojans' second-leading scorer, averaging 11.8 points a game, and leads the Pacific 10 Conference in rebounding at 9.8. He owes a good portion of that success to UCLA's Dragovic, who got here first and kept close tabs on "my little brother."

Dragovic, a 6-9 senior, came to Westwood in 2006 and became known as a now-he's-hot, now-he's-not shooter. Yet the experience led Dragovic and his father, Vitomir, to nudge Vucevic to come to the United States.

They face each other for the last time, at least as college players, Sunday night when UCLA and USC play at the Galen Center. Both are looking to dish out that you've-been-Serb-ed moment.

"We're tied right now," Vucevic said, smiling. "We have each won two games. This is it."

Across town, Dragovic laughed at the idea.

"Back home, they used to say all we do in Serbia and Montenegro is fight wars and play sports," Dragovic said. "We play sports."

Of course, Dragovic admits to some confrontation.

"We talk on the court in Serbian to throw each other off," said Dragovic, who is averaging 11.5 points. "It's probably not appropriate stuff for the newspaper. But we never do it during free throws."

Vucevic, at the moment, can talk a little louder. He had 19 points in the 67-46 shellacking the Trojans dealt the Bruins at Pauley Pavilion last month. Dragovic had two points, and missed all six of his shots from the field with Vucevic in his face the whole game.

"Coach [ Kevin O'Neill] told me if he got one three-pointer, I was going to be sitting on the bench," said Vucevic, who was voted Montenegro's best young player in 2007. "I was really tired after that game from chasing him around all night."

He has spent the last three years following Dragovic.

The families were close through Dragovic's father and Vucevic's uncle, who were former teammates. Vitomir Dragovic is godfather to Savo Vucevic's son, Nikola Vucevic's nephew.

"That's as close as you can get in Serbia without being a blood relative," Dragovic said. "We're family."

The family crest would include a basketball.

Borislav Vucevic, Nikola's father, played professionally in Europe until he was 42 and was on the Yugoslavian national team. Savo Vucevic has coached in Europe since he stopped playing. Ljiljana Vucevic, Nikola's mother, also played professionally.

So the Vucevics toured Europe. Nikola was born in Switzerland and lived in Belgium before returning to Montenegro as a teenager. Back home, Vucevic couldn't help notice the young forward playing with "the older guys" on the national teams.

"I would love watching Nikola play," Vucevic said. "He was already famous."

Dragovic has an even deeper basketball heritage.

"My grandmother, Jelena, was on the first women's basketball team in Serbia," Dragovic said. "My uncles played, so did my aunt, and my father."

Nikola Dragovic took over the family business and was playing for the Serbia-Montenegro under-20 team by age 11. He was part of three European championship teams.

UCLA Coach Ben Howland heard about Dragovic from former assistant Ernie Zeigler, who is now the coach at Central Michigan.

That set Vucevic's career in motion as well.

"I was 16 and it was either turn pro in Europe or come here for college," Vucevic said. "Dragovic's dad called my dad and said, 'Why don't you bring Nikola to the United States and see if he likes it?'

"I don't know if I would have come if not for him. I don't know what I would have done here without his help."

Vucevic spent his senior year of high school in Simi Valley playing at Stoneridge Prep, which is coached by another friend of his uncle. Dragovic made sure his "little brother" saw the town, driving an hour to pick him up and then head back to Los Angeles.

"We go hang out, go to movies, eat," Vucevic said.

Said Dragovic: "He loves to eat. He's always talking about food. He was isolated up there. I'd bring him to the city, introduce him to people, other Serbians. During the off-season, we'd go to the gym and work out."

Had Howland shown as much interest, UCLA's inside game would be better this season. As it was, the Bruins seemed stocked with big players, so Dragovic pointed Vucevic to UCLA's rival.

"He said I could stay in the area and we could play against each other," Vucevic said.

As they had in Montenegro.

"Not the one-on-one game," Vucevic said. "It doesn't count."

Gunslinger Dragovic back on track?

UCLA's Dragovic recovers his shooter's touch
By MARCIA C. SMITH
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Jan. 27, 2010
Updated: 4:29 p.m.


Patience seems to be paying off for the Bruins' senior forward.


LOS ANGELES -- He doesn't remember the violent war. He can't recall the bomb blasts that rocked homes, took out concrete walls and cracked the street.

Nikola Dragovic's most vivid memory of his childhood in Serbia-Montenegro came when he was about 5 and his father, Vitomir, a professional basketball player, grabbed him from the stands inside a crowded gym and carried him onto the court during halftime.

He clutched a ball twice the size of his head. He rose through the air in his father's arms and heaved the ball at the basket a few feet away.

"That was one of biggest games in Serbia-Montenegro, about 8,000 people were there, and I hit the shot," recalled Dragovic, the UCLA senior forward. "Growing up, everybody was always telling me to be a shooter because my father and uncle were shooters, but that day was the first time I knew what they meant."

Going into Thursday night's game at Oregon, Dragovic leads the Bruins (9-10, 4-3) in Pac-10 scoring, having averaged 13.7 points in the past seven games and reaching double figures in eight of the nine past contests. After an early season slump, he is their shooter again.

His three-point shot is back to having the kind of arc that kindergarteners' can use as a template for their rainbows. His touch has returned. His confidence is steeled.

But even Dragovic knows that his touch can go. He opened his senior season with a handful of bad shooting nights: 2-for-14 (1-for-9 from three-point range) against Cal State Fullerton, 2-for-10 (0-6) against Long Beach State, and what Coach Ben Howland called, "an all-around poor game," in going 0-for-9 against Mississippi State.

Dragovic also realizes, after four years away from home and his family, that few things are consistent. His college life, both on and off the court, has been even less predictable than a Magic 8-Ball.

Will Dragovic continue to play well? Ask again later. Can the young Bruins (9-10, 4-3) rely on him? Reply hazy, try again. Will he get arrested again? Cannot predict now.

What hasn't wavered through the shooting droughts and the two police arrests – one battery case was dropped, the other assault case is still pending -- has been the Bruins who've stood behind him.

"I've had confidence in myself all the time but I'm really appreciative that I've had a coach and team who believes in me and what I can do," Dragovic, 22, said. "These years haven't been easy, with all the adjustments to life, the language, the culture and the problems with the law. I've become a stronger person because of them."

Dragovic arrived in Westwood barely able to speak English. He couldn't understand his teachers in class or Coach Ben Howland's instructions on the court. He had to sit out the first 10 games of his freshman year on an NCAA suspension for unknowingly playing on a Serbian club team on which some of his teammates received money.

He was homesick. He grew sad, isolated and even lost in basketball oblivion before turning to his teammates, particularly his freshman year roommate Russell Westbrook, to learn the language and the culture.

He stopped playing for the Serbia-Montenegro junior national team, which he led to three European championships, to devote himself to offseason Bruin workouts and a rigorous conditioning regimen that trimmed his weight down by 25 pounds. This was a career decision for Dragovic, who grew up a fan of Reggie Miller and Kevin Garnett and who had aspired to play professionally in Greece, Spain or Italy.

But just when life started to get easier for Dragovic at the start of his junior year, he landed in jail for a day, arrested on a charge of misdemeanor battery for allegedly pushing his former live-in girlfriend to the ground during an argument. The charges were dropped but the news, which made the Serbian papers, disappointed his family.

Still, his parents supported him. Howland backed him. The coach suspended Dragovic for the 2008-09 season opener, pushed for his progress and inserted him into the starting lineup for the final 21 games of the 2008-09 season.

Howland never lost faith in the 6-foot-9, 216-pound Dragovic, who entered this season as the returning Bruin with the most starts and highest scoring average (9.4 ppg). He believed Dragovic was a talented shooter and a good kid who would become a senior leader to this season's young Bruins.

Howland proved his unwavering support in accompanying Dragovic to turn himself in to police on a assault charge stemming from an Oct. 24 incident outside a Hollywood concert venue. Dragovic, who served a two-game suspension for the altercation, entered a not-guilty plea in the case, which has its next court date on Monday.

"Coach showed me what kind of man he his when he stood behind me, especially the second time," said Dragovic. "He didn't need to but he stood behind me and trusted what I told him. His help meant a lot to me."

Through the early season slump, Howland kept playing Dragovic and told reporters, "I expect him to bounce back. I believe he will."

Howland told Dragovic to stay patient, remain confident, to watch the target not the ball and to focus on all parts of the game. Howland knows Dragovic is his shooter.

And that's all Nikola Dragovic remembers being since he was a child.

Drago pleads not guilty

UCLA basketball player Nikola Dragovic pleads not guilty to assault charge

By WIRE SERVICES
The Los Angeles Independent
Story Published: Dec 21, 2009 at 12:37 PM PST
Story Updated: Dec 21, 2009 at 12:38 PM PST

UCLA basketball player Nikola Dragovic -- who is accused of knocking a man into a glass display case after a concert in Hollywood -- pleaded not guilty Monday to a felony assault charge.

Dragovic, 22, and a 21-year-old friend, Aleksandar Stanisic, were each charged last month with one count of each assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury.

Dragovic -- a 6-foot-9-inch forward from Serbia, additionally faces an allegation of personal infliction of great bodily injury.

Stanisic allegedly got into a dispute with another man and his girlfriend during an Oct. 24 concert at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood, and Dragovic is accused of rushing the victim and knocking him into a glass display after the concert.

The glass shattered on the man, lacerating his Achilles tendon, according to the District Attorney's Office, which alleges that Stanisic then began punching the man until security officers and bystanders broke up the fight.

But Dragovic's attorney, Jon Artz, told reporters outside court, "The evidence is mounting in the case that the alleged victim was the aggressor.''

The defense lawyer alleged the man confronted Stanisic and slapped him on the face, and said a witness reported that the alleged victim threatened Dragovic and Stanisic in Serbian before the basketball player and his friend decided to leave.

The final confrontation occurred downstairs after the alleged victim showed up at the front door while Dragovic and his friend were waiting for their car, according to Artz.

"It's clearly a case of self-defense,'' Dragovic's attorney said, maintaining that he is confident that the charges will either be dismissed or that the two will be acquitted if the case goes to trial.

Both men, who are free on bail, are due back at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse on Feb. 1. A date is scheduled to be set then for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require them to stand trial.

Drago distracted

Bruins' Dragovic tries to regain focus
By AL BALDERAS
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
December 14, 2009 7:59 PM

The UCLA senior has the team's worst field-goal percentage.

LOS ANGELES -- UCLA basketball coach Ben Howland was at a loss after the Bruins lost to Mississippi State by 18 points Saturday at the Wooden Classic.

It wasn't solely because the Bruins dropped their fifth consecutive game, but also because senior Nikola Dragovic played one of the worst games of his career.

In 29 minutes, Dragovic was 0 for 9 from the field, with a rebound and an assist.

"He took two or three shots where he actually air-balled them," Howland said after the 72-54 loss. "That's not something you see out of Nik. Maybe it's a confidence thing. I don't know."

After Monday's practice, Howland was hopeful he found the solution to Dragovic's problems.

"One thing I've been talking with Nik about all the time is that I don't want him watching the ball when he shoots," Howland said. "I want him keeping his eye on the target. This has been a four-year thing."

Dragovic put Howland's advice to the test when he showed up an hour early for practice, and the results were good.

"He focused, doing it how I wanted him to do it and I think it's going to really help him," Howland said. "It's something that I believe in. You don't watch the ball, you watch the target."

When Dragovic takes the court for tonight's game against New Mexico State, he'll do it with a team-worst 24.1 percent success rate on his field-goal attempts.

Dragovic's best game this season came in a 69-67 loss to Butler in the 76 Classic the day after Thanksgiving. He scored a team-high 14 points, with six rebounds, in 26 minutes.

Though his poor shooting has been obvious, Howland said Dragovic's entire game needs to improve.

"I think Nik really knows that he's played an all-around poor game," Howland said. "It's not just his shooting but his defense and his rebounding, especially against Mississippi State, was definitely subpar.

"If he continues to play at this pace, or the pace he played against Mississippi State, obviously he's going to play less minutes. I don't expect that to happen. I expect him to bounce back here now and to really play well in these next few games. I believe that he will."

Dragovic, who was suspended two games this season after being arrested on an assault charge, conceded the off-court distractions hurt his school work and that he had to devote more time to catch up. Now that the quarter is complete, he can turn his attention back to basketball.

He is scheduled to be arraigned later this month.

"I've been worrying about it for awhile," Dragovic said. "Now it's out of my hands and I'm waiting to see what happens in court. It did cause a little trouble at home but I can't worry about it anymore. There's nothing besides basketball."

Can Drago come out & play? UCLA says "YES".

UCLA reinstates Dragovic
espn.com
Updated: November 25, 2009, 2:05 PM ET

LOS ANGELES -- UCLA reinstated Nikola Dragovic on Wednesday after the Serbian forward's two-game suspension for his arrest in an assault case.

Coach Ben Howland cleared the 21-year-old senior to practice with the Bruins on Wednesday, and said he'll play in Thursday's 76 Classic opener in Anaheim against Portland.

"Based on the information we have right now and what we know about the situation, I sat down with [athletic director] Dan [Guerrero] and we've been discussing this," Howland said. "We just felt like he's been suspended for the two games, and based on what we know right now, it would be the right decision to let him play."

Dragovic hasn't been practicing with the Bruins since he was suspended last Friday. He missed games against Cal State Bakersfield and Pepperdine.

Howland said Dragovic won't yet reclaim his spot from James Keefe in the Bruins' starting lineup. Dragovic is the Bruins' only returning starter this fall.

Dragovic's lawyer, Jon Artz, said his client will plead not guilty after being arrested last week on a felony warrant which alleges Dragovic knocked a man into a glass case during a concert in Hollywood.

Artz says the other man was the aggressor, was drinking heavily and had slapped Dragovic's roommate. He claims Dragovic attempted to leave, but was followed from the third floor of the theater by the man, who said he had a knife and threatened to kill Dragovic.

"We're pretty confident that once we show what happened upstairs, the spin in this case that Nikola was the bad guy will take a different spin," Artz said.

Dragovic voluntarily filed a report with campus police a week after the incident, and believed the incident had been written off as a minor scuffle. He was "unpleasantly surprised" to be arrested the following month, Artz said.

Dragovic also was suspended for one game last season on suspicion of pushing his former live-in girlfriend to the ground during a dispute. He was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery, and though prosecutors decided not to file charges, Howland said the incident would be taken into account in determining Dragovic's punishment.

Artz said Dragovic's arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 21.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
____________

Nikola Dragovic, accused of felony assault, is reinstated by the Bruins

The UCLA forward is expected to come off the bench Thursday against Portland. It's not the first time UCLA has reinstated Dragovic while he faces prosecution.

By David Wharton
The Los Angeles Times
November 26, 2009

After two games under suspension, UCLA forward Nikola Dragovic has been reinstated despite a felony assault charge against him in connection with a fight at a Hollywood concert last month.

The senior will not regain his starting position immediately but is expected to come off the bench against Portland at the 76 Classic on Thursday night, Coach Ben Howland said today.

"Based on what we know right now, we thought it was the right decision to allow him to play," Howland said. "It's a decision that I sit down with my boss or bosses and discuss. So, it's not just my decision."

The announcement followed a meeting between the coach and Athletic Director Dan Guerrero.

"Based on the information available to us and in consultation with our legal counsel, we feel the two-game suspension for Nikola Dragovic is appropriate at this time . . ." Guerrero said in a statement e-mailed to The Times. "While Nikola has been charged, nothing has yet been proven. We will continue to monitor the legal proceedings closely and, of course, reserve the right to impose additional sanctions should the situation merit them."

This is not the first time UCLA has decided to play Dragovic when he faced prosecution.

At the start of last season, he was arrested for allegedly pushing a former girlfriend to the ground during an argument. The Bruins reinstated him after a one-game suspension.

The case stretched into December before the city attorney decided not to file charges, leaving open the possibility of revisiting the incident within a year.

"That event was mostly an argument," said attorney Jon Artz, who represented Dragovic then and now. "They were breaking up, and there were some heated words."

The more-recent incident occurred at the Henry Fonda Theater on Oct. 24. According to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, it began when Dragovic's friend Aleksandar Stanisic argued with a man and his girlfriend during the concert.

After the show, prosecutors allege, Dragovic charged the man and pushed him into a glass display, which shattered. The alleged victim suffered a lacerated Achilles tendon.

Prosecutors said that while the two men were on the ground, Stanisic began punching the alleged victim until security and bystanders intervened.

Speaking for his client, Artz offered a different account of the altercation. He said the alleged victim was actually the aggressor, following Dragovic through the venue. Artz said the victim claimed that he had a knife.

"He was drinking heavily," Artz said. "He slapped Dragovic's roommate."

Dragovic subsequently reported the incident to campus police and team officials. Artz said the player expected nothing more to come of it.

But after several weeks, the district attorney filed charges against Dragovic and Stanisic on Friday, and an arraignment was scheduled for Dec. 21.

Dragovic will plead not guilty, and it might take three months to a year for the case to reach trial, if it goes that far, Artz said.

By that time, the basketball season could be over.

"I would suggest to UCLA and anybody else, let the evidence play out," Artz said, adding: "He should be allowed to play."

The university said it could place Dragovic back on suspension if new information comes to light.

The Belgrade native is normally soft-spoken, not given to losing his temper on court, but has a history of troubles since joining the Bruins.

In addition to legal matters, he served a 10-game suspension as a freshman after the NCAA discovered he had played with professionals on a club squad back home.

This season, he is the only returning starter on a young roster, a player who averaged 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in 2008-09.

Dragovic has been at practice and games but has remained in street clothes. He was expected to participate in drills today and might need time to work back into the starting lineup.

"I think he's been doing some running, conditioning, shooting if he can," Howland said. "But James Keefe will start at power forward and he'll have to come in off the bench."

UCLA basketball: Dragovic arrested, suspended

UCLA basketball: Dragovic arrested, suspended
posted by Adam Maya, staff writer since 2006
UCLA blog
The Orange County Register
November 20th, 2009, 7:37 pm

Starting senior forward Nikola Dragovic was arrested today and has been suspended for tonight’s game against Cal State Bakersfield, the school announced.


Here’s the rest of the release:

Dragovic was involved in an incident last month at a concert in Hollywood. He filed a report with the UCLA Police Department early the following week. Following an investigation, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office filed a felony assault charge against Dragovic and he was informed of the charge this morning. He turned himself into the UCPD and Hollywood Division detectives earlier today.

“This is an unfortunate situation for Nikola,” Coach Ben Howland said. “Our staff and players will do what we can to help him during this time. He made us aware of the incident when it occurred but until this morning, we did not know charges would be filed.”

Dragovic’s status for upcoming games will be determined as more information becomes available.

Nikola, we wish you all the best. Good luck & stay strong.

ESPN.com: UCLA 2009-2010 outlook

Recently, Andy Katz did a great preview of the Pac-10 Conference at espn.com (updated August 31, 2009):
Pac-10 ShootAround: Three new head coaches arrive as conference rebuilds
The whole piece was a great read and it touched on (among other things) the turmoil at SC, Sean Miller going to Zona and then gutting out the Trojans, and of course, Malcolm Lee's impressive summer. But I chose to slice and dice what really counts, the UCLA stuff. So, here goes.

Things To Know From The Offseason
Lee blossoms during the summer

Photo:Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Malcolm Lee came to UCLA with plenty of hype, but there was a logjam last season with Darren Collison returning and Jrue Holiday taking up plenty of minutes as a star freshman. Lee averaged 10.7 minutes in 29 games, putting up a modest 3.2 points and 0.6 assists a game. But the UCLA staff is giddy over reports that Lee became a workaholic this summer. He needed to and had to, because he'll be the Bruins' featured perimeter player. Lee increased his shooting range, and the expectation is he'll make a major jump from his freshman to sophomore seasons.

Key Players

Photo: Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times

Nikola Dragovic
Dragovic is the Bruins' top returning scorer (9.4 points per game), and he made 38.2 percent of his 3s last season. But more will be expected as a senior. Dragovic isn't a star. He's a complementary player. But he still can do more if he gets the touches. Dragovic can play facing the basket and, if need be, use his body a bit more in the post. He can be a difficult matchup if he gets his shot off from deep. But he must make himself more of a factor, especially on the defensive end.

Freshmen We Can't Wait To See
Photo: Olivia Bucks, The Oregonian

Mike Moser, PF, UCLA: Offensively, Moser is a jump shot away from being an all-conference candidate. Defensively, he has the physical attributes to guard all three perimeter positions.


Photo:Phil Klein

Tyler Honeycutt, WF, UCLA: He may be headed for a redshirt year if his lower back doesn't heal in time. Nonetheless, this late-blooming wing type has a bevy of upside. He can stroke the 3-point shot and pass with the best of them. And his shot-blocking ability is impressive.

Nonconference Games We Can't Wait To See

* Kansas at UCLA, Dec. 6: The Bruins will be searching for a marquee win in nonconference play, something that eluded them last season. This game against Kansas will come on the heels of the 76 Classic in Anaheim. If the Bruins can't pick up quality wins in that event, the KU matchup at Pauley Pavilion will hold even more meaning.

* UCLA versus Mississippi State, Dec. 12 (Wooden Classic): The Bruins picked up a challenging opponent for their short trip to Anaheim. Getting Mississippi State early in the season should challenge UCLA's frontcourt more than any game besides KU. This game will come a week after UCLA plays the Jayhawks, so it may be in desperation mode for a quality win. And if Renardo Sidney is eligible, it will be interesting to see how he performs against the program he originally appeared to be leaning toward.

One potential matchup …

* UCLA versus Butler, Nov. 27 (76 Classic): If UCLA beats Portland and if Butler takes out Minnesota, the Bruins will have one of their most challenging games of the season against the Bulldogs. Playing Butler would be a stingy defensive affair. The Bulldogs have been known to keep the games in the 50s or low 60s, and UCLA doesn't mind playing in that range, either.

Team Analysis

Andy Katz
This is a whole new era for coach Ben Howland. The Bruins don't have Alfred Aboya, Josh Shipp or Darren Collison for the first time in four years. The three-year Final Four run now seems like distant history. The Bruins will be leaning heavily on potential stud Malcolm Lee as well as Drew Gordon, Nikola Dragovic, Michael Roll, Jerime Anderson, James Keefe and J'mison Morgan -- not exactly national names. But the competition at every position should be as intense as it has been under Howland. He will be searching for an identity for this squad early and often in fall practices. Lee might hold the only lock on a position, while the rest clearly are open. UCLA has a challenging nonconference slate, but the talent should carry this squad toward the top of the Pac-10, getting the Bruins enough wins to make another NCAA tournament appearance.

Doug Gottlieb
Talentwise, the Bruins are down. That's just a fact. But Ben Howland will win games with his defense and the team's cohesion more so than when Kevin Love and Darren Collison were bailing them out. Malcolm Lee has to be the type of on-the-ball defender Darren Collison was the past three years, and Mike Moser and Tyler Honeycutt must contribute right away. Otherwise, how will the Bruins score?