OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors selected
Italian guard Marco Belinelli with the 18th pick in Thursday's NBA
draft, adding another athletic scorer they expect to thrive in
their uptempo game.
The 21-year-old Belinelli had been playing professionally in
Bologna since 2002, and he starred for the Italian national team in
last year's world championships -- including a standout game against
the U.S. team.
His pedigree and performances tantalized Chris Mullin. The
Warriors' top executive traveled to Italy recently and apparently
loved what he saw from the skinny scorer.
"He's a young shooter, slasher, scorer, athletic guy who I've
watched for a few years," Mullin said. "I think he's going to fit
our system perfect. He can handle the ball well ... and play a
little point forward. He's another guy that can go out there and
put the ball in the basket."
This draft was a relatively novel experience for the Warriors,
who stayed out of the lottery by ending their 12-year playoff
drought. Their solid, exciting core reached the second round of the
postseason, and most of those players will return if Mullin keeps
his club together.
Golden State ran many opponents ragged as the NBA's second
highest-scoring club last season, and Belinelli should fit into
coach Don Nelson's game plans -- particularly if Mickael Pietrus or
Matt Barnes leave as free agents.
"He is the type of guy that both defensively and offensively
has a good feel for the game," Mullin said. "He shoots the ball
so well, you've really got to go out and get him. He'll open up
driving lanes for other people on the floor."
Belinelli has three seasons remaining on his contract with
Fortitudo Bologna, but has an escape clause to join the Warriors.
Belinelli's outside shooting and ball-handling will make his
valuable to Nelson -- a whole lot more valuable than Mullin's last
two first-round picks, chosen before the coach returned.
Forward Ike Diogu and center Patrick O'Bryant have been NBA
disappointments so far, with Diogu already traded to Indiana and
O'Bryant shuttling between Oakland the Bakersfield of the D-League
last season.
But Mullin has past draft successes as well. He unearthed Monta
Ellis in the second round in 2005, and the prep-to-pro guard won
the NBA's Most Improved Player award last season.