The Finnisher: Will Petteri Koponen Ever Don a Portland Trail Blazers Jersey?

Petteri Koponen, who was drafted 30th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, has been under the basketball radar since he was 16 years old. Being one of the most hyped players to ever come out of a Nordic country, he naturally attracted the attention of NBA scouts. As a result, he was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers then traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, all by the age of 19. Koponen has seen major success, both in Europe and abroad. He played in the World All-Star team of the Nike Hoop Summit in 2007, and found major success. At the tournament, he was considered one of the top players despite guarding future Top Five picks Derrick Rose and OJ Mayo. Most Blazer fans are adamant that what this team needs is a solid pass-first point guard to make the leap from the lottery to the playoffs. Although Jerryd Bayless is ultra-talented, many believe his skill-set will not suit the needs of this organization. Hippo T. of NBAdraft.net says: "(Koponen is) A classic pass-first, pass-second, shoot-third  ... (link)