Pelicans Select Karlo Matkovic With 52nd Pick
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The New Orleans Pelicans have picked up Karlo Matkovic with the 52nd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 6'11'', 230-pound prospect averaged 11.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game for Mega Mozzart in the Serbian ABA Adriatic last season.
Matkovic has played in the Croatian and Serbian leagues professionally and represents Croatia internationally. He is defensively fundamentally sound, protects the paints, and works well in a motion offense. Matkovic is sneaky athletic, showing an ability to rebound his position and run the floor.
He does need to improve his face-up offense with the ball and has trouble finishing in traffic. The raw 21-year-old will get himself into foul trouble because he cannot stay in front of shifty, quick guards. Matkovic is slated to be a draft-and-stash selection who will have to fight for an NBA contract in the next few seasons.
Still, there is enough upside to like the pick. Matovic likely had a promise to be drafted. He is learning to stretch the floor and has the frame to add muscle. The NBADraftNet comp for Matkovic is Isaiah Hartenstein, a likely free-agent target. The 52nd overall pick will join fellow second-rounder E.J. Liddell and 8th overall pick Dyson Daniels on the New Orleans Summer League squad.
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