Dotted Line Up: Martynas Pocius Es Un Madrileño and Malik Hairston Makes Milano Scary.

By: Nick Gibson / @euro_adventures

Martynas Pocius, Real Madrid via Zalgiris

After four years at Duke marred by injuries and DNP-CD’s, Marty Pocius skipped his final season of eligibility to return home and play in Kaunas.  Although he missed out on an NCAA Championship, it’s tough to say he made the wrong call.

Just two seasons into his (professional) European career and he’s made quite the name for himself. Two Baltic League titles, a Lithuanian championship and a bronze medal from Lithuania’s unlikely 2010 World Championship team.

Now he’ll head to Real Madrid where minutes should be cut and statistics shaved; but he’ll win more games, in a better league, without Vladimir Romanov calling the subs from the floor seats. Most importantly, it’s now safe to say: Pocius is established.

Malik Hairston, Olimpia Milano via Montepaschi Siena

We’ve all seen someugly basketball games. Indescribably dreadful, unwatchable basketball. Montepaschi Siena saw a rare feat of impotence this season, and they were on the losing end of it. In game one of the Euroleague playoffs, Siena squared off with Olympiacos with Final Four dreams dancing in their heads. A quarter later, it was 24-4.

The season should’ve been over. Everyone sure thought it was, at least, and why shouldn’t they have? The score was 89-41 once everyone had collected their dead.

Then, rookie Malik Hairston, who’d only averaged 6.5 points in his first ten games, cut loose for 19 in a game two Siena victory. He quieted down with 2 in the next contest but showed up with 25 more in the deciding game four, punching Montepaschi’s ticket to the F4.

Now he’s seasoned, proven, and in position to knock his former team off their Italian throne.

Jaka Blazic, Union Olimpija via Geoplin Slovan

Jaka Blazic is not established. Jaka Blazic is young, 20, to be exact. But he averaged 9.7 ppg in the Slovenian League last season and Ljubljana is hoping the 1.93 m youngster will fall comfortably into a reserve role and add some  beef to his frame. Godspeed, Jaka.

Matt Howard, Olympiacos via Butler University

It looks like Slam will be a happy man after Howard, whom he drafted in our Reject Draft, will have a European address after all. After the nationwide fire sale, it looks as if Greek teams are back in the market, albeit with smaller name, cheaper options (a la Howard and fellow NCAA alum Kalin Lucas of Michigan State who’s also signed with the Reds).

Howard’s game is cut out for Euro ball. Ultra tough, below-the-rim big whose range increases daily.

I’ll stop just shy of  calling him a Matt Nielsen clone, but he’s damn close.

But let’s hope preseason training is in the Greek Isles. Dude could use some color.

Pat Calathes, Panathinaikos via AEK Athens

Two summers ago, Panathinaikos was coming off of a Euroleague championship, on top of the world. Instead of adding impact players to widen the gap between them ans the competition, the Greens loaded up with younger, less experienced players who spent most of the following year on the bench: Milenko Tepic, Giorgi Shermadini and…Nick Calathes. The only top notch signing they made was supposedly Marcus Haislip, but he proved to be a disappointment.

They didn’t make it past the Top 16.

Flash forward to now. Same situation, plus Greek’s belt has tightened significantly. Their first signing: Nick’s brother, Pat.

Tarence Kinsey, Anadolu Efes via Fenerbahçe Ülker

Istanbul’s so damn big that it might take playing for two different teams to fully explore a tenth of it. And if he’s still curious after this, Besiktas is reportedly in the market for Americans.

Milko Bjelica, Caja Laboral  via Lietuvos Rytas

Got Milko? OK. It’s out of my system now. Never again. I won’t speak for the general public, but Milko was easily in my top ten for the EL’s most underrated award. Meaning, I never gave this guy the credit he deserved. Some of it was surely borne of my desire to watch Jonas Valanciunas crash around the court for more than a few minutes at a time, or maybe it’s because Bjelica’s game was about as smooth as sandpaper. Either way, it took me far too long to appreciate the 2-year-old’s ability to get the job done while hardly breaking a sweat. I have a good mind to presume the intelligence of Baskonia faithful superior to mine, so Milko should receive a warm reception.

Updated Dotted Line Up: