Jan Vesely was drafted with the sixth overall pick last Thursday in the 2011 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards. 
Vesely is coming from Partizan Belgrade of the Slovenian League where he played with former San Antonio Spurs player James Gist. In a phone interview with Michael Lee of the Washington Post, Gist informed Lee of how big of an impact Vesely made in Serbia.
“Ve-se-ly! Ve-se-ly! They chanted to him like hewas the king,” said James Gist, the former Good Counsel and Maryland star who was a teammate of the Washington Wizards’ top choice in the 2011 draft last season in Serbia, as he recalled the scene in the closing seconds of the championship game against Hemofarm. “He was the face of Partizan. He was Partizan’s icon.”
“He connects with the crowd so well,” Gist said in a telephone interview. “He’s a crowd favorite everywhere he goes.”
Indeed Vesely can rile the crowd up as shown when he locked lips with his girlfriend on national TV after being drafted.
With the addition of Vesely, the young Wizards have a bright future ahead of them carried by rookie star John Wall. Some even feel Washington was the clear winner of the NBA Draft.
Look for Wall and Vesely to be on Sports Center and any slam dunk highlights next season, when the season eventually begins.
(Photo: daylife.com)
