Every year, the NBA draft is bound to have a few busts. History would tell you that even though there are guys drafted in the lottery that never make an impact in the league, the farther away from #1 you pick, the harder it is to find a solid productive player. Therefore, if you happen to be so lucky as to pick up a solid player in the second round of the draft – you could say you found a diamond in the rough. Using that definition many ‘experts’ and fans are expecting the Jazz second round pick, Kyrylo Fesenko to be a diamond in the rough.

It’s important to remember that diamonds aren’t made overnight. Two important factors in the creation and development of a diamond are time and pressure. If Fesenko truly is destined to shine in the NBA – those two factors are going to be just as important in his development.

TIME – I don’t know how many of you followed the Ukrainian Super League last year. I am guessing that not many of you had that chance. Some of you reading this probably tried to search the Internet for the leagues stats and information on Fesenko. If you found the right page – it probably didn’t help because it was in Ukrainian. Therefore you were looking for Êèðèëî Ôåñåíêî not Kyrylo Fesenko. The NBA reports that last year Fesenko averaged 6.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots in 18.5 minutes a contest (his agent told me he actually played over 20 minutes a game). Those statistics were compiled over a 20 game season. Also consider that games were usually played once a week – at the most there were two games in one week. Bottom line is Fesenko hasn’t had a lot of quality game time yet.

PRESSURE – The last few years playing in the Ukraine, Fesenko has been a valuable player. He is athletic and tough. But that’s not enough to earn you a start in the Euro League. Veteran countrymen usually get the bulk of the important minutes overseas. They get the shots too. While Fesenko is a great prospect and a valuable player – he was not looked upon to lead the team to a win or routinely deliver in the clutch.

I know many people are hoping that Fesenko is on the Jazz opening day roster. I think it’s more beneficial he spends at least half the season in the developmental league. It’s not going to do him a lot of good to be sitting on the end of the Jazz bench getting garbage time at the end of games. He will learn and progress faster starting for the Utah Flash. There he can get the time on the court he needs to improve. There he can have the pressure of leading a team, of being the go to guy. Time and Pressure. If he gets those two things, who knows, he might just be a diamond in the rough.