Position five is a fascinating position. You can learn so much about her, if it is in terms of physiology, proportion, coordination and countless other parameters. There are those who are considered players who are no less than a phenomenon such as Kyle Haynes, or at the other end of the spectrum, Nikola Pekovic and for the younger crowd Nikola Vycic. There are those who shoot high, those who play with their backs to the basket, those who score from half distance, and those who score beyond the arc. Today more than ever, diversity is the name of the game, meaning diversity alongside mobility and athleticism. From this point of view, there is no doubt that the most impressive combination of athleticism, explosiveness and mobility in the Euroleague is that of Josh Niebo.
“He can block almost any player” they say about the center around the team, but even before we get to the part of the blocks, whether it is a block in favor of a pick n’ roll, or whether to block we would divide roofs, Nibo’s ticket, or the most special thing in his game is the – “Wow effect”. In other words, every time it comes up for stamping, you’re very likely to say wow. It is very easy to follow the effect in question, only that even scouts from the best league in the world, who saw him play in Zalgiris, said that it is something that is simply unbelievable, since his hunger to sink every ball is more than special.
His passing, certainly for a player in his position, certainly for a player of his size, is not something to be taken for granted. After all, Nivu is first and foremost very strong, so the combination of all these, on paper, should at least make him a player that quite a few teams will think about how to attack him and whether it is even worth trying to penetrate him. As they say in the club, thanks to the combination of these features, he is not limited to guarding the post or beyond the three-point arc. Moreover, the club testifies: “He is very versatile and can guard players shorter than him and much taller than him.”
His physiological virtues are clear and well-known, but it is possible to look at his temperament as someone who compensates for a lack of technique and refinement, with exceptional athleticism. As already mentioned before, when we built the team’s squad for the current season, one of the guiding principles was the issue of character, and even here it is evidenced in the team environment because they like him very much and he has a good character in the dressing room. So there is character and certain abilities, so considering the fact that players who know how to do everything from everything almost do not exist, then his idiom is also not perfect and as such he is a player who is very dependent on his teammates with an emphasis on the center position.
“You need to know how to bring him into the game” sums up in the club environment regarding the attacking ability of the center. There is no doubt that since the injury of Lorenzo Braun his life has become a little more difficult, certainly in the Bureau League, certainly and certainly when Yeftah Ziv does not often play with him. In addition, the recent chain of events has resulted in the fact that, following the injury of Alex Poythers, the dependence on Nivo has greatly increased. The player who arrived at Maccabi Tel Aviv after a very reasonable acclimatization season in Zalgiris, raised the level in the absence of his friend to the front line. “He is becoming more dominant,” the club noted. Of course, in some games it will work better and in others less well, but in the end Nivu is a very committed player, one that we are sure can be built on for the long term and since his days in Eilat he has made a very big leap.
The center seems to have added to his arsenal the arcing shot from the mid post that was not exactly there in Eilat, but there is no doubt that he still has room to develop. The potential is definitely there and in the meantime in Maccabi Tel Aviv they look ahead and say: “We hope that the entire team’s cohesion this year will be able to meet the task of bringing the cup, and also bring the championship and advance in Europe. First of all, to the stage of the big eight and see further.”
