Wednesday, June 25, 2008

NBA Draft pronunciation guide

With the draft just a day away, it's time to start familiarizing yourself with some of the names of players both domestic and foreign who may or may not be new Blazers come Thursday. In an effort to improve your fan-dom, here's the NBA's name pronunciation guide. Be the first kid on your block to correctly pronounce names like "Manuchar Markoishvili" and "Predrag Samardziski."

Alexis Ajinça: ah-LEX-ee A-GIN-za

Darrell Arthur: dur-RELL

Omer Asik: O-mair A-sheek

DJ Augustin: AU-ga-STEEN

Nicolas Batum: Nick-O-las Ba-TOOM

Jerryd Bayless: JE-rid

Ramel Bradley: ra-mel

Tyrone Brazelton: BRAY-zul-ten

Keith Brumbaugh: brom-BAW

Takais Brown: ta-KAY-is

Stanley Burrell: bu-RELL

Pat Calathes: KA-lay-THISS

Mario Chalmers: mar-ee-o chawl-mers

Hakan Demirel: HAK-on

Joey Dorsey: door-see

Goran Dragic: GORE-on DRAG-ich

Frank Elegar: E-le-GAR

Semih Erden: SEM-ee Err-DEN

Gary Forbes: Gary Forbes

Shan Foster: shane

Danilo Gallinari: Don-NEAL-o Gal-IN-naree

James Gist: gist

Vladimir Golubovic: Vla-DEE-meer Go-LOU-bo-vich

Kentrell Gransberry: KEN-trell

Malik Hairston: mah-leek hair-stun

DeVon Hardin: de-Von har-DIN

Rafael Hettsheimeir: Raf-A-el Het-SHY-mer

Jiri Hubalek: yee-ree oo-BAHL-lek

Serge Ibaka: Ee-BAK-a

Nathan Jawai: Nathan JA-why

Davon Jefferson: DAY-von

DeAndre Jordan: DEE-andre

Mantas Kalnietis: MAHN-tahs Kal-NYET-tis

Sasha Kaun: con

Marcelus Kemp: mar–SELL–us

Kosta Koufos: COAST-tah KOO-fuss

Nikita Kurbanov: Ni-KEE-ta Kur-BA-noff

Maarty Leunen: Marty loo-nen

Longar Longar: lawn-gar lawn-gar

Aleks Maric: AL-ex Mar-ICH

Manuchar Markoishvili: Ma-new-HAR Marko-ish-VEAL-ee

O.J. Mayo: OJ May-YO

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute: Ba ah MUTE-ay

JaVale McGee: JA-vell

Igor Milosevic: ee-gore milo-sheh-vich

Drew Neitzel: night-zill

DeMarcus Nelson: de-MARK-us

David Padgett: padge-et

Nikola Pekovic: NEE-kola PECK-o-vich

Trent Plaisted: play-sted

Anton Ponkrashov: An-TON Pon-KRASH-off

Quan Prowell: quan PROU-well

Mykal Riley: mick-kale

Richard Roby: robe-ee

Damjan Rudez: Dom-YON RUE-dez

Dusan Sakota: DUSH-on SHOCK-o-tah

Predrag Samardziski: PRAY-drug Sam-are-JIS-key

Nikita Shabalkin: Ni-KEE-ta Sha-BAL-kin

Sean Singletary: single-terry

Marreese Speights: Ma-REESE SPATES

Andrija Stipanovic: An-DREE-ya Stee-PAN-o-vich

Ante Tomic: ON-tay TOE-mich

Uros Tripkovic: YU-rosh TRIP-ko-vich

Giorgi Tsintsadze: Gee-OR-gee Tsin-TSA-zay

Mark Tyndale: tin-DALE

Sam Van Rossom: ross-some

Novica Velickovic: NO-vit-za Va-LEECH-ko-vich

Deron Washington: de-RON

2 comments:

  1. Wow, I hope the ESPN guys read your blog. This would really help prevent them from butchering names on the draft show tomorrow. At least Stephen A. won't be there...that is almost as good as winning the lottery last year.

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  2. Casey,
    Thanks, but clearly you've got too much time on your hands !

    Chad Ford just submitted a piece detailing what teams were likely interested in each of the top players, as a way of trying to determine how far that player might move up or down in the Draft. His comments about Brandon Rush cracked me up ...

    Brandon Rush: Pacers at 11, Blazers at 13, Suns at 15, Raptors at 17. Rush is a hot name, but it still is unclear where exactly he will go. I heard from a good source that Rudy Fernandez, who has some leverage, has expressed that he wants the Blazers to pass on Rush at No. 13.

    Too funny !

    Phil

    ReplyDelete