Vladimir Tkachenko: The FORGOTTEN Gentle Giant скачать в хорошем качестве

Vladimir Tkachenko: The FORGOTTEN Gentle Giant

Vladimir Tkachenko was a towering presence, standing 7’3 and weighing 245 pounds. Following in the footsteps of Janis Krumins, he was set to be the next dominant European center. Vladimir’s game was more than just raw power, as while he had the strength, he also had skill. He wasn’t quick, but he was pretty agile for his size, being able to eat up space down low, often boxing out multiple opponents at once so his teammates had a chance at the rebound. When he had his back to the basket, his soft hands caught almost every entry pass thrown his way, as him getting two feet in the paint meant a powerful dunk. Apart from his physical attributes, the most intriguing part of his game was his unique offensive skillset. He had a soft touch in the paint, but he could step out and knock down the 18 footer, sometimes even out to the 3 point line. He started his career at 16 years old, developing his skills until he joined the Soviet Union national team in 1976. For the next decade, he won several medals in FIBA competition, even earning two bronzes in the Summer Olympics. He met the next generation head on, engaging in fierce battles with a young Arvydas Sabonis. A man of his talents was obviously noticed by NBA scouts, but he was satisfied playing in his home country. The year round play schedule did a number on his body, as back problems affected the second half of his career, forcing him to retire just before the Iron Curtain was lifted. While Sabonis gets a lot of recognition for his international accomplishments, Vladimir deserves just as much credit for laying the foundation. https://www.basketball-reference.com/...