Font ResizeAs much of an uphill climb as most second-round draft picks face in making an NBA roster, Michigan State center Goran Suton has experienced adversity on a different scale as a former Bosnian refugee.
The No. 50 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, Suton and his family moved from war-torn Sarajevo to Lansing, Mich., before he started high school, in search of what he described as "a new beginning, a better life."
"Like I tell myself, 'Don't worry where you've been. Know where you're about to go,' " Suton said. "That's kind of my motive. Just staying humble and working every day and not taking things for granted."
Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor praised Suton as a "willing worker" and cited Paul Millsap , who was taken with the No. 47 pick in the 2006 draft, as an example of the second-round success stories the Jazz have enjoyed.
"I told Goran we don't play draft numbers, we play players that produce," O'Connor said, "and that's what we're looking forward to."
Suton was calm enough to take a shower in the middle of the second round, but acknowledged being filled with emotions at being selected. "I think this is the best thing that's ever happened to me," he said.
He helped lead Michigan State to the NCAA championship game as a senior, but Suton hasn't yet -- and might never -- watch a replay of the loss to North Carolina. He averaged 10.4 points and 8.4 rebounds and cited his shooting as his best
Suton will face competition to make the roster, as the Jazz have young centers Kosta Koufos and Kyrylo Fesenko under contract. The Jazz do believe playing for Michigan State coach Tom Izzo will be good preparation for Suton with Jerry Sloan .
"I think he's going to turn his head and hear a different voice and hear the same things come out," O'Connor said.
Futures market
With the Jazz due New York's first-round pick next year, ESPN.com's Chad Ford unveiled Friday his first rankings of prospects for the 2010 draft. The top five are incoming Kentucky guard John Wall , North Carolina forward Ed Davis , incoming Georgia Tech forward Derrick Favors , Georgetown forward Greg Monroe and Wake Forest forward Al-Farouq Aminu .
Briefly
The Jazz, as expected, tendered Millsap a $1.03 million qualifying offer to retain their rights to the restricted free-agent forward. ... First-round draft pick Eric Maynor will wear No. 3 and Suton will wear No. 11. Those numbers were last worn by Jason Hart (3) and Dee Brown (11). ... O'Connor talked about the possibility of playing Maynor alongside Deron Williams in the same backcourt, using Dallas' Jason Kidd and Jason Terry as an example.
