Vladimir Radmanovic is a forward with the L.A. Lakers. He is in his sixth year as an NBA player. He is six foot ten inches tall - two hundred and thirty five pounds. With the injuries that the Lakers have had, Vladimir Radmanovic has been put in the starting line-up for recent games. He is scoring well and has made some important shots. He is known to be a shooter, with good accuracy from beyond the three point line. It is understandable that, on some nights, the shooting touch deserts him. It does with all shooters. The mystery about Vladimir Radmanovic is… ‘why can’t he play on the defensive end?’.

Why? It is an absolute mystery.

In a recent game, Vladimir was beaten consistently around his left side. It gave the opposing player the baseline lane to the basket. Help from his teammates is difficult when the opposing player has the baseline lane. There would be more help in the key area. One would think that, if the player went around the left side three - four - five times, it might be wise to cheat over a bit and force the drive in the other direction. No, that is not to be. Vladimir Radmanovic is beaten consistently in the same manner through all the time he was playing.

There are a throng of loyal Lakers fans who gather at a local beverage establishment to watch the Lakers games. When Kwame Brown was with the Lakers, one group among these fans would buy drinks every time the ball hit Kwame Brown’s hands and he did not manage to catch the ball. Now, with Kwame Brown traded away from the Lakers, Vladimir Radmanovic is the focus of their attention. Every time someone dribbles around Vladimir Radmanovic, they buy a round of drinks.

As you might imagine, it is beginning to be expensive. For the sake of this group of loyal Lakers fans (and their livers), let’s hope Vladimir Radmanovic can be encouraged to move his feet and play some defense. It really is inexplicable why Vladimir Radmanovic can’t be as effective at the defensive end of the floor as he is on the offensive.

Catherine Forsythe

Tags: nba, l.a. lakers, vladimir radmanovic, defense, mystery