Alexey Shved (G, Philadelphia 76ers), Russia
Height: 1.98 m, 6-foot-6 | Weight: 84.8 kg, 187 pounds | Born: 16 December 1988
In Philadelphia it's all about future -- after a 2014 Draft in which the 76ers selected a high-upside, sit-and wait center for the second straight year (Joel Embiid, after Nerlens Noel in 2013), along with a potential star in the making who'll spend at least a year in Europe (Dario Saric).
But for one of the pieces in their rebuilding effort, the clock's chiming.
Alexey Shved had trouble cracking into a Minnesota Timberwolves backcourt that featured a guy named Ricky Rubio, another named Kevin Martin and another named J.J. Barea for all of 2013-14. After posting 23.9 minutes a night in his rookie season, his playing time plummeted to just 10.5 mpg last season. His scoring (4.0 ppg, down from 8.6), assists (1.1, from 3.7) and even field goal percentage (32.1 percent, from 37.5) followed suit.
Now, after the T-Wolves traded him to Philly as part of the deal that brought Thaddeus Young to Minnesota, he has a chance to start all over. Not to mention start, at all.
Shved started 16 games in 2012-13. He didn't start any last year. But on a Sixers team that'll look to find the ideal pairing with reigning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams, Shved poses an intriguing option.
At 6-foot-6 with high-level ballhandling and distribution abilities, Shved and MCW could create one of the league's most troublesome young tandems.
When the future dawns in Philly, Shved could stand near the center of it all.
Season Highlight
Shved went for 10 points, 4 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals against the Sixers on 6 Jan
Key Stats
GP: 63 | MPG: 10.5 | PTS: 4.0 | AST: 1.1
Five Things to Know
1. Shved starred in one of the league's funniest videos last year, dressing as a witch and going 'trick-or-treating' during the American Halloween holiday, when children dress in costumes and ask for candy. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA2afr39vQw
2. Shved came into the league with long hair, which he pulled back over his ears during games. That is, until then-Wolves teammates Nikola Pekovic and Andrei Kirilenko forced him to cut his hair into a shorter look. The game after Shved shed his locks? He went for 10 fourth-quarter points to lead the Wolves to a 22-point comeback against the Nets in Nov. 2012. (Per ProBasketballTalk.com)
3. Kirilenko served as Shved's mentor in the rookie's early days in Minnesota. "When needing advice on which apartment to rent, which car to buy, which furniture, forks and knives, just everything - Andrei was a great mentor and help," Shved said. (CanisHoopus.com)
4. He scored 25 points in the Olympic bronze medal game in 2012, sending Russia past Argentina.
5. Shved entered the professional ranks with European superpower CSKA Moscow at the age of 18, then spent six years with CSKA -- including temporary loans to Khimki and Dynamo Moscow.
Check out Shved's photos and video in the LEAGUE section of NBA Game Time.
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