Two summers ago, while watching a game in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, then Bucks general manager Larry Harris saw his sweet day go sour.
Harris learned that Ersan Ilyasova, an intriguing young forward whom he had drafted in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft, had decided to return to Europe instead of remaining with the Bucks. While Harris was understandably upset with Ilyasova's decision, current Bucks officials are elated that the 6-foot-9 Ilyasova has decided to rejoin the team.
The Bucks brass firmly believes Ilyasova, who recently signed a three-year, $7 million contract with the team, is talented enough now to vie for the starting power forward position.
"He's improved greatly from when he played here for the Bucks," assistant coach Bill Peterson said of the 22-year-old Ilyasova, who spent the last two years in Spain, "I think he'll be a great fit in Scott's (Bucks coach Scott Skiles) system. I think people will be pleasantly surprised because he's nothing like he was when he first played here."
