Korolev Is Clippers’ New Foreign Policy

Confident that they can fill their more immediate needs next month in free agency, the Clippers basically bought on spec Tuesday night when they made Russian teenager Yaroslav Korolev the 12th pick in the NBA draft.

Within minutes of taking him they hinted that Korolev, a 6-foot-9 small forward who turned 18 only last month, might stay overseas for another year.

“His offensive skills are very wide and varied, with a very big upside,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “The question always as you draft a younger player ... is physical maturity and his ability to defend at the next level.

“That’s going to be the question as far as whether we bring him here to play right away or we let him mature as other teams have done

Leaving foreign players overseas to develop is not uncommon. Manu Ginobili played for three more seasons in Europe after the San Antonio Spurs made him the 57th pick in 1999. Andrei Kirilenko, the 24th pick in 1999, played two more seasons in Moscow before joining the Utah Jazz.

Like Kirilenko, Korolev played for CSKA in Moscow, where last season he averaged 15.9 points and 5.8 rebounds for the club’s junior team.

Fabrizio Besnati, their European scout, said the Clippers had Korolev on their radar for three years. But they really homed in on him after Dunleavy watched him play in a national junior tournament last month at Moscow. Korolev’s team won the tournament, held in conjunction with the Euroleague Final Four.

“The thing I think he does very well is, he makes plays in the open court,” Dunleavy said. “He makes players around him better.”

The Clippers’ most pressing need is for a shooting guard and the choice of Korolev was questioned by ESPN commentators.

“I think there’s a tendency to look at foreign players and we get enamored and we look at our own kids and we find all their faults,” Dick Vitale said.

Jay Bilas called the pick “puzzling,” but added, “These teams do their homework more than people think. I mean, I trust Mike Dunleavy that Korolev is going to be a good player. Just not right now.”

A number of surprise picks early left several highly regarded shooters available to the Clippers, among them Antoine Wright of Texas A&M;, Danny Granger of New Mexico and Rashad McCants of North Carolina.

“There maybe were a few players out there that ... are more ready,” Dunleavy said, “but from a chemistry standpoint we didn’t want to introduce them into the mix. We thought there was too big a question mark on a few players.”

Besides, he added, free agency is the better way to go.

“We think we’ve got a great chance to fill the holes on our team with guys that are more proven, veteran players,” Dunleavy said. “It’s not an exact science, but in doing our homework, as far as where guys could fit in and the type of team we have and who’s out there and who’s available, that’s what we’re saying.”

Among the shooting guards due to become free agents Friday are Ray Allen, Michael Redd, Larry Hughes and Cuttino Mobley.

If the Clippers land a veteran shooting guard and re-sign their own free agents, Bobby Simmons and Marko Jaric in particular, Korolev could remain in his homeland for at least one more year of seasoning.

“The choice is not going to be mine,” Korolev said by phone from New York, where he attended the draft and obviously was tickled to have been picked.

No Russian had been taken higher, Kirilenko included.

Besnati said by phone from Italy that Korolev might be more skilled than Kirilenko at the same age, “but of course he’s going to have to prove that with time.”

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With their second-round pick, the 32nd overall, the Clippers took Duke’s Daniel Ewing, the third point guard they’ve taken in the last two drafts after choosing Shaun Livingston and Lionel Chalmers last year.

“Chalmers is more of a scorer,” said Barry Hecker, the club’s director of player personnel. “Ewing is more of a setup guard and probably a better defender.”

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THE NBA DRAFT

THE CLIPPER PICKS

For once, they’re not the first team in L.A. on the clock, so they head overseas -- way overseas -- to pick forward Yaroslav Korolev from Russia. The 18-year-old may not be a Clipper next season, but they are high on his prospects. In the second round, they select point guard Daniel Ewing from Duke.

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Clipper picks

YAROSLAV KOROLEV

Forward CSKA Moscow

6-9, 203; 15.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.2 apg

No. 12 pick: Only fifth Russian taken in first round, first in top 20. ... Father Igor coaches national junior team in Russia. ... In mold of Mike Dunleavy Jr., but more athletic.

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DANIEL EWING

Guard Duke

6-3, 185; 15.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.0 apg

No. 32 pick: Versatile player who slid over to point after playing first three seasons at shooting guard. ... Highly regarded defender.