Shortly after selecting Luis Flores with the 55th pick in the draft Thursday night, the Rockets struck a minor deal with the Dallas Mavericks, sending Flores up I-45 for the 50th pick in the draft, Vassilis Spanoulis.
Spanoulis, a 6-foot-4 point guard, is playing for Maroussi in Greece where he averaged 11.1 points on 45.6% shooting and 3.3 dimes a game this past season.
In 2001-02, Spanoulis played for the U20 European National Team, scoring 16.0 points (45.8% shooting and almost 48% from long range) and dishing out 5.5 assists a night. He followed that up in 2002-03 playing for Maroussi Athens, scoring 10.8 a night to go with 6.4 assists.
He is currently working out with the Greek national team hoping to play in the Olympics.
He fits the mold more of what the Rockets were looking for in a late second round pick: Someone who can develop elsewhere for a season or two. Spanoulis is not eligible to be bought out from his contract with his Greek team until next season.
"He just turned 22," said Carroll Dawson. "He led his team to the Young Man's A-1 Euro Championship. We've liked him all along."
