Who is new Atlanta Hawk Nicolas Brussino?

Brussino stands at a long 6’8″ and weighs 200 lbs. While players of his height traditionally player a SF/PF role, he is more of a traditional wing SF/SG. His height comes with its strengths and weaknesses. While he has the advantage of being able to shoot over and out-rebound his defender, he finds himself matched up against much quicker players when he is on defense.

His two best qualities that define him as a player are his shooting and passing abilities. Brussino has a sweet stroke and quick release that is really similar to that of our own Mike Muscala. While his shooting-off-dribble game is in the process of improving, he can catch and shoot with the best of them. As stated earlier, his size helps. If he checks in as a SG, his 6’8″ self can potentially be matched up with defenders as small as 6’3″, allowing Brussino to pull up with ease.

He is also developing a nice-looking post fadeaway (wonder which Maverick taught him that). Brussino also loves to dish the ball. What seperates him from other wing players is that his preference is to find the open man first, before looking to score himself. He is building a reputation for his great court awareness along with his quick and flashy passing.

This quick video displays his great shooting and passing:

While his shooting and passing are gifts, he needs improvement with his acceleration and lateral quickness if he is to find success guarding NBA-level 2-guards and small forwards. He is not by any means lacking athleticism, but defense is about consistency and he has trouble consistently staying in front of his man. This issue is very fixable, however.

He is reminiscent of NBA champion and former Atlanta Hawk Toni Kukoc. When Kukoc entered the league, he was an offensive threat similar to Brussino. A volume shooter who could knock down contested threes just as well as he could hit open threes, but also loved to share the ball. Kukoc was also an over-sized wing. He went down as one of the best players off the bench in league history and a vital piece to the championship-winning Chicago Bulls teams.

If Brussino can improve his ball-handling and defense, his ceiling can be as high or even higher than Toni Kukoc.