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Fabricio Oberto

Not in any ranking or draft
Height: 6'10" (208 cm)
Weight: 245 lbs (111 kg)
Position: PF/C
Hometown: Varillas, Argentina
Current Team:

Articles

NBA Scouting Reports, Southwestern Division (Part Two)

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Matt Williams
Matt Williams
May 27, 2008, 12:50 am
Overview: A gritty power forward who uses his feel for the game to make an impact as a complimentary post player. Another great international find by the Spurs. A bit undersized and slender for the center spot. Fights for position to maximize his physical assets. Runs the floor hard. Is much more fluid than explosive. Makes a living by using his basketball IQ to be in the right place at the right time. Extremely efficient on the offensive end. Great touch on his shots. Always manages to get open around the rim. Good passer. Plays hard on the defensive end. Gives smart fouls. Smart player. Had a well decorated career overseas. Won just about everywhere he went. Took him some time to adjust to the NBA, but became a very useful player once he did. Ideal role player.

Offense: Not a great scorer, but one of the most efficient offensive role players in the League. Gets a third of his touches off of cuts with another portion of his offense coming from spot up opportunities and pick and rolls. Displays a reliable midrange stroke, and functions as a highly efficient catch and shoot player. Moves extremely well without the ball and gets a ton of easy layups at the rim. Barely gets to the free throw line, and has never been considered a great shooter once there. Displays very good touch with both hands at the rim. Won’t create his own shot, but will finish his opportunities at a better rate than almost any player in the game. Sets great screens. Great offensive rebounder. Very fundamentally sound. Excellent passer. Minimizes mistakes. Really competes.


Defense: A very savvy defensive player who doesn’t make a lot of plays, but is extremely sound. Has the lateral quickness to defend the high post, but it is his low post defense that is truly impressive. Does a tremendous job going straight up and getting in the way of his man’s moves. Doesn’t fall for fakes or get caught out of position. Tough for less polished players to score on since he makes shots that they could normally get off that much harder. Slightly undersized, though, and not incredibly explosive on top of that. Good rebounder with great hands. Will create some turnovers. Gives smart fouls when he’s beat. Brings great intangibles to the defensive end. A master flopper. Tough as nails.

The Top Overseas Free Agents on the 2005 Market, Part One

Luis Fernández
Luis Fernández
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Jul 06, 2005, 04:44 am
If we're talking about potential free agent international big men, Fabricio Oberto has to be given consideration considering his resume and combination of size and skills. This 30 year old Argentinean has proven himself again and again as one of the top big men in the world for several years now with his performances in Europe, especially with his national team.

After five seasons with Atenas, a team from Córdoba in Argentina, becoming the best big man in his country and winning various individual and team titles, he tried making the NBA for the first time, but could not find a spot in the League. So in 1998 he started his European adventure with an initial stop in Greece to play for Olympiakos. After a so-so experience, TAU Vitoria from Spain signed him at the end the 1999 season. In Vitoria, playing for coach Ivanovic, he established himself as one of the best paint players outside the NBA and helped make TAU one of the most feared teams in Europe. A Euroleague final appearance and an ACB League title were his best achievements so far. For the last three seasons he has played for Pamesa Valencia, also in Spain, with a team full of stars that has underachieved given the expectations and huge investment, failing to qualify for this past season's Euroleague and even missing the Spanish playoffs. Oberto is not to blame, as he played quite a good season and delivered his usual effort and solid playing level, indeed getting an ACB League personal best with averages of 14.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

Oberto has been one of the leaders and the main post player of the wonderful generation of Argentinean players that placed their National Team among the elite teams of the world. At the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis he led his team with 5.6 rebounds and closely trailed Manu Ginobili in the scoring department with 13.3 points per game. Against the US he scored 11 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. The following year in the Tournament of the Americas, he put on a memorable offensive show against Tim Duncan, finishing the game with 17 points on 8/9 shooting from the field. He helped Argentina win the Olympic gold medal last summer in Greece, averaging 8.7 points, 4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in the tournament, while having 6 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in just 17 minutes (due foul trouble) in the Argentinean win over the US.

Strengths:

Fabricio Oberto is one of the best paint players outside of the NBA. He's a tough, skilled big man, with nice mobility, for whom the paint is his natural home where he feels comfortable and everything seems much easier for him. He displays a great post-up game, showing very nice footwork. He loves to spin and release a slight fade-away shot, which is very difficult to stop. He also can score using his mid-range jumper out to 14 feet on a regular basis. Quite a nice passer, Oberto usually finds the right man when double teamed. In transition, he runs the floor as a trailer pretty well. He plays hard on defense and never avoids physical contact. It's not easy to post him up at all. He is a good rebounder due to his positioning and hustle; and can also block some shots while showing very good timing. He's a player with character, who plays the game with passion, displaying great intensity like most of his countrymen, and who shows a very good understanding of the game.

Weaknesses:

Oberto isn't a physical freak. While he's pretty strong, his athleticism isn't top notch. His vertical leap is average for a power forward, as is his quickness. As a result, his rebounding and blocking production aren't outstanding and he may suffer while defending quicker, more versatile players outside of the paint. He can play as both a power forward and center in Europe, although he's a little slow for the four spot, and a little undersized (6-10) for the five.

The level of intensity that he brings on defense often earns him easy fouls, and he usually has to spend more time than desired on the bench. For a player with his ability to go to the line so often, his horrible free-throw shooting is one of his worst weaknesses. This last season, his percentages were well under 50%. It's really sad considering his decent mid-range stroke.

Why sign him?

With the lack of reliable big men in the NBA, it's surprising to see Oberto still playing in Europe. He would be a solid presence in the paint for any team, especially for teams that play a more team-oriented style of play. Forget about weak foreign dudes; Fabricio is tough as nails, ready to step into a NBA court and fight against anybody. With the lack of low post threats in the NBA, he could really be valuable. Just a handful of guys all around the NBA display his combination of low post skills, distribution abilities and toughness. He should try to improve his free-throw shooting, though.

At the age 30 he isn't getting any younger, and he has realized that it's now or never. Oberto escaped from his contract in Valencia and is now free to sign with any team, with the NBA being his primary target. Of course, he will demand a guaranteed seven-digit offer, probably for a few years at least, but he's totally worth it. The usual suspects from last year, the Bulls, Spurs and Kings are all rumored to be interested. The Sonics and Cavs could also jump in with offers according to sources. If he doesn't get anything done in the States, the most powerful European teams will be waiting him with the arms open.

2005 Spanish King's Cup

Luis Fernández
Luis Fernández
Feb 23, 2005, 01:40 am
Every time we have the chance to talk about veteran international players here at DraftExpress.com, his name arises, and it's no coincidence. He's one of the best post players you will find around. Last time we mentioned him was in the summer as a potential free agent the NBA should look into, and indeed he received interest from both the Spurs and Kings, among others. In the King's Cup he was Pamesa Valencia's best player in the quarterfinals, being decisive on both the offensive and defensive ends. The good defense Unicaja put on him in the semifinals (he was often double teamed in the low post, as was Tomasevic at times) was a big reason for his team's loss.

Fabricio showed his usual stuff, like his fantastic post-up game and solid paint defense. He's a warrior, and quite a polished one. He's strong, and can fight with anyone, even at the NBA level. He's a guy who understands the game, not only how to score, but to pass the ball too. Teaming with Tomasevic for their fourth consecutive season, they have probably been the best post passing duo in the world over this span, Divac-Webber aside.

Oberto still suffers with his free-throw shooting. Despite being able to hit mid-rangers with some consistency, he's lousy from the line (40% in the Cup, and 51% in the ACB League). His age and experience hasn't helped him solve his problems with foul trouble (he committed 4 in each game).

Precisely his age is a matter of concern: he's not getting any younger. Although Fabricio doesn't finish his contract until 2006, he has a buyout clause this summer (likely affordable), and it's now or never for him in order to try the NBA adventure. There have been rumours saying that the Sacramento Kings could be interested in him again, while Chicago has been mentioned as well.

The Top Overseas Free Agents on the Market

Luis Fernández
Luis Fernández
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Jul 08, 2004, 01:00 am
If you are thinking about signing an international big man, you have to think about Fabricio Oberto. This 29 year old Argentinean has established himself in the past few years as a top player with his performances in Europe, and especially with his national team.

After five seasons with Atenas, a team from Córdoba in Argentina, becoming the best big man in his country and winning various individual and team titles, he tried making the NBA, but could not find a spot in the League. So in 1998 he started his European adventure with a first stop in Greece to play for Olympiakos. After a so-so experience, TAU Vitoria from Spain signed him at the end the 1999 season. In Vitoria, playing for coach Ivanovic, he established as one of the best paint players outside the NBA and helped make TAU one of the most feared teams in Europe. A Euroleague final appearance and an ACB League title were his best achievements so far. For the last couple of seasons he has played for Pamesa Valencia, also in Spain, a team full of stars who consistently play at the top levels of Europe. This last season he has averaged 11.5 points and 5.4 rebounds at the ACB League, and 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the Euroleague.

He has been one of the leaders and the main post player of the wonderful generation of Argentinean players that have placed their National Team among the elite national teams of the world. At the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis he led his team with 5.6 rebounds and closely trailed Manu Ginobili in the scoring department with 13.3 points per game. Against the US he scored 11 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. The following year in the Tournament of the Americas, he put a memorable offensive show against Tim Duncan, finishing the game with 17 points with 8/9 from the field.

Strengths

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Fabricio Oberto is one of the best paint players outside of the NBA. He's a tough, skilled big man, with nice mobility, for whom the key is his natural home where he feels comfortable and everything seems so much easier for him. He displays a great post-up game, showing very nice footwork. He loves to spin and release a slight fade-away shot, which is very difficult to stop. He also can score using his mid-range jumper out to 14 feet on a regular basis. Quite a nice passer, Oberto usually finds the right man when double teamed. In transition, he runs the floor as a trailer pretty well. He plays hard on defense and never avoids physical contact. It's not easy to post him up at all. He is a good rebounder due to his positioning and hustle; he can also block some shots while showing very good timing. He's a player with character, who plays the game with passion, displaying great intensity like most of his countrymen, and who shows a very good understanding of the game.

Weaknesses:

Oberto isn't a physical freak. While he's pretty strong, his athleticism isn't top notch. His vertical leap is average for a power forward, as well as his quickness. As a result, his rebounding and blocking production aren't outstanding and he may suffer while defending quicker, more versatile players outside of the paint. He can play as both a power forward and center, although he's a little slow for the four spot, and a little undersized (6-10) for the five spot. The level of intensity that he brings on defense often earns him easy fouls, and he usually has to spend more time than desired on the bench. For a player with his ability to go to the line so often, his horrible free-throw shooting is one of his worst weaknesses. This last season, his percentages were well under 50%. It's really sad considering his decent mid-range stroke.

Why sign him?

With the lack of reliable big men in the NBA, it's surprising to see Oberto still playing in Europe. He would be a solid presence in the paint for any team, especially for teams that play a more team-oriented style of play. With the lack of low post threats in the NBA, he could be really valuable. He should try to improve his free-throw shooting, though. He's under contract, but his buyout (reportedly around $800,000) isn't outrageously expensive, especially considering some of the contracts that have been handed out recently by NBA teams.

On the other hand, at age 29 he isn't getting any younger, and he isn't as crazy as some about playing in the NBA. It was a dream for him when he was younger, but after some rejections and his success in Europe, he looks at things from a different perspective. With that said, if a team calls him with the right offer and the right words, he would probably give it a try. The Spurs are said to be pursuing him. It could be a good fit for him, combining the four and five spots with Duncan and Nesterovic. Despite being a paint animal, he doesn't necessarily have to be teamed with another more perimeter oriented big man, as he doesn't need too much space to play his game and he makes really good passes inside the paint for his fellow big man.

Checking Stock at the King's Cup

Luis Fernández
Luis Fernández
Mar 19, 2004, 12:00 am
Oberto amazed with his post game. His execution was as brilliant as usual, showing excellent footwork, a good physical game and impressive mobility. He was also solid on the glass and again showed his nice court vision, although he seemed a bit slow on defense. He got early in foul trouble being limited his production and his ability to help his team to win the quarterfinals. Fabricio is not getting any younger, and if he wants to try the next level, he should do it now. Since Oberto put a show with his Argentinean teammates at the Worlds in 2002, many NBA teams have showed interest on him. His contract with Pamesa Valencia ends this summer, and it will be the time to say now or never.