FCBARCELONA.CAT

09.08.2007 20:27

Alex Acker, second newcomer

Carles Cascante

AXA FC Barcelona have reached an agreement with North American Alex Acker for one season with the option to one more. Following on from Ilyasova, the former Olympiakos man is the second acquisition this summer.

Alex Acker, one of the rising stars on the European scene, provided he passes his medical test, will be Dusko Ivanovic’s second new signing for the 2007-08 season. Acker, who many have predicted could be the successor to Maccabi de Tel Aviv hero Anthony Parker, has come to Barcelona after a fairly successful year in Greece.
A true athlete

Acker has an excellent physique with a great aerial throw, and is strong on rebounds. He has terrific ball skills, and is able to draw upon a variety of different plays. He has an incredible capacity for penetrating the rival defence, and can use both hands, making him extraordinarily difficult to stop.
Various positions

He can also play a variety of different roles on court, and switches between them with ease. He can play as a shooting guard, or a small forward, or even a point guard if called upon. His ball skills and ability to read the game make him perfect for any of those positions. He is also an extraordinarily intelligent player, and can create plays without needing to move.

He is more of a man for breaking through to the paint than throwing from a distance, although this is an area of his game that improving day by day. He is such a powerful athlete that it generally makes more sense for him to use his impressive jumping skills to create damage. He tends to register some impressive percentages, mainly due to his ability to always select the right option.
Strong on the rebound

Acker is also an important player in defence, a role he thrives upon. In particular he is noted for his ability to collect defensive rebounds, mainly thanks to his physical might, his jump and his intuition.