|
| |
| |
| Kulagin Coming Alive in Russia |
|
|
|
| by: Jonathan Givony - President |
| February 7, 2012 |
One of the most intriguing young guard prospects in European basketball, Dmitry Kulagin is playing the best basketball of his career for surging Triumph Moscow.
Jonathan Givony
Moving from Novgorod back to his hometown of Moscow to play for Triumph (alongside fellow draft prospect Sergey Karasev) this past offseason, Dmitry Kulagin got off to a slow start in his new situation. Recently, however, he has been playing exceptionally well, living up to the terrific promise he displayed this summer at the U-19 World Championship in Latvia.
 | | pbleague.ru |
Through 30 games, across three competitions (the Baltic League, EuroChallenge and Russian PBL), Kulagin is playing a solid 24 minutes per-game, averaging 15 points (46% 2P, 32% 3P, 68% FT), 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, and 4.2 free throw attempts per-40 minutes. His team has won their last six games in the PBL and is now in 3rd place, with Kulagin inserted into the starting lineup and playing some of his best basketball as of late.
Kulagin still hasn't fully been handed the keys to this Triumph team, which makes sense considering his age, inexperience, and the level of competition they are playing at. He shares the backcourt with 6-2 American scoring guard Tywain Mckee, who also likes to have the ball in his hands and is a somewhat streaky shooter. The two are learning to cooperate better and better as of late, even collaborating this past weekend on a terrific win over UNICS Kazan, a team that is currently 3-0 in the Euroleague Top-16.
Even playing as a combo guard, Kulagin remains one of the most intriguing young guard prospects in European basketball, showing a very NBA-friendly combination of confidence, fluidity, and talent with the ball in his hands that is very unique on this side of the ocean.
A superb ball-handler, Kulagin creates his own shot exceptionally well thanks to his ability to change speeds and directions intuitively. He beats players off the dribble regularly in isolation and pick and roll situations, doing a nice job reading the floor and deciding whether to drive and dish, pull-up for a jumper, or go all the way to the basket and finish strong. He draws fouls at a very good rate thanks to his shiftiness and aggressiveness with the ball, but needs to improve on his 68% shooting from the free throw line.
As a decision maker, Kulagin remains a work in progress, as evidenced by his 1.6:1 assist to turnover ratio and 18% turnover rate. He makes some spectacular passes that illustrate his terrific talent-level and feel for the game, but tries to do a little too much at times and can end up forcing the issue.
 | | pbleague.ru |
Kulagin's perimeter shooting is also improvable. He's making just 32% of his 3-pointers, but appears to have good mechanics on his jumper and the ability to make tough shots off the dribble. He tends to fade away unnecessarily at times on his pull-ups, kicking his legs out and not being on-balance. His shot-selection is average at best, which may have something to do with his less than ideal role playing off the ball at times.
On defense, Kulagin looks slightly improved as of late but still leaves something to be desired. His excellent size and anticipation skills allows him to make his presence felt from time to time on this end of the floor, particularly when he's putting the effort in, but he's still often too upright in his stance and susceptible to biting on pump-fakes and gambling in the passing lanes. Kulagin's average lateral quickness will likely make it difficult for him to ever develop into a real lock-down defender, but he'll need to keep improving on this end of the floor if he doesn't want to be labeled as a liability. To that end, improving his focus, toughness, and fundamentals will be paramount
With the weakness of this year's point guard crop, Kulagin could reportedly very well elect to throw his name into the draft to see where he stands in the eyes of NBA talent evaluators. The way Ricky Rubio is playing in the NBA thus far surely won't hurt his draft stock, as the two share some similarities in terms of their style of play.
Kulagin is eligible to play in this year's Nike Hoop Summit and is apparently interested in doing so, and will also have a chance to show himself at the EuroCamp in Treviso as part of (at the very least) the Under-20 Russian national team.
NBA teams will want to do their due diligence on the conflicting reports surrounding his background, attitude, and off-court habits, something that will be very important considering the significant transition he'll potentially need to make moving from Russia to the US, but there's little question about his talent and ability to make things happen with the ball in his hands. |
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
jonathan@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| Zirbes Producing in Germany |
|
|
|
| by: Jonathan Givony - President |
| February 2, 2012 |
Jonathan Givony
One of the most productive draft-eligible prospects in European basketball, big man Maik Zirbes is someone who will certainly be drawing at least cursory looks from NBA teams this spring.
 | | parkettgeschichten.de |
Listed at 6-10, 257 pounds, Zirbes has ample size for the center position he occupies, to go along with soft hands and solid length. Not particularly quick and notably lacking explosiveness, he is just an average athlete by European standards, and would likely be considered below average in the NBA.
Having turned 22 years old just a few days ago, Zirbes is in the midst of a breakout season on the European level, being arguably the most productive German player in the heavily American oriented German Bundesliga. He plays 28 minutes per-game for TBB Trier, which at 6-13, is currently in 16th place in the BBL and competing to avoid relegation to the second division.
Averaging a solid 16.6 points per-40 minutes while shooting an ultra-efficient 60% from the field (2nd in the BBL), Zirbes sees the overwhelming majority of his offense playing off the ball, through cuts, crashing the offensive glass, and as a pick and roll finisher.
He sets big physical screens and has good hands, nice length and soft touch around the basket, which makes him a very reliable finisher in the paint at the German league level. He plays with a solid intensity level, uses his wide frame to establish deep position in the paint, and is able to score effectively off drop-off passes despite being a largely below the rim player. He rarely turns the ball over and draws fouls at a strong rate (5.9 free throw attempts per-40 minutes), knocking down those attempts at a very solid 73% clip. He's also an excellent offensive rebounder (4.6 per-40), currently ranking 5th in the BBL in that category, thanks again to his good hands, length, and activity level.
On the downside, Zirbes does not possess a very wide repertoire of post moves with his back to the basket, and lacks the quickness and explosiveness to create space inside the paint and finish over length in traffic. This could make it difficult for him to become a very effective one-on-one inside player at the highest levels of competition.
 | | Helmut Thewalt, TBB Trier |
He's largely an undersized center who rarely steps outside the paint, having only attempted a handful of jumpers this season, and not looking brilliant enough in the ones he did take to lead you to believe he is being held back in this area. He'll likely need to expand this part of his game and improve his perimeter polish and versatility to continue to be an effective offensive threat against higher level competition.
Defensively, Zirbes has clear-cut strengths and weaknesses. On one hand, he is active and uses his body pretty effectively inside the paint, being difficult for opposing centers to post up thanks to his wide frame and solid bulk. There aren't any many great back to the basket centers in the BBL to test him (other than possibly John Bryant, who had a career night, 27 points, and 16 rebounds against him), but he's largely done a solid job with the ones he's faced.
On the other hand, he lacks size for his position and isn't very prolific on the stat-sheet due to his underwhelming explosiveness. His 4.9 defensive rebounds per-40 average doesn't rank in the top-50 in the German league in that category—which is a major red flag—and he offers very little in the ways of interior defense, only blocking 12 shots in 19 games this year.
Zirbes has trouble stepping outside the paint on this end of the floor as well, being very limited covering the pick and roll in particular, where he struggles to cover ground due to his below average lateral quickness.
Only playing his second real year of high-level professional basketball, Zirbes is having a very good season and is surely drawing the interest of both bigger teams in Europe and NBA scouts with his productivity. He does not appear to have huge upside due to his average physical tools, but as a 6-10 big man who is putting up good numbers in a solid league, he could be viewed as one of the better prospects in what seems to be a very weak class of 1990-born NBA draft eligible players and thus may be a candidate for some teams looking to make a “draft and stash pick” in the second round. |
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
jonathan@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| Introducing Nikola Ivanovic |
|
|
|
| by: Jonathan Givony - President |
| January 25, 2012 |
Jonathan Givony
One of the youngest players in Europe seeing consistent minutes at the highest levels of competition, 17-year old Nikola Ivanovic has steadily emerged as a productive and reliable point guard for Buducnost in his native country of Montenegro. Playing a solid 15 minutes per game in both the EuroCup Top-16 and Adriatic League, Ivanovic's role seems to be increasing week by week, up to 22 minutes per game in his team's last four contests.
 | | FIBA Europe |
Ivanovic does an excellent job of mixing up his scoring and his passing, not looking as shy or deferential as most young guards making their first steps in European basketball. He shows impressive confidence for a player his age, taking responsibilities on the court assertively like all teams expect their point guard to.
Standing around 6-3, Ivanovic has good size for a point guard, even if he's not particularly long or athletic by NBA standards. He sees the overwhelming majority (140/209 possessions charted this season by Synergy Sports Technology thus far) of his offense in pick and roll situations, where his creativity and aggressiveness really shine.
Displaying choppy footwork and excellent ball-handling skills, Ivanovic changes speeds impressively and shows good body control once in the lane. He gets into the paint at a very nice rate, at times changing directions with the ball and using a crafty Eurostep move. Ivanovic finishes at the rim much stronger than you'd expect a 17-year old to at this level of competition, getting to the free throw line at a very nice rate in turn. He still needs to get stronger and increase his explosiveness, but he's not afraid to put his body on the line, which is a good sign early on.
Capable of passing with both hands, and in a variety of different ways, Ivanovic reads the floor nicely and moves the ball effectively around the court, showing a very good feel for setting teammates up with easy baskets. He doesn't turn the ball over very often (just 24 times in 376 minutes this season, or 2.55 turnovers per-40 minutes), displaying impressive poise and maturity for a player his age.
Where Ivanovic probably needs to improve the most at this stage is as a shooter, as he's converted just 18 of the 77 jumpers he's taken this season. He's struggled badly to make shots with his feet set in particular, which is a bit odd seeing that he has very good mechanics on his jumper as well as a quick release. Ivanovic's pull-up jumper has been falling a little more consistently this season, especially lately, and the way he elevates off the floor and creates separation from defenders shows lots of promise.
 | | FIBA Europe |
On the defensive end, things haven't looked quite as encouraging for Ivanovic just yet this season, which is perhaps not a surprise considering his age. He doesn't have the length or strength to be much of a presence at this point, even if he does put a decent effort in. Going up against players who are at times twice his age, Ivanovic's technique needs plenty of work, as he's prone to getting out of his stance quickly, and will gamble excessively at times in the passing lanes. Not crafty, athletic or experienced enough to recover when beat, Ivanovic's lateral quickness is not terribly impressive at this stage.
While the early results have been mostly very impressive thus far, it will likely take a couple of years to fully evaluate the extent of Ivanovic's upside and determine how good he might become down the road. He likely hasn't reached his full potential both physically and athletically, and surely has room to improve his skill-level as his role on the floor evolves from backup to starter. Nevertheless, Ivanovic will be a very interesting player for scouts to follow as his career progresses, as he's obviously extremely talented. Right now, he's not even NBA draft-eligible, and can't be until 2013 at the earliest. |
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
jonathan@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| Karasev Carving Out a Role for Triumph |
|
|
|
| by: Jonathan Givony - President |
| January 20, 2012 |
Jonathan Givony
With almost half the season already in the books, we continue to search for draft-eligible prospects making an impact in high-level Europe.
 | | PBLeague.ru |
Arguably the most productive young player in Europe these days relative to his age might be 6-7 small forward Sergey Karasev, who has been putting up impressive numbers in the Russian PBL, the EuroChallenge and Baltic League. Playing 24 minutes per-game in 26 contests thus far, Karasev is averaging just under 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, shooting a solid 50% from 2-point range and 36% beyond the arc—despite turning 19 just a few months ago.
Watching Karasev play, two things stand out.
First is the amount of confidence his coaching staff has in him. Often allowing him to bring the ball up the floor and initiate his team's offense, they give him tremendous freedom to make decisions with the ball, be it in pick and roll or transition situations.
Second are the confidence, maturity and basketball IQ Karasev displays in this featured role, which belie his age. He regularly appears to be a step ahead of his opponents in terms of anticipating what will happen next on the floor. This manifests itself most prominently in his passing ability, as he's able to get the ball to his teammates in every way imaginable, be it with bounce passes off the pick and roll, lobs over the top of the defense in transition, kick-outs to open shooters, post-entries, and more.
A natural lefty, Karasev is capable of dribbling and finishing with either hand. He's relied upon fairly heavily in terms of creating offense for his team, and shows a nice ability to change speeds to keep his opponent off balance. Karasev has excellent timing moving without the ball, and thanks to his rapidly improving his frame, is doing a better job getting to the free throw line, where he finds himself nearly 6 times per-40 minutes.
 | | PBLeague.ru |
Just an average athlete in terms of his first step and overall quickness, Karasev may have a difficult time creating shots for himself and his teammates against higher level competition than he's facing right now. He struggles finishing around the rim in traffic at times, and thus would be well served developing his mid-range game, which is not very polished at the moment.
Karasev is capable of making shots from beyond the arc, but still probably isn't as consistent as NBA teams would like him to be with his feet set. He's making 36% of his 3-pointers on the season (30/83 in 26 games), but shows plenty of potential for growth in this area.
Defense is the other part of his game where he'll need to show improvement to play at the highest levels of basketball. Part of this has to do with a lack of strength and experience, but some of it has to do with his intensity level. He gives up too much space on the perimeter at the moment, lacking a degree of lateral quickness that would help him stay in front of more athletic opponents. He's shown some ability to rebound (6.4 per-40) this season, which is definitely a plus, and gets in the passing lanes on a semi-regular basis, thanks to his strong anticipation ability.
One of the youngest players who could possibly be eligible for the NBA draft with his late 1993 birthdate, Karasev may not be in a major rush to declare considering he's still proving himself at the Russian league level. The early signs have been very promising, so we'll have to see how he continues to develop in time. |
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
jonathan@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| European Roundup: Furkan Aldemir, the Euroleague's last frontier |
|
|
|
| by: Jonathan Givony - President |
| January 2, 2012 |
-European Roundup: Shengelia's Breakout Year
Jonathan Givony
As the Euroleague advances into the Top-16 stage, just one draft-eligible prospect is still seeing consistent playing time. Turkish big man Furkan Aldemir is the last man standing, still warranting buying a ticket to a Euroleague game as far as NBA scouts are considering buying a ticket to a Euroleague contest are concerned.
Growing up playing for Pinar Karsiyaka in his hometown of Izmir, Aldemir had already started getting attention from scouts already at the age of 18 thanks to the gaudy rebounding numbers he was producing at the senior level. He entered his name in the 2011 NBA draft, but elected to withdraw upon signing a four year contract with Galatasaray, one of the richest teams in the Turkish league. This past summer he represented his country in the U-20 European Championship, leading the somewhat watered down competition in rebounding with an impressive 15.9 boards in 35 minutes per game.
 | | FIBA Europe |
Now just one game out of first place in the TBL and having qualified for the Euroleague Top 16, this has been a relatively successful season for Galatasaray thus far. Aldemir plays about 16 minutes per game on average almost exclusively at the center position, posting an efficient 18.7 points and 12.3 rebounds per-40 minutes.
Aldemir stands somewhere between 6-9 to 6-10, with a strong frame, good length, and average athleticism by NBA standards. He doesn't run the floor or elevate off the ground exceptionally well, but plays with toughness and intensity and is effective in the simple, but important role that's asked of him.
Aldemir rarely touches the ball outside the paint, with virtually all of his offense being created for him by teammates around the rim. He's utilized heavily as a pick and roll finisher, showing good hands and the strength to power his way up around the basket through contact, sometimes with a dunk. While not incredibly explosive with his finishes, he's not afraid to take a hit in the paint and get to the foul line, where he converts 65% of his attempts.
Not showing a very high skill-level on the perimeter, Aldemir doesn't possess much of a back to the basket repertoire either at this stage, displaying average footwork and touch. He'll likely need to develop some type of jump-shot later in his career if he's to evolve into a more significant role than the one he currently plays, but for now he looks very content simply setting screens and finishing anything his teammates are able to create for him around the basket.
Aldemir's main virtue as a prospect lies in his rebounding ability—ranking 2nd in the Euroleague on a per-minute basis in the group stage in that category. He boxes out well, is extremely physical, has soft hands and anticipates well. His strong frame and intensity-level pursuing loose balls would likely translate to any level of competition, and there is certainly value in that from a NBA standpoint.
 | | Reuters |
Where Aldemir will likely need to improve the most to carve out a role for himself in the NBA is on the defensive end. He doesn't have great size for the center position, and likely isn't quick or agile enough to see many minutes (if any) at the power forward spot. He has some trouble already at the Euroleague level defending the post against more experienced players, giving up deep position inside the paint, biting on pump fakes, and being very foul prone.
While Aldemir's virtues as a rebounder, and the success fellow Turkish big man Omer Asik, will draw him plenty of attention from NBA scouts this spring, some may wonder how much upside he has beyond the role he currently plays for Galatasaray.
Aldemir can still likely improve his conditioning by toning his body and attempting to maximize his athleticism, but he doesn't project as more than a rotational big man at best for most NBA teams.
Cultural differences, his unique background, his lengthy contract and the increasingly lucrative nature of the Turkish league may prevent him from ever stepping foot in a NBA arena, but Aldemir could potentially provide good value for a patient NBA team looking to use their second round pick on a player they can draft and stash in Europe for a few more years. |
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
jonathan@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| Shengelia's Breakout Year |
|
|
|
| by: Jonathan Givony - President |
| December 29, 2011 |
Tornike Shengelia has been arguably the most productive draft-eligible prospect in the Euroleague early in the season. What kind of player is the Georgian forward and how does he project for the NBA?
Jonathan Givony
After a monumental 2011 NBA draft for international prospects—featuring four players selected with the first seven picks-- the 2011-2012 season has been uncommonly quiet thus far for young players in Europe.
One player who has been performing much better than expected is 1991-born Tornike Shengelia, a 6-9 combo forward who saw consistent playing time in the Euroleague with Belgian club Spirou Basket Charleroi.
 | | Euroleague.net |
Shengelia, the son of a 6-11 national team player, left his native country of Georgia already at the age 16, signing in Spain with Pamesa Valencia. After three seasons developing there, he moved to Belgium in the summer of 2010, where he was signed by Charleroi and loaned for the season to nearby Verviers-Pepinster in the first division.
Despite not being invited to the EuroCamp in Treviso in June, Shengelia had arguably the best summer of any young player in Europe with his national team. First he won the Division B Under-20 European Championships in Bosnia, averaging 30 points, 12 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 34 minutes per game, helping his country earn promotion to Division A, and winning MVP honors in the process. Then he joined the senior national squad for the European Championship in Turkey (Eurobasket), starting alongside Zaza Pachulia in a very successful campaign.
Back in Charleroi for the 2011-2012 season, Shengelia immediately earned the starting power forward role with his aggressive play, helping the team advance to the Euroleague group stage through the qualifying tournament. He's been playing a steady 20 minutes per game since, having a number of notable performances along the way. A recent foot injury has set him back for a couple of months, but not before he was able to make his mark in 21 games in the Euroleague and Belgian league.
Standing 6-9, with long arms and a very well developed frame, Shengelia stands out immediately from a physical standpoint. He's a very good athlete for a European prospect, running the floor fluidly and being capable of playing above the rim.
Shengelia's best attribute is clearly his motor, as he's an extremely tough and aggressive player who plays the game with great energy. He crashes the glass extremely well for his size, pulling down 9.2 rebounds per-40 minutes in the Euroleague, one of the better rates at his position at the highest level of competition in the world outside the NBA.
 | | Euroleague.net |
Offensively, Shengelia is not an overly skilled player, but finds ways to get the job done thanks to his physical tools and aggressiveness. He's a very good ball-handler for his position, being capable of igniting a fast break on his own and also very dangerous creating his own shot from the perimeter in the half-court. His coach likes to isolate him against opposing power forwards and let him go to work with his strong first step and long strides. He draws a good amount of free throws this way, as he's capable of driving in either direction and is not afraid to go right into the teeth of the defense and draw contact.
If guarded by a smaller player, Shengelia has a bit of a post game he can utilize as well. He shows good footwork and some nice spin moves in his arsenal, again taking advantage of his strong physical attributes and aggressive demeanor.
Shengelia's propensity for attacking defenses can get him in trouble at times, as occasionally he'll look out of control running into brick walls and turning the ball over. He's a somewhat of a bull in a china shop, so learning how to harness this energy is something that will benefit him as he gains experience.
The biggest question marks surrounding Shengelia's offensive game revolves around his jumper, which remains streaky. He's converted 10 of the 41 jump-shots he's taken this season thus far, being exclusively a catch and shoot threat.
Defensively, Shengelia is mostly a mixed bag at this point, and may be considered a tweener by some. Considered a potential small forward earlier in his career, he lacks the lateral quickness to guard most perimeter players, but is also not overly effective inside the paint either. Euroleague teams have gone at him pretty regularly this season, and he's been backed down fairly easily inside the paint, shown questionable awareness and been fairly foul prone.
Not very experienced but going up against some of the most skilled players in the world, Shengelia has shown an admirable demeanor that bodes extremely well for his future. His body language is excellent, as it's clear that he's a mature, no-nonsense type player who is a very good teammate. His work ethic is reportedly superb, which leaves plenty of room for optimism regarding the development of his skill-level in time.
Shengelia has already shown this season that he has a bright future playing at the highest levels of European basketball, that much is clear. With his toughness and athleticism, he seemingly has a style of play that should translate to the NBA level as well. If he can find a way to become a more consistent shooter, Shengelia should be able to carve out a niche for himself in the NBA in the Brian Cardinal or Andres Nocioni mold. He looks like a very solid value pick for a team looking to “draft and stash” an international player in the second round. |
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
jonathan@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| Top European Performers of the 2011 NBA Draft Class |
|
|
|
| by: Matt Kamalsky - Director of Operations |
| December 19, 2011 |
As the NBA season is about to tip, we take a look at how five members of the 2011 NBA draft class fared in their time overseas.
Jonas Valanciunas, 6'11, Center, 1992, Lietuvos Rytas
Drafted in the First Round (5th Overall) by the Toronto Raptors
 | | bc.lrytas.lt |
The second European player off the board in the 2011 NBA Draft, Jonas Valanciunas spent the summer continuing to build his resume across the pond by leading Lithuania to a U19 World Championship victory and playing rotation minutes for the nation's Senior National Team, which finished 5th at the 2011 Eurobasket.
Returning to Lietuvos Rytas for the 2011-2012 season, the Lithuanian 7-footer has continued to make small, incremental strides, leaving plenty of room for optimism for his future arrival in the NBA.
Though he could not help Rytas advance out of the Euroleague qualifying round and has not shown tremendous improvement in any one area, Valanciunas is having a solid season in a bigger role that better reflects what the Raptors are likely going to expect from him long-term.
His efficiency as a scorer has not wavered significantly this season despite playing next to a more scoring oriented guard in Tyrese Rice who doesn't create pick and roll opportunities quite as well as Sarunas Jasikevicius did a year ago.
Seeing a much higher rate of touches with his back to the basket compared with last season, Valanciunas continues to score both prolifically (19.5 points per-40) and efficiently (66% FG%, 83% FT%) through 20 games –a trend worth keeping an eye on as he matures offensively.
Valanciunas still hasn't had the time off needed to properly work on his body due to his incredibly busy summer schedule, and thus remains underdeveloped physically.
He continues to foul at a high rate as well, but is showing more flashes of midrange jump shooting potential—which will surely serve him well in the future. His new role has had somewhat of an impact on his proficiency on the offensive glass and passing numbers, but Valanciunas continues to stay true to his game, and execute, two big reasons why he was selected to play in last summer's Eurobasket.
Considering his increased playing time and usage this season, the fact that he continues to score with deft touch in the paint, make an impact with his work ethic on both ends, and play with impressive efficiency are all promising signs for a 19-year old only scratching the surface of his potential.
Nikola Mirotic, 6'10, Power Forward, 1991, Real Madrid
Drafted in the First Round (23rd Overall) by the Chicago Bulls
Drafted in the latter part of the first round due in large part to the 5-year contract extension he signed with Real Madrid after winning the Euroleague Rising Star award last season, Nikola Mirotic has been nothing short of terrific in recent months. Garnering MVP honors while guiding Spain to the U20 European Championship this summer, Mirotic led the competition in scoring at 27 points per-game and finished second in rebounding at 10 boards per-contest.
Returning to Madrid for the 2011-2012 season, Mirotic has gone from being a sparkplug scorer off the bench for Real to one of the best power forwards in European basketball.
Last season, Mirotic wasn't expected to be much more than garbage-time performer for the iconic club considering the depth and experience ahead of him. He surprised many by carving out of a role as arguably Etorre Messina's most consistent big man, averaging a combined 7.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in the super-competitive ACB and Euroleague.
Thus far this season, Mirotic is playing 7 more minutes per-game than he did last season, but his per-40 minute numbers are nearly identical to those that he posted in his breakout season last year –quite an impressive feat.
Still seeing his touches come first on the perimeter, second with his savvy movement and hustle off the ball, and third in the post, Mirotic's versatile, but highly efficient offensive game has been a big reason why his club is in first place in the most difficult group of the Euroleague and tied for first in the ACB.
Mirotic is not an elite athlete and may lack a degree of NBA upside because of it, but he's playing great basketball for one of Europe's best teams and couldn't be showing too much more in the way of role-player potential for the NBA.
With the departure of Rudy Fernandez, Mirotic will be called upon to step up his scoring even more on the perimeter. He's clearly a rising star in Europe who could be a significant piece for the Bulls down the road, if he's able to make it over the ocean someday.
Nikola Vucevic, 7'0, Center/Power Forward, 1990, Buducnost
Drafted in the First Round (16th Overall) by the Philadelphia 76ers
A mid first-round pick whose stock rose dramatically late in the draft process, Nikola Vucevic spent the summer playing for the Montenegrin National Team at Eurobasket 2011. Stuck in a role off the bench behind Vladimir Dragicevic and Nikola Pekovic, the former USC Trojan averaged 5 points and 3.2 rebounds as the team failed to advance out of group play.
Signing with Buducnost for the duration of the lockout, Vucevic returned to Montenegro to compete in the Adriatic League, and after losing to Jonas Valanciunas and Lietuvos Rytas in the Euroleague Qualifying Round, the Eurocup.
Vucevic emerged as one of the most productive players in both the Adriatic League and the Eurocup during his 14 game European tour, which is quite an impressive feat considering his age and lack of experience. Ranking 3rd in PER in both the Adriatic League and Eurocup, Vucevic showed the same advanced inside-outside game that made him such a dominant force in the Pac-10 last year.
Similar to his role at USC, Vucevic was Buducnost's primary post threat, and nearly 30% of his possession came with his back to the basket according to Synergy Sports Technology. Despite all the touches he saw on the interior, the rookie big man spent more time running the pick and roll and spotting up on the perimeter than he did in the NCAA.
Vucevic knocked down his jump shots at respectable 36% rate and finished at the rim at a tremendous 72% clip, while showing the same array of post-moves and touch at the rim that caught the attention of scouts at USC.
It was his ability to score in a variety of ways both at and away from the rim, as well as utilize his size and tremendous length on the glass, that resulted in his 22-point, 10-rebound performance against Dexia Mons that garnered him Week 4 Eurocup MVP honors.
Though Vucevic may not be an elite athlete, his physical tools and well-rounded offensive game allowed him to make an instant impact in the European game. He may not have shown dramatic development in any particular aspect of his game, and is certainly going to face new challenges in adapting to the NBA style of play in Philadelphia, but he was among the more productive players overseas during the lockout and there's plenty to be said for how quickly he was able to adjust.
Donatas Motiejunas, 7'0, Power Forward/Center, 1990, Asseco Prokom
Drafted in the First Round (20th Overall) by the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded to the Houston Rockets
Donatas Motiejunas watched his draft stock rise and fall quite a bit over the years before ultimately leaving his name in the 2011 NBA draft. After spending last season with Benetton Treviso, Motiejunas expected to spend the summer competing for Lithuania as they hosted the 2011 Eurobasket, but was cut during exhibition play.
The young forward signed with Polish club Asseco Prokom who are competing in both the Euroleague and VTB United League this season. Though his team is just 4-12 on the season, Motiejunas has posted some huge games this season, which likely has Houston fans excited about his future.
Motiejunas has continued to do many same things for Prokom that he did for Benetton Treviso on the offensive end. With the departure of Alonzo Gee, Motiejunas ranks as Prokom's leading scorer in both of the leagues they compete in, and is for all intents and purposes, filling the role of #1 option for his team.
The 7-footer is spending more time on the perimeter than he did earlier in his career, and while his 32% three-point shooting is just shy of the mark he posted last year, he's attempting 3.5 3-pointers per-game, indicating an increased confidence in his jump-shooting ability. Around the rim, Motiejunas remains an agile finisher for his size, and that's been especially useful to him with his back to the basket, converting an excellent 54% of his 2-point attempts.
The biggest development we've seen from Motiejunas this season has come on the glass. Often maligned for his rebounding ability in the past, the Lithuanian big man broke the Euroleague record for defensive rebounds in a game with 18 against Union Olimpija.
While he's posted games of 1 and 3 rebounds this season, his occasional outburst on the glass has him averaging nearly 3 rebounds per-40 minutes more this season than he averaged last season. It's not a stretch to say that had he shown more of an inclination to crash the glass occasionally last season the athletic and skilled 7-footer would have been picked much higher than 20th in the 2011 draft.
For the second straight year, Motiejunas is a top interior option playing and producing at a high level against quality competition. He's had some moments of brilliance, though the inconsistency we've outlined in previous reports are still very much there as he's spending more time away from the basket.
Fiery Lithuanian Head Coach Tomas Pacesas has managed to get the most out of Motiejunas thus far, and though his team is struggling to win games (particularly in the Euroleague, where they are completely overmatched), he remains one of the top young players in Europe and it is worth keeping an eye on him as he seems to be improving on his weaknesses.
Kyle Singler, 6'9, Small Forward/Power Forward, 1988, Real Madrid
Drafted in the Second Round (33rd Overall) by the Detroit Pistons
Wrapping up a storied four-year college career at Duke that included a NCAA Championship in 2010 and numerous individual ACC and Tournament accolades, Kyle Singler's slide to the second round was somewhat surprising, but not entirely unexpected.
Opting to start his career in Spain with Lucentum Alicante, Singler seemed to have taken the fact that he wasn't selected in the first round in stride and has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the European game this season prior to the end of the lockout. With the lockout coming to an end, Singler made a significant career move electing to play for Real Madrid, though some may be disappointed not to see him in a Pistons uniform this season.
As a rookie for Alicante, a club that has narrowly avoided relegation each season since being promoted from the LEB in 2009, Singler quickly emerged as an offensive leader among the European veterans playing around him. Leading the team in scoring at 14.4 points per-game as they shot out to a 7-3 start, the second round pick made a significant impact by doing many of the same things he did as a college senior.
While not scoring inside the arc or rebounding at quite the same level, he's shown a more consistent shooting stroke from beyond the 3-point line, taken what defenders gave him off the bounce, and made heady plays with and without the ball in his hands.
As the lockout ended, Singler found himself in a unique situation, as his opt-out clause gave him to opportunity to not just return to the NBA, but pursue a contract with any club. With the exodus of talent from some of the ACB's top clubs, Singler's ability to adapt, produce, and win earned him an opportunity to sign with Real Madrid for the remainder of this season.
Making the unconventional decision to snub the NBA for a significant raise with one of the wealthiest teams in Europe, the former Blue Devil was in inserted into the starting lineup for Real Madrid on December 14th game against Partizan Belgrade as Rudy Fernandez's replacement. Though he won't be a top offensive option like he was in Alicante, Singler's move to Madrid will give him a chance to play against the top competition in the world outside the NBA before reassessing his future this coming summer. |
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
matt.kamalsky@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| U-19 World Championship Player Evaluations, Part Two |
|
|
|
| by: Jonathan Givony - President |
| August 25, 2011 |
Part two of our breakdown of the top NBA prospects seen at the U-19 World Championships in Riga, including reports on Dyshawn Pierre, Dmitry Kulagin, Sergey Karasev and more.
U-19 World Championship Player Evaluations, Part One
Dyshawn Pierre, 6-6, Small Forward, Canada, 1993
Anderson Collegiate And Vocational Institute
Jonathan Givony
Dyshawn Pierre was one of the youngest players at this event at just 17 years old. Nevertheless, he emerged as one of the most productive players in Latvia, averaging a very efficient 17 points and 8 rebounds on 60% shooting from the field.We wrote about Pierre last summer after watching him at the U-17 World Championship in Hamburg already, and were already fairly impressed back then.
He has good size for a wing player at 6-6 to go along with a nice frame and excellent athleticism. On top of that, he's a major competitor on the defensive end, capable of guarding multiple positions and often battling fearlessly with players much bigger than him inside the paint, which helps explain his gaudy rebounding numbers.
Pierre seems to have improved offensively quite a bit since last year, particularly as a ball handler. He's now capable of creating shots for himself going left or right and scoring in both half-court and transition situations. Rarely one to go out of his element, Pierre kept his turnovers to a minimum and shot a high percentage from the floor, which is impressive considering he was two years younger than many of the players he was playing against.
The next stage in Pierre's development, and one that will likely ultimately decide what type of prospect he becomes long term, is his perimeter shooting. He did not make a single 3-pointer at this tournament and converted just 62% of his free throw attempts.
Because he plays high school in Canada, Pierre's college recruitment has been slow to develop -- his only scholarship offer at the time of the tournament was from Jacksonville University in the Atlantic Sun Conference, (according to Dave Telep). After a productive summer that has likely changed. Although we're not exactly sure to what extent.
Dmitry Kulagin, 6-5, PG/SG, Russia, 1992
Triumph Moscow Region
Jonathan Givony
Dmitry Kulagin came alive for Russia in the most important games of the tournament. In doing so, he proved to be one of the top prospects at the event and possibly the most talented young guard in Europe these days.
Kulagin is a player we wrote about in depth last January, and he did little in this tournament to disprove the notion that he's a highly intriguing prospect for NBA scouts to follow.
Standing 6-5 with a solid frame, Kulagin is a fluid and creative ball handler/passer who can put the ball in the net in a variety of different ways. He made just three of his first 20 attempts from beyond the arc at the tournament, but he converted 11 of his next 20 attempts in the final four games to even out his stat line and give his team a major shot in the arm when it needed it most.
Kulagin made many of his shots in catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble situations – though he was especially adept at making shots off the dribble. He showed unlimited confidence in his abilities and didn't shy away from the moment in the least bit as the games became more competitive.
The young Russian is also a capable pick and roll threat. He was able to create his own shot at will, showing an excellent feel for the game, especially in terms of finding the open man once the defense converged. His ability to make simple passes made his teammates' life much easier, and he did a great job keeping turnovers to a minimum, coughing the ball up just 12 times in 271 minutes over the course of the event. This is particularly impressive considering the amount of responsibility he was asked to shoulder.
The biggest question marks regarding Kulagin's NBA potential are on defense. He showed below average intensity and fundamentals on this end of the floor and has a long ways to go to prove to scouts that he can guard his position in the NBA.
Kulagin's lateral quickness isn't great. He tends to gamble excessively for steals, and he doesn't do a very good job fighting through screens and maximizing the tools he possesses — namely his size and strength — to compensate.
After a productive rookie season in the Russian PBL with Nizhny Novgorod, Kulagin will be moving back to his hometown of Moscow to play for Triumph. The circumstances of his transfer are somewhat under dispute, as some claim that Novgorod decided to cut him due to his affinity for drinking and partying, while Kulagin claims they were simply disgruntled that he elected not to sign a long term contract with them.
Either way, Kulagin's off-court habits will come under the microscope due to the reputation he's garnered, but it's surely not too late to change that considering that he's only 19 years old, and exceptionally talented.
Sergey Karasev, 6-7, Small Forward, Russia, 1993
Triumph Moscow Region
Jonathan Givony
Coming off a very successful season competing against players significantly older than him as a 17-year old at Triumph Moscow Region, Sergey Karasev was one of the leaders of an overachieving Russian team that knocked off Team USA in the quarterfinals and finished an impressive third place in Latvia.
Karasev is a versatile, highly aggressive offensive player. He's a 6-7 left-handed small forward with good size and solid skills.
Having made nearly two 3-pointers per game in Latvia, Karasev is capable of punishing opponents from the perimeter (particularly in catch-and-shoot situations) thanks to his quick release. His shot selection isn't great, though. He took quite a few difficult off-the-dribble jumpers at this tournament and was unable to convert them at a high rate.
On the positive side, Karasev is able to create his own shot off the dribble. He has a solid first step and the ability to get to the rim, especially in transition. His ball-handling skills are still in need of refinement and he could use some added strength to help finish in traffic, but he has the makings of a versatile floor game, which is intriguing considering his size.
Karasev's potential on the defensive end is questionable. He struggles to get in a low stance and doesn't show great lateral quickness. His ability to defend his position will likely play a big role in how much he's able to move up the ladder of professional basketball. It will be interesting to see how he develops on this end of the floor.
Considering he still hasn't turned 18 years old, Karasev's a player teams will likely want to follow in the Russian league over the next few years to see how he develops.
Vladislav Trushkin, 6-7, SF/PF, Russia, 1993
Spartak Vidnoye
Jonathan Givony
The third cog for the highly successful Russian team, Vladislav Trushkin was the one responsible for making many of the most important shots for his team, as well doing a significant amount of the dirty work.
Trushkin stands 6-7, but sees most of his minutes at the power forward position. He is a tough, energetic forward with a nice frame, solid athleticism and a good feel for the game.
Trushkin showed quite a bit of versatility for the Russians. He didn't play a major role offensively, but he contributed in small doses with his ability to post up, shoot jumpers and take his man off the dribble. He's not terribly skilled in any facet of the game at this point, but he shows potential in each of them and he made a couple of very nice passes, which hints at some nice developments to come in the future.
Defensively, Trushkin shows good intensity. He crashed the glass, scrapped for loose balls and competed admirably under the basket. Unless he grows a couple of inches, though, he'll need to show he can step outside and guard the perimeter, something that he isn't able to do at this stage at a very high level.
Trushkin is still in an early stage of his development, particularly in terms of his ball-handling skills and overall polish. It will be interesting to see how his game continues to evolve over the next few years, though, especially in terms of his ability to make the transition to playing small forward.
Marcos Delia, 6-9, Power Forward, Argentina, 1992
Boca Juniors
Jonathan Givony
Marcos Delia, arguably the most important player on an overachieving Argentinian team that reached the championship's semifinals, looks like a player who will surely be able to play professional basketball at a high level down the road.
Standing 6-9, with a nice frame and long arms, Delia has good physical tools for a big man -- even if he's not overly explosive around the basket.
Delia combines fluidity with a great basketball IQ. He shows the ability to score inside with either hand and has very good court vision, finding the open man out of double teams. He showed nice timing crashing the glass at this competition, and was especially impressive in the quarter and semifinals, scoring 16 and 19 points, respectively.
With that said, Delia must improve his skill level and his ability to handle contact in the paint. He wasn't particularly efficient at this competition, making just 45% of his 2-point attempts. He also doesn't show much range on his jumper. He has a long ugly release, and he made just 9 of 20 attempts from the free throw line.
If Delia can continue to add polish to his game and show he's tough enough to defend his position at a high level, he'll have many opportunities to leave his home country for opportunities abroad down the road.
Patricio Garino, 6-5, Small Forward, Argentina, 1993
Montverde Academy
Jonathan Givony
Fresh off his first year in the U.S. at well-respected Montverde Academy, Patricio Garino emerged as one of the best shooters at this tournament. His hot shooting fueled some of his team's most important victories.
Garino doesn't jump off the page in terms of pure talent -- he's about 6-5 with average athleticism -- but he is clearly a major competitor with one very valuable skill in his repertoire.
Garino made lots of big shots for Argentina. He's apable of hitting jumpers with his feet set or off the dribble, and he moves off the ball very intelligently.
Garino is a smart player and a good teammate who has all the makings of a good college player. He puts in good energy on the defensive end and plays with spirit, something that bodes well for him down the road.
To improve his professional outlook, though, Garino will need to become a better ball handler and a more capable shot creator and defender. He currently struggles to score consistently inside the arc, and there are some question marks about his lateral quickness.
Michal Michalak, 6-6, Small Forward, Poland, 1993
Tempcold AZS
Jonathan Givony
On a team built around the star power of 2011 Nike Hoop Summit participants Mateusz Ponitka and Przemyslaw Karnowski, it was the relatively unknown 17 year old Michal Michalak who ended up leading Poland in scoring.
Michalak doesn't look like much on first glance – he has an underdeveloped frame and average athleticism -- but he's a very skilled offensive player who's capable of scoring in a variety of different ways. His jump shot is particularly good, which proved to be absolutely deadly in this tournament — he made 43.4% of his 3-pointers on nearly six attempts per game.
He also showed the ability to create his own shot from time to time, even changing directions with the ball en route to the hoop. However, he clearly has work to do on his scoring efficiency inside the arc, as evidenced by his 42.6% conversion rate on 2-point attempts.
Michalak is a confident player who isn't afraid to take on responsibility on the offensive end. Like many young prospects, though, he still needs to work on understanding his limitations and improving his all-around polish.
Defensively, Michalak shows toughness but lacks the length and lateral quickness to hold his own at an elite level — something he has plenty of time to work on.
Michalak's performance at the U-18 European Championship was solid but not quite as impressive as at the U-19s in Latvia, which may temper enthusiasm about his potential somewhat. He did, however, show this summer that he's a player to keep an eye on. He took a big step in his career recently by moving up to the Polish 1st division. It will be interesting to see what kind of playing time he'll get against players who are much older than he is.
Edited by Patrick Crawley, Managing Editor of Basketball Fiend. |
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
jonathan@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| U-19 World Championship Player Evaluations, Part One |
|
|
|
| by: Jonathan Givony - President |
| August 3, 2011 |
Part one of our breakdown of the top NBA prospects seen at the U-19 World Championships in Riga, including reports on Dario Saric, Cristiano Felicio, Lucas Nogueira and others.
Dario Saric, 6-10, Small Forward, Croatia, 1994
KK Zagreg
Jonathan Givony
At just 17 years of age, Dario Saric was one of the youngest players at the U-19 World Championship. Nevertheless, he had no problem asserting himself in this setting. He made significant contributions as a scorer, rebounder and passer, while playing a tournament high 36 minutes per game.
Saric is the same ultra-talented prospect we've written about on a few occasions already—a 6-10 guard with outstanding ball-handling skills and incredible fluidity. He can grab a rebound and drive coast to coast, create his own shot at will, find the open man with terrific court vision, and score in a variety of different ways. There are some cracks starting to appear in his evaluation, though, which create doubts about whether he's the can't miss prospect he's been made out to be.
Saric's style of play was very predictable at this tournament, owing in large part to the incredibly unimaginative, isolation-based half-court offense his team ran in Latvia. He had the freedom to do essentially whatever he wanted in this setting and, more often than not, chose to simply pound the ball on the perimeter trying to shake his man, then lower his shoulder and attempt to force his way to the basket. Once this option was exhausted, he'd either try to thread the needle to a teammate with a spectacular bullet pass, or pull up for a low-percentage, off-balance jumper.
Between the turnovers, the missed shots and the disappointing eighth place finish, there were some obvious moments of brilliance mixed in—usually involving Saric's ability to change of speeds or his uncanny skills of anticipation.
But there were also some doubts raised about whether he'd be able to operate successfully at the senior level in quite the same manner, seeing as he already has major issues finishing in the lane and does not appear to have the perimeter shooting skills to compensate for it.
Defensively, Saric struggled to stay in front of quicker, stronger wing players on the perimeter, and he didn't seem to put great effort into his work here, preferring to instead gamble excessively for steals.
More concerning was the poor body language he displayed at times, getting easily frustrated with his teammates, referees and opposing players, and showing something of a bad temper. There are concerns that the attention he's received at such an early age, for instance being anointed “the next Toni Kukoc” by the Croatian media, has gone to his head.
At such a young age, Saric still has plenty of time to work on his weaknesses and take advantage of his considerable talent. It's important for everyone involved to realize that the road he needs to take to reach his potential is still a long one.
Cristiano Felicio, 6-9, PF/C, Brazil, 1992
Minas Tenis Clube
Jonathan Givony
Brazilian big man Cristiano Felicio was one of the most interesting prospects to emerge at this tournament. He led the tournament in field goal percentage, at 76%, and was one of the best offensive rebounders on a per-minute basis. He has come a long way since we saw him last summer at the U-18 FIBA Americas Championships in San Antonio.
Physically, Felicio draws comparisons to fellow Brazilian big man Nene. At around 6-9, with an outstanding frame, long arms and very nice athleticism, he stands out immediately with his rare physical attributes. He is a pretty raw player overall, but he showed flashes of potential in a variety of areas, including in the post and in transition. He even knocked down a 17-foot jumper at one point.
Felicio clearly lacks experience at this stage, but he has a decent feel for the game and appears to be a pretty competitive player, which is always a good sign. He still has a long way to go to reach his full potential, but he definitely established himself as a player teams will want to keep track of over the next few years.
Lucas Nogueira, 6-11, Center, Brazil, 1992
Estudiantes Madrid
Jonathan Givony
As we've become accustomed to by now, Lucas Nogueira played an up and down U-19 World Championship tournament -- the highs and lows he experienced demonstrated the extreme strengths and weaknesses of his game.
Given his terrific size and athleticism, Lucas was at his best when making his presence felt defensively and on the glass. He ranked as the tournament's No. 1 per-minute shot-blocker and its fourth best rebounder. With that said, his lack of strength and poor fundamentals clearly hampered him at times. If not addressed, these are weaknesses that will likely prevent him from being able to play consistently well against high level competition.
Offensively, Lucas is still a limited player. He doesn't possess much of a post game and does not have an extraordinarily high skill level outside of the paint—as demonstrated by his sub-50% field goal conversion rate here in Latvia. Worse still, he doesn't seem to know what his limitations are at this stage, which can lead to some awkward moments when he forces the issue. Situations like this show just how far away he is in terms of polish and overall basketball IQ.
Still, his sheer length and athleticism allow him to make his presence felt when he's really dialed in and playing to his strengths, especially given his ability to crash the offensive glass and finish above the rim.
The upside Lucas possesses is undeniable. His strengths put him in a rare caliber of big men prospects that are highly coveted by NBA teams. Clearly he needs more time and experience to reach his ceiling, though. He can't be viewed as anything more than a long term prospect at this stage.
Toni Katic, 6-2, Point Guard, Croatia, 1992
KK Split
Jonathan Givony
Croatia was clearly one of the most talented teams at this tournament, as evidenced by their thrilling win over the U.S. in the group stage. An untimely injury to Toni Katic, their star point guard, contributed to a disappointing eighth place finish and emphasized the important role he plays in their success.
Katic has decent size for a point guard. He stands about 6-2 and has a solid frame and pretty good athleticism for a European prospect. He's a creative ball-handler who can score in pick-and-roll, transition and isolation situations, and has a first step that allows him to get into the paint on a regular basis at this level.
A fluid player with excellent body control, Katic shows fancy footwork and the ability to change speeds. He also uses a polished Eurostep move to keep his defender off balance and has a nice feel for scoring around the basket and in the mid-range area. He's a creative scorer—his repertoire includes floaters, pull-ups and reverse lay-ups--and he's good at finding teammates in drive-and-dish situations and at the 3-point line.
Katic is more of a modern scoring point guard than a natural distributor. He still has room to improve on his court vision and his decision making in half-court sets. He tends to get out of control and turns the ball over excessively.
What's more concerning for his long-term potential is his inability to consistently knock down 3-pointers, though. He showed limited range from the perimeter at this tournament—he converted just 2 of 8 attempts from beyond the arc—and hasn't fared much better over the course of the season in the Croatian league.
Katic's body language also left something to be desired. He was easily frustrated and didn't show much in the way of leadership skills on a young team that desperately needed his experience as one of the oldest members of the roster.
Defensively, Katic was similarly inconsistent, showing average length and not displaying the best effort in terms of staying in front of his man. How much he's able to improve in this area may well dictate how high of a level he'll be able to play at.
All in all, Katic is an extremely talented player who appears to have benefited greatly from the experience he garnered this season in the Croatian league with KK Split. He has some adjustments he'll need to make to his game to reach his full potential, but he was one of the more intriguing guard prospects we saw at this event.
Boris Barac, 6-9, Power Forward, Croatia, 1992
Siroki
Jonathan Givony
Coming off an impressive showing at the adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, Boris Barac emerged as the second leading scorer at this tournament, making this something of a breakout summer for him.
The brother of Euroleague standout Stanko Barac, Boris doesn't have quite the size of the former Indiana Pacers second round draft pick, but he seems every bit as skilled.
Standing a solid 6-9, with long arms and a well developed frame, Barac has adequate size for a face-up four man. He's not overly quick or explosive—his high hips detract somewhat from his long-term athletic potential—but he is an impressive offensive player. He has great scoring versatility for a player his age.
Barac is first and foremost an excellent shooter. He has a quick, natural release and unlimited confidence in his jumper, both when spotting up and off the dribble. He's more than just a one-dimensional player, though. He's also capable of putting the ball down and driving in either direction, even if he's somewhat limited in his finishing ability due to his lack of vertical explosiveness. He also has the strength needed to post up a bit inside, mostly to create space to get off a high-arcing turnaround jumper.
Defense and rebounding are two areas of Barac's game that he will have to improve to show he can play at the highest levels of basketball. His lateral foot speed is not great and he's a bit mechanical in his movements, which may make it difficult for him to defend more athletic players who can take him off the dribble. In the post, he has just average size. He'll need to show he has the strength and toughness to keep up with bigger players who will try to push him around inside the paint.
Mitchell Creek, 6-6, SF/PF, Australia, 1992
Adelaide 36ers (Australian NBL)
Jonathan Givony
Mitchell Creek is the most experienced player on Australia's roster at the professional level, having seen significant playing time in the NBL this past season. From what we saw, he was the most interesting long-term prospect as well.
Creek has good size for a wing player at 6-7, with long arms, a well-developed frame and good athleticism. He did an excellent job in transition and in the post, as well as on the offensive glass and on defense—a product of his physical tools, his toughness and his intensity.
Creek is seeing more time at the power forward spot at the moment than at the “3.” He can beat his man off the dribble with a strong first step, but he must improve his skill-set on the perimeter to fully translate his effectiveness to the senior level. He has limited range on his jumper—he made just one 3-pointer the entire tournament—and he converted just 63% of his free throws. He's also an improvable ball-handler, particularly in terms of using his off hand and learning to incorporate changes of speed and direction.
Creek doesn't need to completely reinvent his game. If he adds a reliable spot-up jumper and gains experience playing on the perimeter on both ends of the floor, he'll become a fairly intriguing prospect.
Hugh Greenwood, 6-3, PG/SG, Australia, 1992
Committed to New Mexico
Jonathan Givony
Hugh Greenwood is a 6-3 combo guard who came on strong for Australia in the latter part of the Championship, earning a spot on the All-Tournament team while leading his team to a solid sixth place finish. The Aussie looks like a nice get for Steve Alford's New Mexico squad in the Mountain West Conference.
Showing a strong frame and good size for a point guard--he split time as Australia's primary ball-handler with Butler commit Jackson Aldridge--Greenwood uses his smarts and toughness rather than quickness or explosiveness to get the job done.
He is a prolific shooter who has the ability to make jumpers with his feet set or off the dribble. He's also prone to taking outside shots – he attempted as many shots from beyond the arc as he did inside it. Greenwood is able to create space for himself with solid ball-handling skills and a nice change of pace dribble, but he is more likely to pull up in the mid-range area than drive all the way to the basket. He attempted just 10 free throws in 247 minutes in Latvia, which is something he'll need to work on in college to improve his scoring efficiency and increase his chances of making a full-time conversion to the point.
With his unselfish mentality and high basketball IQ, Greenwood should be able to make the transition to point guard down the road, which will significantly improve his pro potential in Europe or back home in Australia.
Janis Timma, 6-7, SG/SF, Latvia, 1992
Free Agent
Jonathan Givony
Janis Timma was a very up and down player in this tournament, but he is nevertheless intriguing as a long-term prospect.
Timma is certainly a player who catches your eye on first glance. He has great size for a wing player at 6-7, to go along with a good frame and very fluid athleticism. He has the physical tools needed to play at a high level down the road. He's explosive in transition and is capable of doing a little bit of everything offensively.
Timma's mechanics are in need of serious refinement--he bends his knees deeply on each attempt—but he's capable of making shots from the perimeter. He can also put the ball on the floor and finish nicely around the rim in transition. However, he needs to improve his ball-handling skills in order to fully take advantage of his quick first step. Right now he's all too comfortable settling for jumpers from beyond the arc, which is a shame considering his physical tools.
Defensively, Timma again has potential, but he doesn't show great focus or intensity on that end of the floor, something his team surely could have used at this championship.
Edited by Patrick Crawley, Managing Editor of Basketball Fiend. |
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
jonathan@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
