|
| |
| |
| Ognjen Kuzmic Emerging in LEB Gold |
|
|
|
| by: Matt Kamalsky - Director of Operations |
| February 18, 2012 |
Matt Kamalsky
Flying largely under the radar playing in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division), and throughout his career for that matter, big man Ognjen Kuzmic is a prospect that is beginning to generate some minor buzz in scouting circles, whether by proxy when NBA teams have scouted some of his talented teammates or thanks to his impressive size and productivity this season.
 | | Solobasket.com |
Listed at 7'1, 231 pounds, Kuzmic looks every bit of 7-feet and has a terrific wingspan to go along with a strong work ethic on both sides of the floor. While he might not have the explosiveness to throw down tip-dunks from the weakside or power his way above the rim from a stand still due to a lack of lower body strength, the native of Bosnia is a good athlete for a European 7-footer who proves to be surprisingly nimble for a player that size, often showing quick feet hedging the pick and roll and finishing above the rim after hustling up the floor. He still needs to gain a considerable amount of weight, but is still able to make an impact in the LEB Gold with his solid motor. The 1990-born prospect has already added some muscle to his frame in recent years and has a nice framework to build upon, but has a long ways to go in terms of strength and polish.
Coming from a fairly unique basketball background, Kuzmic started his career in his native Bosnia before spending parts of the next three seasons playing in both the first and second divisions of Finland, the country his family found themselves living in during and after the war in their native land. Emerging as a solid contributor at the age of 19 in the Finnish second division, Kuzmic returned to Bosnia at 20 last year and ended the year averaging 9.7 points and 7.3 rebounds for Celik Zenica. Discovered and signed by Unicaja Magala this past summer, Kuzmic has been following a promising learning curve in recent seasons despite his relative inexperience on the international stage (he's never been invited to any of the Bosnian national teams) and against high-level competition, and will be automatically eligible for the 2012 NBA Draft.
A key player on a roster dotted with younger international prospects such as Malick Fall and Maodo Nguirane, Kuzmic plays with Unicaja Malaga's second team, Clinicas Rincon, which currently sits last in the LEB Gold with a 4-19 record. Kuzmic has had the opportunity to practice with Unicaja's first team while playing extensive minutes with its counterpart in the second division. Though two other players in somewhat similar split-time situations, Alex Abrines and Augusto Lima, have seen more significant action in the ACB, Kuzmic has played essentially the entire season with Rincon apart from his 23-second debut for Malaga against Gran Canaria on opening day.
Averaging a solid 16.9 points per-40 minutes while shooting a respectable 53% from the field, Kuzmic is Rincon's primary interior threat and one of its leading scorers. With his team often playing with different rotations on a nightly basis depending on who is playing up with Unicaja at the time, Kuzmic sees his usage fluctuate game-to-game, but he has been quite possibly the club's most consistent contributor around the rim offensively.
Kuzmic is not a polished offensive player by any stretch, but has had some strong outings, including games of 22 and 17 points this season. Although he lacks a degree of polish and coordination around the rim, he makes his presence felt regularly inside the paint at this level. Despite his relative lack of strength, he does a very good job fighting for position on the block and uses his tremendous length and high motor to crash the offensive glass and create easy looks for himself with his hustle. Pulling down an excellent 5.3 offensive rebounds per-40 minutes, the young center is active on the boards.
When it comes to scoring the second chance opportunities he creates for himself, or the other finishing opportunities he sees around the basket, Kuzmic is a mixed bag. He shows decent touch around the rim, and while he's not afraid to take contact, he struggles to finish through it, is not explosive in a crowd, and simply has quite a few of his shots narrowly rim out. He'll finish plays with dunks when he has space and has shown developing finesse scoring moves, but is still learning how to make the most of his touches at the rim.
As a one-on-one scorer, Kuzmic faces similar challenges as he does as a finisher. He sees a significant number of his touches in post-up situations where he is creating his own offense, but appears mechanical and lacks consistency. It's clear that he's spent a significant amount of time working on this aspect of his game, but is still in the early stages of his development here. His footwork is not poor and he uses a soft, left-handed hook shot as his go to move on both blocks despite the fact that he is right-handed. On occasion, he even shows some potential away from the basket as a jump shooter, albeit inconsistently in a limited sample. Overall, Kuzmic is not a polished or consistently productive offensive player, but has some promising basic tools for a player still very early on in his development.
Defensively, Kuzmic is an impact player in the LEB Gold, blocking 3 shots (#1 in the league) and pulling down 8.1 defensive rebounds per-40 minutes, reminding somewhat of Fran Vazquez with his approach on this end of the floor. Coupling his size and length with his consistent energy level, Kuzmic is a threat to block shots on the ball and on the weakside, showing especially good anticipation and timing on occasion en route to leading the league in blocked shots. His instincts as a shot-blocker appears to be his most promising trait, and is certainly a skill that is in demand amongst NBA teams.
Often sitting in the center of his team's zone, Kuzmic is not often asked to defend away from the basket, but he has fared relatively well when he has had to, surprising shooters with his length as he steps out to contest them. Managing to block quite a few midrange jump shots, Kuzmic leaves his feet whenever he closes out a shooter, and though his competitiveness and desire to contest shots is promising, his lack of fundamentals away from the basket is abundantly clear.
To take the next step defensively, the center will need to improve his ability to deal with stronger players in the paint, as he already struggles with post-oriented scorers who are able to seal him and back him down at this level.
Considering that he has not yet seen significant action in the ACB, Kuzmic is not a terribly well-known commodity. His level of competition is certainly a concern, but considering the leagues he played in early in his career, LEB is a major step up for the young Bosnian, and his productivity is indicative of his promising set of tools on both ends of the court. In one of the weakest automatically eligible crops of international prospects in recent memory, a player like Kuzmic could be a candidate for teams look for a low-risk, high-reward “draft and stash” prospect in the second round, as he's seemingly earlier in his development than many other players his age. He is currently playing under a 3-year contract with easy outs for the NBA or another European club. |
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
matt.kamalsky@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| Nike International Junior Tournament Kaunas: Best of the Rest |
|
|
|
| by: Jonathan Givony - President |
| February 15, 2012 |
Notes on a number of international prospects who participated in the Nike International Junior Tournament in Kaunas Lithuania.
Nike International Junior Tournament Coverage
Elite Prospect Scouting Reports
Simon Krajcovic, 6-1, Point Guard, Canarias Basketball Academy, Slovakia, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Solid athlete
-Good speed in open floor
-Competitive
-Puts good pressure on the ball defensively
-Crashes the glass
-Gets in passing lanes
-Distributing mentality
-Will hit an occasional jumper
Weaknesses:
-Wild in half-court
-Turnover prone
-Ball-handling skills improvable
-Shot selection average
-Streaky outside shooter
-Struggles to get all the way to rim and finish
-Not an efficient overall scorer
Outlook:
-Interesting player with nice upside to continue to improve. Could be a very solid D1 player due to his versatility and athleticism, especially if he can improve his shooting and limit his turnovers.
Shane Hammick, 6-6, Small Forward, Canarias Basketball Academy, Holland, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Son of NBA first round draft pick 7-footer Geert Hammink
-Solid physical attributes
-Aggressive player with a scorer's mentality
-Solid ball-handler/shot-creator on perimeter
-Very good first step, body control
-Can't always finish what he creates around the basket
-Plays primarily at the 4, can easily beat them off the dribble
-Gets to free throw line at very good rate. Made 88% in Kaunas.
-Can make pull-up jumpers inside the arc
Weaknesses:
-Streaky outside shooter. Takes lots of 3s. Doesn't make many.
-Overly aggressive at times. Somewhat turnover prone
-Will need to move down one or two positions. Will need to make some adjustments defensively
Outlook:
-One of the better scorers at this tournament. Getting strong interest at the NCAA high-major level (Miami, LSU, Northeastern). Good potential for college.
Dale Francis, 6-9, Power Forward, Canarias Basketball Academy, England, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Good size/length
-Nice frame that should fill out
-Mobile player
-Can go out of area for rebounds on offensive glass
-Can put ball down crudely in straight line
-Attempted over two 3-pointers per game. Made under 25%
Weaknesses:
-Very raw player
-Extremely limited offensively
-Doesn't box out/rebound consistently on defensive end
-Foul prone
-Doesn't always finish around the basket
-Oldest player here (born January 1, 1994)
Outlook:
Project who someone may take a flyer on at the mid to low D1 level thanks to his physical attributes. Could develop into a productive player eventually if attitude/work ethic is there.
Petr Herman, 6-8, Power Forward, Canarias Basketball Academy, Czech Republic, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Decent size
-Versatile player offensively
-Puts ball on floor
-Shoots 3-pointers
-Solid offensive rebounder
-Good scoring instincts
Weaknesses:
-Little bit stuck between the forward spots
-Poor fundamentals on defense
-Thinks he's a little better than he is?
Outlook:
Came alive in limited playing time here. Someone to study further to truly evaluate how good he is. Definite D1 potential.
Jito Kok, 6-9, Center, Canarias Basketball Academy, Holland, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Phenomenal frame that will fill out even more
-Terrific athlete
-Runs the floor well
-Plays above the rim regularly
-Excellent shot-blocker
Weaknesses:
-Extremely raw player
-Very limited offensively
-Very limited basketball IQ
-No back to the basket game
-Struggles to pass out of double teams
-Commits wild turnovers (passes into third row, etc)
-A complete non-factor on defensive glass
-Fundamentals on defense are poor
Outlook:
Has huge upside thanks to his physical tools, but also a major project who is dire need of patient coaching. Will be attractive for big NCAA schools with his size, frame and mobility, but may be better off going to a level where he can get playing time and develop. Mental approach will play a big part of development.
Lukas Festr, 6-2, PG, USK Future Stars, Czech Republic, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Good size for a point guard
-Solid athlete
-Nice first step
-Aggressive off dribble
-Good in transition
-Can drive and dish
-Can create his own shot driving left
-Good potential defensively
Weaknesses:
-Very limited scorer
-Cannot do anything with his right hand
-Lacks touch around the basket
-Very ugly looking shooting stroke
-Took four 3-pointers per game, made under 25%
-Turns ball over far too much (negative ast/to ratio)
Outlook:
Affectionately nicknamed “Dogus Balbay” by scouts here thanks to the similarities the two share. Forced to do a little too much on a team that really lacked talent, which exposed his flaws as a scorer. Has potential as a backup even at a reasonably high level thanks to his strong physical attributes. Could even be better than that possibly if he can find a way to improve his shooting stroke.
Ivars Zvigurs, 6-4, SG/SF, VEF Riga, Latvia, 1995
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Young looking kid. Only 16 years old.
-Nice frame
-Solid athlete
-Competitive
-Very good slasher/shot creator for his age
-Good first step/body control
-Solid ball-handler
-Big strides on drives
-Uses some crossovers. Knows how to create space
-Takes ball strong to basket
-Made a handful of 3-pointers
-Crashes the offensive glass
Weaknesses:
-Just an average shooter. Must improve mechanics and consistency.
-57% from free throw line
-Not very big at 6-4. How much will he grow?
Outlook:
Caught our eye with his competitiveness and willingness to put the ball on the floor. Has a long, long, ways to go, but could be someone to keep an eye on in the future if he continues to develop.
Davis Geks, 6-1, Shooting Guard, VEF Riga, Latvia, 1995
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Absolutely shot the lights out at this tournament
-Made four 3-pointers per game, converting 60% of his attempts.
-Very aggressive scorer
Weaknesses:
-Very undersized for a shooting guard at 6-1.
-Doesn't appear to be a great athlete
-Didn't show very much outside of his 3-point stroke
-Potential on defense looks limited
Outlook:
Deserving of a mention thanks to his incredible shooting performance. Still young as a 1995-born prospect. Will probably need to grow a few inches to have any real chance at playing high-level professional basketball.
Kristaps Plavnieks, 6-0, PG, VEF Riga, Latvia, 1995
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-The engine of a very solid VEF Riga team
-Good ball-handler
-Very intelligent player
-Has good timing on drives, knows how to beat his man off the dribble
-Good fundamentals
-Mature
-Focused
-Doesn't make mistakes
Weaknesses:
-Very small at around 5-11
-Short arms
-Not particularly athletic
-Limited frame
-Only made 20% of his 3-point attempts
-Limited potential on defense
Outlook:
Smart, mature, true point guard who knows how to run a team, but has poor physical attributes which may limit his ceiling. 1995-born so may still grow a few inches. Will need it to play at the highest levels.
Kristaps Gluditis, 6-3, SG, VEF Riga, Latvia 1995
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Great frame
-Long arms
-Big hands
-Terrific shooting mechanics
-Can make shots with feet set or off the dribble
Weaknesses:
-Only 6-2, doesn't have a position at the moment
-Limited ball-handler
-Really struggles to score efficiently inside the arc
-Not very aggressive offensively
Outlook:
Has a frame that suggests he may still have room to grow physically. Could be an interesting prospect if he does.
Anzejs Pasecniks, 6-10, PF/C, VEF Riga, Latvia, 1995
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Good size at around 6-9 or 6-10
-Long arms
-Big hands
-Mobile big man. Moves well
-Runs floor well
-Shows nice timing/feel for where to position himself
-Good timing/touch on put-backs
-Extremely young. Only born in December of 1995
Weaknesses:
-Painfully thin at the moment
-Gets pushed around mercilessly around the basket
-No real skill-level offensively at this stage
-Gets boxed out easily in the paint
-Gets winded very easily
Outlook:
Extremely late bloomer who only recently picked up the game. Has made major strides in a short period of time reportedly. Appears to have some intriguing natural talent. Will take at least 2-3 years to even begin filling out his frame. If he is able to put on weight down the road, he may develop into an interesting prospect.
Serdar Annaev, 6-2, Point Guard, Khimki, Russia, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Decent size for a point guard
-Tough, pesky player with a nice feel for game
-Good ball-handler
-Can create a little
-Distributing mentality
-Executes offensively, finds the open man
-Solid court-vision
-Competes on defense
-Gets in passing lanes
Weaknesses:
-Good, not great athlete
-Average wingspan/frame
-Not a big time scorer
-Struggles to make shots from beyond the arc
-Doesn't finish very well around the basket
Outlook:
Did a nice job running the show for the Russians, who finished 2nd at this tournament. Doesn't have huge potential but has nice toughness and seems to have the mentality to develop into a good player at the professional level.
Stanislav Ilnitskiy, Small Forward, Khimki, Russia, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-One of the top scorers at this tournament
-Versatile player who does a bit of everything
-Good feel for the game. Very nice instincts
-Likes to face up from the 3-point line and take his man off the dribble
-Excellent touch around the basket. Uses the glass well
-Can score with back to the basket against smaller players
-Solid footwork
-Made 1.5 3-pointers per game here in Kaunas
-Competes on the glass. Grabs some rebounds
Weaknesses:
-Not a great athlete
-Jumper is a bit streaky
-Did most of his damage at the 4 spot
-Potential on defense is questionable
-Has thick legs. May get stuck at the 4 spot at pro level. Likely not big enough to play at a high level there
-How much upside does he have left to improve?
Outlook:
One of the more effective players at this tournament. Led Russia to the finals with some impressive scoring performances. Will need to really hone his jumper and continue to improve his defense to make the transition effectively to the pro level.
Rostislav Karenin , 6-7, Power Forward, Khimki, Russia, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Good frame
-Workhorse inside the paint
-Can score a bit with back to the basket
-Decent ball-handler
-Effective scorer facing up from mid-post
-Good touch around the basket
-Solid offensive rebounder
-Not afraid to put a body on defense
Weaknesses:
-Undersized for his position. Played primarily as a center despite standing 6-7
-Must continue to expand his game towards the perimeter
-Doesn't show much range on jumper
-Will likely struggle guarding smaller players outside
Outlook:
Very effective at this level thanks to his strength, tenacity, and scoring instincts around the basket. Will need to change his game or grow a few inches to translate his production to the pro level
David Michineau, 6-2, Point Guard, Chalon, France, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Nice size for a point guard
-Solid frame
-Very fast in transition
-Gets to the basket with a quick first step
-Puts solid pressure on the ball defensively
Weaknesses:
-Wild in the half-court
-Doesn't know how to control the tempo of the game
-Needs to develop playmaking instincts
-Very turnover prone at times
-Average perimeter shooter
Outlook:
A native of Guadeloupe, Michineau has many of the basic attributes scouts like to see in a developing point guard, particularly from a physical standpoint. It will be interesting to see how he improves his shooting and playmaking skills over the next few years.
Axel Louissant, 6-5, SF/PF, Chalon, Switzerland, 1996
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Strong physical attributes
-Excellent frame/wingspan
-Competitive on defense
Weaknesses:
-Extremely raw player
-Limited footwork
-Raw fundamentals
-Struggles to make shots from perimeter
-Turnovers/bad decisions
Outlook:
One of the youngest players at this event. Still only 15 years old. Doesn't have a position at the moment and doesn't really know what he's doing out on the floor, but has solid physical attributes and appears to be fairly competitive.
Assane Ndoye, 6-5, Small Forward, Chalon, France, 1996
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Excellent frame
-Long arms
-Can put ball on floor a bit
-Competitive player
Weaknesses:
-Limited skill level
-Struggles to shoot from perimeter
-Average ball-handler
-Turnover prone
Outlook:
Born in 1996, making him one of the youngest players here. Not much to say about him other than the fact that he has good athletic tools to continue to improve.
Axel Bouteille, 6-4, SG/SF, Chalon, France, 1995
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Very good scoring instincts
-Excellent 3-point shooter. Took four 3-pointers per game, made 56%
-Can score off one dribble pull-ups
-Attacks unbalanced defenses in transition
-Solid feel for game
-Efficient player who does not force himself on the game
Weaknesses:
-Little bit small for a wing player
-Does not appear to be a great athlete
-Struggles to create high percentage shots in the half-court
-Potential on defense looks limited
Outlook:
Far from the best prospect on his team, but often the only one to show up and give a focused, balance effort. Looks to have solid potential at the pro level if he continues to improve his all-around game.
Mathias Lessort, 6-7, Power Forward, Chalon, France, 1995
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Terrific athlete
-Great frame
-Plays hard
-Defends multiple positions
-Doesn't give up on plays
-Crashes offensive glass
Weaknesses:
-Plays primarily at the 4 despite standing somewhere around 6-7
-Limited scorer
-Average ball-handler
-Struggles to make shots from perimeter
Outlook:
Lassort was born in September of 1995, which makes him a very young prospect still. He has terrific physical attributes but needs to improve his skill-level considerably.
Benjamin Meri, 6-9, PF/C, Chalon, France, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-Terrific size at around 6-10
-Excellent frame
-Long arms
-Tries to play with back to basket
-Will knock down an occasional mid-range jumper
-Crashes the offensive glass effectively
-Good potential on defense
-Puts a solid effort in
-Upside
Weaknesses:
-Very raw prospect on both ends of the floor
-Limited touch around the basket
-Average basketball IQ
-Doesn't box out defensively
-Tries to force the issue at times
Outlook:
With his size, frame and mobility, it's safe to say Meri will play basketball at the professional level. How much he's able to improve his skill-level and feel for the game over the next few years will decide how high of a level he's able to reach.
Peter Moller, 6-3, Shooting Guard, Vaerlose BBK, Denmark, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Strengths:
-One of the most productive scorers at this tournament. Averaged nearly 25 points per-40 minutes
-Aggressive player
-Very good perimeter shooter
-Can make shots with feet set or off the dribble
-Elevates immediately on catch.
-Scored very effectively inside the arc as well
-Good frame
-Competitive on the glass
-Solid passer
-Good feel for the game
Weaknesses:
-Somewhat undersized for a shooting guard at around 6-3
-Not an exceptional athlete
Outlook:
Solid player for mid-D1 level. Should be able to play professionally somewhere in Europe.
|
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
jonathan@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| Nike International Junior Tournament Kaunas: Elite Prospects |
|
|
|
| by: Jonathan Givony - President |
| February 14, 2012 |
A recap of the top prospects from the Nike International Junior Tournament in Kaunas, Lithuania.
Rasmus Larsen, 7-0, Center, Vaerlose BBK, Denmark, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Rasmus Larsen only played 27 total minutes at this tournament due to a groin injury that has reportedly been plaguing him for a few months now, but he nevertheless had no problem showing off his significant talent level.
Having added around 20 pounds of bulk to his frame since the last time we saw him at the adidas EuroCamp in Treviso last July, Larsen simply looks like a different prospect now. His confidence and ability to make his presence felt on both ends of the floor have skyrocketed, allowing him to emerge as one of the most talented young big men we've seen this year on either side of the ocean.
Standing around 7-feet tall, with a solid wingspan and a terrific frame, Larsen looks the part of a NBA big man prospect and then some. His upper body is extremely well developed in particular, while his lower body is solid. He's very mobile for a player his size, running the floor well, being capable of playing above the rim, and looking extremely coordinated.
Offensively, Larsen possesses a versatile skill-set, appearing capable of impacting the game in every way you'd want a big man to. He can establish solid position in the paint and has the footwork and ball-handling skills needed to create shots for himself, usually opting to finish with a hook shot or turnaround jumper. On the perimeter, he's a very proficient ball-handler, able to put the ball down and attack his matchup, and even looking capable of passing on the move with either hand. His jump-shot looks excellent, both with his feet set or off the dribble, and he shows range out to the 3-point line. He uses shot-fakes well, makes his free throws and generally seems to have a very good feel for the game to go along with his excellent fundamentals, a testament to the coaching staff that has worked with him.
Defensively, Larsen's size, length and mobility make him a huge presence inside the paint, particularly at this level of competition, where he's simply a man amongst boys. He shows good timing as a shot-blocker, and can even step outside and hedge screens out on the perimeter, not looking out of place when forced to step out of the paint like many big men often do.
There aren't that many question marks about Larsen's physical attributes or skill-level at the moment, but some concerns do exist about his approach to the game. For one, he looks far more interested in playing out on the perimeter at the moment, which would be a shame if that continued at the senior level considering how much potential he has as an interior scorer. Pretty much every time he sets a screen, he prefers to pop outside for a jumper rather than roll into the paint and receive the ball where he could attempt a much higher percentage shot.
Defensively, there are some question marks about his toughness, as he doesn't look exceptionally active crashing the glass and seems to avoid contact at times. Part of this might have to do with his injury, but he was noticeably missing on rotations inside the paint and didn't look very physical setting screens on the other end of the floor. Like most players from Scandinavia, he'll have to overcome the perception that he doesn't play with enough emotion on the floor.
Nevertheless, Larsen is likely to be considered one of, if not the, top prospect in the 1994 international class when it's all said and done, as players with his combination of size, mobility, smarts and skills are difficult to come by. Even if at one point Larsen considered taking the NCAA route, it appears that now he's leaning more towards signing somewhere in Europe next season where he can continue to develop against higher level competition than he's currently able to find playing in Denmark.
Tomas Dimsa, 6-4, Shooting Guard, Zalgiris, Lithuania, 1994
 | | Fotodiena.lt/R.Dačkus |
Jonathan Givony
Scoring nearly a point per-minute over four games and converting 79% of his attempts inside the arc, it's safe to say that this was a successful showing for Lithuanian wing prospect Tomas Dimsa, who was also named the tournament's MVP.
Slightly undersized for a shooting guard at 6-4, with a fairly narrow frame, Dimsa doesn't look like much on first glance, but quickly changes that perception as soon as he steps out on the court. He's simply an exceptional athlete for a European prospect, quick in the open floor, bouncy around the basket, and regularly playing above the rim in highlight reel fashion.
Dimsa gets most of his production at the moment in transition and cutting off the ball for explosive finishes. He's a developing shot-creator who can beat his man off the dribble with an excellent first step, being mostly a straight line dribbler who struggles at times with changing directions with the ball. Due to his skinny frame, he has some issues finishing through contact, but is such a great leaper that that's rarely an issue at this level of competition. Dimsa has a good feel for the game and appears to be a very solid passer as well, rarely forcing the issue and making some impressive drive and dish plays.
As a shooter, he can get streaky but appears to have good potential, making a handful of jumpers over the course of this tournament, and even showing some ability to create separation in the mid-range area off the dribble.
Defensively, Dimsa is highly competitive, using his lateral quickness to put good pressure on the ball and regularly making plays getting in the passing lanes. He had some impressive moments skying through the air for above the rim rebounds, but will likely need to continue to add strength to his frame as he gets older to handle the physicality of European basketball.
One of the older prospects in attendance, already having turned 18 in January, Dimsa produced accordingly relative to this talent level. He appears to have plenty of room for growth in various parts of his game, and is surely a prospect scouts will want to keep track of down the road due to his supreme athletic tools.
Khadeem Lattin, 6-9, PF/C, Canarias Basketball Academy, USA 1995
Jonathan Givony
Surely one of the most interesting stories at this event, Khadeem Lattin is a rare prospect who elected to take the diametric opposite route most players here are looking to—leaving the US for Europe at the tender age of 16. Lattin and his support group were reportedly not happy with the pace of his development in Texas and the grassroots world of summer basketball and opted to spend his final two and a half years of high school at Canarias Basketball Academy.
Located in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco, but officially a part of the territory of Spain, the CBA is a basketball academy run by an American coach named Rob Orellana. The academy recruits prospects around Europe who are interested in playing NCAA basketball, helping them get academically eligible for college and giving them exposure through tournaments such as this.
Khadeem is the grandson of Dave Lattin, the starting center of the famed Texas Western Miners team (featured in the movie “Glory Road”) that broke down racial barriers as the first all-black starting five in NCAA history.
Standing around 6-9 with big hands, very long arms, and a frame that will likely fill out nicely in time, most of the intrigue surrounding Lattin revolves around his strong physical profile. He is a solid athlete who can make his presence felt in the paint on both ends of the floor, even if he lacks significant polish at this stage.
Offensively, Lattin is fairly limited, getting most of his production at this tournament by running the floor, crashing the offensive glass, and finishing any plays his guards were able to create for him around the basket. Not very aggressive in this setting with the ball in his hands, his post moves, jump shot, and overall ball skills appear to be unpolished. He scored 17 points total in his four games here, playing only 15 minutes on average, still seemingly adjusting to the very different style of play of European basketball and even looking a bit passive at times.
Defensively is where Lattin is able to make more of an impact at the moment. Although his intensity level was up and down at this tournament, he's capable of blocking shots, getting deflections and coming up with some extremely impressive rebounds when he's fully dialed in. His quick feet and excellent length allow him to step out occasionally to the perimeter, even though he still has a long ways to go in terms of gaining experience and improving his instincts and overall feel for the game.
A year younger than most of the prospects here—not turning 17 until this April—Lattin is clearly still in a very early stage of his development both physically and skill-wise. He has some nice tools to work with, and is surely a prospect worth keeping track of in the future, especially if he grows another inch or two.
Marius Grigonis, 6-6, SG/SF, Zalgiris, Lithuania, 1994
 | | Fotodiena.lt/Roberto Dačkaus |
Jonathan Givony
Marius Grigonis did a solid job showing his all-around game at this tournament, averaging a terrific 13 points (59% 2P, 36% 3P), 7 assists and 6 rebounds in just 23 minutes per-contest.
A 6-6 small forward with a versatile game, Grigonis has good size for the wing to go along with a solid frame and athleticism. A very confident, aggressive offensive player, he is extremely decisive putting the ball on the floor. Showing solid ball-handling skills, body control and footwork, he got to the free throw line at an excellent rate at this tournament. Grigonis is a very adept passer on the move, doing a nice job keeping his head up and finding teammates diving to the rim for easy finishes or spotting up on the wing for open shots.
He's not quite as prolific of a shooter as he is a slasher, but is able to make jumpers both spotting up or off the dribble, sinking 4 of the 11 3-pointers he took here.
On the other end, Grigonis plays with a solid intensity level defensively (and in general), looking most adept at guarding the small forward position at the moment. He crashes the glass and is quick to ignite the fast break.
While it's difficult not to be impressed by the way Grigonis was able to dominate the (fairly weak) competition he faced on his home court in Kaunas, there are some question marks still about how that might translate to the senior level. He's not an exceptional athlete for one, and will surely need to adjust to playing off the ball more than he does for this team. His body language was questionable at times too, particularly with the referees and his teammates, which may just be a sign of immaturity.
Grigonis' upside might not be off the charts as far as the NBA is concerned, but he looks like a potentially useful player for the team that is developing him, Zalgiris Kaunas. We'll have to see how he looks over the next few years as the competition he's facing stiffens.
Clint Capela, 6-9, Power Forward, Chalon, Switzerland, 1994
Jonathan Givony
Regularly putting up huge numbers at the U-16 and U-18 Division B European Championships representing his home country of Switzerland, Clint Capela (or Clint NDumba-Capela) had a decent amount of intrigue leading up to this event. His performance here was ultimately fairly disappointing, but he did show that he has the tools to develop into a solid prospect down the road.
Capela's potential stems mostly from his phenomenal physical tools. Standing somewhere around 6-8 or 6-9, he has an incredible body for a player his age, to go along with a huge wingspan. He's an exceptional athlete on top of that, running the floor very well (when motivated) and being very explosive around the basket.
Offensively, Capela struggled to make a consistent impact at this tournament, only converting 44% of his field goal attempts and a paltry 33% of his free throws. He doesn't have the footwork to score with his back to the basket, and is far too limited on the perimeter to do anything consistent facing the rim either.
Capela's ball-handling skills are raw and his perimeter shooting ability non-existent at the moment, even air-balling a free throw at one point. Occasionally he would show the ability to beat his man from the high post off a single dribble with a quick and very long first step, but he wasn't always able to finish this moves. His basketball IQ appears to be limited, and he had trouble making simple catches at this event due to his poor hands. As the tournament wore on, he grew increasingly frustrated with his poor play, and began to display poor body language around his teammates and coaches.
Defensively, Capela has the physical tools to guard any of the opposing frontcourt positions and be an absolute dominant rebounder, but he rarely showed an inclination to give his best effort, especially when things weren't going his way on the other end of the floor. He tends to lose his focus and jog the floor lackadaisically in these moments, making some very careless mistakes.
Despite the very negative tone of this report, it's clear that Capela can easily turn things around for himself if he finds the willingness to do so. Significantly changing his approach to the game will make a big difference, as will working on his skill-level and improving his knowledge of the game. Players with his physical tools are extremely difficult to come by, so it's not out a stretch to say that he still has time to develop.
|
Feedback
for this article may be sent to
jonathan@draftexpress.com |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| 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 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
