By Eurohopes
After spending three days in Siauliai, Lithuania scouting some of the top 1995 and 1996 born prospects in European basketball at Nike International Junior Tournament, we report back with our thoughts. Instead of evaluating the official All-Tournament Team, we selected the most intriguing players. First part is featuring the MVP Edvinas Seskus ('95), the All-Tournament Team's Marko Arapovic ('96) and promising youngster Lovro Mazalin ('97)
Edvinas Seskus, 6-4, Small Forward/Shooting Guard, Lietuvos Rytas, 1995
The event’s MVP and Lietuvos Rytas leading scorer Edvinas Seskus played a very solid tournament, flirting with triple-double in final with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists, that surely proved he’s capable of translating his game into higher level despite his physical limitations.
Slightly undersized at 6-4, but with a strong frame and high basketball IQ Seskus is stuck a bit between shooting guard and small forward positions. Not incredibly explosive and already almost physically mature, Seskus lacks an appropriate size and a length for SF spot. Although he display an ability to handle the ball with either hand, he’s only average outside shooter (5/21 from 3-point range). In comparison with his peers, Seskus looks like a tank (weights 196 lbs at 6-4), however he’s fluid player with great body control, who does a great job finding angles to get to the rim and finishes extremely creatively. He doesn’t hold the ball, shows good decision-making in transition and always opens angles for himself or teammates. Seskus shows an excellent passing skills (6.3 assists per game, 34.67 AST%), keeping his passes as simple as possible. His significant move is terrific shot-creativity inside the paint, where he’s really efficient finisher (22/30 2FGs) with either hand and using the glass. The area where he struggles the most offensively is definitely his perimeter game as Seskus is quite limited outside shooter with really inconsistent pull-up jumper, looking somehow off-balance at his attempts sometimes.
Defensively Seskus does a great job to stay in front of more athletic or quicker guards relying on timing, his basketball IQ and smartness, nonetheless with his package he will never be more than an average defender due to his poor lateral speed, length and explosiveness. He’s great rebounding guard (5.8 rebounds per game), always crashing the glass offensively, scoring many second-chance buckets. He doesn’t seem NBA-caliber prospect at all, however should reach most of his potential and have successful career in Europe.
Marko Arapovic, 6-10, Power Forward, Cibona Zagreb, 1996
After making the name for himself at World Championship U17 and European Championship U16 this past summer, son of Olympic medalist 7-footer Franjo Arapovic, Marko (’96) has dominated another tournament, finishing the NIJT with averages of 26.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 assists.
Standing at 6-10 Arapovic is fluid and mobile, but not incredibly explosive and only average athlete. His frame is really strong and should fill out nicely. Possesses many things you can’t teach and solid all-around fundamentals as well. He runs the floor extremely well and shows nice footwork, however seems a bit heavy on his feet defensively. Offensively he’s mostly a below the rim finisher. Arapovic shows good touches around the rim, displaying an ability to score off simple jump-hooks with either hand. Moreover, Arapovic had deep range, including even NBA 3-point line and even though he’s somewhat inconsistent from the outside at this stage (3/16 3FGs), shows good long-term potential in this area. He impresses with his feel to the game, high basketball IQ and soft hands, what makes him extremely efficient passer (4 assists per game). Arapovic is capable of putting the ball on the floor and open the angle for teammates, but he’s the most prolific in delivering the ball to open shooters or cutters through the high post, finishing with 20.99 AST% (according to realgm.com) as the only true up-front player in top20 of the NIJT in assist percentage.
Defensively is where Arapovic’s game may generate some serious concerns. He lacks an elite explosiveness, quickness and lateral speed, appearing somehow heavy and ponderous on his feet while containing opposing face-up power forwards. On the other hand he isn’t this kind of physical big-body player with only average wingspan and length (0 blocks in 3 games) to defend opposing centers. Obviously, Arapovic is in early stage of his physical development. Although his limitations will determine his NBA stock (still 5 more years to be auto-eligible!), he should have successful Euroleague career in Erazem Lorbek style.
Lovro Mazalin, 6-8, Small Forward, Cibona Zagreb, 1997
Another NIJT, another youngster sensation from Croatia. 16-year-old Lovro Mazalin, who has been already starter for Croatia at last summer’s European Championship U16, has caught scouts’ eye with rare combination of skill set and talent wise. Still being in an early stage of his physical improvement, Mazalin already possesses terrific size for a wing player at 6-8 with strong frame that will fill out nicely.
Mazalin possesses more than average a quickness and an agility for a player his size which allows him to play nearly every position (1-4) for his team at this stage. Croat is somewhat of a point-forward, being capable of handling the ball in the transition and creating his own shot off the dribble as well. His range is really limited (only four 3-point shots attempts in 4 games), while mechanics and follow-through on his jump shot are quite poor. Left-handed Mazalin tends to bend his elbow too much what affects his release point, as he often pulls up off-balance either. He’s extremely versatile offensive player, displaying an ability to create good looks back to the basket with spin moves and facing up on the dribble as well. Despite lacking blow of quickness Mazalin gets to the lane on high rate, relying on fancy footwork, an ability to change speeds and using polished Eurostep move. Most of his touches comes from pick&roll execution, where despite being somehow one-sided (limited range) Mazalin keeps defense guessing and usually opens angles for himself or others (4 assists per game). However he shows nice ball-handling and court-vision, decision-making is the main area where he struggles. He has good arm length and reach which in connection with his strong upper-body help him to get all the way to the basket and finish strong, holding his man on the hip and finishing with tear drops and floaters or drawing foul (35 free throws in 3 games!), nevertheless he’s sometimes too selfish and turns the ball over too often (17 turnovers in total).
Defensively, Mazalin is not incredibly explosive and because of his height at the junior level is usually matched up on the power forward or center from the opposing team. He seems little bit upright in his stance and shows only average lateral quickness to contain dribble penetrations, but does a great job by playing off his man and using his length and strength to contest shots from the perimeter. He was beaten off the dribble in mismatches with ball guards and it will be interesting to see his perimeter defense improving as his body continues to grow. Looked lazy sometimes getting back to the defense, but played 113 of possible 125 minutes. He’s good rebounder (7.7 rebounds per game), but lacks an elite lift or wingspan. May lack the highest degree of either mental and physical toughness. Mazalin is considered as top3 1997-born European prospect in Tornike Shengelia/Danilo Gallinari mold and has shown his skills at different tournaments over past year, however to appear on NBA teams radar has to work on his quickness, decision-making and shooting.
