By: Valentin Le Clezio
This year’s edition of Adidas Eurocamp won’t be remembered for the talent level of the gathered pool of European players seen at the La Ghirada Sports Complex in Treviso, Italy.
Between players still in the midst of playoffs battles (Hezonja, Porzingis, Vezenkov, Milutinov, Osman, Mazalin…), those already working out for NBA teams overseas (Jaiteh), those injured (Radicevic, Cordinier), those who couldn’t make it (Luwawu) or those who simply turned down the invitation (Buza, Hernangomez, Porzingis, Garcia, Diagne, Diez…), the pool of talents ended up being greatly diminished.
Despite this overall lack of high-level prospects, a few of them were able to catch NBA executives’ attention and are likely to get their names called in the NBA Draft over the next 4 or 5 years:
Dragan Bender (PF, 1997, Maccabi Tel-Aviv)
Measurements: 6’11.5 (without shoes), 7’2 wingspan, 9’3 standing reach, 216 pounds.
The Croatian prodigy has had phenomenal past 11 months. After crushing any kind of competition at the Fiba U18 European Championship last summer and the preliminary ANGT in Roma, earning the MVP title at Basketball Without Borders in New York City in February, the power-forward looked like the best player and by far the best prospect among the European crop of players. He was elected to the 1st team all-Euro camp. In a nutshell, Bender was the main attraction for top executives who made the trip to Treviso.
Physically way stronger than he looked even a year ago (weighted at 216 pounds compared to 202 last year), especially his lower body, Bender has also added one extra inch of height (6’11.5 without shoes) and improved his conditioning. Playing against men all season long with Ramt Gan at the second division level in Israel and having a professional structure (pro trainers and strength coach) built and organized around him are definitely making a difference in his physical development. On the court Bender played a point-forward role, highlighting his phenomenal court-vision, ball-handling and mobility for a player this big. He was constantly seen grabbing a board and immediately dribbling up the court and leading the fast break, finishing by himself with a little floater or dishing out assists to one of his open teammates.
His shooting mechanics looks really good, his release point being higher and quicker than it was a year ago. He is not yet comfortable from the NBA three-point line range but he will be getting there in time. Watching him working out in-between contests, he is already automatic from 20 feet.
Defensively, his length, lateral mobility and improved motor make him a matchup nightmare. He can cover a lot of ground in a couple steps and contest shots with great efficiency. He is also able to step out very far from the rim on pick and roll situations or switch and stay with smaller guards. His willingness to protect the rim and come over from the weak side to help was strong from time to time but his effort was not there consistently. As he keeps getting stronger, he will be able to better contest positions down low against stronger post players which is still a portion of the game he struggles with.
Bender also showed he could be a leader on that end of the floor, communicating constantly very loudly with his teammates.
It is with his sight set on the next NBA Draft that Dragan Bender will start the upcoming season in Maccabi’s rotation. Don’t be surprised if he is in a discussion for the top pick until the very end of the draft process. Before that, he will look to bring back a gold medal to Croatia from the U19 World Championship in Crete.
Omer Yurtseven (PF, 1998, Fenerbahce):
Measurements: 6’10 (without shoes), 7’0.75 wingspan, 9’ standing reach, 228 pounds.
Following up on an impressive showing and an MVP title at the Basketball Without Borders camp in Gran Canaria, Omer Yurtseven did not look like the youngest player in Treviso. The power-forward from Fenerbahce, who dominated the ANGT earlier this year, was able to confirm he would need to be tracked down extremely closely over the next couple years.
Possessing great size (Center size more than Power-Forward size), a good frame for a player this young and moving extremely well up and down the court (his footwork is particularly impressive), Yurtseven passes the eye test right away.
Yurtseven can finish around the rim, with a nice touch on his hook shot. He has a strong feel for the game, always positioning his body the right way and in the right spot to put himself in a situation to score or grab a rebound despite not being the biggest nor the most athletic players on the court.
An unselfish player, Yurtseven uses his above average basketball IQ and passing skills to share the ball out of the low post, creating open shots for his teammates.
His motor and passion for the game is still a question mark for Yurtseven, seemingly going through the motion for a few minutes per game. He will also need to become a more consistent shooter and stabilize his mechanics as he projects to play the 4 positions full-time in his professional future. His release is quit low and slow, making it much easier to defend and contest.
Overall, Yurtseven is an intriguing prospect, very mature for his age, who knows his role on a basketball court and who should hear his name in the first round of an NBA draft down the road. He won’t be eligible to declare for the Draft until 2017 but look for him to do it sooner than later.
Alpha Kaba (PF, 1996, Mega Leks):
Measurements: 6’8.5 (without shoes), 7’5.25 wingspan, 9’2.5 standing reach, 226 pounds.
Alpha Kaba flew back to Europe a couple days before Eurocamp after having worked out for 5 NBA teams in a span of 10 days. Jet-lagged and clearly feeling the physical effects of traveling around the US for a few weeks, Kaba had a hard time getting acclimated to the intensity level of Eurocamp. The Blois native had some ups and downs throughout the weekend at Eurocamp.
Kaba was one of the stand-out bodies and athlete as soon as he set a foot on the court for drills on Saturday. Ridiculously long, he wears a very nice frame (226 pounds) and should be able to add more weight as he keeps maturing and enters an NBA team weight training program. He possesses the physical tools to be a prototypical NBA Power-Forward. He looked extremely comfortable throughout individual workouts and in drills setting, showing out how smooth of an athlete and how consistent of an outside shooter he could be at times.
When he took part to scrimmages and 5 vs 5 situation, the future Mega Leks players had his fair share of struggles though. His intensity and focus was not there at all time and he could sometimes be seen lost on the court. He missed a few easy dunks, threw passes into the stands, could not make a shot from behind the three point line and was far from a dissuasive force at the rim.
Nevertheless, it would be truly unfair to assess Kaba as prospect over these few days of camp. Having only played 31 Pro A minutes this year, Kaba clearly lacks the minutes, the reps and the habits of playing high-intensity basketball at a top level. At age 19 he is still growing into his body and doesn’t seem aware of how good of an athlete he could actually be.
As he moves on to Mega Leks next season and finds more minutes and a better place for his development, focus will need to be set on improving his motor and simply being able to perform as well in competitive 5 vs 5 situation as he is able to do working out or going through drills. Kaba was also able to showcase his ability to put the ball on the floor and was pretty effective with his mid-range jumper off the dribble. Those are really promising skills for a player so raw.
Kaba’s goal is to be a first round pick in next year’s draft and he has all the tools in hands to thrive in Serbia. It is all up to him at this point.
Edin Atic (SG, 1997, KK Spars Sarajevo):
Measurements: 6’6 (without shoes), 6’7.25 wingspan, 8’7 standing reach, 186 pounds.
Three weeks after an impressive showing at the ANGT in Madrid, Edin Atic confirmed in Treviso he is one of the most talented guards of his generation out of Europe.
Atic’s offensive versatility and athleticism are the elements making him a truly special prospect. He has the ability to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket thanks to his quick first step and impressive explosiveness jumping off one leg. The Bosnian guard also enjoys being a playmaker for others as he never hesitates to create off the dribble and kick out the ball to an open teammate or make the extra pass. His ball handling skills are excellent and Atic is used to spend a lot of times handling Point Guard duties at youth levels.
Atic also needs to get a lot stronger physically. He doesn’t have the greatest frame and it’s not a given he will be able to add a ton of weight to his upper-body. His explosive lower-body will also need some work as he was seen struggling to block opponents rebounding the ball and got posted up down low a couple times against stronger guards.
Be that as it may, Atic still has ways to go in major areas of his game but the flashes he shows from time to time, his youth, athleticism and offensive profile make him a prospect to track closely as he continues to get more playing time for KK Spars. He will be Draft eligible from the 2016 Draft.
Other Noticeable players:
As one of the youngest and tallest prospect in Treviso, Laurynas Birutis (C, 1997), has a really intriguing profile. Moving extremely well despite his size (7’ without shoes) Birutis is still very frail as his frame as yet to fill out. He flashed some interesting potential when he surprisingly knocked down a few mid-range jumpers as well as a couple hook-shots over his left shoulder. He struggles to contest positions inside and to block his opponent to grab rebounds. Nevertheless, he seems to have a pretty good motor and passion for the game as people surrounding him claim he is a very hard worker. Zalgiris may have found its first team interior player of the future.
Diego Flaccadori (SG, 1996) was at times the best player on the court as the lefty was able to knock down shots with regularity over the first couple days. Despite his limiting size he showed some flashes creating off the dribble. Lacking elite length for his position, Flaccadori needs to get a lot stronger and will be looking to improve on the defensive end of the floor if he wants to get more rotation minutes at Trento next season. He was elected to the all-Eurocamp first team..
Dejan Todorovic (SG, 1994) was another wing player who did more than hold his own during the camp. The athletic Bilbao player showed from day one he was one of the most talented and experienced players on the floor. An explosive athlete, Todorovic was repeatedly able to blow by his defender and finish at the rim with athleticism. His ball-handling and court vision makes him an interesting combo-guard solution. Shooting only 22% from three-point range in the ACB this season, Todorovic will need to work on his shooting mechanic as he rarely shoots the ball the same way twice in a row. He will be auto-eligble next year and is aiming to expand his role in Bilbao in order to get a shot at getting drafted.
Finally, young Montenegro center from Joventut Badalona Zoran Nikolic (1996, C) showed how skilled and mature a player he is despite his youth. If he isn’t blessed with elite athleticism, which will limit his potential down the road, Nikolic possesses a good frame that enables him to play a physical brand of basketball in the paint. Nikolic is a skilled big man with the ability to finish around the rim whether it is with a hook shot or a little floater. Defensively he bothered a lot of shots at the rim thanks to his length (9’2 reach). He was elected to the first team all-Eurocamp. He should see more consistent minutes for Badalona ACB team next year and looks to be on his way to have a very solid European career.
U20 French National Team:
It is without five of its top prospects (Cordinier, Kaba, Cornelie, Lessort and Luwawu) and its tallest interior player standing at 6’8 that the U20 French national team arrived in Treviso. They offered pundits in attendance three entertaining games (Losses vs USA and All-Star team, Win vs Greece) playing with intensity an up-tempo style of basketball. This team, as it continues to get a few of its top players back, should be a serious contender for the European title this summer.
As expected Axel Bouteille and Guershon Yabusele where the two players standing-out in that setting:
Axel Bouteille (SG, 1995, Chalon):
A couple weeks after finishing out his first true professional season with Chalon, Axel Bouteille was leading the U20 French national team in Treviso. Already a confirmed player at this level (10.5 points a game at the U20 Championship last summer), Bouteille demonstrated why he is one the most talented scorers of his generation in Europe, averaging over 20 points and 50% from the field at Eurocamp.
A very crafty attacker, Bouteille uses a multitude of fakes, eurosteps and overall very impressive footwork to always create open shots for himself whether it is from the mid-range area or in the low post. Despite lacking elite length (6’6), athleticism or speed, Bouteille uses his above average basketball IQ, his feel and instinct for the game to be a playmaker on a team lacking one.
A good shooter, Bouteille will need to get more consistent from long-range as he looks to fulfill his potential. Taking a majority of his outside jumpers from 15 to 20 feet, and making a fair share of them, his ratio points/shots taken should greatly improve if he could take a few more of those jumpers from behind the three point line. As he continues to face greater competition and it becomes more difficult to get easy baskets at the rim, having more range on his jump-shot is something he will absolutely need to add to his arsenal.
Defensively, Bouteille is a really good defensive rebounder, having a real knack to grab long boards. He will also needs to get physically stronger, especially his upper-body, in order to be able to fight physically strong guards.
Bouteille should lift more responsibilities next season in ProA and has already his sight set on next year’s NBA draft where he should have no problem getting a second round call. In the outcome where he would not make it in the NBA, it’s more than likely that he should find a niche at the highest level of European basketball in the next few years as his skills level, understanding of the game and work ethic make of a him a perfect fit for top continental competitions.
Guershon Yabusele (PF, 1995):
Coming out a strong season in ProB within Roanne’s interior rotation, Yabusele found in Treviso the perfect environment to flourish in front of NBA scouts. Taking advantage of being the lone legit big man on the team with Antoine Wallez (Cornelie and Kaba will join the team later this summer), Yabusele had a coming out party.
The chiselled big man showed incredible motor, strength and willingness to impact every single possession during all 3 games.
A little undersized to play the 4 spot (6’7) Yabusele possesses tremendous physical tools with a wingspan around 7’3, weighted over 240 pounds and exceptional footwork and mobility. His body makes him very difficult to stop when he plays with constant intensity. Opponents had a really hard time to keep him off the board while rebounding is far from being his most polished skills. His nimble feet enable him to switch on pick and rolls and keep in check guards pretty well.
Active at all time, deflecting passes and bothering shot at the rim, Yabusele had its most impressive defensive showing in an international event this weekend.
Offensively, Yabusele loves to play off pick and roll situations where his speed, good hands and nice touch around the rim make of him a major threat. He also showed great awareness with his decision making process, making a few impressive touch passes.
A good free throw shooter, which usually translates into being a good shooter for young player later in their careers, Yabusele’s shooting mechanics is still a work in progress. He lacks range and consistency to be considered a stretch 4 man at this point of his development. His release is also pretty slow and mechanical.
As he looks to make the next step in his career and join a ProA squad next year, Yabusele will need to focus on keeping that intensity level all year long. If that happens, he should be getting consistent rotation minutes next season and get long looks from NBA teams late in the first round next year as he won’t turn 20 until December.
U19 Greek National Team
With Greek playoffs still ongoing, the U19 Greek National team, competing in a couple weeks at the U19 World’s in Crete, came in Treviso with a weakened roster (Charalampopoulos, Papagiannis...). Two interior players playing college basketball overseas stood out with their production and the flashes of potential they showed.
Georgios Tsalmpouris (’96, C):
Standing at 7’2, and with very limited strength at this stage of his development, Georgios Tsalmpouris possesses above average footwork and mobility for a player his size and enjoys spending as much time out on the perimeter and taking jump-shots than any other guard on this Greek team. A high IQ basketball player, Tsalmpouris is able to use his soft touch around the rim to finish off his hook-shot.
He still needs to improve as a rebounder and a post defender as his lower body is too weak to sustain pressure from more physical interior players at this point.
Defensively, he is far from the level you could expect for a player this big. Tall, but not possessing elite length and, more importantly, lacking great lateral mobility and explosiveness, Tsalmpouris was put on an island a couple times when he had to switch on smaller guards off pick and rolls. He is not an elite shot-blocker by any mean either.
Those weaknesses and shortcomings can definitely be corrected as he continues to work on his body with physical trainers at Iowa State. You just don’t teach that kind of mobility at his size.
He may not get a ton of minutes next year, but look for Tsalmpouris to have a real impact on the Cyclones in his Junior and Senior seasons.
Konstantinos Mitoglou (’96, PF)
The other starting interior player on that U19 Greek National team is stretch Power-Forward and Wake Forest student Konstantinos Mitoglou. At 6’10 Mitoglou has really the ability to stretch the defenses out as he steps out of the paint to knock down threes and 20 footers with regularity. A skilled big man possessing good hands and a soft touch around the rim, Mitoglou likes to mix it up between his outside and inside game. His range on his jump-shot enables him to attack his defender off the dribble, draw fouls and make it difficult to guard when he has it going from the outside. An unselfish teammate, Mitoglou also has the ability to dribble while keeping his head up to kick out the ball to open teammates.
On the defensive end of the floor, Mitoglou still has major strides to do. His lateral mobility not being elite by any mean at this point, he struggles mightily defending high pick and rolls or whenever he is asked to switch on a smaller player. The American team in particular was able to take advantage of his lack of lateral mobility until Greece moved to a 3-2 zone defense.
If his shooting stroke and his size make Mitoglou an intriguing College prospect, the fact that he has a hard-time defending pick and roll situations and doesn’t bring high level rim protection to the table, makes it difficult for us to picture him as a sure-fire NBA prospect at this point.
Next Generation Top Prospects
Dzanan Musa (1999, 6-8, SF, Bosnia Herzegovina, Cedevita Zagreb)
Measurements: 6’7.25 (without shoes), 6’8.25 wingspan, 8’8.5 standing reach, 187 pounds.
To the surprise of nobody Dzanan Musa, the top scorer at the U16 European Championship last summer, was the best performer of the Next Generation group of players. For diverse reasons Adidas was unable to gather most of the top prospects from the 1999 generation (Doncic, Hoard, Pons…) but bringing over Musa more than made up for it.
After getting kicked out of the Jordan Brand Classic camp in Zagreb, Musa certainly wanted to show how dominant he could be in that kind of setting against players his age. Light years ahead of his colleagues skill-wise, Musa will need to continue to mature physically and mentally as he starts to see the court at the senior level for Cedevita next season.
A long and skinny forward with a very high understanding of the game of basketball, Musa loves to handle the ball (with both hands) and be the playmaker of his team in a point-forward role that reminds us a little bit of Lovro Mazalin. Musa possesses a very complete and wide offensive arsenal. He reads pick and rolls really well, never hesitating to find the rolling big man towards the rim for open lay ups. His height enables him to make passes that ball handlers usually can’t make.
He was also able to blow by his defender consistently thanks to a quick first step and excellent footwork. With his size and that kind of footwork repertoire, it would be interesting to see him a couple more times per game down on the low block.
His offensive arsenal includes the ability to create his own shot at all time. Musa is not only a playmaker but also a high-level shot maker that is rarely seen at that age.
Defensively he was also quit impressive in this matchup with Benetton Treviso. Musa has a knack to get long rebounds (he ended the game in double digits), has quick hands and feet to stay with the opposite wing. His stance was really impressive and his motivation and motor to defend the ball-handler was glaring. As he continues to get bigger and his shoulders start to fill out, and as long as he keeps showing that kind of dedication on that side of the ball he should turn out into an above average defender at the pro level.
He clearly came in ready to play and motivated to demonstrate he was by far the best player on the court.
A very talented and confident young man, it is pretty obvious Musa’s evolution will need to be tracked down very closely as he makes his debut with Cedevita’s first team. He had a very impressive showing in Treviso.
Acoydan McCarthy (1999, SG, Real Madrid)
Measurements: 6’4.5 (without shoes), 6’6.5 wingspan, 8’6 standing reach, 166 pounds.
Another talented Real Madrid guard from the 1999 generation, Acoydan McCarthy may end up being the best players out of this whole group of prospects when it’s all said and done. Following up on a positive appearance in New York for the Jordan Brand Classic Game, McCarthy demonstrated once again why he has been receiving so many accolades from a very young age.
A combo-guard with high-level ball-handling skills, McCarthy is always more comfortable with the ball in his hands, having to be a playmaker. He likes to create for his teammates, whether it is through pick and roll situations or attacking off the dribble.
A long and lanky guard, McCarthy was already participating to his 3rd edition of Eurocamp this year. Still growing, McCarthy will need to become a good shooter if he wants to fulfill his potential as he possesses good but not elite athleticism and explosiveness. He particularly struggles as a set shooter where his mechanics and stroke evolve from one shot to another.
Defensively McCarthy already impacts the game by harassing the opposing guard with his length, quick hands and excellent footwork all game long. At this level McCarthy can guard anybody 1 through 3. He will need to increase his focus on half-court settings where he tends to bet too much on passing lanes and got beaten a couple times on backdoor plays.
It will be interesting to observe how he progresses next season, playing alongside Doncic in the backcourt of the Real Madrid ANGT squad. McCarthy should also be part of the U16 Spanish national team this summer.
Photo: Adidas Eurocamp
This year’s edition of Adidas Eurocamp won’t be remembered for the talent level of the gathered pool of European players seen at the La Ghirada Sports Complex in Treviso, Italy.
Between players still in the midst of playoffs battles (Hezonja, Porzingis, Vezenkov, Milutinov, Osman, Mazalin…), those already working out for NBA teams overseas (Jaiteh), those injured (Radicevic, Cordinier), those who couldn’t make it (Luwawu) or those who simply turned down the invitation (Buza, Hernangomez, Porzingis, Garcia, Diagne, Diez…), the pool of talents ended up being greatly diminished.
Despite this overall lack of high-level prospects, a few of them were able to catch NBA executives’ attention and are likely to get their names called in the NBA Draft over the next 4 or 5 years:
Dragan Bender (PF, 1997, Maccabi Tel-Aviv)
Measurements: 6’11.5 (without shoes), 7’2 wingspan, 9’3 standing reach, 216 pounds.
The Croatian prodigy has had phenomenal past 11 months. After crushing any kind of competition at the Fiba U18 European Championship last summer and the preliminary ANGT in Roma, earning the MVP title at Basketball Without Borders in New York City in February, the power-forward looked like the best player and by far the best prospect among the European crop of players. He was elected to the 1st team all-Euro camp. In a nutshell, Bender was the main attraction for top executives who made the trip to Treviso.
Physically way stronger than he looked even a year ago (weighted at 216 pounds compared to 202 last year), especially his lower body, Bender has also added one extra inch of height (6’11.5 without shoes) and improved his conditioning. Playing against men all season long with Ramt Gan at the second division level in Israel and having a professional structure (pro trainers and strength coach) built and organized around him are definitely making a difference in his physical development. On the court Bender played a point-forward role, highlighting his phenomenal court-vision, ball-handling and mobility for a player this big. He was constantly seen grabbing a board and immediately dribbling up the court and leading the fast break, finishing by himself with a little floater or dishing out assists to one of his open teammates.
His shooting mechanics looks really good, his release point being higher and quicker than it was a year ago. He is not yet comfortable from the NBA three-point line range but he will be getting there in time. Watching him working out in-between contests, he is already automatic from 20 feet.
Defensively, his length, lateral mobility and improved motor make him a matchup nightmare. He can cover a lot of ground in a couple steps and contest shots with great efficiency. He is also able to step out very far from the rim on pick and roll situations or switch and stay with smaller guards. His willingness to protect the rim and come over from the weak side to help was strong from time to time but his effort was not there consistently. As he keeps getting stronger, he will be able to better contest positions down low against stronger post players which is still a portion of the game he struggles with.
Bender also showed he could be a leader on that end of the floor, communicating constantly very loudly with his teammates.
It is with his sight set on the next NBA Draft that Dragan Bender will start the upcoming season in Maccabi’s rotation. Don’t be surprised if he is in a discussion for the top pick until the very end of the draft process. Before that, he will look to bring back a gold medal to Croatia from the U19 World Championship in Crete.
Omer Yurtseven (PF, 1998, Fenerbahce):
Measurements: 6’10 (without shoes), 7’0.75 wingspan, 9’ standing reach, 228 pounds.
Following up on an impressive showing and an MVP title at the Basketball Without Borders camp in Gran Canaria, Omer Yurtseven did not look like the youngest player in Treviso. The power-forward from Fenerbahce, who dominated the ANGT earlier this year, was able to confirm he would need to be tracked down extremely closely over the next couple years.
Possessing great size (Center size more than Power-Forward size), a good frame for a player this young and moving extremely well up and down the court (his footwork is particularly impressive), Yurtseven passes the eye test right away.
Yurtseven can finish around the rim, with a nice touch on his hook shot. He has a strong feel for the game, always positioning his body the right way and in the right spot to put himself in a situation to score or grab a rebound despite not being the biggest nor the most athletic players on the court.
An unselfish player, Yurtseven uses his above average basketball IQ and passing skills to share the ball out of the low post, creating open shots for his teammates.
His motor and passion for the game is still a question mark for Yurtseven, seemingly going through the motion for a few minutes per game. He will also need to become a more consistent shooter and stabilize his mechanics as he projects to play the 4 positions full-time in his professional future. His release is quit low and slow, making it much easier to defend and contest.
Overall, Yurtseven is an intriguing prospect, very mature for his age, who knows his role on a basketball court and who should hear his name in the first round of an NBA draft down the road. He won’t be eligible to declare for the Draft until 2017 but look for him to do it sooner than later.
Alpha Kaba (PF, 1996, Mega Leks):
Measurements: 6’8.5 (without shoes), 7’5.25 wingspan, 9’2.5 standing reach, 226 pounds.
Alpha Kaba flew back to Europe a couple days before Eurocamp after having worked out for 5 NBA teams in a span of 10 days. Jet-lagged and clearly feeling the physical effects of traveling around the US for a few weeks, Kaba had a hard time getting acclimated to the intensity level of Eurocamp. The Blois native had some ups and downs throughout the weekend at Eurocamp.
Kaba was one of the stand-out bodies and athlete as soon as he set a foot on the court for drills on Saturday. Ridiculously long, he wears a very nice frame (226 pounds) and should be able to add more weight as he keeps maturing and enters an NBA team weight training program. He possesses the physical tools to be a prototypical NBA Power-Forward. He looked extremely comfortable throughout individual workouts and in drills setting, showing out how smooth of an athlete and how consistent of an outside shooter he could be at times.
When he took part to scrimmages and 5 vs 5 situation, the future Mega Leks players had his fair share of struggles though. His intensity and focus was not there at all time and he could sometimes be seen lost on the court. He missed a few easy dunks, threw passes into the stands, could not make a shot from behind the three point line and was far from a dissuasive force at the rim.
Nevertheless, it would be truly unfair to assess Kaba as prospect over these few days of camp. Having only played 31 Pro A minutes this year, Kaba clearly lacks the minutes, the reps and the habits of playing high-intensity basketball at a top level. At age 19 he is still growing into his body and doesn’t seem aware of how good of an athlete he could actually be.
As he moves on to Mega Leks next season and finds more minutes and a better place for his development, focus will need to be set on improving his motor and simply being able to perform as well in competitive 5 vs 5 situation as he is able to do working out or going through drills. Kaba was also able to showcase his ability to put the ball on the floor and was pretty effective with his mid-range jumper off the dribble. Those are really promising skills for a player so raw.
Kaba’s goal is to be a first round pick in next year’s draft and he has all the tools in hands to thrive in Serbia. It is all up to him at this point.
Edin Atic (SG, 1997, KK Spars Sarajevo):
Measurements: 6’6 (without shoes), 6’7.25 wingspan, 8’7 standing reach, 186 pounds.
Three weeks after an impressive showing at the ANGT in Madrid, Edin Atic confirmed in Treviso he is one of the most talented guards of his generation out of Europe.
Atic’s offensive versatility and athleticism are the elements making him a truly special prospect. He has the ability to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket thanks to his quick first step and impressive explosiveness jumping off one leg. The Bosnian guard also enjoys being a playmaker for others as he never hesitates to create off the dribble and kick out the ball to an open teammate or make the extra pass. His ball handling skills are excellent and Atic is used to spend a lot of times handling Point Guard duties at youth levels.
Atic also needs to get a lot stronger physically. He doesn’t have the greatest frame and it’s not a given he will be able to add a ton of weight to his upper-body. His explosive lower-body will also need some work as he was seen struggling to block opponents rebounding the ball and got posted up down low a couple times against stronger guards.
Be that as it may, Atic still has ways to go in major areas of his game but the flashes he shows from time to time, his youth, athleticism and offensive profile make him a prospect to track closely as he continues to get more playing time for KK Spars. He will be Draft eligible from the 2016 Draft.
Other Noticeable players:
As one of the youngest and tallest prospect in Treviso, Laurynas Birutis (C, 1997), has a really intriguing profile. Moving extremely well despite his size (7’ without shoes) Birutis is still very frail as his frame as yet to fill out. He flashed some interesting potential when he surprisingly knocked down a few mid-range jumpers as well as a couple hook-shots over his left shoulder. He struggles to contest positions inside and to block his opponent to grab rebounds. Nevertheless, he seems to have a pretty good motor and passion for the game as people surrounding him claim he is a very hard worker. Zalgiris may have found its first team interior player of the future.
Diego Flaccadori (SG, 1996) was at times the best player on the court as the lefty was able to knock down shots with regularity over the first couple days. Despite his limiting size he showed some flashes creating off the dribble. Lacking elite length for his position, Flaccadori needs to get a lot stronger and will be looking to improve on the defensive end of the floor if he wants to get more rotation minutes at Trento next season. He was elected to the all-Eurocamp first team..
Dejan Todorovic (SG, 1994) was another wing player who did more than hold his own during the camp. The athletic Bilbao player showed from day one he was one of the most talented and experienced players on the floor. An explosive athlete, Todorovic was repeatedly able to blow by his defender and finish at the rim with athleticism. His ball-handling and court vision makes him an interesting combo-guard solution. Shooting only 22% from three-point range in the ACB this season, Todorovic will need to work on his shooting mechanic as he rarely shoots the ball the same way twice in a row. He will be auto-eligble next year and is aiming to expand his role in Bilbao in order to get a shot at getting drafted.
Finally, young Montenegro center from Joventut Badalona Zoran Nikolic (1996, C) showed how skilled and mature a player he is despite his youth. If he isn’t blessed with elite athleticism, which will limit his potential down the road, Nikolic possesses a good frame that enables him to play a physical brand of basketball in the paint. Nikolic is a skilled big man with the ability to finish around the rim whether it is with a hook shot or a little floater. Defensively he bothered a lot of shots at the rim thanks to his length (9’2 reach). He was elected to the first team all-Eurocamp. He should see more consistent minutes for Badalona ACB team next year and looks to be on his way to have a very solid European career.
U20 French National Team:
It is without five of its top prospects (Cordinier, Kaba, Cornelie, Lessort and Luwawu) and its tallest interior player standing at 6’8 that the U20 French national team arrived in Treviso. They offered pundits in attendance three entertaining games (Losses vs USA and All-Star team, Win vs Greece) playing with intensity an up-tempo style of basketball. This team, as it continues to get a few of its top players back, should be a serious contender for the European title this summer.
As expected Axel Bouteille and Guershon Yabusele where the two players standing-out in that setting:
Axel Bouteille (SG, 1995, Chalon):
A couple weeks after finishing out his first true professional season with Chalon, Axel Bouteille was leading the U20 French national team in Treviso. Already a confirmed player at this level (10.5 points a game at the U20 Championship last summer), Bouteille demonstrated why he is one the most talented scorers of his generation in Europe, averaging over 20 points and 50% from the field at Eurocamp.
A very crafty attacker, Bouteille uses a multitude of fakes, eurosteps and overall very impressive footwork to always create open shots for himself whether it is from the mid-range area or in the low post. Despite lacking elite length (6’6), athleticism or speed, Bouteille uses his above average basketball IQ, his feel and instinct for the game to be a playmaker on a team lacking one.
A good shooter, Bouteille will need to get more consistent from long-range as he looks to fulfill his potential. Taking a majority of his outside jumpers from 15 to 20 feet, and making a fair share of them, his ratio points/shots taken should greatly improve if he could take a few more of those jumpers from behind the three point line. As he continues to face greater competition and it becomes more difficult to get easy baskets at the rim, having more range on his jump-shot is something he will absolutely need to add to his arsenal.
Defensively, Bouteille is a really good defensive rebounder, having a real knack to grab long boards. He will also needs to get physically stronger, especially his upper-body, in order to be able to fight physically strong guards.
Bouteille should lift more responsibilities next season in ProA and has already his sight set on next year’s NBA draft where he should have no problem getting a second round call. In the outcome where he would not make it in the NBA, it’s more than likely that he should find a niche at the highest level of European basketball in the next few years as his skills level, understanding of the game and work ethic make of a him a perfect fit for top continental competitions.
Guershon Yabusele (PF, 1995):
Coming out a strong season in ProB within Roanne’s interior rotation, Yabusele found in Treviso the perfect environment to flourish in front of NBA scouts. Taking advantage of being the lone legit big man on the team with Antoine Wallez (Cornelie and Kaba will join the team later this summer), Yabusele had a coming out party.
The chiselled big man showed incredible motor, strength and willingness to impact every single possession during all 3 games.
A little undersized to play the 4 spot (6’7) Yabusele possesses tremendous physical tools with a wingspan around 7’3, weighted over 240 pounds and exceptional footwork and mobility. His body makes him very difficult to stop when he plays with constant intensity. Opponents had a really hard time to keep him off the board while rebounding is far from being his most polished skills. His nimble feet enable him to switch on pick and rolls and keep in check guards pretty well.
Active at all time, deflecting passes and bothering shot at the rim, Yabusele had its most impressive defensive showing in an international event this weekend.
Offensively, Yabusele loves to play off pick and roll situations where his speed, good hands and nice touch around the rim make of him a major threat. He also showed great awareness with his decision making process, making a few impressive touch passes.
A good free throw shooter, which usually translates into being a good shooter for young player later in their careers, Yabusele’s shooting mechanics is still a work in progress. He lacks range and consistency to be considered a stretch 4 man at this point of his development. His release is also pretty slow and mechanical.
As he looks to make the next step in his career and join a ProA squad next year, Yabusele will need to focus on keeping that intensity level all year long. If that happens, he should be getting consistent rotation minutes next season and get long looks from NBA teams late in the first round next year as he won’t turn 20 until December.
U19 Greek National Team
With Greek playoffs still ongoing, the U19 Greek National team, competing in a couple weeks at the U19 World’s in Crete, came in Treviso with a weakened roster (Charalampopoulos, Papagiannis...). Two interior players playing college basketball overseas stood out with their production and the flashes of potential they showed.
Georgios Tsalmpouris (’96, C):
Standing at 7’2, and with very limited strength at this stage of his development, Georgios Tsalmpouris possesses above average footwork and mobility for a player his size and enjoys spending as much time out on the perimeter and taking jump-shots than any other guard on this Greek team. A high IQ basketball player, Tsalmpouris is able to use his soft touch around the rim to finish off his hook-shot.
He still needs to improve as a rebounder and a post defender as his lower body is too weak to sustain pressure from more physical interior players at this point.
Defensively, he is far from the level you could expect for a player this big. Tall, but not possessing elite length and, more importantly, lacking great lateral mobility and explosiveness, Tsalmpouris was put on an island a couple times when he had to switch on smaller guards off pick and rolls. He is not an elite shot-blocker by any mean either.
Those weaknesses and shortcomings can definitely be corrected as he continues to work on his body with physical trainers at Iowa State. You just don’t teach that kind of mobility at his size.
He may not get a ton of minutes next year, but look for Tsalmpouris to have a real impact on the Cyclones in his Junior and Senior seasons.
Konstantinos Mitoglou (’96, PF)
The other starting interior player on that U19 Greek National team is stretch Power-Forward and Wake Forest student Konstantinos Mitoglou. At 6’10 Mitoglou has really the ability to stretch the defenses out as he steps out of the paint to knock down threes and 20 footers with regularity. A skilled big man possessing good hands and a soft touch around the rim, Mitoglou likes to mix it up between his outside and inside game. His range on his jump-shot enables him to attack his defender off the dribble, draw fouls and make it difficult to guard when he has it going from the outside. An unselfish teammate, Mitoglou also has the ability to dribble while keeping his head up to kick out the ball to open teammates.
On the defensive end of the floor, Mitoglou still has major strides to do. His lateral mobility not being elite by any mean at this point, he struggles mightily defending high pick and rolls or whenever he is asked to switch on a smaller player. The American team in particular was able to take advantage of his lack of lateral mobility until Greece moved to a 3-2 zone defense.
If his shooting stroke and his size make Mitoglou an intriguing College prospect, the fact that he has a hard-time defending pick and roll situations and doesn’t bring high level rim protection to the table, makes it difficult for us to picture him as a sure-fire NBA prospect at this point.
Next Generation Top Prospects
Dzanan Musa (1999, 6-8, SF, Bosnia Herzegovina, Cedevita Zagreb)
Measurements: 6’7.25 (without shoes), 6’8.25 wingspan, 8’8.5 standing reach, 187 pounds.
To the surprise of nobody Dzanan Musa, the top scorer at the U16 European Championship last summer, was the best performer of the Next Generation group of players. For diverse reasons Adidas was unable to gather most of the top prospects from the 1999 generation (Doncic, Hoard, Pons…) but bringing over Musa more than made up for it.
After getting kicked out of the Jordan Brand Classic camp in Zagreb, Musa certainly wanted to show how dominant he could be in that kind of setting against players his age. Light years ahead of his colleagues skill-wise, Musa will need to continue to mature physically and mentally as he starts to see the court at the senior level for Cedevita next season.
A long and skinny forward with a very high understanding of the game of basketball, Musa loves to handle the ball (with both hands) and be the playmaker of his team in a point-forward role that reminds us a little bit of Lovro Mazalin. Musa possesses a very complete and wide offensive arsenal. He reads pick and rolls really well, never hesitating to find the rolling big man towards the rim for open lay ups. His height enables him to make passes that ball handlers usually can’t make.
He was also able to blow by his defender consistently thanks to a quick first step and excellent footwork. With his size and that kind of footwork repertoire, it would be interesting to see him a couple more times per game down on the low block.
His offensive arsenal includes the ability to create his own shot at all time. Musa is not only a playmaker but also a high-level shot maker that is rarely seen at that age.
Defensively he was also quit impressive in this matchup with Benetton Treviso. Musa has a knack to get long rebounds (he ended the game in double digits), has quick hands and feet to stay with the opposite wing. His stance was really impressive and his motivation and motor to defend the ball-handler was glaring. As he continues to get bigger and his shoulders start to fill out, and as long as he keeps showing that kind of dedication on that side of the ball he should turn out into an above average defender at the pro level.
He clearly came in ready to play and motivated to demonstrate he was by far the best player on the court.
A very talented and confident young man, it is pretty obvious Musa’s evolution will need to be tracked down very closely as he makes his debut with Cedevita’s first team. He had a very impressive showing in Treviso.
Acoydan McCarthy (1999, SG, Real Madrid)
Measurements: 6’4.5 (without shoes), 6’6.5 wingspan, 8’6 standing reach, 166 pounds.
Another talented Real Madrid guard from the 1999 generation, Acoydan McCarthy may end up being the best players out of this whole group of prospects when it’s all said and done. Following up on a positive appearance in New York for the Jordan Brand Classic Game, McCarthy demonstrated once again why he has been receiving so many accolades from a very young age.
A combo-guard with high-level ball-handling skills, McCarthy is always more comfortable with the ball in his hands, having to be a playmaker. He likes to create for his teammates, whether it is through pick and roll situations or attacking off the dribble.
A long and lanky guard, McCarthy was already participating to his 3rd edition of Eurocamp this year. Still growing, McCarthy will need to become a good shooter if he wants to fulfill his potential as he possesses good but not elite athleticism and explosiveness. He particularly struggles as a set shooter where his mechanics and stroke evolve from one shot to another.
Defensively McCarthy already impacts the game by harassing the opposing guard with his length, quick hands and excellent footwork all game long. At this level McCarthy can guard anybody 1 through 3. He will need to increase his focus on half-court settings where he tends to bet too much on passing lanes and got beaten a couple times on backdoor plays.
It will be interesting to observe how he progresses next season, playing alongside Doncic in the backcourt of the Real Madrid ANGT squad. McCarthy should also be part of the U16 Spanish national team this summer.
Photo: Adidas Eurocamp
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