We covered extensively some of the major characters of this U18 European Championship this summer during Madrid ANGT (Stojanovic, Rico, Yusta, Barreiro...), Adidas Eurocamp (Atic, Yurtseven... ) and Fiba U19 World Championship (Papagianis, Charalampopoulos, Zubac, Korkmaz, Simanic...). Let's now focus on the best long term potentials seen in Volos and who were not covered in previous reports.
France:
Frank Ntilikina ('98, Poing-Guard, Strasbourg):
One of the youngest players in Volos, Ntilikina was probably one of the 3 top long term prospects seen in Greece. After seeing his first minutes at the ProA level with Strasbourg this season, Ntilikina entered the tournament with a great deal of confidence.
Born in Belgium with parents from Rwanda, Ntilikina moved out to Strasbourg as a child before opting to play for the French national team
A Point Guard with great size (6'4) and incredible length for his position (close to 7´) Ntikilina has the particularity to be a very mature and poised player on the court despite his very young age, as well as a very smart one off it.
He possesses a great feel for the game and a nice court vision. Extremely unselfish, Ntilikina could be more assertive offensively as he possesses the speed, athleticism and ball-handling skills to get by his defender and straight to the rim easily. One surprising fact was how he struggled to finish at the rim in this tournament, trying to force some tough floaters over help-defenders
His main goal coming in was to run an offense for a very talented french squad. He can read very well pick and roll situations, and always keeps an eye on the weakside of the offense. He dribbles the ball with his head up and his size and court vision make him an outstanding passer. More athletic than he has the habit to demonstrate he was able to explode for a few outstanting dunks in traffic during the tournament.
His jump shot is still a work in progress but his potential in that are is real. Ntilikina is a very good free-throw shooter and his 3 point shooting percentages were really intriguing in youth competition this year (38% from 3 in Volos) Still an not reliable shooter, he will go through major shooting slump before making 2 of 3 treys in a row. He shot the outside ball well in Volos but those numbers are better than how he performed all season with Strasbourg. His mechanic is still somewhat weak and his release pretty slow. His jump-shot remains one main point of emphasis in Strasbourg's practices.
Defensively, Ntilikina was probably the best prospect of the tournament. His size, length and tenacity make him a nightmare for opposing ball handlers. Not only is he harrassing the ball-handler but he also enjoy to be very high on passing lanes and be a constant threat to still the ball in the backourt. As he continues to fill-out, Ntilikina should be able to guard 2 or even maybe 3 positions at the highest level in Europe. His length in particular makes it tough for opponents to get good looks at the rim on jump-shots.
Ntilikina still needs to put on a lot more weight but his frame should fill-out nicely in time. His core strength is already vastly improved compared to two years ago when he first became a Strasbourg player. His physical development will be key to his future and he is probably on the right track on that end. Reminder: he only turned 17 during the tournament.
Once he settles on signing with an agent, and inks his first Pro contract with Strasbourg, Ntilikina should plan on a very strict weight-lifting and workout program until the Draft. He could very well hear his name called as soon as the 2017 lottery.
Jonathan Jeanne ('97, Forward/Center, Le Mans):
It is pretty easy to watch Jonathan Jeanne run up and down the court, catch alley-oop passes way above the rim or throwing a no-look pass from the high-post and get very excited with his potential.
Jeanne started off the tournament very poorly (6/18 the first 3 games before getting benched in the third contest) before finishing up on a high notes and being one of the most consistent Frenchmen the final 4 games.
Standing at 7'2 with a wingspan hovering around 7'5+ Jeanne possesses tremendous physical skills. Only weighing at an alarming 185 pounds, he will need to continue to add way more meat, especially to his extremely weak lower body. Often compared to fellow Frenchmen Rudy Gobert (Size, length, mobility) and Alexis Ajinca (size, shooting touch, passing skills), Jeanne is way under-developed physically compared to those two. Gobert weighed 10 kilos heavier at the same age when he blew up on the international scene 5 years ago at the same level.
A good rebounder (one of the top per 40 minutes rebounder in NM1), Jeanne uses his length and mobile body to go around opponent, especially on the offensive board. With close to 7 rebounds per game and only 21 minutes per game, Jeanne has become more than an acceptable rebounder. His progresses on that end have been fairly impressive compared to two years ago where he looked allergic to grabbing rebounds. He also uses his mobility and incredible length to be a major dissuasive force at the rim (3.7 blocks per 40 minutes).He finished 4th in blocked shot something that would have never happened even a year ago when he plays at the Belgrade NIJT and was barely seen contesting shots at the rim.
A good straight driver, Jeanne tends to struggle moving laterally though. He got beaten off the dribble on a regular basis when his man brought him away from the painted area. Jeanne will also go through major stretches of the game without having any impact and not being assertive enough. His motor is still highly questionable at best and some people worry about his work ethic and how he continues to love spending time on the perimeter.
Jeanne has indeed some impressive ball handling and court vision skill. He was one of the major weapons of the French coaching staff against opponents' zone defense. A great passer from the high-post, Jeanne can catch the ball, protect it and keep his head up in order to make the right passing or driving decision. For somebody this big, that kind of court awareness is extremely rare to find. He also possesses a pretty good outside touch up to 18 feet but has clearly started to diminish his number of attempts from distance (only 1/8 from 3), now focusing on playing and finishing closer to the rim.
Jonathan Jeanne is a major potential with a lot of question marks and needs serious and intense development work in Le Mans over the next 3 seasons. His potential is way too immense to be wasted.
Killian Tillie ('98, Forward, INSEP):
Following up on an injury-plagued season, the U16 European Championship MVP didn't get any luckier in Greece as he only appeared in 3 contests before being forced to pull out ( knee issue). Tillie only spent 27 minutes on the court, not looking like his usual self, not moving very well or being the defensive force he was during the second half of the season with INSEP.
As he looks to pick a college for the 2016-2017 season (Cal, Gonzagua, Utah and Miami are among favorites, Duke also showed interest), Tillie will need to add core and lower body strength in order to avoid being hit by injury bugs during the beginning of his promising career. Getting a more consistant shooting mechanic and release will also be very high on his list of potential improvements for the next few years.
Renathan Ona-Embo ('98, Guard, US High School):
The youngest player of the French National team, born in October 1998, but also one of its top talents . After being forced to miss the U16 championship last summer, Ona Embo was back this and entered the starting five as the competition begun.
Standing at 6'3-6'4 without shoes and long arms Ona Embo has the prototypical size for a combo-guard. An explosive athlete, who has yet to understand how to make use of it, Ona Embo possesses a strong frame for a 16 year old player.
At this stage, most of the damage Ona Embo can make is on the defensive end of the floor. A great athlete, with excellent lateral mobility and great stance, Ona Embo can get into opposing guard from sideline to sideline. He is also a permanent danger on passing lanes where his feel for the ball and understanding of what plays the opposing team is running has vastly improved.
Offensively, Ona Embo is still much of the inconsistent shooter we had seen two years ago at the U16 european championship, hitting threes at a 21% clip. His right elbow doesńt follow the same direction from one shot to another. He also take an ill-advised number of unbalanced and contested shot. Being able to take and create for himself those kind of shots is a quality, attempting them very often and it becomes an issue.
Ona Embo also needs to become a better finisher at the rim for such an explosive athlete. He often prefers to finish his drive with a soft touch tear-drop rather than going straight to the rim.
His ball-handling ability is an area where he needs a lot of work as well if he wants to become a true combo-guard and handle the ball. He still has difficulties creating for himself off the dribble. His athletic ability and quick first step should enable him to get to the rim in a couple dribble if he can finally improve his ball-handling.
Overall, Ona Embo is a really young player with important upside and that deserves to be tracked down the road. He should change of high school for the second time in a year as he should be playing in the Winston-Salem area next year. He attracted attention of west coast programs like USC, UCLA or Arizona so far. By moving to the east coast, and still having two years left in high School, Ona Embo will certainly raise more interests from some top east coast and midwest Colleges.
Luc Loubaki: ('97, Guard/Small Forward, Orleans)
Stephane Gombauld ('97, Forward/Center, Asvel):
Get two players to INSEP with massive athletic and physical potentials lacking basketball fundamentals and that's the final outcome you get 3 years later: the two same, identical players.
Both cases are really interesting as they are clearly comparable. As he entered INSEP, Loubaki needed to improve his ball-handling skills, his outside shooting and his decision-making process. He was praised for his great size and body, his motor and his constant attack-mode. Gombauld needed to get bigger, become at least an average shooter and an ok ball-handler to make the transition to the 4 or even the 3 spot. His touch around the rim, incredible length (7'4+) and defensive potential were all factors that put him on the maps of top 1997 European prospects.
None of those things happened. Don't get me wrong, Loubaki and Gombauld are still really good players for their age group, taking advantage of their physical prowess and abilities they had already acquired prior to their INSEP stay.
Gombauld is a catastrophic outside shooter (2/12 from 3) as he launches outside shots while his lower-body is completely unbalanced. His ball-handling has barely improved and he is still a full time 4-5. He constantly struggles against high-level length even though his touch around the rim is still one of his strong assets. As he continues to reach a higher level of professional basketball, Gombauld will face taller and bigger competition. The struggle is just getting real.
Loubaki had a great start to the tournament and a pretty good showing overall. Unfortunately, he just hasn't improved areas of his game that will translate to the next level. His shooting mechanic is as inconsistent as it gets as he almost doesn't use his righ hand (8/30 from 3, 55% from the free throw line). Loubaki is also still way out of control at time, pushing coaches to play him at the 2 or 3 rather than the point-guard spot. He also still can't finish with his right hand. On the positive side, he is still a deadly on-the-ball defender and should turn into a lock-down player at the next level.
Who is to blame for these massive development disasters? Injuries, INSEP, players themselves? Something clearly went wrong in this process
Bathiste Tchouaffe ('98; Shooting-Guard, INSEP)
Tchouaffe's case is a good reminder how some performances at the U15 and U16 levels should be taken lightly. A mature player, Tchouaffe entered Insep a year early, 3 years ago now, and was given a statute based on advanced physical abilities: a pretty strong frame, 6'5 tall at an early age, a good shooter by French standards and a great, unselfish kid, willing to work hard and to his craft.
Unfortunately, and in a development that could be compared to the ones of Loubaki or Gombault, Tchouaffe's attributes haven't changed much while players of the same generation have caught up to him physically.
Tchouaffe played most of the tournament at the 3 position while being quit undersized (6'5 and limited wingspan). The major negative change with his game is that he was completely unable (unwilling?) to attack off the dribble in this tournament. Part of the explanation is that he had more of a spot-up shooter role in this year's team. The other part is probably that his athleticism is too limited for him to attack efficiently off the dribble or as a slasher.
His numbers are staggering: he took 44 three point shots, and only 18 shots from 2 points range. Those numbers are worrisome for a player who only hit on 28% of his long range attempts.
Lacking elite athleticism and elite size, Tchouaffe could turn into a combo-guard role. The issue is that his ball-handling skills are not reliable at all at this stage. Running an offense through Tchouaffe is not a possibility at this point.
Defensively, Tchouaffe is quit active and has the right defensive stance most of the time. He is regularly posing problems for the opposing team in passing lanes. His limited length makes it difficult to contest jump-shots from taller wings though.
On the positive side, Tchouaffe just turned 18, is a hard worker and an impressive kid off the court. His shooting mechanic is not broke (26/30 from the free-throw line) and an improved shot selection should vastly improve his efficiency. Nevertheless, to be talking of Tchouaffe as a high touting prospect with sure-fire NBA potential would be far off the truth. He has one remaining year at INSEP before heading to the Pro level.
Darel Poirier ('97, Power-Forward, Cholet)
Despite some anecdotical stats at the U18 European championship (4 points, 2.8 rebounds in 13 minutes per game) and a forgettable stay at INSEP, Darel Poirier probably deserves to be mentioned in this report. Poirier's development was slowed down over the past couple years by injuries (broken hand made him miss the U17 World Championship last summer) and the Jeanne-Gombauld combo in front of him.
A 6'9 Power-Forward with a nice wingspan, Poirier is an explosive athlete around the rim. His elite athleticism and speed for his size make him a constant threat off pick-and-rolls. His lateral mobility and long arms enable him to defend smaller players following pick-and-rolls. His rim protection needs to improved for such an impressive athlete as his timing is lacking.
Poirier is still an extremely raw athlete. He can finish at the rim with a little right-handed hook but has no touch whatsoever outside of 5 feet. If he wants to turn in a modern days power-forward, Poirier will need to develop some range on his jump-shot to complement is rolling ability.
Poirier just turned 18 and is heading to Cholet next season where he will play for the eapoir team and practice with the Pros. He is a major project and a long-shot to ever become a serious NBA prospect. Nevertheless, his raw tools alone are intriguing enough to keep an eye on him.
Finland:
Lauri Markannen ('97, Power-Forward, Finland):
One of the top prospects in Volos, Markannen impressed right away with how big he looks on the court. Among one of the smallest teams in the tournament, the 6 feet and 11 inches (maybe closer to 7'?) of Markannen and his improved frame were quit impressive. He used to play the small-forward position as it was the case at the division b U16 European Championship two years ago.
Despite being a real imposing human being, Markannen moves up and down the court with ease,, possesses good footwork and the ability to evolve offensively and defensively on the perimeter.
Even though he had to play a majority of his minutes at the 5, given how small the Finnish roster was, Markannen's future in College or at the NBA level lies at the Power-Forward position. His shooting touch and mobility makes him the perfect modern stretch 4. Finland put him multiple times each game in Pick-and-pop situation where he performed extremely well.
You are slow contesting Markannen' shot? You pay the price. Markannen was extremely consistant from distance all tournament long (12/29 from 3, 41%) with beautiful shooting stroke and a high arc on. His jump-shot.
You overplay Markannen when he receives the ball? He will get by you off the dribble with a quick first step, and nice ball-handling skills for a player this big.
Even though he likes to spend some time on the perimeter, Markannen isn't scared of contact and like to get closer to the rim. His newly-built frame enable him to get great position down low and trigger his efficient right-handed hook.
Unsurprisingly, Markannen was the fourth most efficient player offensively in Volos: 1.14 point per possession while being one of the players with the biggest usage (16 possessions per game).
The whole Finnish offense was built around Markannen's ability to create double teams and open up the floor for his teammate. Despite having a huge load to carry, Markannen was extremely efficient.
Defensively, Markannen isn't the most ferocious rebounder around (8.5 rebounds per 40 minutes) and will need to improve in that area. His lower body strength can probably be consolidated in the future to make him a better post-defender.
His lateral mobility enables him to be an ok Pick-and-Roll defender while being able to stay once in a while with a smaller player on the perimeter.
Markannen's ceiling is certainly limited by his athleticism but the rest of his game will translate and age really well at the next level as he continues to get bigger.
The next choice he makes will be crucial in his development as he finally decides to leave Finland. UNC, Arizona and Utah are the last three colleges in the race to get his services. A final decision should be made in the next few weeks. The Finn big guy will be looking for a good fit and immediate minutes.
Germany:
Isaiah Hartenstein ('98, Power-Forward, Artland) :
The Artland Dragons player had a pretty strong showing in Volos despite being one of the youngest players out of this German team.
An all around power-forward with great motor, activity and above average athleticism for European standards, Hartenstein has gained a couple inches and a dozen pounds over the past 18 months (over 6'10 with 7'3 wingspan), making him an even more intriguing prospect.
A left-hand dominant player, Hartenstein can handle the ball on the perimeter with ease while using his athleticism to get by his defender. Hartenstein has unfortunately a tendency to throw ill-advised passes and get out-of control on his way to the basket. He turned the ball close to 6 times per 40 minutes. If he wants to keep having a point-forward role at the next level he will need to improve his decision-making process.
Hartenstein is a big with a shooting touch who can stretch the floor for his team. He can pull-up off the dribble or in catch-and-shoot situations with a very consistant shooting mechanic and a great form on his jumper. He was not particular efficient in that role at the U18 European championship, shooting only 28% from 3 with over 4 attempts per game.
Hartenstein rebounded the ball extremely well in Volos, being one of the top rebounder per 40 minutes (16/40 minutes). He uses his size and athleticism to grab 3 offensive rebounds per contest. His improved frame enables him to block opponents more easily.
Defensively, Hartenstein has the mobility to switch off pick-and-roll situation on smaller guards. He can still lack some focus, getting caught on a couple back-door cuts. His limited lower-body strength also make hm a vulnerable target against some strong post-up opponents.
Hartenstein's Dad play at the University of Oregon, his son was born in Oregon and speaks fluent English. Unsurprisingly he raised some important interests from major College programs (Arizona, Gonzaga or Duke) but has finally opted to stay in Europe, most likely in Spain. His priority is to get consistent minutes starting next season, whether it's in the first or second division. Receiving playing time and facing pro competition will only speed up his development.
Be that as it may, there is very little doubt Hartenstein is still one of the top 1998 European prospects and should hear his name called at the NBA draft at some point. He is a unique package of skills, size and athleticism.
Kostja Mushidi ('98, Shooting-Guard, Strasbourg):
Despite being a dominant force at JBBL level and one of the top scorers at the u16 European Championship last summer, Kostja Mushidi had randomly stayed quit under the radar the past couple years. It won't be the case anymore following this U18 European Championship as he was widely seen as one of the top 5 long-term prospects at this event and a likely future NBA first round pick.
Mushidi is an athletic Shooting-Guard standing around 6'4 with long arms and a pretty mature frame for somebody who just turned 17. He was indeed one of the youngest players at this tournament.
Mushidi is a two way player, showing pride and will on the defensive end of the ball. His quickness, lateral mobility, length and mature frame make him a major issue on that end. He possesses some serious potential as a on-the-ball lockdown defender and was usually given the best wing player to defend by the German coaching staff. Off the ball, Mushidi is a constant threat on the passing lanes (1.2 steal per game), deflecting numerous passes each game. His defensive basketball IQ is really high and his understanding of defensive rotations highly impressive. He communicated on a regular basis with teammates. His athleticism should also enable him to be a good rim protector for a wing, something he didn't show much in Volos.
Offensively Mushidi is also a versatile combo-guard. He can handle the ball (he used to play the point guard spot in younger categories), shoot the ball with range in spot up situations,with his feet set, or off the dribble situation (30% from three). His shot selection is an area of his game with room for improvement but Mushidi has the rare ability to make extremely tough shots (fadeaway threes, 25 footers).
A force in transition situations, Mushidi also takes advantage of his powerfull first step to get by his defender in half-court sets. He can finish with either hand when attacking the basket and likes to go all the way to the rim. When the help defender comes over, he rarely hesitates to kick out the ball for an open teammate. His drives generated a lot of open shots for his team, especially early on in the tournament. At this point he is more of a straight line driver than somebody able to suddenly change pace and direction.
Off the court, Mushidi has a truly special background history. He has a Russian dad, a French mom, plays for the German National team and opted to move to Strasbourg next season.
Mushdi announced during this tournament he would play for "la SIG" next season,joining another uber-talented guard in Frank Ntilikina. He is a clear-cut first-round NBA prospect and it will be interesting to track how he develops under the development Strasbourg system.
Richard Freudenberg ('98, Small-Forward, Bayern):
Youngest player on the talented German squad, Freudenberg came in with minor offensive responsibilities (5 shots and 19 minutes per game) compared to last year U16 European Championship and Kaunas ANGT. He was mostly asked to play the role of a spot-up shooter - despite not being a very consistent one so far (7/25 from 3 point range) - rather than generate offense for his teammates. He took more shots from outside the arc than inside.
Freudenberg is rather a versatile all-around player on offense. Standing at 6'8 with long arms, he posses great size for the small-forward position. He is able to put the ball on the floor with a quick first step and get by his defender but rarely decides to go all the way to the rim. He only shot 4 free throws in close to 180 minutes. As he continues to get bigger and stronger it will be important for Freundenberg to be more assertive and attack the rim. He has an above average basketball IQ and should be able to create offense for himself and his teammates down the road with improved ball handling.
With his size he also showed his ability to post-up smaller wings with good footwork and good use of his body. His turnaround jump-shot is a weapon he should be able to use at the next level.
Defensively, Freudenberg is a good team-defense player. He has the right stances, understands rotations and rarely lack focus on that end which is pretty encouraging for a player this young. His length, lateral mobility and will to defend make him a capable defender 1 through 4 at this level.
Richard Freudenberg is interested in playing college basketball. Gonzaga, Vanderbilt, Texas or St. John's have done their due diligence with him and he is planning on visiting most campuses over the next few weeks.
Lithuania:
Tadas Sedekerskis ('98, Forward, Laboral/Arraberi):
Considered as one of the top prospects out of the 1998 generation (dominant performance at the U16 level last summer and at BWBs) for a little while Sedekerskis did little to dismiss this status in Volos.
A long (6'8 without shoes, long arms), versatile and lefty athlete, Sedekerskis relocated full time at the Small-Forward position over the past few months (he can still be used as a deadly stretch 4). His body looks to be developing step by steps over the last two years and his wide-shoulder should fill-out nicely when it's all said and done.
Sedekerskis is an all-around offensive player able to handle the ball in transition half-court situation, be a ball-handler in pick-and-roll situations, create for himself or his teammates (2.3 assists per game).
A good athlete for european standards, who likes to play above the rim, he can probably handle 4 positions at this level. He is an excellent rebounder for a wing, grabbing close to 10 rebounds per 40 minutes (7 rebounds in 28 minutes per game). His long arms, constant activity and athleticism make him a constant threat on the defensive board (7th best defensive rebounder of the tournament with 5.4 per game).
Lithuania's coaching staff took advantage of Sedekerski's size, quickness and footwork in some advantageous matchup situations against smaller player. If the double-team comes, Sedekerski usually handles the situation well, keeping his head up and seeing an open teammate behind the arc or a slashing one near the basket.
If he doesn't bully his opponents on the low block, he can be put in one vs one situations at the top of the key. When given the space to operate his decision-making was mostly on point.
A body of a forward player with guard skills, Sedekerski will need to get more consistent as an outside shooter as his left elbow is often not going in the right direction. His mechanic is quit slow and his release not fast enough at the moment to become a great catch and shoot option. He only shot 18 3 point shots total as he still lacks confinde ce in his outside touch. He will need to improve in that area in order to take the next step in his career.
Defensively, Sedekerskis shows competitiveness and the willingness to be in stance and put in the work on that end of the floor. Nevertheless, can struggle to move his feet against quicker wings and regularly needed the help to come over as he got beaten off the dribble.
There is no doubt Sedekerskis is a top 1998 prospect but that lack of lateral quickness defensively could hamper his upside down the road.
Now, what is the plan? How does he start getting consistant minutes at the pro level? Does he need to be loaned to another ACB club to start receiving minutes at a high level. Caja Laboral being one of the top ACB clubs makes it difficult to imagine Sedekerskis getting his first consistant taste of Pro basketball in the Basque Country. Sedekerskis is probably the best NBA prospect out of Lithuania since Jonas Valanciunas.
Birutis also deserved to be mentionned here as the other top long-term prospect of Lithuania. More to come on him in the next few weeks.
Latvia:
Verners Kohs ('97, Forward, Riga):
With Rodion Kurucs missing the U18 European Championship, there was very little doubt much of the Latvian offense would rely in the hands of Verners Kohs. Even though Kohs had a truly great tournament, surprisingly his coach had a hard time giving him a lot of playing time (20 minutes per game).
When he was on the court Kohs still used a large chunk of Latvia's offense, with a usage rate of 12 possessions per game.
Most of Kohs' offensive game is based on his great shooting stroke, maybe the best of the whole tournament. Kohs took 21 more three pointers (57) than twos (36) while hitting them at an awesome clip (26/57, 46%). He was ranked third in threes taken while being third at percentages of threes made. He can pull-up off the dribble or as a spot up shooter with his feet set. His mechanic is consistent and the release quick. Kohs is a sharpshooter and will be an efficient one for years to come. 6'9 tall with good length and athleticism and a shooting stroke, Kohs raised some Mirza Teletovic comparisons.
Kohs can also attack the rim if opposing defenses are too focus on his jump shot and finish with both hands at the rim. His basketball IQ enables him to read defensive rotations and attack intervals at the right time. His ball-handling can get too high as he can tend to dribble a bit too far away from his body.
Kohs was the most efficient player in Volos.
Defensively, Kohs has the tools to at least become an acceptable defender. He lacks top length, size or athleticsm to become an elite rim protector (0.2 block per game). Rebounding is also an area where he can make major strides, only grabbing 3.8 per 40 minutes. Kohs was pretty much a non-factor, which is an issue for a power-forward.
His frame, especially his upper-body strength, has slowly but surely improved over the past 18 months and he should be fine defending post-up situation down the road.
It will be interesting to track Kohs' development as he looks already quite mature and will probably make the jump to a tougher league in a not so far future. In any case, a Power-Forward with that kind of stroke, good athleticism and the ability to put the ball on the floor will get looks at any level.
France:
Frank Ntilikina ('98, Poing-Guard, Strasbourg):
One of the youngest players in Volos, Ntilikina was probably one of the 3 top long term prospects seen in Greece. After seeing his first minutes at the ProA level with Strasbourg this season, Ntilikina entered the tournament with a great deal of confidence.
Born in Belgium with parents from Rwanda, Ntilikina moved out to Strasbourg as a child before opting to play for the French national team
A Point Guard with great size (6'4) and incredible length for his position (close to 7´) Ntikilina has the particularity to be a very mature and poised player on the court despite his very young age, as well as a very smart one off it.
He possesses a great feel for the game and a nice court vision. Extremely unselfish, Ntilikina could be more assertive offensively as he possesses the speed, athleticism and ball-handling skills to get by his defender and straight to the rim easily. One surprising fact was how he struggled to finish at the rim in this tournament, trying to force some tough floaters over help-defenders
His main goal coming in was to run an offense for a very talented french squad. He can read very well pick and roll situations, and always keeps an eye on the weakside of the offense. He dribbles the ball with his head up and his size and court vision make him an outstanding passer. More athletic than he has the habit to demonstrate he was able to explode for a few outstanting dunks in traffic during the tournament.
His jump shot is still a work in progress but his potential in that are is real. Ntilikina is a very good free-throw shooter and his 3 point shooting percentages were really intriguing in youth competition this year (38% from 3 in Volos) Still an not reliable shooter, he will go through major shooting slump before making 2 of 3 treys in a row. He shot the outside ball well in Volos but those numbers are better than how he performed all season with Strasbourg. His mechanic is still somewhat weak and his release pretty slow. His jump-shot remains one main point of emphasis in Strasbourg's practices.
Defensively, Ntilikina was probably the best prospect of the tournament. His size, length and tenacity make him a nightmare for opposing ball handlers. Not only is he harrassing the ball-handler but he also enjoy to be very high on passing lanes and be a constant threat to still the ball in the backourt. As he continues to fill-out, Ntilikina should be able to guard 2 or even maybe 3 positions at the highest level in Europe. His length in particular makes it tough for opponents to get good looks at the rim on jump-shots.
Ntilikina still needs to put on a lot more weight but his frame should fill-out nicely in time. His core strength is already vastly improved compared to two years ago when he first became a Strasbourg player. His physical development will be key to his future and he is probably on the right track on that end. Reminder: he only turned 17 during the tournament.
Once he settles on signing with an agent, and inks his first Pro contract with Strasbourg, Ntilikina should plan on a very strict weight-lifting and workout program until the Draft. He could very well hear his name called as soon as the 2017 lottery.
Jonathan Jeanne ('97, Forward/Center, Le Mans):
It is pretty easy to watch Jonathan Jeanne run up and down the court, catch alley-oop passes way above the rim or throwing a no-look pass from the high-post and get very excited with his potential.
Jeanne started off the tournament very poorly (6/18 the first 3 games before getting benched in the third contest) before finishing up on a high notes and being one of the most consistent Frenchmen the final 4 games.
Standing at 7'2 with a wingspan hovering around 7'5+ Jeanne possesses tremendous physical skills. Only weighing at an alarming 185 pounds, he will need to continue to add way more meat, especially to his extremely weak lower body. Often compared to fellow Frenchmen Rudy Gobert (Size, length, mobility) and Alexis Ajinca (size, shooting touch, passing skills), Jeanne is way under-developed physically compared to those two. Gobert weighed 10 kilos heavier at the same age when he blew up on the international scene 5 years ago at the same level.
A good rebounder (one of the top per 40 minutes rebounder in NM1), Jeanne uses his length and mobile body to go around opponent, especially on the offensive board. With close to 7 rebounds per game and only 21 minutes per game, Jeanne has become more than an acceptable rebounder. His progresses on that end have been fairly impressive compared to two years ago where he looked allergic to grabbing rebounds. He also uses his mobility and incredible length to be a major dissuasive force at the rim (3.7 blocks per 40 minutes).He finished 4th in blocked shot something that would have never happened even a year ago when he plays at the Belgrade NIJT and was barely seen contesting shots at the rim.
A good straight driver, Jeanne tends to struggle moving laterally though. He got beaten off the dribble on a regular basis when his man brought him away from the painted area. Jeanne will also go through major stretches of the game without having any impact and not being assertive enough. His motor is still highly questionable at best and some people worry about his work ethic and how he continues to love spending time on the perimeter.
Jeanne has indeed some impressive ball handling and court vision skill. He was one of the major weapons of the French coaching staff against opponents' zone defense. A great passer from the high-post, Jeanne can catch the ball, protect it and keep his head up in order to make the right passing or driving decision. For somebody this big, that kind of court awareness is extremely rare to find. He also possesses a pretty good outside touch up to 18 feet but has clearly started to diminish his number of attempts from distance (only 1/8 from 3), now focusing on playing and finishing closer to the rim.
Jonathan Jeanne is a major potential with a lot of question marks and needs serious and intense development work in Le Mans over the next 3 seasons. His potential is way too immense to be wasted.
Killian Tillie ('98, Forward, INSEP):
Following up on an injury-plagued season, the U16 European Championship MVP didn't get any luckier in Greece as he only appeared in 3 contests before being forced to pull out ( knee issue). Tillie only spent 27 minutes on the court, not looking like his usual self, not moving very well or being the defensive force he was during the second half of the season with INSEP.
As he looks to pick a college for the 2016-2017 season (Cal, Gonzagua, Utah and Miami are among favorites, Duke also showed interest), Tillie will need to add core and lower body strength in order to avoid being hit by injury bugs during the beginning of his promising career. Getting a more consistant shooting mechanic and release will also be very high on his list of potential improvements for the next few years.
Renathan Ona-Embo ('98, Guard, US High School):
The youngest player of the French National team, born in October 1998, but also one of its top talents . After being forced to miss the U16 championship last summer, Ona Embo was back this and entered the starting five as the competition begun.
Standing at 6'3-6'4 without shoes and long arms Ona Embo has the prototypical size for a combo-guard. An explosive athlete, who has yet to understand how to make use of it, Ona Embo possesses a strong frame for a 16 year old player.
At this stage, most of the damage Ona Embo can make is on the defensive end of the floor. A great athlete, with excellent lateral mobility and great stance, Ona Embo can get into opposing guard from sideline to sideline. He is also a permanent danger on passing lanes where his feel for the ball and understanding of what plays the opposing team is running has vastly improved.
Offensively, Ona Embo is still much of the inconsistent shooter we had seen two years ago at the U16 european championship, hitting threes at a 21% clip. His right elbow doesńt follow the same direction from one shot to another. He also take an ill-advised number of unbalanced and contested shot. Being able to take and create for himself those kind of shots is a quality, attempting them very often and it becomes an issue.
Ona Embo also needs to become a better finisher at the rim for such an explosive athlete. He often prefers to finish his drive with a soft touch tear-drop rather than going straight to the rim.
His ball-handling ability is an area where he needs a lot of work as well if he wants to become a true combo-guard and handle the ball. He still has difficulties creating for himself off the dribble. His athletic ability and quick first step should enable him to get to the rim in a couple dribble if he can finally improve his ball-handling.
Overall, Ona Embo is a really young player with important upside and that deserves to be tracked down the road. He should change of high school for the second time in a year as he should be playing in the Winston-Salem area next year. He attracted attention of west coast programs like USC, UCLA or Arizona so far. By moving to the east coast, and still having two years left in high School, Ona Embo will certainly raise more interests from some top east coast and midwest Colleges.
Luc Loubaki: ('97, Guard/Small Forward, Orleans)
Stephane Gombauld ('97, Forward/Center, Asvel):
Get two players to INSEP with massive athletic and physical potentials lacking basketball fundamentals and that's the final outcome you get 3 years later: the two same, identical players.
Both cases are really interesting as they are clearly comparable. As he entered INSEP, Loubaki needed to improve his ball-handling skills, his outside shooting and his decision-making process. He was praised for his great size and body, his motor and his constant attack-mode. Gombauld needed to get bigger, become at least an average shooter and an ok ball-handler to make the transition to the 4 or even the 3 spot. His touch around the rim, incredible length (7'4+) and defensive potential were all factors that put him on the maps of top 1997 European prospects.
None of those things happened. Don't get me wrong, Loubaki and Gombauld are still really good players for their age group, taking advantage of their physical prowess and abilities they had already acquired prior to their INSEP stay.
Gombauld is a catastrophic outside shooter (2/12 from 3) as he launches outside shots while his lower-body is completely unbalanced. His ball-handling has barely improved and he is still a full time 4-5. He constantly struggles against high-level length even though his touch around the rim is still one of his strong assets. As he continues to reach a higher level of professional basketball, Gombauld will face taller and bigger competition. The struggle is just getting real.
Loubaki had a great start to the tournament and a pretty good showing overall. Unfortunately, he just hasn't improved areas of his game that will translate to the next level. His shooting mechanic is as inconsistent as it gets as he almost doesn't use his righ hand (8/30 from 3, 55% from the free throw line). Loubaki is also still way out of control at time, pushing coaches to play him at the 2 or 3 rather than the point-guard spot. He also still can't finish with his right hand. On the positive side, he is still a deadly on-the-ball defender and should turn into a lock-down player at the next level.
Who is to blame for these massive development disasters? Injuries, INSEP, players themselves? Something clearly went wrong in this process
Bathiste Tchouaffe ('98; Shooting-Guard, INSEP)
Tchouaffe's case is a good reminder how some performances at the U15 and U16 levels should be taken lightly. A mature player, Tchouaffe entered Insep a year early, 3 years ago now, and was given a statute based on advanced physical abilities: a pretty strong frame, 6'5 tall at an early age, a good shooter by French standards and a great, unselfish kid, willing to work hard and to his craft.
Unfortunately, and in a development that could be compared to the ones of Loubaki or Gombault, Tchouaffe's attributes haven't changed much while players of the same generation have caught up to him physically.
Tchouaffe played most of the tournament at the 3 position while being quit undersized (6'5 and limited wingspan). The major negative change with his game is that he was completely unable (unwilling?) to attack off the dribble in this tournament. Part of the explanation is that he had more of a spot-up shooter role in this year's team. The other part is probably that his athleticism is too limited for him to attack efficiently off the dribble or as a slasher.
His numbers are staggering: he took 44 three point shots, and only 18 shots from 2 points range. Those numbers are worrisome for a player who only hit on 28% of his long range attempts.
Lacking elite athleticism and elite size, Tchouaffe could turn into a combo-guard role. The issue is that his ball-handling skills are not reliable at all at this stage. Running an offense through Tchouaffe is not a possibility at this point.
Defensively, Tchouaffe is quit active and has the right defensive stance most of the time. He is regularly posing problems for the opposing team in passing lanes. His limited length makes it difficult to contest jump-shots from taller wings though.
On the positive side, Tchouaffe just turned 18, is a hard worker and an impressive kid off the court. His shooting mechanic is not broke (26/30 from the free-throw line) and an improved shot selection should vastly improve his efficiency. Nevertheless, to be talking of Tchouaffe as a high touting prospect with sure-fire NBA potential would be far off the truth. He has one remaining year at INSEP before heading to the Pro level.
Darel Poirier ('97, Power-Forward, Cholet)
Despite some anecdotical stats at the U18 European championship (4 points, 2.8 rebounds in 13 minutes per game) and a forgettable stay at INSEP, Darel Poirier probably deserves to be mentioned in this report. Poirier's development was slowed down over the past couple years by injuries (broken hand made him miss the U17 World Championship last summer) and the Jeanne-Gombauld combo in front of him.
A 6'9 Power-Forward with a nice wingspan, Poirier is an explosive athlete around the rim. His elite athleticism and speed for his size make him a constant threat off pick-and-rolls. His lateral mobility and long arms enable him to defend smaller players following pick-and-rolls. His rim protection needs to improved for such an impressive athlete as his timing is lacking.
Poirier is still an extremely raw athlete. He can finish at the rim with a little right-handed hook but has no touch whatsoever outside of 5 feet. If he wants to turn in a modern days power-forward, Poirier will need to develop some range on his jump-shot to complement is rolling ability.
Poirier just turned 18 and is heading to Cholet next season where he will play for the eapoir team and practice with the Pros. He is a major project and a long-shot to ever become a serious NBA prospect. Nevertheless, his raw tools alone are intriguing enough to keep an eye on him.
Finland:
Lauri Markannen ('97, Power-Forward, Finland):
One of the top prospects in Volos, Markannen impressed right away with how big he looks on the court. Among one of the smallest teams in the tournament, the 6 feet and 11 inches (maybe closer to 7'?) of Markannen and his improved frame were quit impressive. He used to play the small-forward position as it was the case at the division b U16 European Championship two years ago.
Despite being a real imposing human being, Markannen moves up and down the court with ease,, possesses good footwork and the ability to evolve offensively and defensively on the perimeter.
Even though he had to play a majority of his minutes at the 5, given how small the Finnish roster was, Markannen's future in College or at the NBA level lies at the Power-Forward position. His shooting touch and mobility makes him the perfect modern stretch 4. Finland put him multiple times each game in Pick-and-pop situation where he performed extremely well.
You are slow contesting Markannen' shot? You pay the price. Markannen was extremely consistant from distance all tournament long (12/29 from 3, 41%) with beautiful shooting stroke and a high arc on. His jump-shot.
You overplay Markannen when he receives the ball? He will get by you off the dribble with a quick first step, and nice ball-handling skills for a player this big.
Even though he likes to spend some time on the perimeter, Markannen isn't scared of contact and like to get closer to the rim. His newly-built frame enable him to get great position down low and trigger his efficient right-handed hook.
Unsurprisingly, Markannen was the fourth most efficient player offensively in Volos: 1.14 point per possession while being one of the players with the biggest usage (16 possessions per game).
The whole Finnish offense was built around Markannen's ability to create double teams and open up the floor for his teammate. Despite having a huge load to carry, Markannen was extremely efficient.
Defensively, Markannen isn't the most ferocious rebounder around (8.5 rebounds per 40 minutes) and will need to improve in that area. His lower body strength can probably be consolidated in the future to make him a better post-defender.
His lateral mobility enables him to be an ok Pick-and-Roll defender while being able to stay once in a while with a smaller player on the perimeter.
Markannen's ceiling is certainly limited by his athleticism but the rest of his game will translate and age really well at the next level as he continues to get bigger.
The next choice he makes will be crucial in his development as he finally decides to leave Finland. UNC, Arizona and Utah are the last three colleges in the race to get his services. A final decision should be made in the next few weeks. The Finn big guy will be looking for a good fit and immediate minutes.
Germany:
Isaiah Hartenstein ('98, Power-Forward, Artland) :
The Artland Dragons player had a pretty strong showing in Volos despite being one of the youngest players out of this German team.
An all around power-forward with great motor, activity and above average athleticism for European standards, Hartenstein has gained a couple inches and a dozen pounds over the past 18 months (over 6'10 with 7'3 wingspan), making him an even more intriguing prospect.
A left-hand dominant player, Hartenstein can handle the ball on the perimeter with ease while using his athleticism to get by his defender. Hartenstein has unfortunately a tendency to throw ill-advised passes and get out-of control on his way to the basket. He turned the ball close to 6 times per 40 minutes. If he wants to keep having a point-forward role at the next level he will need to improve his decision-making process.
Hartenstein is a big with a shooting touch who can stretch the floor for his team. He can pull-up off the dribble or in catch-and-shoot situations with a very consistant shooting mechanic and a great form on his jumper. He was not particular efficient in that role at the U18 European championship, shooting only 28% from 3 with over 4 attempts per game.
Hartenstein rebounded the ball extremely well in Volos, being one of the top rebounder per 40 minutes (16/40 minutes). He uses his size and athleticism to grab 3 offensive rebounds per contest. His improved frame enables him to block opponents more easily.
Defensively, Hartenstein has the mobility to switch off pick-and-roll situation on smaller guards. He can still lack some focus, getting caught on a couple back-door cuts. His limited lower-body strength also make hm a vulnerable target against some strong post-up opponents.
Hartenstein's Dad play at the University of Oregon, his son was born in Oregon and speaks fluent English. Unsurprisingly he raised some important interests from major College programs (Arizona, Gonzaga or Duke) but has finally opted to stay in Europe, most likely in Spain. His priority is to get consistent minutes starting next season, whether it's in the first or second division. Receiving playing time and facing pro competition will only speed up his development.
Be that as it may, there is very little doubt Hartenstein is still one of the top 1998 European prospects and should hear his name called at the NBA draft at some point. He is a unique package of skills, size and athleticism.
Kostja Mushidi ('98, Shooting-Guard, Strasbourg):
Despite being a dominant force at JBBL level and one of the top scorers at the u16 European Championship last summer, Kostja Mushidi had randomly stayed quit under the radar the past couple years. It won't be the case anymore following this U18 European Championship as he was widely seen as one of the top 5 long-term prospects at this event and a likely future NBA first round pick.
Mushidi is an athletic Shooting-Guard standing around 6'4 with long arms and a pretty mature frame for somebody who just turned 17. He was indeed one of the youngest players at this tournament.
Mushidi is a two way player, showing pride and will on the defensive end of the ball. His quickness, lateral mobility, length and mature frame make him a major issue on that end. He possesses some serious potential as a on-the-ball lockdown defender and was usually given the best wing player to defend by the German coaching staff. Off the ball, Mushidi is a constant threat on the passing lanes (1.2 steal per game), deflecting numerous passes each game. His defensive basketball IQ is really high and his understanding of defensive rotations highly impressive. He communicated on a regular basis with teammates. His athleticism should also enable him to be a good rim protector for a wing, something he didn't show much in Volos.
Offensively Mushidi is also a versatile combo-guard. He can handle the ball (he used to play the point guard spot in younger categories), shoot the ball with range in spot up situations,with his feet set, or off the dribble situation (30% from three). His shot selection is an area of his game with room for improvement but Mushidi has the rare ability to make extremely tough shots (fadeaway threes, 25 footers).
A force in transition situations, Mushidi also takes advantage of his powerfull first step to get by his defender in half-court sets. He can finish with either hand when attacking the basket and likes to go all the way to the rim. When the help defender comes over, he rarely hesitates to kick out the ball for an open teammate. His drives generated a lot of open shots for his team, especially early on in the tournament. At this point he is more of a straight line driver than somebody able to suddenly change pace and direction.
Off the court, Mushidi has a truly special background history. He has a Russian dad, a French mom, plays for the German National team and opted to move to Strasbourg next season.
Mushdi announced during this tournament he would play for "la SIG" next season,joining another uber-talented guard in Frank Ntilikina. He is a clear-cut first-round NBA prospect and it will be interesting to track how he develops under the development Strasbourg system.
Richard Freudenberg ('98, Small-Forward, Bayern):
Youngest player on the talented German squad, Freudenberg came in with minor offensive responsibilities (5 shots and 19 minutes per game) compared to last year U16 European Championship and Kaunas ANGT. He was mostly asked to play the role of a spot-up shooter - despite not being a very consistent one so far (7/25 from 3 point range) - rather than generate offense for his teammates. He took more shots from outside the arc than inside.
Freudenberg is rather a versatile all-around player on offense. Standing at 6'8 with long arms, he posses great size for the small-forward position. He is able to put the ball on the floor with a quick first step and get by his defender but rarely decides to go all the way to the rim. He only shot 4 free throws in close to 180 minutes. As he continues to get bigger and stronger it will be important for Freundenberg to be more assertive and attack the rim. He has an above average basketball IQ and should be able to create offense for himself and his teammates down the road with improved ball handling.
With his size he also showed his ability to post-up smaller wings with good footwork and good use of his body. His turnaround jump-shot is a weapon he should be able to use at the next level.
Defensively, Freudenberg is a good team-defense player. He has the right stances, understands rotations and rarely lack focus on that end which is pretty encouraging for a player this young. His length, lateral mobility and will to defend make him a capable defender 1 through 4 at this level.
Richard Freudenberg is interested in playing college basketball. Gonzaga, Vanderbilt, Texas or St. John's have done their due diligence with him and he is planning on visiting most campuses over the next few weeks.
Lithuania:
Tadas Sedekerskis ('98, Forward, Laboral/Arraberi):
Considered as one of the top prospects out of the 1998 generation (dominant performance at the U16 level last summer and at BWBs) for a little while Sedekerskis did little to dismiss this status in Volos.
A long (6'8 without shoes, long arms), versatile and lefty athlete, Sedekerskis relocated full time at the Small-Forward position over the past few months (he can still be used as a deadly stretch 4). His body looks to be developing step by steps over the last two years and his wide-shoulder should fill-out nicely when it's all said and done.
Sedekerskis is an all-around offensive player able to handle the ball in transition half-court situation, be a ball-handler in pick-and-roll situations, create for himself or his teammates (2.3 assists per game).
A good athlete for european standards, who likes to play above the rim, he can probably handle 4 positions at this level. He is an excellent rebounder for a wing, grabbing close to 10 rebounds per 40 minutes (7 rebounds in 28 minutes per game). His long arms, constant activity and athleticism make him a constant threat on the defensive board (7th best defensive rebounder of the tournament with 5.4 per game).
Lithuania's coaching staff took advantage of Sedekerski's size, quickness and footwork in some advantageous matchup situations against smaller player. If the double-team comes, Sedekerski usually handles the situation well, keeping his head up and seeing an open teammate behind the arc or a slashing one near the basket.
If he doesn't bully his opponents on the low block, he can be put in one vs one situations at the top of the key. When given the space to operate his decision-making was mostly on point.
A body of a forward player with guard skills, Sedekerski will need to get more consistent as an outside shooter as his left elbow is often not going in the right direction. His mechanic is quit slow and his release not fast enough at the moment to become a great catch and shoot option. He only shot 18 3 point shots total as he still lacks confinde ce in his outside touch. He will need to improve in that area in order to take the next step in his career.
Defensively, Sedekerskis shows competitiveness and the willingness to be in stance and put in the work on that end of the floor. Nevertheless, can struggle to move his feet against quicker wings and regularly needed the help to come over as he got beaten off the dribble.
There is no doubt Sedekerskis is a top 1998 prospect but that lack of lateral quickness defensively could hamper his upside down the road.
Now, what is the plan? How does he start getting consistant minutes at the pro level? Does he need to be loaned to another ACB club to start receiving minutes at a high level. Caja Laboral being one of the top ACB clubs makes it difficult to imagine Sedekerskis getting his first consistant taste of Pro basketball in the Basque Country. Sedekerskis is probably the best NBA prospect out of Lithuania since Jonas Valanciunas.
Birutis also deserved to be mentionned here as the other top long-term prospect of Lithuania. More to come on him in the next few weeks.
Latvia:
Verners Kohs ('97, Forward, Riga):
With Rodion Kurucs missing the U18 European Championship, there was very little doubt much of the Latvian offense would rely in the hands of Verners Kohs. Even though Kohs had a truly great tournament, surprisingly his coach had a hard time giving him a lot of playing time (20 minutes per game).
When he was on the court Kohs still used a large chunk of Latvia's offense, with a usage rate of 12 possessions per game.
Most of Kohs' offensive game is based on his great shooting stroke, maybe the best of the whole tournament. Kohs took 21 more three pointers (57) than twos (36) while hitting them at an awesome clip (26/57, 46%). He was ranked third in threes taken while being third at percentages of threes made. He can pull-up off the dribble or as a spot up shooter with his feet set. His mechanic is consistent and the release quick. Kohs is a sharpshooter and will be an efficient one for years to come. 6'9 tall with good length and athleticism and a shooting stroke, Kohs raised some Mirza Teletovic comparisons.
Kohs can also attack the rim if opposing defenses are too focus on his jump shot and finish with both hands at the rim. His basketball IQ enables him to read defensive rotations and attack intervals at the right time. His ball-handling can get too high as he can tend to dribble a bit too far away from his body.
Kohs was the most efficient player in Volos.
Defensively, Kohs has the tools to at least become an acceptable defender. He lacks top length, size or athleticsm to become an elite rim protector (0.2 block per game). Rebounding is also an area where he can make major strides, only grabbing 3.8 per 40 minutes. Kohs was pretty much a non-factor, which is an issue for a power-forward.
His frame, especially his upper-body strength, has slowly but surely improved over the past 18 months and he should be fine defending post-up situation down the road.
It will be interesting to track Kohs' development as he looks already quite mature and will probably make the jump to a tougher league in a not so far future. In any case, a Power-Forward with that kind of stroke, good athleticism and the ability to put the ball on the floor will get looks at any level.
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