By Pietro Cristofori
Every year, the BWB Global Camp is one of the most anticipated events of the season, as it provides one of the best opportunities to compare the level of each generation across different continents. This year, from February 14th to February 16th, forty U18 players—among the best in the world—showcased their talent in San Francisco in front of numerous scouts and executives. Seventeen of them came from Europe, representing eight different European countries.
In this article, we analyze four of the standout European prospects from the event: the impression they left over the weekend and how their game translates to the professional level.
Noa Kouakou Heugue - INSEP, France
Every year, the BWB Global Camp is one of the most anticipated events of the season, as it provides one of the best opportunities to compare the level of each generation across different continents. This year, from February 14th to February 16th, forty U18 players—among the best in the world—showcased their talent in San Francisco in front of numerous scouts and executives. Seventeen of them came from Europe, representing eight different European countries.
In this article, we analyze four of the standout European prospects from the event: the impression they left over the weekend and how their game translates to the professional level.
Noa Kouakou Heugue - INSEP, France
Official Measurements: 6'10.5" HT., 7'0" WS., 211 Lbs
Kouakou has been one of the biggest risers after this BWB. The French big man has further boosted his stock following a strong first half of the season with INSEP. Recent measurements in San Francisco indicate that NKH has added an inch since last year, now standing at 6'10.5" with a 7'0" wingspan.
He shows clear NBA potential. Kouakou was one of the players with the highest motor in San Francisco: a rim-runner with excellent verticality, he played at a fast pace and outpaced his opponents. In athletic tests, he stood out in the standing vertical (26.75") and lane agility (12.13s) tests. He brings all the qualities required for a dynamic and mobile big man in the league. He rolls to the basket quickly, has quick hands, and shows excellent coordination mid-air. He was able to score a couple of times despite tough rejections.
Kouakou is very smart and reads situations in advance on both ends of the floor. What makes him particularly appealing in the NBA is his defensive impact: he’s very efficient on switches, where his combination of size and footwork allows him to stay in front of quick guards. He uses his hands well, is quick to react, and crashes the boards effectively. His center of gravity is solid, not too high, allowing him to maintain balance in tough situations.
Over the last couple of months, Kouakou has started to gain confidence in shooting the ball from three-point range, which could become a very valuable asset in the long run. His execution and release are surprisingly quick, but his shooting angles and mechanics need some refinement.
He needs to continue adding muscle and building his frame. Right now, he’s a bit lanky, but that’s part of his game, as his bounce and verticality are what make him special.
Down the line, he projects as one Top 5 players in his generation. Mobile and dynamic big at the NBA level.
Maikcol Giuliano Perez - Orange1 Bassano, Italy
Official Measurements: 6'8" HT., 6'11.5" WS., 224 Lbs
One of the main names in his generation, Perez has left his mark in every international competition he has played in so far during his youth career. He made All-Tournament teams both at the U16 European Championship and the U17 World Cup. He currently plays in the U19 Italian league with Orange1 Bassano, where he's averaging 16.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
The 2025-class small forward made a very positive impression at the event. Perez has NBA-level appeal thanks to his mix of perimeter skillset and size. Projected as a forward, he stands at 6'8" with a 6'11" wingspan and a well-built body, ready to be further filled in with muscle. His archetype is more strong than lanky – down the line it looks like an "NBA body." His proportions are those of a forward, but his feet are more like a guard’s. He takes very short steps and is always in balance and control. Due to his lack of elite athelticism and dynamism for NBA standars, I don't see him as a connector type of forward (es. Rui Hachimura). I believe Perez has considerable room for improvement as a creator off the dribble, using screens, and playing through advantages. He knows how to read the game and is always under control. Feel, vision and poise are remarkable. His feet and lateral quickness are good, and he uses his length and angles very well. His balance is solid for a 6'8" player: he is always able to transfer momentum effectively. This projects him as a forward who can also guard wings in the league. His main flaw has always been his outside shot and overall shooting form, which were inconsistent and bad-looking in previous seasons. However, during the event, Perez showed improvement in this area: his release is more linear and the ball comes off his hands more fluidly. He's still far from consistent and efficient, but his improvements and growing confidence have been encouraging.
Explosiveness and shooting ability are the areas that currently hurt his stock from an NBA-level perspective. The former is decent (24.25" standing vertical), but this issue should resolve over time as his body develops in the coming years. The latter, however, must continue to improve as it has done lately. Becoming a reliable shooter is key to his projection: he's currently more comfortable shooting pull-ups than spot-up shots. Work in progress.
Dominykas Daubaris - Zalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania
Official Measurements: 6'9.75" HT., 6'8.5" WS., 219 Lbs
One of the most talented forwards Lithuania has produced in recent years, Daubaris missed the entire 2023-24 season due to an ACL injury, which also forced him to sit out the 2024 U17 World Cup. He returned from the injury with a stronger and more muscular frame. Despite this, he has maintained his solid explosiveness and leaping ability (26.75" standing vertical at BWB official tests). Daubaris has always been more explosive than quick. His upper body is now much more defined, and his proportions look good, but he still seems to be adjusting to his new weight, as he doesn’t look as mobile or fluid as he was before the injury.
Daubaris fits the profile of a modern 4-man in the EuroLeague. Standing at 6'9.75" with solid athleticism for the level, he easily projects as a player at that level from a physical standpoint. His go-to skill will be his three-point shooting. Right now, his shooting mechanics look different compared to before the injury, but he still needs to adjust to his new body and strength. His shooting efficiency has not quite come along yet (1/17 3FG at ANGE Ulm and some inconsistency in San Francisco), but this will improve over time, as his ball spin and wrist strength are excellent. It’s just a matter of regaining confidence and rhythm. His on-ball skill is going under the radar at the moment, since he hasn't been involved in any of those sets as of lately neither with Zalgiris Kaunas or in San Francisco, but Daubaris has some nice fluid moves when it comes to attacking the rim face-up. As mentioned earlier, he has lost some quickness due to the added weight following his injury, which is why his playstyle has been different lately. Mentally, it seems like he has recovered well from the injury. He plays smart and tough, and doesn’t require the ball in his hands to be effective. On the defensive end, he's solid, reads the game well, and acts as a legitimate rim protector at every European level.
Down the line, Daubaris has the tools to become a high European level player over the next decade. He has a projectable elite skill (shooting), athleticism and motor are solid, he's smart and fits in multiple scenarios at the 4.
Dovydas Buika - Zalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania
Official Measurements: 6'6" HT., 6'6" WS., 207 Lbs
Buika has had an intense 2025 so far. He made his debut with Žalgiris' first team in the LKL and EuroLeague, and he was also selected for the All-Tournament Team at ANGT Ulm after an impressive run that ended with a loss in the final against FC Barcelona.
Standing at 6'6" with a 6'6" wingspan, Buika has a EuroLeague-level frame. Body is naturally strong: wide shoulders and back, torso and biceps have plenty of room to fill-in. Buika looked less bulky than last season. I don’t see him as a PG at that level, as he lacks the motor and natural feel to be a primary ball-handler. Over the years, he has significantly improved his confidence in handling the ball—earlier in his career, he looked hesitant bringing it up, whereas now he takes on primary ball-handling duties for his teams. While he may never be a true floor general at the next level, he should be capable of handling some lead guard responsibilities when needed.
I see him more as a complementary glue guard in the EuroLeague, playing alongside a more skilled guard. Buika was used in this role in the earlier stages of his career when competing against older competition (in ANGT 2022-23 and the U16 European Championship 2023), earning minutes through effort, toughness, and defense. He is a high-IQ player who makes smart cuts and fits into multiple offensive sets. What stands out the most about him is his ability to adapt to any situation. Over the years, he has evolved his game, stepping up as a leader for one of the best U18 teams in Europe. His poised and mature playstyle elevates his long-term projection.
At the end of the day, to become a legit EuroLeague player, Buika needs to keep adding consistency to his shot—currently a 29.4% 3PT shooter in the Lithuanian 2nd division—while also improving his handles and facilitation skills to be at least reliable in that area.
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