By Pietro Cristofori

Eurobasket 2025 was one of the most surprising editions over the last ones, with some notable events that came up during the torurnament: Spain’s elimination in the group stage, Finland’s ride to the semifinals, and Serbia’s and France’s upset in the round of 16. The hype around the event was high also among NBA scouts and executives, since the event featured a solid number of NBA Draft eligible prospects. Among these prospects, five of them were able to catch the eye more than others, impacting the game of their National Teams in multiple scenarios.

Sergio De Larrea - Guard, Spain, Valencia Basket (EL-ACB), Age: 19.7 

Sergio De Larrea was one of the few bright spots in Spain’s tournament in Cyprus. The 6’6” guard established himself as a sized and skilled guard, and by the end of the event he was one of the main risers in the competition. With clear NBA potential, De Larrea showed a mature style of play, and it looked like he always had the situation under control during his time on the floor, finishing the event with an impressive 3.6 AST/TO ratio. His presence on the floor was very important for Coach Scariolo, as he started the four most important games of the competition for the team. His stock is rising on Draft boards, as it seems that De Larrea has considerably improved the flaws in his game over the last season and has been on a consistently positive trend for a long time now. The Valencia guard has improved his scoring game, which was the main concern for large parts of his career: low finishing at the rim and shooting inconsistency were the main issues until one year ago. But now, the situation has changed, as De Larrea has become a better shooter from behind the arc and can better handle pressure in many aspects. He finished the event with a remarkable 38.5% from deep on 2.6 attempts per game. He was also able to finish at the rim with a decent 40% from two-point range. Overall, De Larrea was consistent throughout the event and has clearly benefited from last year’s professional experience with his team on the ACB and EuroCup stage. 

Miikka Muurinen - Power Forward, Finland, Partizan Belgrade (EL-ABA), Age: 18.5

Crowned as the EuroBasket ‘Rising Star,’ Muurinen played a pivotal role in Finland’s remarkable run to 4th place. Standing at 6'10", he tops Eurohopes’ 2007-born ranking and, following his standout performance, has joined Partizan Belgrade for the upcoming season. The 18-year-old Finnish player displayed impressive flashes of talent during the event. Muurinen had a good fit alongside Finland's star Lauri Markkanen in limited minutes, but he was able to impact the game thanks to his energy and fearless style of play. He immediately stands out on the floor because of his energy and fearless approach. At the moment, he lacks elite craft and ball-handling skills that would allow him to project as a primary option in an NBA scenario. He would fit well in a context where he can use his athleticism and size to finish at the rim, taking advantage of opportunities created by teammates. Over the course of his youth career, Muurinen has also shown intriguing mid-range skill, which he was unable to display during this event due to his limited role. Fluid and creative near the rim, most of his production came through dunks and offensive rebounds (87.5% from 2FG). His shooting consistency was remarkable throughout the event, hitting 35.3% from behind the three-point line, although his mechanics remain not completely fluid. A solid defender overall, he competes and contests many shots thanks to his reach and wingspan. He will be one of the main names to watch in the upcoming Euroleague season.
 

Alexandros Samodurov - Power Forward, Greece, Panathinaikos (EL-GRE1), Age: 20.3 

Samodurov emerged as a solid big man in Coach Spanoulis’ rotations. He was ready to contribute right away in a frontcourt-loaded team, after having big performances at the U20 European Championship in July. Samodurov will stay in Europe next season as he returns to his club, Panathinaikos, competing in both the EuroLeague and the Greek First League. Samodurov showed a very intriguing face-up game. His shot has improved considerably over the last period, though it is still inconsistent (26.3% from deep in the event), but his mechanics have improved and are quicker. Capable of spacing the floor and making reads, Samodurov can play off the ball. His body is naturally lanky compared to the competition, and he plays smaller than his size (registered at 6’10.5” at BWB Global Camp in 2023). At the moment, he’s a tweener, stuck between the 4 and 5 positions. During the event, he mainly played at the 4, but he was used as the main big for some minutes. Not able to carry the workload of a full-time 5, he is more functional as a stretch 4 with his mix of size, skill, and athleticism. Samodurov’s contract with Panathinaikos lasts for three more seasons, and in this one, the Greek big should make significant strides in both local and EuroLeague competition. 

Miro Little - Guard, Finland, UC Santa Barbara (NCAA), Age: 21.2 

A veteran of FIBA competition, having completed his third official tournament with his national team (after FIBA WC 2023 and the 2024 Olympic Games), Miro Little saw his responsibilities and duties grow considerably in this tournament. He was a key part of his team’s upset against Serbia in the Round of 16, where Little posted a 25 PIR performance thanks to 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 steals. He showed increased maturity in his playstyle, acting as a lead guard. He is broad-shouldered and also looked stronger than one year ago. He was able to translate his power and motor to this level. He still has to work on his decision-making to take the next step in his game, and since he has a bigger archetype, it is not easy for him to be quick in changing angles or to have extremely fluid handles. After some tough years at the high-major level with Baylor and Utah, where he was unable to find consistency, Little decided to step down to the Big West, committing to UC Santa Barbara. This season, he will be the lead guard on a team who was high-major caliber personnel on the perimeter. 

Mario Saint Supery - Guard, Spain, Gonzaga (NCAA), Age: 19.4 

Mario Saint Supery was on his first big stage of his men’s career with the national team, but he already had some good minutes and important responsibilities throughout the event. Saint-Supery had a solid season in the ACB Liga with Manresa during the past season, coming off the bench but acting as an energy changer, and he was able to take over a similar role during this event. He was highly productive as a backup guard while subbing in for his peer Sergio De Larrea. Unlike the Valencia guard, Saint Supery excels more as a complementary type of guard at this point in his career. His handles are not always tight, and he’s not always in control of the action. With this being said, in Cyprus, he showed some impressive flashes as a passer and was confident while acting as a handler, passing the ball with correct angles and timing. Throughout his youth career, his shot has been listed as one of the main concerns of his game, but over the last season it has been improving. Mechanics are still not the best-looking, but he’s now starting to become efficient and consistent. His athleticism and size allow him to be considered a high-end European-level player for the future. He projects as a combo guard who can bring an all-around set of traits to the table. Committed to Gonzaga, he will join forces in Spokane with Spanish assistant coach Jorge Sanz.
 
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