By Pietro Cristofori
The 1st edition of the "Bridge of Hoops" has come to an end, with eight of the best European academies and American high school teams clashing in Bassano del Grappa from October 22nd to October 25th.
This was a unique chance for many scouts and executives to see how these two worlds compare at the high school stage. The results have been very interesting, and at the end of the day, every team was able to learn a lot from this experience.
Prolific Prep and Southeastern Prep Academy finished the weekend with a 3-0 record, as they were led by NBA-potential players Nasir Anderson (Prolific Prep), Beckham Black (SEPA), Bruce Branch III (Prolific Prep), and CJ Rosser (SEPA).
These are eight scouting reports on some of the European players who caught the eye the most during the event.
#8 Tomislav Vuckovic - 01/30/2008 (17.8), 6'3", Guard, Croatia, BC Dubai
STATS: 16.7 PPG, 69.2 2FG%, 31.8 3FG%, 4.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 3.0 TO, 1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Vuckovic is a three-level scorer who has the keys to Dubai's offense. He needs the ball in his hands to be productive. He can score from both spot-up and pull-up situations. He has NBA range from deep. During the event, he showed some very good passing instincts out of pick&roll situations, where he was able to read the advantage even on the weak side. He's confident and always plays with his head high. I'm curious to watch him in another context where he has to share his offensive duties with someone else. Overall, he has a complete offensive arsenal that allows him to play as a combo guard at the next level. On defense, he doesn’t commit much, but that might be due to his high offensive load. From a physical standpoint, he has decent size, standing at 6'3", with average athleticism. He has to take a major step physically in order to raise his ceiling further.
#16 Lukas Kubala - 12/05/2008 (16.9), 6'9", Power Forward/Center, Slovakia, BC Dubai
STATS: 21.7 PPG, 67.6 2FG%, 40.0 3FG%, 8.3 RPG, 0.3 APG, 2.0 TO, 0.7 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Kubala looked better than he did last summer with the Slovakia NT. Since three big men on his team weren’t able to compete in the event, he had to step up. Standing at 6'9", the Slovakian big man has a strong frame. In the best-case scenario, in the long term, he projects as a 4-man, but at the moment he's stuck between the 4 and 5 spots. He can’t shoot, and he’s not mobile or skilled enough to play at the forward spot full-time. He’s more comfortable scoring through hook shots and moving in the paint. During the event, he played with good motor and had a solid impact under the boards. He lacks high-end basketball IQ, but he's productive and he was a major factor for his team.
#4 Aaron Ona Embo - 04/14/2009 (16.5), 6'1", Point Guard, Belgium, Prolific Prep (CA)
STATS: 11.3 PPG, 61.5 2FG%, 23.5 3FG%, 4.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 TO, 1.7 SPG
There's a lot to like in Ona Embo’s versatility; he fits in many settings and different lineups. Despite playing on a stacked roster, he gets big minutes because he brings many things to the table. He can shoot from three and finds ways to sneak into the lane. He puts his teammates in rhythm — a good passer who reads the game well. Thanks to his ability to read the game and stay poised, I think his ceiling is higher than what his physical tools might suggest. He’s a vocal leader — you can feel his presence on both ends of the floor. His attitude is always good; he plays the same way against every opponent. He projects as a floor general.
#3 Ricards Aizpurs - 08/01/2008 (17.2), 6'5", Small Forward, Latvia, The Star Alliance
STATS: 21.6 PPG, 60.0 2FG%, 35.9 3FG%, 3.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 2.0 TO, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG
One of the best shooters in the event. At whatever level he plays, he delivers with consistency. Aizpurs thrives in spot-up situations, and when he gains confidence, he scores in bunches. His burst is decent, and he struggles to beat his man 1v1 at the next level, but his athleticism and explosiveness are solid. His handles are the main concern in his offensive game — not fluid enough to play at the guard spot. He plays with high energy and motor and commits on the defensive end. At a higher level, he should play at the 3 in a 3&D type of role.
#2 Sten Markus Adamson - 07/29/2008 (17.2), 6'8", Forward, Estonia, Zalgiris Kaunas
STATS: 7.7 PPG, 53.3 2FG%, 14.3 3FG%, 5.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 3.0 TO, 0.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG
He’s adapting well to the Zalgiris Kaunas context after moving from Estonia during the summer. His mix of athleticism and size allows him to play from the wing to the PF spot at the youth level. His hips are quite rigid, which prevents him from being too comfortable handling the ball on the perimeter. He had ball-handling duties for large parts of the event, where he used screens and tried to play pick&roll actions. However, he lacks fluidity when changing direction and pace. He’s much more comfortable as a straight-line slasher who uses his athleticism to get down the lane. He relies too much on his right hand. His shot is inconsistent — mechanics need to be refined slowly. The ball doesn’t leave his hands with good spin. In the long term, he could still play on the wing or at the forward spot, even as the level of competition rises.
#14 Emils Steckis - 03/04/2009 (16.6), 6'10", Center, Latvia, Zalgiris Kaunas
STATS: 8.7 PPG, 70.6 2FG%, 3.3 RPG, 0.3 APG, 1.3 TO, 1.7 BPG
He’s consistently improving. He looks better than he did a few months ago, both physically and skill-wise. Now he’s standing at 6'10" with a frame that might still grow. He has above-average basketball IQ and feel for the game for a big man. He possesses solid coordination and body control, which allow him to be a good passer in short rolls and out of the low post. His instincts allow him to play at the 5 or alongside another big like Ignas Stombergas. He moves very well laterally — he’s quick and can sit on the perimeter to guard smaller and faster players. At the moment, he can’t shoot, but in time he might get there — he learns fast. Steckis is one of the big men with the highest ceiling in his generation.
#16 Ignas Stombergas - 02/21/2008 (17.6), 6'11", Center, Lithuania, Zalgiris Kaunas
STATS: 15.0 PPG, 61.9 2FG%, 7.7 RPG, 0.7 APG, 2 TO, 0.7 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Vertical and athletic big man. High-force rebounder. His wide shoulders and well-built lower body suggest that he can easily add kilos in the long term. Good coordination and sense of positioning. Plays bigger and stronger than his size. His feet are quick, and he can move laterally while maintaining momentum. His hips are quite mobile, allowing him to spin and turn quickly. His shooting mechanics are slowly improving, and in the long term he could add a reliable dimension at least from the free-throw line. Overall, he understands the game and knows his role on both ends of the floor.
#35 Maksim Brnovic - 05/20/2008 (17.4), 6'9", Forward, Montenegro, Zalgiris Kaunas
STATS: 9.0 PPG, 46.7 2FG%, 21.4 3FG%, 6.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 3.0 TO, 0.7 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Zalgiris’ playstyle allows him to handle the ball and run the offense even though he plays at the 4. Brnovic has good handles and fluidity for his size, which allows him to play both forward positions. He’s an inconsistent shooter — his shot arc is low, and he’s streaky. He’s comfortable attacking closeouts, where he can use his solid athleticism and skill set to get to his spots. He’s active from the mid-range, where he often has mismatches. During the event, he was able to withstand the physicality and athleticism of the American teams, which hasn’t been common among other European players throughout the event. His body is slowly getting stronger. Versatile forward.
The 1st edition of the "Bridge of Hoops" has come to an end, with eight of the best European academies and American high school teams clashing in Bassano del Grappa from October 22nd to October 25th.
This was a unique chance for many scouts and executives to see how these two worlds compare at the high school stage. The results have been very interesting, and at the end of the day, every team was able to learn a lot from this experience.
Prolific Prep and Southeastern Prep Academy finished the weekend with a 3-0 record, as they were led by NBA-potential players Nasir Anderson (Prolific Prep), Beckham Black (SEPA), Bruce Branch III (Prolific Prep), and CJ Rosser (SEPA).
These are eight scouting reports on some of the European players who caught the eye the most during the event.
#8 Tomislav Vuckovic - 01/30/2008 (17.8), 6'3", Guard, Croatia, BC Dubai
STATS: 16.7 PPG, 69.2 2FG%, 31.8 3FG%, 4.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 3.0 TO, 1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Vuckovic is a three-level scorer who has the keys to Dubai's offense. He needs the ball in his hands to be productive. He can score from both spot-up and pull-up situations. He has NBA range from deep. During the event, he showed some very good passing instincts out of pick&roll situations, where he was able to read the advantage even on the weak side. He's confident and always plays with his head high. I'm curious to watch him in another context where he has to share his offensive duties with someone else. Overall, he has a complete offensive arsenal that allows him to play as a combo guard at the next level. On defense, he doesn’t commit much, but that might be due to his high offensive load. From a physical standpoint, he has decent size, standing at 6'3", with average athleticism. He has to take a major step physically in order to raise his ceiling further.
#16 Lukas Kubala - 12/05/2008 (16.9), 6'9", Power Forward/Center, Slovakia, BC Dubai
STATS: 21.7 PPG, 67.6 2FG%, 40.0 3FG%, 8.3 RPG, 0.3 APG, 2.0 TO, 0.7 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Kubala looked better than he did last summer with the Slovakia NT. Since three big men on his team weren’t able to compete in the event, he had to step up. Standing at 6'9", the Slovakian big man has a strong frame. In the best-case scenario, in the long term, he projects as a 4-man, but at the moment he's stuck between the 4 and 5 spots. He can’t shoot, and he’s not mobile or skilled enough to play at the forward spot full-time. He’s more comfortable scoring through hook shots and moving in the paint. During the event, he played with good motor and had a solid impact under the boards. He lacks high-end basketball IQ, but he's productive and he was a major factor for his team.
#4 Aaron Ona Embo - 04/14/2009 (16.5), 6'1", Point Guard, Belgium, Prolific Prep (CA)
STATS: 11.3 PPG, 61.5 2FG%, 23.5 3FG%, 4.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 TO, 1.7 SPG
There's a lot to like in Ona Embo’s versatility; he fits in many settings and different lineups. Despite playing on a stacked roster, he gets big minutes because he brings many things to the table. He can shoot from three and finds ways to sneak into the lane. He puts his teammates in rhythm — a good passer who reads the game well. Thanks to his ability to read the game and stay poised, I think his ceiling is higher than what his physical tools might suggest. He’s a vocal leader — you can feel his presence on both ends of the floor. His attitude is always good; he plays the same way against every opponent. He projects as a floor general.
#3 Ricards Aizpurs - 08/01/2008 (17.2), 6'5", Small Forward, Latvia, The Star Alliance
STATS: 21.6 PPG, 60.0 2FG%, 35.9 3FG%, 3.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 2.0 TO, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG
One of the best shooters in the event. At whatever level he plays, he delivers with consistency. Aizpurs thrives in spot-up situations, and when he gains confidence, he scores in bunches. His burst is decent, and he struggles to beat his man 1v1 at the next level, but his athleticism and explosiveness are solid. His handles are the main concern in his offensive game — not fluid enough to play at the guard spot. He plays with high energy and motor and commits on the defensive end. At a higher level, he should play at the 3 in a 3&D type of role.
#2 Sten Markus Adamson - 07/29/2008 (17.2), 6'8", Forward, Estonia, Zalgiris Kaunas
STATS: 7.7 PPG, 53.3 2FG%, 14.3 3FG%, 5.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 3.0 TO, 0.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG
He’s adapting well to the Zalgiris Kaunas context after moving from Estonia during the summer. His mix of athleticism and size allows him to play from the wing to the PF spot at the youth level. His hips are quite rigid, which prevents him from being too comfortable handling the ball on the perimeter. He had ball-handling duties for large parts of the event, where he used screens and tried to play pick&roll actions. However, he lacks fluidity when changing direction and pace. He’s much more comfortable as a straight-line slasher who uses his athleticism to get down the lane. He relies too much on his right hand. His shot is inconsistent — mechanics need to be refined slowly. The ball doesn’t leave his hands with good spin. In the long term, he could still play on the wing or at the forward spot, even as the level of competition rises.
#14 Emils Steckis - 03/04/2009 (16.6), 6'10", Center, Latvia, Zalgiris Kaunas
STATS: 8.7 PPG, 70.6 2FG%, 3.3 RPG, 0.3 APG, 1.3 TO, 1.7 BPG
He’s consistently improving. He looks better than he did a few months ago, both physically and skill-wise. Now he’s standing at 6'10" with a frame that might still grow. He has above-average basketball IQ and feel for the game for a big man. He possesses solid coordination and body control, which allow him to be a good passer in short rolls and out of the low post. His instincts allow him to play at the 5 or alongside another big like Ignas Stombergas. He moves very well laterally — he’s quick and can sit on the perimeter to guard smaller and faster players. At the moment, he can’t shoot, but in time he might get there — he learns fast. Steckis is one of the big men with the highest ceiling in his generation.
#16 Ignas Stombergas - 02/21/2008 (17.6), 6'11", Center, Lithuania, Zalgiris Kaunas
STATS: 15.0 PPG, 61.9 2FG%, 7.7 RPG, 0.7 APG, 2 TO, 0.7 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Vertical and athletic big man. High-force rebounder. His wide shoulders and well-built lower body suggest that he can easily add kilos in the long term. Good coordination and sense of positioning. Plays bigger and stronger than his size. His feet are quick, and he can move laterally while maintaining momentum. His hips are quite mobile, allowing him to spin and turn quickly. His shooting mechanics are slowly improving, and in the long term he could add a reliable dimension at least from the free-throw line. Overall, he understands the game and knows his role on both ends of the floor.
#35 Maksim Brnovic - 05/20/2008 (17.4), 6'9", Forward, Montenegro, Zalgiris Kaunas
STATS: 9.0 PPG, 46.7 2FG%, 21.4 3FG%, 6.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 3.0 TO, 0.7 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Zalgiris’ playstyle allows him to handle the ball and run the offense even though he plays at the 4. Brnovic has good handles and fluidity for his size, which allows him to play both forward positions. He’s an inconsistent shooter — his shot arc is low, and he’s streaky. He’s comfortable attacking closeouts, where he can use his solid athleticism and skill set to get to his spots. He’s active from the mid-range, where he often has mismatches. During the event, he was able to withstand the physicality and athleticism of the American teams, which hasn’t been common among other European players throughout the event. His body is slowly getting stronger. Versatile forward.
ADVERTISING
