Roko Prkacin

Roko Prkačin (’02) is obviously their main talent and he had quite a good game with 14 points and 4 rebounds in 23 minutes. He is struggling quite a lot with his consistency this season and we haven’t seen his best performances yet but from time to time he reminds everyone that he has a lot of basketball talent in him. In this game he showed a lot of versatility as a finisher and made some baskets out of pick & rolls, out of cuts, post ups, offensive rebounds and also made a corner three point shot. I’m not completely buying his shot from distance yet and there are some things to fix in his release to be more reliable as a shooter. Roko also had one post up action in the game where he bulldozed the defender from the three point line to the painted area and finished with an and1 and we don’t see that that often from players this age on pro level. He had a few nice passes after a quick decision and showed good basketball IQ and feel for game in those possessions. Didn’t impressed me that much on the defensive end and was late in rotations and on closeouts a few times. Also was pretty bad at defending post ups and was moved around too easily or thrown out of balance/position with a few moves. He was active as a rebounder on both ends of the court which is a good sign.

Only one club has “produced” two award winners so far, so let’s stop in Zagreb next and visit Cibona’s arena (and while being there, also visit the Memorial Center Dražen Petrović next to it). Roko Prkačin, ranked #3 on our 2002 ranking list, is expected to be one of the leaders of the team in next season. He had some good games last season too but this year his role should be much bigger. Versatile big that likes to play with face to the basket and attack from the top. His combination of athleticism, footwork and ball handling skills makes him a nightmare matchup for most bigs in the league and he can get past them and to the rim pretty easily. Worked a lot on his outside shot too and if he manages to bring good shooting percentages from the three point line to the table, he could be one of the players to watch for in the future, not just in next season. But with the role that is expected for him in next season, he should be amongst the most noticeable young players in the league and the biggest competition to Petrušev.

ROKO PRKACIN is a true prodigy. He is son of former Euroleague player and displays same big energy ball like his dad. However he is way more multi faceted weapon.

Roko is arguably once in a generation level of talent and basically possess legitimate wing skillset. He handles the ball very well for 6’9 guy (maybe left hand could still be better) and even has some wiggle. Shaking defender out of the balance 7 meters away from the hoop is definitely not something you expect or can see often from 206cm tall player. He is either coast to coast and drive and kick threat. Moreover rebounding, post game and sharing the ball from that area are possibly another (at least close to) elite assets of 16 year old hoop phenom from Croatia.

At the same time Roko posses decent physical tools in upper & lower body, above average length & athleticism plus high motor as he is almost hyperactive in his seeking to get the ball and make plays.

You can’t notice any kind of star behaviour, he looks like he enjoys the game and is fully aware of how damn good he is in basketball. Also as far as skillset is concerned it is hard to find any flaws in his overall well roundedness besides one crucial thing which is shooting. He made just 14 from 96 threes combined in last two ABA Liga U19 seasons, Croatian 2nd tier + FIBA U16s & U17s. He breaks the motion a little bit just before the follow through but seems developable in this regard despite horrible numbers. His touch on runners which he likes to use when defenders move back on purpose could be better as well.

It seems like improving his stroke can fully unlock Prkacin’s genius. If he hits open 3 consistently, gets better stop & pop or stop on a dime on perimeter then can really become complete player.

Defensively he shows good instincts as well. Has quick hands and excellent anticipation & fundamentals. While he is not projected to intrigue scouts by his potential on this end he simply doesn’t allow any player to outplay him thanks to know how, positioning, ok size & physicality or substantial degree of competitiveness.

Young Prkacin shows tremedous maturity and keeps achieving next steps smoothly in his career and already sees playing time in domestic top tier which can open ABA Liga doors as soon as next season. In some ways he may be better in some worse than young Dario Saric (not exact playing style or tools but probably won’t avoid comparisons given incredible talent, same nationality, position on the court and being raised in Cibona which Timberwolves PF joined after he turned 18). He is on pace to follow his footsteps and become someone who can see regular minutes in Euroleague as a teenager. However in today’s basketball he simply must make more shots in order to be REALLY high draft pick next years.

ROKO PRKACIN, 6’8, FORWARD, CROATIA

STRENGTHS:
– Stands at 6’8’’- combo forward with wide shoulders, nice mobility and lateral quickness.
– Very versatile on offense, able to play both forward positions. Operates well in the post, gets deep in the paint and plays back to the basket using many fakes, fast spins and baby hooks using either hand. Fights, able to grab an odd offensive rebound.
– Aggressive with the ball, plays well in isolation, nice first step, gets past his defender, goes hard and finishes with lay ups, floaters or above the rim. Not afraid, able to finish through contact and in traffic. – – Has a very good understanding of the game, smart, reads the defense, draws attention and passes to open teammates. Can play PnR both as a screener and ball handler.
– Runs the floor fast, with and without the ball, can go coast to coast. Always with his head up aware of slashing teammates, delivering the ball with nice bounce passes. Good vision, able to throw an outlet pass and start the break.
– Confident, delivers points in important moments, not afraid to take big shots, clutch performer.
– Solid 1vs1 defender, keeps the strong base, good positioning, boxes out and grabs a lot of rebounds. Plays well as a second line defender able to close the gaps, help his teammates and protect the rim.

WEAKNESSES:
– Not very active without the ball on the perimeter, stands and looks what his teammates are doing, sometimes compromising the spacing.
– Jumps to pump fakes regularly, hunts for blocks, leaves his feet too often.
– Sometimes asleep and disoriented on defense, not aggressive, forgets to close out, help and rotate accordingly.
– Needs to take better care off the ball (TO-2.9) especially in transition, his handles are stiff and need some polishing.
– Not a reliable shooter, doesn’t convert at high clip even though his shooting form looks okay, struggles from the 3 point line – 16.7%, slow release. Not impressive 61.4% from FT line.

OUTLOOK:
Roko Prkacin was the MVP of this year’s U16 European Championship tournament and finished 1 st with Croatia. He averaged an imposing 18.6pts, 10.9rebs, 3.7ast and 2bs, showcasing his understanding for the game, versatility on the offense, great vision and rebounding skills. Very impressive prospect with a lot of physical tools and potential to improve his shot and defensive game.