Adidas Eurocamp is back! Many European players that play (or played) in the NBA/Euroleague attended the Eurocamp in the past and it is a great experience for the young talented players to compete against each other and showcase their talents in front of scouts/executives. On the other hand, it is also great for us scouts to get a look at most of the best players in Europe at one place and compare them against each other.
The talent pool at this year’s camp was in my opinion not so deep as in some of the previous camps but there were still many talented prospects at the camp that will have a long career on the highest level in Europe and maybe some of them even in the NBA.
In this article, I will focus only on the European players or the players that are playing in Europe even though there were also two teams from the USA (USA Select & 3SSB Select) and Team Asia that was made out of players coming from Japan and China.
Here are my notes on the European prospects from Eurocamp:
EUROCAMP 2
Nadir Hifi (G | 185 cm | ’02) ~ Paris Basketball, France
Played his game and was arguably the best player at the camp (the best. not to be confused with the player with the highest upside!). He played a lot with the ball and was creating shooting opportunities for his teammates and even more often for himself. He made some attractive no-look and between the legs passes that led to easy dunks. With his advanced handles – probably the best ball handler at the camp – and quick change of pace, he managed to create the separation for quite open looks. Shot selection was sometimes a little iffy but that is his game and you need to give him the freedom to play it. Was scoring on all three levels and was amongst the best scorers at the camp.
Gregor Glas (SG | 197 cm | ’01) ~ Cedevita Olimpija, Slovenia
Started the tournament great with a few transition plays/dunks early in the camp in the game vs Team Asia but in the next two games he struggled to find his shooting touch from deep. Gregor is in general a great and quite reliable shooter for a player his age but here at Eurocamp he shot just 2/11 from downtown which is way below his standards – some of the shots were late in the shot clock and not in rhythm though. Not really known as a good defender but he did a pretty good job in defense at this camp.
Lucas Ugolin (SG | 197 cm | ’02) ~ CSP Limoges, France
Lucas Ugolin often brought the spark from the bench and he would probably be one of the main candidates – next to Mouhamet Diouf – to win the “6th man of the camp” award if there was an award like this. The 197 cm tall two-way guard was electric and often tried to make some attractive dunks where he showed his explosive bounce. He was not always successful but just the attempt looked astonishing. Showed his smooth shooting touch from distance too and was 6/11 from the three-point range. Played good in defense and it was not easy to get past him. It was obvious that he has the experience from the highest level since he played a nice role in Limoges in this season and probably his role in next years will just get bigger and bigger. Could be one of the sleepers that was often through his youth in the shadows of other players and just worked in silence to reach his goals and “let the success to make the noise.”
Ilias Kamardine (SG | 193 cm | ’03) ~ ALM Evreux, France
Usually played in the off-ball or in the secondary creator role. Had some nice sequences on both ends of the floor when he used his athleticism and length well to make the correct play. Was accurate in his spot up shots throughout the tournament. Offers versatility on both ends but looks more like a good team/rotation player than someone that could be the main guy in his team.
Liutauras Lelevicius (SF | 203 cm | ’03) ~ Žalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania
Athletic wing with good positional size and length. His offensive role was not that big and he did not make a big impact on that side of the floor but was much more active on the defensive end. After a successful defensive possession, he loved to run the floor and look for easy point in transition. He can be great on open court due to his long strides and athletic tools. Moved well without the ball too and made nice baseline cuts.
Milan Barbitch (G | 198 cm | ’01) ~ Fos Provence Basket, France
Usually when Hifi was on the bench, Barbitch stepped in as the main creator in offense. He is not a true playmaker in my opinion but with a lack of a dominant ball handler in the team, he needed to fill the void. He did a decent job, created out of pick & rolls or isolation plays and found some nice passes but also did not forget to look for his own points. Capable of filling many stat columns and offers lots of versatility on perimeter in offense and defense.
Musa Sagnia (F | 200 cm | ’03) ~ Baxi Manresa (Spain), Gambia
It is impossible to evaluate Musa Sagnia with just looking at the stats sheet and you definitely need to pay attention at what he is doing because not everything can be quantified with a stat line. He did a lot of the small and dirty work, especially on the defensive end. He covered the ground, was active and patient at the same time and forced offenses into mistakes. Offensively his role was small but when he received a useful pass, he was able to put it through the net. Has the tools to be an impactful transition player. Not a player that will stood out but most teams need a player like him for the defensive tasks on the forward positions.
Gael Bonilla (F | 200 cm | ’03) ~ FC Barcelona (Spain), Mexico
The main thing that stood out in his game was his court awareness in offense. He moved well and often found himself at the right place at the right time. With some precise baseline cuts, he managed to score easy points at the rim and got a few offensive rebounds. Not an above average athlete and relies more on high feel than athleticism. Moved the ball around well too and had some nice passes. Defensive awareness and rotations were a little off a few times and lack of athleticism and length was more obvious on the defensive end of the court. Plays at one pace and that could be an issue moving forward.
Davide Casarin (G | 197 cm | ’03) ~ Reyer Venice, Italy
Very good showings at the camp for Davide Casarin. He stepped up in the finals and had a few minutes when he was doing everything. What stood out the most at this tournament was his defensive effort and mentality. It looked like he is not scared to go physical against anyone and he had just one goal in mind – how to stop the offensive player. Usually he was successful at it and was amongst the best perimeter defenders at the tournament. Showed versatility on the offensive end too and scored points in many different ways. Was one of the surprises of the camp for me since I have not expected such performances from him before the camp started.
Marek Blaževič (C | 210 cm | ’01) ~ Obradorio (Spain), Lithuania
Marek Blaževič was doing his job. He was setting good screens and that played an important role in his team’s offense. Usually he rolled good and straight to the rim and if he received a useful pass, he had not problems of finishing at the rim. Showed good interior game, good post up technique and controlled the paint in defense. High IQ big that understands his role and what he is supposed to do. Also made some nice passes to cutters too and showed upside as a passing big.
Enzo Shahrvin (C | 201 cm | ’03) ~ Pau Lacq Orthez, France
Enzo played great in the first two matches but unfortunately got hit “there where it hurts the most” and he missed the final match. His engine was always running and he played with a lot of energy. No ball was lost for him, fought for every ball and possession and this something he always brings to the table. He might have the size and length disadvantage in comparison to most guys on his position but he replaces that with enormous amount of energy, hustle and great athleticism. Offers lots of options in defense and capable of switching and defending on perimeter and due to his low gravity point and strong body, nobody has an easy time against him on post ups too. A very good pick & roll player in offense, capable of catching high lob passes and dunk the ball with authority.
Leo Menalo (PF | 208 cm | ’02) ~ Virtus Bologna (Italy), Croatia
Did a surprisingly good job in defense when he needed to defend the ball handlers or perimeter. Read the offense well and with his long limbs made impact in defense. Loved to run the floor and finish in transition with a dunk while in halfcourt sets, he played behind the three-point line and most of his shots were spot up three pointers or drives on closeouts. Was inefficient from the field against both US teams and against 3SSB Select even missed an easy layup in transition. It raises some questions how good he can be against more athletic, physical and longer defenders on pro level.
Mouhamet Diouf (C | 210 cm | ’01) ~ Unahotels Reggio Emilia, Italy
One of the most experienced players at the camp since he made his debut in the first Italian league in 2018 already. He was dominant as a rebounder and I believe he finished as the best rebounder of the camp. The difference in physical development between him and most of the opposing bigs was obvious and Mouhamet used that well for his advantage. He went strong for the finishes at the rim and it was very hard to stop him if he got a good position in the paint, sometimes even got a better position for the finish with great footwork. Showed good rim protection abilities too and played important role in the defense.
EUROCAMP 1
Quinn Ellis (G | 193 cm | ’03) ~ Casale Monferrato (Italy), Great Britain
The left-handed British guard played an important offensive role. He was running pick & rolls all the time and made damage to the defenses in different ways. Quinn delivered passes in all directions and showed his playmaking upside and also scored the points at the rim or with shots from mid-range/deep. He is very skilled with the ball in his hands and rarely makes any ball handling mistakes. Played good defense too, his hands were active and made deflection and he deserved a spot in the all-camp team in the end.
Assemian Moulare (PG | 188 cm | ’03) ~ Vichy Clermont, France
Moulare was one of the quickest players at the camp. His explosive first step was often enough to get past defenders but after that it usually did not led to anything productive. Made nice passes out of pick & rolls but some of his passes were poorly executed and also the decision making was questionable a few times. The offensive efficiency was poor too, he missed most of his shots and he did not look like a reliable spot up shooter. He did a good job on defense, played aggressive on ball defense and used his quickness and length well.
Tom Digbeu (SG/SF | 198 cm | ’01) ~ ASA (France), Spain
Digbeu also struggled a lot with finding his shooting touch. He made just one of his eight attempts behind the three-point line and most of those shots were quite open and should be converted. He was active in offense, attacked with drives and sometimes created out of pick & rolls. His slashing abilities are really good and he used his athleticism well. Has versatile offensive skillset for a swingman and can fill many roles. Not the best tournament for him in the end and I expected a little more to be honest.
Justus Hollatz (G | 200 cm | ’01) ~ CB Breogan (Spain), Germany
Justus played good at the camp for my taste even though his stats do not look so glamorous in the end. He made many high IQ plays, played in the playmaker role and often made the right pass/decision which is rare for players at that age. He offered a lot as pick & roll operator and if the defense put too much attention on him, he gladly made the pass to open teammate. Shots from deep were not falling in but he is a good shooter overall. I am curious how he will play in next season for Cedevita Olimpija in Eurocup and ABA league but he definitely has the skills to play at that level already.
Ousmane Ndiaye (PF | 210 cm | ’04) ~ Baskonia (Spain), Senegal
When Ousmane Ndiaye played good, his team was winning. He had great games against 3SSB Select and Next Gen but played poorly against USA Select team – his role was also smaller on that match to be fair. Ousmane showed at the camp why his name was often mentioned on various mock drafts. He was knocking down open shots, attacked with drives, defended, rebounded.. He did all the things that someone would expect him to do. In some flashes, he looked unstoppable and was making all the shots that he took and that definitely gave him some confidence. His athletic tools were never in question and I believe he will improve his draft stock in next season and be back even stronger and better for the 2024 NBA draft.
Sananda Fru (PF | 208 cm | ’03) ~ Braunschweig, Germany
Sananda covered both big positions and he did a good job. He was not as athletic as many other players at the camp but he did a very good job in defense due to his instincts and advanced feel for the game. Often he was positioned at the right place at the right time to stop the play or get the rebound. Showed solid feet on perimeter too and was able to stay in front of guards a few times. In offense, he received a few good passes – mostly after a pick & roll when he set a good screen and rolled straight to the rim – and he managed to score at the rim. We haven’t seen much stretching from him and he is quite raw in offense in general and there is a lot of room for growth for him on that side of the field.
Ondrej Hanzlik (SF | 200 cm | ’02) ~ Basquet Girona (Spain), Czech Republic
The main weapon from Ondrej is his shooting from distance. His release is quick and he does not need much space to pull the trigger. He moved great without the ball, opened the passing lanes and got the open looks – read the defenders well too and often found them on wrong foot. Against 3SSB Select he was really efficient and made the majority of his shots – some of them were easy shots in transition though. Played decent on-ball defense against more athletic players.
Djordjije Jovanovic (SG/SF | 203 cm | ’03) ~ Ontario Clippers (USA), Montenegro
Another very good spot up shooter in Eurocamp 1 team and he showed that in the last two matches but could not find the shooting touch in the first match against USA Select. His release is high and repeatable and he does not make any unnecessary movements when going for the shot. He had many “heat check” moments when he attempted a tough shot in early offense after he was successful in possessions before. More an off-ball than on-ball player. Has the athleticism and tools to be a good wing defender too.
Szombor Maronka (F | 208 cm | ’02) ~ Joventut Badalona (Spain), Hungary
Maronka is continuing the story of this team since he also played his worst match against USA Select at the beginning of the camp. He was highly inefficient in that match and missed almost all of his shots from deep but in the next two games, he showed completely different performances. He was reliable, made the open shots with high percentages and made the correct reads when it would be smarter to attack. He is very fluid for his size and showed his mobility in some transition plays. Surprised me a little with a few defensive plays when he blocked the shots and showed perfect timing on the blocks. Played most of the time outside as a wing and that will probably be his main position on pro level.
Nikos Rogkavopoulos (SG/SF | 200 cm | ’01) ~ Yukatel Merkezefendi (Turkey), Greece
Rogkavopoulos had a great season behind him for Merkezefendi in the first Turkish league and I expected that he will be more dominant here in Treviso but he just blend in with other players. In his defense, he had workouts in US before the camp and that definitely left some physical and mental consequences – Nikos also skipped the 3rd place match on Sunday. He can offer the scoring and rebounding as a swingman, he has proven that throughout the season and here at the camp too so a few average games at Eurocamp cannot erase all the stuff that he did in last months.
Motiejus Krivas (C | 214 cm | ’04) ~ Žalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania
Motiejus was one of the most skilled big men in Treviso. It was a joy to watch when he received the ball in the paint and went to work. All of his moves looked smooth and with intention, he controls his body well and with great footwork creates the scoring chances. He was great in pick & roll actions and showed his soft hands and finishing touch in those type of plays. Has high basketball IQ, understands the spacing principles and rarely finds himself at the wrong spot. Not a prototype of a modern big man and fits more the mold of an old school inside big but he is so good and smart at the things he does, that I’m sure we will hear his name often in the future.
Ege Demir (C | 210 cm | ’04) ~ Tofas Bursa, Turkey
Physically very gifted player, strong and with broad shoulders and no one could really match his physicality when he decided to go for a finish. He had a good chemistry with the guards and there were some nice alley oop actions out of pick & rolls where Demir was able to show his athleticism and vertical spacing abilities. Had some post ups but relied more on strength than skills. Defended well in the paint but was exploited in space due to his slow and heavy feet. Even though he made a three point shot in the match on Sunday, he does not offer any stretching and that shot was more for good team chemistry and having fun than something that could be repeated again.
NEXT GEN
Jack Kayil (G | 190 cm | ’06) ~ Alba Berlin, Germany
When on the floor he was often responsible for connecting the dots and being the distributor. If needed he is capable of stepping up and score the points but in this team that was not needed. Controlled the offense well, made the correct decisions and did not commit many unnecessary mistakes. A few times, he struggled to create the separation against aggressive defense and needs to be a little more aggressive. High IQ defender, made the correct reads and has the athleticism to defend well on perimeter.
Kasparas Jakucionis (PG | 193 cm | ’06) ~ Barcelona (Spain), Lithuania
Jakucionis loved to have the ball in his hands – sometimes even too much and made too many dribbles without creating anything. A few times he was also too selfish and wanted to score more than make the right play. His slashing skills were great though and he could beat the first line of defense and get to the rim quite easily. At the rim, he showed good finishing ability, drew many fouls and often went to the free throw line. Showed the scoring skills but I would love to see more playmaking from him.
Dwayne Aristode (SG/SF | 201 cm | ’06) ~ Joventut Badalona (Spain), Netherlands
Dwayne was definitely not shy of taking the shots. He took his share of shots but the percentages on them were bad – he shot just 4 out of 23 from the field in the three games combined. This is now happening to him quite often and I noted that down on almost every tournament in this season. The shooting motion doesn’t look bad but the percentages are staying low and usually there are some really bad misses too. In Treviso he played more outside and on the guard spots and I think that is the right move since I don’t see him as a stretch 4 that he often played in Joventut. He has great size and tools but the shooting percentages will just need to get better… He is still young and has time to work on that.
Lucas Langarita (G | 197 cm | ’05) ~ Casademont Zaragoza, Spain
Langarita’s performances at this camp were like a rollercoaster. He had some great plays, then there were some cheap mistakes, followed by great plays and so on. The athletic guard was putting pressure on the rim with his slashing but the awareness on some of the drives was poor since the paint was jammed and there was no place to get to the rim. Took lots of shots from mid-range and deep too and the percentages on those shots were solid – his shooting mechanics at the Sunday morning shoot around looked inconsistent so taking that in consideration, his percentages in the games are good. Did his part in defense, was active as helpside defender but made some mistakes in rotations.
Toni Bilić (SF | 204 cm | ’05) ~ Cedevita Junior, Croatia
Toni was doing the things that he is the best at and that is running the floor. Often he was the first player on the other side of the floor and managed to finish with an easy layup. Had some solid cuts and attacked the closeouts in half court sets but majority of his points came in transition. Dribbles are usually high and struggles to create something in 1vs1 situations from a standstill position. Still not a fan of his low shooting release and I have some doubts how that can translate to pro levels. Made some good defensive reads and intercepted or deflected a few balls.
Tidjane Salaun (SF | 205 cm | ’05) ~ Cholet, France
If you are looking through the lenses of a NBA scout or executive then Tidjane Salaun might be the main prospect to watch from all three European teams. He has the necessary size and athleticism for the wing/forward position that is needed nowadays in the NBA. His “skills bag” is also deep and he can offer a lot on the ground and in the air too. He was aggressively attacking the rim and going for dunks, often went to the free throw line and was great at drawing the fouls plus made some shots from the three point territory. Inconsistent shooter so far but I believe that over the years he will get better at that skill and more reliable as a spot up threat. Showed great defensive effort too and had many positive defensive plays. Was capable of defending multiple positions and has the necessary defensive versatility. A name to follow in next season and before the 2024 draft because his draft stock might go up if he continues to make the progress like he was making it in this season.
Michael Ružić (PF | 209 cm | ’06) ~ Zadar, Croatia
I am following Michael Ružić for a few years now and every time I got the opportunity to watch him, he improved in some aspect of his game. He had a great showing here in Treviso and was one of the most intriguing long-term prospect. He moves so fluidly on open court and showed high IQ in transition plays. He improved a lot in his spot up shooting and was making the open shots consistently with a repeatable shooting form. Michael is a player that does not make many mistakes when he is on the floor and is always at the right place at the right time. Not fully developed and he will probably still grow for an inch or two in next years. Lots of stuff to like in his mix of skills and tools and definitely a player worth monitoring.
Ruben Prey (PF/C | 211 cm | ’05) ~ Joventut Badalona (Spain), Portugal
Ruben had many great plays in defense. He switched on perimeter and covered the ground well so that the guards were not able to create open looks. Showed his elite instincts with some blocks and even more often with intercepting the passes. Has the basic ball handling skills and was able to push in transition for easy finishes. Had a few nice offensive possessions too when he showed that he can play inside or outside and showed good post up game plus made the open spot up three pointers.
Amael L’Etang (PF/C | 215 cm | ’05) ~ Cholet, France
Amael had a great weekend. He started the camp great against the USA Select in the first match and scored a few consecutive shots from distance in the first half. The shooting motion looked solid but probably will get smoother when he grows into his body and gets stronger. Showed that he can put the ball on the deck to and attack the closeouts with drives. Plays more or less below the rim and even though he has the size and length, I don’t remember him dunking the ball at the camp. Showed good feel for rebounds though and managed to grab some of them in traffic. Amael is best described as a stretch big and I can imagine him having that role in future on pro level.
Mouhamed Faye (C | 207 cm | ’05) ~ Reggio Emilia (Italy), Senegal
Nothing new to write about Mouhamed Faye. He played his game – rebounded on both ends, showed good motor, was physical when setting the screens or posting up and scored the points at the rim. Sometimes he made a few power dribbles, leaned into the defender to get the necessary separation and smartly used his strength advantages. Did his job in defense too in protecting the paint. His shooting motion and especially the release will need a lot of changes if he wants to add more range to his game and not rely just on finishes at the rim – on pro level against more physical players it won’t be so easy to get that kind of finishes.
Johann Gruenloh (C | 211 cm | ’05) ~ Rasta Vechta, Germany
Good camp for Gruenloh too. Sometimes it was obvious that he lacks the strength in the upper body to compete better against players that are more physical but otherwise he did well. His hands were good and he caught most of the passes that went to him. The majority of his points came at the rim (out of PnRs or in transition) but against Eurocamp 1 team he showed that he can make shots from deep too – still needs to work on his shooting but there is hope that he can be a solid stretcher. At ANGT Patras he controlled the paint and blocked all the shots at the rim but here in Treviso he was not making such a big impact as rim protector and was quite reserved in that area. Showed solid rebounding effort and instincts.
USA Select
Sebastian Rancik (F | 208 cm | ’05) ~ Compton Magic, USA/Slovakia
Did not play that much so it is not easy to evaluate his game. Body looked great, strong and wide, moved solidly. Sometimes looked a little rusty and heavy feeted but overall impression was good. Solid athlete, blocked a dunk attempt in the final and it looked like he knows how to use his body. Offensive role was just too small for any conclusions or updates on him.
