Analysis: European 2020 NBA Draft Picks

With the 2020/2021 NBA regular season having come to a close and focus shifting towards the playoffs and 2021 NBA Draft, it is time to analyze the performance and development of last year’s European draft picks. This article will review all picks, thus both players who recently finished their rookie season and draft-and-stash prospects in Europe. Israeli players are included due to Israel being part of FIBA’s European region.

This was a unique season in which NBA rookies and players overseas had a short offseason and there was practically no G-League season, which was not optimal for their development. Without further ado, let’s review how last year’s picks fared this season.

Killian Hayes, Detroit Pistons – 7th overall

26 G, 6.8 PTS, 2.7 REB, 5.3 AST, 1.0 STL, 3.2 TOV | 35.3 FG%, 27.8 3P%, 82.4 FT%, 40.3 eFG%

Hayes had a difficult season that was severely impacted by injury. In only his seventh game, he suffered a serious hip injury that kept him out until April. Fortunately for Hayes, Detroit is rebuilding and gave him plenty of minutes in the games he did play. He averaged a little over 25 minutes per game and showed flashes of his potential as a playmaker. His playmaking and defense showed a lot of promise, but he was an inefficient shooter who struggled as a scorer. Towards the end of the season, Hayes seemed more comfortable and started playing more off the ball. This can help him play alongside Cade Cunningham or Jalen Suggs if Detroit opts to draft either of them in the upcoming draft. It is clear that Detroit is fond of Hayes’ potential and hopefully he can stay healthy and continue to develop.

Deni Avdija, Washington Wizards – 9th overall

54 G, 6.3 PTS, 4.9 REB, 1.2 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.6 TOV | 41.7 FG%, 31.5 3P%, 64.4 FT%, 50.2 eFG%

Avdija was playing consistent minutes, around 23 per game, for a Wizards team pushing for a playoff spot until a hairline fracture in his ankle prematurely ended his season. His numbers do not stand out due to primarily playing off the ball next to ball-dominant players in Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal. When he did have the ball in his hands, Avdija was able to push the pace and show some of his point-forward skills that made him such an intriguing prospect. He also showed promise as an on-ball defender and will hopefully be more involved on offense next season. However, he will have to improve his shooting in order to be more effective playing off the ball next to Westbrook and Beal.

Aleksej Pokusevski, Oklahoma City Thunder – 17th overall

45 G, 8.2 PTS, 4.7 REB, 2.2 AST, 0.4 STL, 0.9 BLK, 2.2 TOV | 34.1 FG%, 28.0 3P%, 73.8 FT%, 41.2 eFG%

Possibly the most fascinating player in the league, Pokusevski caught many people’s attention with his skillset and body frame. He shot the ball poorly and seemed to lack confidence at the start of the season, while mainly contributing as a rebounder and defender. His season turned around after coming back from the G-League bubble. Pokusevski played with more confidence and his shooting improved, especially from beyond the arc. He even ended the season with a 29-point performance in which he made six three-pointers. The G-League bubble gave him the opportunity he needed to gain confidence and work on his game, which is understandable since he is the youngest player in the NBA and never played at the senior level in Europe. Pokusevski is a lot of fun to watch and does a little bit of everything. He is far from a finished product and will have to get physically stronger in the offseason, but he has an intriguing offensive and defensive skillset for someone his age. With added strength and continued overall development, the sky seems to be the limit for Pokusevski.

Leandro Bolmaro, Minnesota Timberwolves – 23rd overall

64 G, 4.5 PTS, 1.2 REB, 1.5 AST, 0.5 STL, 1.1 TOV | 46.3 FG%, 42.9 3P%, 85.5 FT%, 54.5 eFG% (for Barcelona)

Bolmaro was the highest draft-and-stash in last year’s draft and currently plays for Barcelona in the ACB and EuroLeague. He has appeared in plenty of games and has started to play a larger role over the last few months for a strong Barcelona team. Bolmaro has shot the ball well, shown the ability to run the pick-and-roll, and has played solid defense. He was named to the ACB Best Young Players team and is finishing the regular season with some strong performances. His 6’7 frame, skillset, and pass-first mentality make him a good fit next to scorers like Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards in Minnesota. The Timberwolves seem to be pleased with Bolmaro’s development and expect him to make the jump to the NBA next season. However, Bolmaro has not ruled out staying at Barcelona for another year. 

Théo Maledon, Oklahoma City Thunder – 34th overall

65 G, 10.1 PTS, 3.2 REB, 3.5 AST, 0.9 STL, 2.2 TOV | 36.8 FG%, 33.5 3P%, 74.8 FT%, 45.4 eFG%

Maledon played a large role for the Thunder this season, leading the team in total minutes and averaging 27.4 minutes per game. Similar to Pokusevski, Maledon stepped up his game after the All-Star break. He had to become more aggressive after the George Hill trade and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander injury, which led to a higher comfort level and surge in scoring. His shooting needs work, especially when finishing at the rim, but he has the potential to be a solid soccer and good playmaker. Maledon is in a great situation with the Thunder who will continue to give him significant playing time to develop. He definitely proved this year that he was worthy of being a higher pick than 34th overall.

Vit Krejci, Oklahoma City Thunder – 37th overall

Despite tearing his ACL in September 2020 while playing for Zaragoza, Krejci became the third European player drafted by the Thunder in the 2020 NBA Draft. He spent this season rehabbing with the Thunder and its G-League affiliate, Oklahoma City Blue, but was not fit enough to appear in any games. Krejci expects to start practicing again in July and play 5-on-5 in August, which means he could be on schedule to compete in the Summer League. He will likely be brought along slowly by the Thunder and primarily play in the G-League next season. Krejci also has a lot of competition with playmakers like Gilgeous-Alexander, Maledon, and a potential lottery pick this upcoming draft. His combination of size, he is 6’8, and playmaking makes him intriguing, but shooting was a concern for him leading up to the draft.

Marko Simonovic, Chicago Bulls – 44th overall

27 G, 15.7 PTS, 9.1 REB, 1.7 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.4 BLK, 2.5 TOV | 47.7 FG%, 33.8 3P%, 76.4 FT%, 55.0 eFG% (for Mega Soccerbet)

Simonovic played for Mega Soccerbet this season after being drafted by the Bulls in the second round. Due to the Petrušev acquisition, Simonovic primarily played at power forward but that has not negatively impacted his game much. He already had a high IQ and versatile offensive skillset, which he expanded by improving his shooting. His total attempts from beyond the arc nearly doubled and he has made them at a decent rate for a big. On top of that, Simonovic has continued to rebound well and score inside, and has become more disciplined on defense. His defensive metrics, especially shot blocking, have been down compared to last season, which could be a result of playing more power forward next to Petrušev. His continued shooting improvement and extended time at power forward make him a more versatile player, which could benefit in the NBA. At this time, no decision has been announced yet for the Bulls’ plans for Simonovic next season. If he does make the jump to the NBA, Simonovic has the skillset of a modern big and could continue to develop behind Nikola Vucevic.

Yam Madar, Boston Celtics – 47th overall

31 G, 16.6 PTS, 2.7 REB, 5.2 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.4 BLK, 2.9 TOV | 46.1 FG%, 42.0 3P%, 86.4 FT%, 53.6 eFG% (for Hapoel Tel Aviv)

The last draft-and-stash prospect of this draft class, Madar has made a strong case to join the Celtics next season. He has improved almost every part of his game since being drafted and could fill a need for the Celtics in the backcourt, who are lacking playmakers. Madar is an active and tenacious defender who is not afraid to switch onto bigger perimeter players. He is a good playmaker and drastically improved his shooting, which was a concern for him. His three-point percentage improved from 26.7% to 42% while taking almost two more attempts per game, from 2.7 to 4.5. In February, Madar filed a lawsuit against Hapoel due to a disagreement regarding the contractual terms for his release. It might be best for him to make the jump to the NBA considering his development and conflict with Hapoel.

Nico Mannion, Golden State Warriors – 48th overall

30 G, 4.1 PTS, 1.5 REB, 2.3 AST, 0.5 STL, 1.0 TOV | 34.2 FG%, 36.7 3P%, 82.1 FT%, 43.9 eFG%

9 G, 19.3 PTS, 3.4 REB, 6.9 AST, 1.8 STL, 3.8 TOV | 40.5 FG%, 36.5 3P%, 77.3 FT%, 49.3 eFG% (in G-League)

Once projected to be a lottery pick, Mannion fell to the second round and ended up signing a two-way deal. He rarely played at the start of the season for a Warriors team competing for a playoff spot and ended up taking part in the G-League bubble. After getting much needed playing time in the G-League, Mannion got more consistent playing time with the Warriors but was not part of the rotation for the play-in tournament. He shot the ball well from beyond the arc in both the NBA and G-League and showed flashes of his playmaking ability which once made him a coveted prospect coming out of high school. Mannion’s outlook for next season is cloudy as his two-way deal will expire at the end of the season, thus making him a free agent. The Warriors are expected to use the little cap space they have to build a competitive supporting cast around Steph Curry. Therefore, Mannion will likely receive a similar contract from the Warriors or catch on with another team.