Toni Naspler

U16 OVERVIEW

Stefan Dabovic

U16 OVERVIEW

Aleksa Gataric

U16 OVERVIEW
Bosnian guard raised by small team  Rookie Banja Luka, likely possess enough potential to represent his country on senior level. After successful FIBA U16 Championship for Division B in his homeland he decided to join Cedevita Zagreb. Gataric is an athletic point guard with high physical potential in general. He has nice shooting mechanics and is agile & quick. Also very good ball handler who has wide variety of moves in his arsenal which combined with impressive first step allow him to blow past opponents on isolation. Good court vision and basketball IQ overall. He keeps low stance on defense and in general can take responsibility of both backcourt positions on either end of the court.

Michalis Karlis

U16 OVERVIEW

Nikodem Czoska

U16 OVERVIEW
Positionless type of player. Checked many boxes on 1-5 in Poland during the time he spent in Trefl Sopot where he lately was granted MVP of U16 championship. Has exceptional vision and can really share the ball. Will be tried to being converted to full time PG in Stellazzurra where he just signed 1+3 contract (has desire to play college though unless he becomes pro ready). Upside is dependent in big degree on further body development. Nikodem seems a bit too slow but keeps growing as he is projected to be 6’8 so there is a hope quickness may be something he can improve moving forward. Comes from high level handball family. Father played many years in France. Excellent kid – loves basketball to death and works hard every day. Always smiled and good teammate. Privately best friend of Igor Milicic Jr.

Ajay Mitchell

U16 OVERVIEW
Ajay is a short, tiny point guard with advanced feel for the game. Despite being somewhat a midget there is a hope that he may hit a growth spurt considering his very undermature physical profile and that his father is 6’5 and possess body of a big man. Speaking of him, Mitchell senior is a Norfolk State alumni who spent his entire European career in various Belgium teams. His son is surely different player. He seems really focused on the court and has a good pull up ability and touch on floaters in his left hand. He has nice handles , scoring instincts and can dish the ball in flashy way at times. Upside is dependent in huge degree on filling out and growing but Ajay brings some baby Ellie Okobo vibe and cannot be ignored at this point. Reportedly he may join the high school program in USA before NCAA if chooses this road for his future.

Juhann Begarin

U16 OVERVIEW
Juhann Begarin was probably the biggest surprise of FIBA U16 European Championship in Novi Sad. He was balling with great composure and emerged there as one of the best NBA talents. Kind of two way guard with similar profile to Lonnie Walker. Possess great frame and length. Smooth, explosive, athletic. Can defend. Was shooting the ball very well here from the outside including NBA range and difficult pull ups. While he is capable shot creator, his ball handling could still get refined and with better passing he could possibly be even considered lottery talent next years. Scores many ways, game comes easy to him and can possibly become more of combo guard down the road.  As of now it seems to be up to him and Len Schoormann regarding the contest for the best guard from 2002 generation in Europe.

Oleg Kojenets

U16 OVERVIEW
Oleg is a son of Aleh Kojenets – Belarusian big man with great strength and inside presence who played college basketball for UNC Wilmington and then in Germany & European countries. Mum is Lithuanian former player and that’s where kid was born and represents this country. Younger Kojenets already stands at 6’9 as 15 years old and surely is not done growing. His body is very underdeveloped but he competes on the court as much as anyone. He has strong desire to be the best player possible and basically works out all the time including 3 sessions per week with legend among strength & conditioning coaches in Lithuania – Aleksandras Kosauskas which can explain his promising mobility. Oleg has finishing flair, very projectable stroke and even driving or passing abilities. He needs time but physical upside is definitely there. When he matures is likely to establish himself as one of the best bigs in Europe from 2003 generation.   

Amari Williams

U16 OVERVIEW
Amari Williams is gifted with great size and length. Standing at 6’8 he is more of a tweener than center and it even seems that he refuses to play in the paint for no reason at all. At times he even shows more of a guard mentality. He likes to shoot threes despite low release which still needs some refinements. Besides grab and go plays are his big asset as handling the ball at full speed doesn’t bother him and he can find an open teammate (decent passer overall). Unfortunately there is plenty of major flaws in his game like: terribly inconsistent motor or lack of engagement off the ball. Amari plays on relatively low level even for England and probably has never been taught fundamentals properly. However with his tools at this age his amazing potential can still be embraced. Reminds a little another 2002 big – German Ariel Hukporti who is also raw and somewhat goofy but blessed with desirable physical profile.

Noa Viljamsons

U16 OVERVIEW
Noa Viljamsons is intriguing long term prospect who currently plays for A. Kraukla /VEF Riga. For now he is just a walk on in national team but definitely has a room for improvement The most upside he has in his body which should have no troubles bearing the additional bulk next seasons with proper work. He already stands around 6’9 in shoes and has very long arms. Unfortunately he doesn’t appear to be overly quick or athletic. Also it is hard to notice willingness to play through contact in his performance. However given his length and decent touch he cannot be ignored at this point. May end up being more suitable for 4 position in future. Developing toughness will be crucial to reach full potential.

Igor Milicic

U16 OVERVIEW
Igor Milicic Jr. is a son of former Croatian pro who played as a point guard mostly in Poland but also for Turkish, Russian, Belgium and Greek teams. Currently father is a coach of Anwil Wloclawek. He has two other very talented sons (2006 born Zoran and two years younger Teo who seems to have phenomenal talent). He started career in MKK Koszalin where he was coached by Bartlomiej Siewruk – father of best Polish 2002 prospects who resides in Barcelona. Junior already stands over 6’5 and similarly to senior shows advanced feel which allow him to run the team as sometimes even primary guard. He has a good handles and it is very easy to realize that he basically grew up with the ball in his hands and that almost no one from his peers understands the game that well. Despite very good talent he wasn’t given enough chances to showcase his potential in Poland. His physical profile seems a little worrying as he lacks burst and is not super fluid at this point. Igor holds dual (Polish/Croatian) citizenship.

Aleksa Bulajic

U16 OVERVIEW
Aleksa Bulajic is talented Montenegrin guard who joined Ratiopharm Ulm before 2017/2018 season and seems to be the best prospect of the team which produces more and more talent from 2002 generation. Previously he played for the KK Panter. His game is really well rounded. As a son of a coach he displays very good understanding of the game. He is likely to be able to take duties of primary playmaker in future. His size (already stands around 197cm in shoes) help him to be good rebounder as well. He sees a lot on the court and can really share the ball. Has big hands and decent ball handling. Unfortunately despite advanced skillset he doesn’t really look great as a scorer even in his age group. Also struggles a little with long distance shooting but form looks properly and seems to have room for improvement in this regard. With better stroke he could possibly play both guard spots and even kind of point forward especially if he has some growing left.

Gilad Levy

U16 OVERVIEW
First we saw Gilad Levi on international stage at U16 Budva Basketball Cup. He didn’t log the big minutes but stood out immediately with his size as he stands at 7’1. In fact entire family is very tall – he has two older brothers: 1996 and 1998 born who are respectively 217 and 208 centimeters tall. However they were not on any youth teams and the youngest from family seems to have the best talent. Based on upside alone he considerably belongs to Top 30 list of his generation at this point. He is capable of putting the ball on the floor and even going coast to coast at times. 2017/2018 is his breakout season and he is on pace to become MVP of U16 league in Israel (also participates in U18 competition). Beside unusual skills for player his size he is pretty quick but also lean, somewhat unfluid and hunched. Also definitely not the best finisher through contact. This is a bit worrying considering  his brother had bad body type for professional sport.

Jeremy Sochan

U16 OVERVIEW
Jeremy Sochan was born in USA to Polish mother and American father. He currently resides in England where he plays for Milton Keynes Trojans. He is arguably the most interesting prospect from Polish 2003 generation and participates with national selection of Great Britain 2002. He possess good physical profile at 6’6 with natural strength and very long arms. On the court he is good, unselfish teammate. Can rebound the ball at the high rate and make grab and go type of plays. At his age group can easily play as center but he shows inclination to play outside but needs reconstruction of his shot moving forward (even though touch is very good). Explosive athlete but may lack will to create for himself more aggressively. Starting from 2018/2019 season, he will most likely leave to the country which is richer in good basketball programs. Family scheduled the visits to Ratiopharm Ulm, Brose Bamberg as well as some Spanish teams.  

Nikola Manojlovic

U16 OVERVIEW
One of the best prospects born in 2002 in Serbia for sure. High upside player who already produces and still has ways to go. Made a switch to Red Star from a small club in Vojvodina called Defense Žabalj. Managed to get them to SRB U15 final tournament last year with a number of MVP performances. Real Madrid had serious interest in him before he went to Red Star. He is an all around player who can play at any position from 1 to 3 with 3 being the one he plays the most of the time. Made great adjustments in his game, especially considering he went from being first 3 offensive options in Žabalj to one of many talents in CZ. He has a year left of eligibility in U17 League, but even played for U19 team couple of times. He is a smart player with very good attitude on the court. Has a good frame and a strong body able to absorb contact. Knows how to attack the rim and hide the ball from defenders. His ball handling skills are pretty good, but he needs to continue working on that as he does not have that many opportunities to play with ball in hands in Red Star. Shooting stats look better than mechanics. Brings the ball slightly from the left side and it makes the release inconsistent. Preparation for a shot isn’t ideal either.

Luka Tarlac

U16 OVERVIEW
Luka is a son of Dragan Tarlac who was drafted on the beginning of the 2nd round by Chicago Bulls in 1995. He didn’t stick in NBA long term but played in the best European teams and holds also Greek citizenship. Unlikely to senior who was center, Luka possess physical profile of forward but loves to play with the ball as main offensive option. He was born very late in 2002, and in early 2018 already stands at 6’7 which doesn’t have to mean he is done growing since father was 6’11. Moreover he appears to have quite long arms and very good athleticism for European prospect. His size combined with decent quickness and handles make him great bucket getter on youth level. He can also attract defensive focus and kick the ball out, play defense and in general seems really well rounded. On the downside KK Sava is not really good team which doesn’t play vs Top Serbian competition on regular basis and he often looks like one man army. Because of that he tries to do too much on the court. Not missing the right time to join better club will be crucial for his further development as well as smoothness of transition to be one of the few go-to options.

Matija Svetozarevic

U16 OVERVIEW
Born in Belgium as son of a professional volleyball player and a coach now, Matija is a kid from a sports family. His mother played table tennis on a high level in youth and uncle was also a volleyball player. He is tall and long for his age, especially regarding the fact he plays most of the time outside. Frame may be a bit narrow, but he has not reach physical maturity yet so it remains to be seen. Has the necessary range to knock down a 3 and can pull up after a dribble or two. Works on improving his game a lot. Resourceful when it comes to finishing around the rim, knows how to use his advantages. With all that said, ball handling is average and moves he makes are limited. Definitely at a point in his development when he needs to change setting and move to a bigger club and more importantly to play against better competition day in and out. Does almost everything in one speed. Has to change gears and rhythm more often to continue to be effective.

Mateja Gorunovic

U16 OVERVIEW
Mateja’s father coached him ever since he was a kid. He was and still is like a project of his and there are numerous recordings on YouTube showing his practices. Father asked for a coaching spot to most of the teams that wanted to sign Mateja and eventually Mateja went to Partizan. His motoric potential is limited as he does not have the necessary burst nor explosiveness to be effective as a guard. He splits his duties between a PG and an of ball SG. Jumper is ineffective and release point is low, easy to block and the range still isn’t there. Struggles from the 3p line, shot only 22% in U17 League and couldn’t find his rhythm against U16 competition in Zrenjanin tournament as well. With all that said, he possess certain level of offensive talent and it shows mostly in drives. He cant go by a defender with athleticism so he needs to be resourceful which he is. Knows to make those pumpfakes, up and unders to get the basket. That is
where he shows creativity. At this point he is best at providing scoring in limited minutes. If he gets going, he can score a lot of points in limited time. Right now, he doesn’t provide much else. His ultimate ceiling will depend on how hard he is willing to work to perfect ball handling and shooting. His physical potential is limited, but he needs to maximize it with serious working and eating regimen in order to have a chance to succeed in pro ball.

Kristian Kocab

U16 OVERVIEW
Kristian Kocab as for now seems the best prospect in Czech Republic from 2002 generation. He joined USK Praha before 2017/2018 season from SK Zabovresky in Brno. Also received the invitation from Bayern Munich to join them at 2018 Szent Istvan Basketball Cup. Despite being tall (already stands at 6’8) he is super mobile and runs the court very fast. This combined with solid instincts and effort make him elite rebounder in youth categories which with 1-2 more inches can be possibly translated as his significant asset also on the next level. Kocab invests a lot of energy and gives his best trying to the cover ground and chasing the ball outside of his arena. He is very lanky and frame is just ok which is not promising regarding inside battles in professional basketball. He also needs to improve his touch and maybe add some mid range. As well as sharpen FTs and rim protection instincts.  

Marko Andric

U16 OVERVIEW
Alpha dog in his age group in both club and NT. Used to being a player with most authority on the court, confident in his abilities. He didn’t hog the ball this year in U17 as much as he did last year in U15 League but he is still a guy extremely dependent on having the ball in his hands to be productive. He is an athletic player with speed and hops and he uses does traits as much as he can. Ball handling is complementary and slightly above average for a 16yr old PG. He may have reached physical peak too early and his height could be an issue despite athleticism. Decision making needs improving as well and he needs to get rid of the ball faster if the play isn’t there. Has a great ability to search for contact and draw fouls. Not afraid to get into post and finish above much taller defenders. Biggest basketball concern is his jumper. His mechanics are bad and even though his percentage is OK, its on a small sample as he avoids
shooting 3s which is big for defenses facing him. Most of the time defenders will go under the screen without fear of being punished with a 3. His relentless mentality helps him get around this weakness as he will either pull up for a 2 around FT line which he usually makes or drive for a layup, but that is youth basketball. Needs to be more effective of ball. Solid defender with potential to become very good in that area.

Augustas Marciulonis

U16 OVERVIEW
For U16 age group, Marciulonis can basically be considered Point God. From body type he definitely looks like a son of Sarunas looking who was knows from his enormously big hands. Augustas stands at solid 6’3 but may not top the dad’s size. Anyway length and strength seem at least fine for PG position. What separates him from peers is off the charts basketball IQ. He looks like he was prepared to play since he was born. Very creative, sees passing lanes ahead of time and keeps the ball on the string. Sets the tone offensively for the team. Can resemble Kevin Pangos in some ways. On the other hand not a great scorer. Doesn’t shot the ball from behind the arc too good yet. Speculated to choose NCAA road in future.

Luka Paunovic

U16 OVERVIEW
After impressive performances last season, Luka had a down year. At this point, he is really struggling in U17 basketball, but that should not be taken as a fatal blow to his stocks because he still has a year left of eligibility and Mega has an abundance of talent so it is not always easy to get on the court. One of the reasons is lack of growth as he looks out of place with a wing skillset and PG height. Needs to find a way to reimagine his game because talent is still there. Will be hard for him to play the wing position with this height so he needs to work on his ball handling and shooting to become a legit combo guard. Right now he can bring the ball up the court here and there and he has good court vision but he needs to do all of that on a constant basis. Confidence is also down as a result and he shot abysmal 15% from 3pt line in U17 League. It doesnt need to mean a lot as he is still a kid, but it calls for caution. He is
still regarded as an important prospect in Serbia and will most likely get a chance with NT this summer to regain his momentum.

Yvan Ouedraogo

U16 OVERVIEW
Yvan Ouedraogo was trained in AS Makadam in Burkina Faso before joining CFBB. He is clearly too much for any competition in his age group which allowed him to get MVP award in prestigious Turkish Basketball Federation U16 tournament in Sakarya. He easily dominates physically in post up situations. Takes up a lot of space. Has high motor, puts in a lot of effort into both ends. Shows some promise of being successor for Guershon Yabusele given their similar build but knocking to the NBA door in future seem very unlikely. Long term upside is a little bit limited. Stands only around 6’7 and future growth is not obvious. Anyway can turn into French Pro A role player.

Jonathan Klussmann

U16 OVERVIEW
High caliber scoring point guard from Denmark. Broke basically all the possible records on youth level in his country. Could very well play on youth level in good Euro academies but choose to stay home. Very efficient as pull up scorer. Plays P&R very well, excels in high tempo game which could possibly help him adapt to the US style of basketball. Aggressive attacker to the basket. Not much positives taken from defensive side of his game though. Somewhat ball hog who has always been way better than rest of competition but on low level. Not a floor general but a scoring first PG (had just 0.36 Ast/TO rate at FIBA U16s where he was the best scorer of Division B). Attempts a lot of difficult shots. Quite strong but already packed frame with not much room for further improvement. Not great upside. Becoming lights out shooter is his chance.

David Mutaf

U16 OVERVIEW
Brother of Besiktas Sompo Japan player Can Maxim Mutaf, David is not an ordinary Turkish youth player and his game style is very intriguing. He is crafty with the ball and excels at creating his own shot with dribbling and high variety of crossovers. Terrific release and he is a proper shooter around the perimeter. Lefty guard is also a decent player but likes to play with the ball a lot and sometimes seems a bit selfish.  Just an average athlete for now, can slash inside with good reading of defensive rotations. He still needs to improve his decision making as he tries to much to get into rhythm. Defensive effort is questionable especially when he struggles to find his shot on offense. Likes to cut passing lanes instead of defending with high intensity. He plays more as a combo guard for now and overall effectiveness on point guard is just OK. Has the potential to play point guard in the future if he develops his offensive awareness.  In a few years, he might be able to crack the roster of a BSL team.

Abramo Canka

U16 OVERVIEW
Abramo Pene joined Stellazzurra academy in the August of 2016 from Tigulio Sport Team of Santa Margherita Ligure where he won regional title. He was 6’4 at that time and currently stands already at 6’6. In general his physical profile is very intriguing. He possess long limbs, big palms and somewhat very lanky but suggestive frame which will most likely fill out nicely with time. Moreover he is fluid, agile, quick and well coordinated. His talent and tools give him versitality that allow him to play many positions on the youth level. He is decent at handling the ball and thanks to his reach makes a lot grab & go plays but can’t really control his own and team pace yet. Probably his future position is SF/SG. Has considerable defensive upside and shows good level of aggressiveness guarding on ball. His team gives proficient experience in playing against older rivals. When he grows into his body and polishes shooting skills can become one of the best swingmans in Europe from this generation.  

Eleftherios Mantzoukas

U16 OVERVIEW
Eleftherios Mantzoukas name emerged really quickly. He surpassed Giorgos Papagiannis and became the youngest ever Greek player to play and score in Top division (14 years 6 months and 7 days). Shortly after talented prospect produced 12 points vs European powerhouse Olympiacos Piraeus. He also had early showings on international youth scene – AdidasNGT tournament with 3 years older players and Adidas All-Star international game in 2002 generation roster. He picked up the basketball when he was 6 in Ioannina from where he transfered to Promitheas Patras at the age of 12. Mantzoukas is quite well rounded forward. He seems a bit early developed from physical standpoint but his mindset is what makes him mature way above peers level. He is not only fearless and able to make plays with confidence but also has very professional habits & work ethic. Mantzoukas also possess above average dribbling and IQ for 14yo player standing at 6’8. It is easy to label him as future member of domestic Euroleague teams but it’s too early to judge his possible NBA output.

Leo Menalo

U16 OVERVIEW
Leo Menalo is a regular member of Croatian youth national teams. At first impression he stands out with nice body structure and great motor coordination. His good frame suggests that he should add considerable amount of bulk in order to be able to withstand the extra physicality on next levels. Leo moves exceptionally fluid for a player who stands around around 6’8 before turning 16. He is quick and his long strides are really well coordinated. At the same time he looks very undermature and it is not out of question if he has 1-2 inches of growing left. However height is already desirable considering that most likely Menalo will end up as small forward. Skillwise he obviously has ways to go but shows flashes. Seemed to be less raw in 2018 Belgrade Adidas Next Generation comparing to U15 Ramunas Siskauskas 8 months before. In fact while playing at junior Euroleague vs 2 years older competition in garbage time he impressed all the present NBA scouts who noted down his name. If he can continue this pace of development really sky is the limit.

Tibet Deniz Gorener

U16 OVERVIEW
Former Banvit player who transferred to Daçka later on, Tibet Deniz Görener posses tremendous shooting skills  both of dribble and spot ons. With an already established jumper, he releases his shots with high arcs with fluid mechanics. Physical potential offers so much for the future. Overall length and wingspan will likely allow him to play both forward positions as well. Not a ball dominating offensive  threat right now but he has shown glances of Furkan Korkmaz in his game. A good teammate that does not force his game, also has decent court vision and makes necessary passes on offense. Top player of his generation in Turkey, still needs to learn to be a better defender and increase his efficiency in both ends. His output in the European Championships will help to get clearer picture whether he can be considered as a draft candidate or not.

Mihailo Musikic

U16 OVERVIEW
Mihailo Musikic is a highly coveted prospect who headlines Serbian 2002 generation. He grew up in small city where he played for the team Sloga Kraljevo and joined Mega Bemax after 2016/2017 season. During that summer took also part in Adidas Eurocamp and presented obvious potential intriguing not only for Serbian executives. Despite average explosiveness, coordination or body & athleticism in general, Musikic can definitely be categorized as modern big. Not only he has the court stretching upside (even though he possess strange tendency to fade away even on FT attempts) but handles are much above average considering the height and he can also put the ball on the floor. Mihailo possess great touch around the rim and instincts for a big man. He is very competitive and naturally talented which is always exciting mix. Improvement on defensive end and further physical development will be important to reach full upside but it’s safe to say Musikic is Euroleague prospect.  

Moussa Diabate

U16 OVERVIEW
Most of the last generations has French prospects on first place or very close to the top. Paris native, Moussa Diabate is headlining this country among 2002 born players and seems to have serious shot to continue this pattern as he is possibly one of the best class of 2021 recruits on his position in USA. Talented center left to States very early – at the age of 15 and his stock is hard to believe considering he picked up the basketball just 2 years before. Quickly after arrival he gained attention thanks to amazing pace of progress, high motor style of play and perfect tools. Diabate stands at 6’10 and is not limited to simple for him big time, athletic finishes. He shows flashes of developing quite well-rounded skillset which could allow him to play as a forward with budding perimeter game. At the moment he already has offers from Miami, Georgia Tech, UNLV, Georgia Tech and Memphis or interest from UF, Indiana & Louisville.

Elias Baggette

U16 OVERVIEW
Elias Baggette was born to German and American parents. He plays in TuS Lichterfelde where he makes a great duo with other 2002 born prospect – Lamin Sabally. Elias is recruited basically by all top academies in Germany and may finally leave TuSli after 2017/2018 season. He is a starter in youth national team and played Adidas Next Generation tournament in Munich with Brose Bamberg. At the moment he can be one of the best point guards in Europe from his generation but unfortunately long term perspective is not equally optimistic for him as especially lack of height may hamper his potential on the next level (currently stands around 5’11 and looks quite developed. However his quickness and handles combination is really impressing. While playing against the peers, Baggette is extremely difficult to keep in front and he can really dance with the ball. Besides good motor, he has some touch to finish with the floater or outside shot and his basketball IQ is at least ok.

Elias Roedl

U16 OVERVIEW
Elias Rödl is the son of former North Carolina 6’7 shooting guard/small forward and long-time-pro Hendrik Rödl. Father spend entire career in Alba Berlin and his #4 jersey has been retired by the club. Currently he is head coach of senior national team. Elias is a 6-5 SG/SF who can shoot off the bounce and has decent touch. Has a strong body frame. Natural bucket getter with some instincts. Won JBBL Top 4 MVP in 2017 with ALBA. Not super explosive but can finish above the rim in space. Average first step and lateral quickness. Lacks quickness to be a good defender at the pro level but plays with some toughness. May become a pro player in Europe down the stretch but doesn‘t ooze with upside.  

Mattias Sasha Grant

U16 OVERVIEW
Matthias Sasha Grant is a player with interesting background. Born to Italian mother and British-Jamaican father. Transferred to Bayern Munich on the beginning of 2017/2018 season. Before everything else he possess highly desirable physical profile. He is easily able to contribute at U18 or U19 age group without any visible disadvantage. There may be some questions how big room for improving his tools he has left but his and athleticism surely will stand out on the next level even with just slight changes to its current stage. Sasha is very powerful player and opportunistic slasher. He does many good things on the court for his team by maximizing his physical presence especially as far as rebounding, defending and transition offense are concerned. However his feel for the game is a work in progress. He doesn’t have much wiggle with the ball to shake his defender in halfcourt. Also 3pt shooting is a must improve especially if he doesn’t have any inches left. Unfortunately at this moment he has numerous flaws in his mechanics and not overly promising touch.

Calvin Schaum

U16 OVERVIEW
Calvin Schaum is one of the most versastile forward prospects in Germany in his age group. He‘s scratching 6-7, has a nice frame, can shoot from outside and can put the ball on the floor as well. Schaum is a pretty good athlete and plays above the rim regularly in traffic. Very nimble and mobile. At this stage of his career, he‘s somewhat of a tweener and his future position is not decided yet. Needs to work on his physicality on defense and on his shooting consistency (footowork especially). Not much of a rim protector. May not be done growing yet. Has had some nagging injuries in his life, currently sidelined with an arm injury which could prevent a participation at the 2018 U16 European Championships. Stars in Fraport Skyliners youth teams. Seems not to get as much attention as he should because of Len Schoorman or Max Begue.

Lamin Sabally

OVERVIEW
Sabally surname is well known for now in female youth basketball circuit. His older sister Satou plays college basketball for Oregon and won FIBA U20 European Championship MVP during the summer of 2017. Ducks are truly a family thing as 2000 born class of 2018 Nyara also will shortly become her teammate. Overall they were one of the top international recruits in their age groups and family is so much talented from physical standpoint. Satou & Nyara stand at 6’4 and 6’3 respectively which can suggest that Lamin will achieve highly desirable height as well. Reliable source says he is projected to be 203 cm tall. He was born almost in 2003, has a huge shoe size and is hitting the growth spurt adding one inch every few months. The youngest Sabally plays for Tusli Lichterfelde which is a club in Berlin neighborhood where he creates great duo with good PG prospect – Elias Baggette.  Still needs time to polish but already not very short of talent especially shooting wise besides obvious athletic predispositions. May not shine at upcoming U16 Championship but can very well end up as one of the best players from 2002 European generation.

Kacper Klaczek

OVERVIEW
Kacper comes from the city of Chorzow. He was the best player and winner of Polish U14 Championship in 2016 with Zak Zory. He is a versitale, really athletic prospect who can play both forward position. He moves really well for his size (around 2 meters) can handle the ball and drive to the rim with long strides. Has also nice feel for cutting to the rim and considerable shooting potential. Posses good instincts which allow to hope he will be very good rebounder also on senior level and is very active on the court in general. Currently he plays in Polish 2nd Division on the same team (Mickiewicz Katowice) with his older brother Lukasz. He also occasionally practise with Polish Top League newcomer – GTK Gliwice. During the 2016/2017 season he had very successful try out in Ratiopharm Ulm. Some Spanish teams tried to recruit him as well but he decided to stay in Poland for now. Took part in FIBA U16 European Championship as underaged player.

Jakub Ulczynski

OVERVIEW
Jakub comes from Bydgoszcz in Poland where he played for club named “Novum”. He emerged as a one of the top prospects in his country from very loaded 2002 generation. Ulczynski made rare and a little questionable decision to take his talents to USA at the age of 14. He overcame terrible homesick and now doesn’t want to hear about coming back to Europe. Participated in FIBA U16s as year younger that competition but posses pretty maximized frame. However should have 1-2 inches left considering that father is 6’10 (used to be a solid potential but suffered career ending injury). Kuba is aggressive attacker in half court who can force the way to the rim with his strength but shows also some crafty finishes. Three point shot is really improving. Not the highest IQ for now. Year or two in Europe before college would be great for him. Could even possibly end up as mid major prospect with better passing, awareness and versitality regarding his
athletic & scoring abilities. Currently plays for Mountain Mission in Virginia and looks forward to transfering to better school.

Dan Duscak

U16 OVERVIEW
Dan is a son of Slavko Duscak who was 6’3 shooting guard. Before starting coaching career and running basketball school, he played in really good domestic clubs, national team and abroad. His other three brothers are football players. Unlikely to father, Dan is a pure point guard. He was the best assister of prestigious U14 Slovenia Ball in 2016 and backup PG as underaged player in strong Slovenian U16 team in Podgorica at FIBA Championship. Dan possess average physical profile and is different than majority of Real Madrid signings where he landed during the summer of 2017 from KK Grosuplje. Of course he won’t be the next Luka Doncic but also possess tremendous talent which shows mostly in creativity and individual technique. Further development is dependent mostly on physical progress. Skillwise Dan really doesn’t show much flaws. He is excellent passer and plays pick and roll better than any of his peers. Even if he doesn’t make Real Madrid senior team cut, ACB seems reachable level for him.  

Pau Tendero

U16 OVERVIEW
Pau Tendero comes from Balearic Islands. Before joining Barcelona he used to play for Bahia San Agusti. He scored 57 points and grabbed 25 rebounds in the final game of Mallorca’s U14 Championship. Spanish prospect already stands around 6’4 and possess absolutely elite all around athleticism level for European prospect. His frame is already toned and allow him to withstand contact easily or compete with big success at U18 age group. Tendero displays extremely powerful first step and quickness in open court. Moreover he possess notable shooting skills and creates mid range jumpers at will against peers. His strong legs and overall physical attributes help him to excel also on defensive end. Loves to make plays and holds the ball sometimes too much. That is why his transition to scoring point guard doesn’t seem 100% obvious. Anyway he seems to have a chance to establish himself as legitimate NBA prospect next years.  

Kriss Helmanis

U16 OVERVIEW
His father Uvis Helmanis was quite successful pro player who participated in as many as 6 Eurobaskets and won national championships in Poland, Latvia and Germany. Currently he coaches youth national teams in their country. Father was big bodied prototype of stretch big and pretty much his son continues this pattern when this term in much more common. Kriss body also isn’t perfect as he has a lot of baby fat and will need to work on it a lot next years & over the course of career. At this moment he is already 6’9 and is definitely not done growing. No one will be surprised if he gaines another inch next half a year and ultimately will be even (+) 7 footer. His stroke is already very reliable. He fixed some flaws in the mechanics even though he was making shots when it was looking unorthodox. He possess phenomenal basketball IQ and passing skills for a big. As of now lacks any explosiveness and gets punished on defense by quick players badly. Anyway thanks to size, shooting, natural talent and advanced understanding of the game he is most likely Latvian next best thing. Grew up in one house with Arturs Zagars (2000 born Latvian talent from Joventut Badalona) who is like an older brother for him.

Daniel Batcho

U16 OVERVIEW
Before joining INSEP, Daniel Batcho played for Saint-Charles Charenton. He is a prospect with great size/ length and incredibly wide frame. He can run, dribble, has smooth touch and showed great dexterity. Not much of a rim protector at this point but may become more of a dissuasive force as he grows into his body. Long strides, solid bounce. Can roll or make short drives. Posses proper footwork and body control. May add shooting and be complete big guy. Big time prospect. Tough not to picture him as, at least, a future very good euroleague player but must stay healthy moving forward which wasn’t always the case so far. His parents reportedly come from somewhere in Russia.

Noah Jallow

U16 OVERVIEW
Noah Jallow has an absolute terrific physical profile. He‘s 6-6 with a wingspan that is close to 7-0. Build like a tank with a huge frame and wide shoulders. As strong of a youth player as you‘ll find. Also expected to grow more inches and to become taller than his older brother who stands at 6-7. The younger brother of  arguably sleeper NBA prospect, Karim Jallow is still a bit uncoordinated but plays above the rim with ease and is a tough matchup for any youth player based on his physical tools on the court alone. Crashes the glass. His fundamentals are just average on both ends as his feel and overall skill-set are a work in progress. He doesn‘t have much range and is even a below 50% free throw shooter. As gifted as he‘s, he has long ways to go. Probably the biggest question about him is how much he loves the game. Noah Jallow decided to quit basketball a few months ago and to pursue a career in american football. He‘s now back in basketball and with Bayern Munich.

Emil Stoilov

U16 OVERVIEW
Emil Stoilov is a native of Sofia where he played for CSKA before moving out to Estudiantes Madrid. Transfer took long period of time due to bureaucracy problems with visa. Other Spanish powerhouses like Barcelona and Baskonia (where he had a tryout during the summer of 2016) were also considering signing highly touted Bulgarian prospect. Emil reached 6’10 at the age of fifteen. Moreover he is super mobile, has a well shaped body and predispositions to excel in many sports. Basically he runs the court like a guard and despite being used exclusively as a center may end up playing power forward position as well. He has plenty of defensive potential given his size and foot speed which doesn’t seem long ways to go to become utilizable. Offensively Stoilov is not overly advanced but shows some promising touch. He can outrun players on his position and is nimble enough to contribute without serious skills at the moment. Played for U16 team as underaged player at Championship in his country.

Lorenzo Guerrieri

U16 OVERVIEW
Lorenzo Guerrieri comes from Pisa. He obviously had interest from the best domestic academies like Milano or Reggio Emilia but decided to join FC Barcelona at the age of 14 after previously playing for Juve Pontedera. He was 202cm at that time and participated in U15 Italian national finals as underaged player. He was invited to take part in 2017 Adidas Eurocamp in Treviso. Lorenzo can play either 4 and 5 position but needs to improve handles in order to be able to put the ball on floor. He possess interesting shooting skills and good touch around the rim. He is well coordinated and strong which helps to stop opponents in post up situations but needs to improve his athleticism as he often looks fatigue and lacks explosiveness badly. It is visible on defensive end where he gets punished by quicker players. Early transfer to Barca suggested he may be one of the best bigs from this generation in Europe but it doesn’t seem too obvious anymore.  

Veron Eze

U16 OVERVIEW
Veron Eze grew up playing for Ipswich Academy since he was 9 years old. He become the youngest player ever to debut for men’s team as he played an episode at the age of 14. He was found by Stellazzurra scout during the Copenhagen Invitational tournament where he suited up for England U15. Eze led the side in scoring and was member of All Tournament Team. As a result he joined top italian academy during the summer of 2017. That summer he also participated in FIBA U16 European Championship with Great Britain in small role. Standing around 6’5, English prospect is first and foremost fantastic athlete who possess physical attributes by highest standards possible. His ridiculous bounce potentially makes him highlight reel dunk machine. He is slasher type who moreover displays very strong frame and all the tools to excel as a good defender. Probably similar talent and style to his one year older countrymen Kareem Queeley from Real Madrid.

Matus Sedlak

U16 OVERVIEW
Matus Sedlak is a promising big man from Slovakia. While playing in domestic team Inter Bratislava, he drew a serious attention from Real Madrid. However he currently resides in German powerhouse – Alba Berlin as his father also moved to that city because of work. He already stands close to 6’11 and is blessed with perfect athletic predispositions which would probably allow him to excel in many sports. He has a well proportioned frame, strong legs and runs the court with speed & fluidity typical for one foot smaller guards his age. Thinking long term his position most likely will be power forward and he is already being given some minutes on 4. As for now he mostly makes simple straight line drives against close-outs where his long strides and ability to play above the rim are very helpful. However there is still a lot of work to do. He needs to improve his touch and ultimately start stretching the court. Also feel and understanding of the game are not suitable for high even youth level at the moment.  Anyway if everything goes right down the stretch I believe he has a good upside given his tools and progress pace. 

Wojciech Tomaszewski

OVERVIEW
Wojtek is the son of Bartlomiej Tomaszewski who is 6’9 former long time pro who played in best domestic clubs and was also member of national team. Currently father is the GM of Biofarm Basket Poznan which is very progressive youth academy with seniors participating in Polish 2nd tier. There is one more Tomaszewski in the roster – 1998 born older brother who plays as a guard. However Wojciech seems to have the highest basketball upside from whole family. He is already standing slightly over 6’5 and possess really long arms. Mostly plays as wing but has notable playmaking skills as well. He is aggressive slasher who is very opportunistic to score once he gets the ball. Moreover he is really bouncy and it’s easy to picture him becoming great athlete for European basketball standards. Still has plenty of room to mature physically. Somewhat raw but with outstanding defensive potential. In 2016/2017 season he was invited to participate with Gran Canaria in prestigious Torneig de Farners in Spain. He also had offers and tryouts in Italy. 

Filip Siewruk

U16 OVERVIEW
Arguably top Polish talent from 2002 generation. Son of the coach who trained him many years, has little 2005 born brother who shows equally big talent and may join the Barcelona soon as well. Born in Koszalin where father runs basketball academy, spend one year in Tornado Kaunas after great showing against them during the tournament in Lithuania. At the age of 14 he went to La Masia where he continues until now and seems to be one of the best talents in Barcelona cadetes. According to doctors his estimated height is between 204 and 207 cm. Filip has good shooting skills which look basically pro ready. He can score in many ways including difficult turnaround jumpers, runners etc. Plays 3-4 position but ultimately should become small forward.  

Usman Garuba

U16 OVERVIEW
Usman Garuba is a hoop phenom from Real Madrid youth system. He totally dominated FIBA European U16 Championship where he took MVP award and produced triple double in close final game against Lithuania. Currently he continues to do mind blowing things at U18 stage as still two years younger than competition. It raises some obvious questions but he is Spain native and was born there. He even did 2017/2018 pre season with ACB team. Basically he possess Zion Williamson type of body and useful strength. But he is not that skilled with the ball and displays much less bounce. As he is most likely done growing his playing style and advanced stage of physical development causes some doubts whether the style he plays in can be translated to the NBA. With his power, ability to clear out space in traffic, collecting rebounds, running the floor hard and other numerous ways to make his brawn harm opponents he can easily be high level ACB small ball center. However his positional size is very average, shooting touch is not promising at all and perimeter skills are still getting there. Transition to pro ball may not be smooth when physical advantage gets less visible. Privately has two years younger brother who also resides in Real youth teams.

Roko Prkacin

U16 OVERVIEW
Roko Prkacin is a son of Nikola who played on really high level in Europe including powerhouses like Panathinaikos or Efes and big role in Croatian national team. Legacy is big but Roko has definitely a chance to become even better player. Young Prkacin is multi-faceted offensive threat who could maybe only step out behind the three point line more willingly but it’s something he will definitely have a chance to fix next years as he is a prospect born almost in 2003. At his great size (already 6’9) he can either put the ball on the floor, pass it accurately, post up opponents and then he shows above average competitiveness to secure rebounds on both ends. Beside ability to do a little bit of everything he is characterized by good mobility & strength and top notch basketball IQ. His game can bring to some degree comparison to Dario Saric. Clearly the best projects of 2002 generations in Europe.

Luc Van Slooten

U16 OVERVIEW
Luc Davd Van Slooten is a native of Quakenbruck which is small town in Germany known recently from producing good basketball players. His talent became apparent quickly as he not only took part in FIBA U16 European Championship as 14 year old but also was integral contributor for his team. The following summer his role was even bigger and he is very likely to dominate it against peers. Luc flirted with some of the top Spanish academies in the past as he played Endesa Minicopa with Sevilla and U15 Torneig De Farners with Barcelona. Van Slooten is a swingman with great positional size. At 6’8 he is blessed with rare skills and tools combination for a player his age. He has a strong developed frame and is solid athlete. His offensive game is really well rounded. He plays a lot with the ball, can drive to the hoop, makes outside shots with very clean mechanics and dunks in transition with ease. Currently he plays episodes but regular with Rasta Vechta which is best team in Pro A – German 2nd tier.

Len Schoormann

U16 OVERVIEW
Len Adam Schoormann is a guard emerging in Fraport Skyliners youth programs. He is a gifted slasher who possess absolutely elite level of athleticism. Standing around 6’4 with very good, reportedly around 6’9 wingspan, German talent is a real human highlight machine. His truly rim breaking dunks are really rare to see in U16 age group and below. His upside is really impressive as he is more than just outstanding above the rim finisher. Len also displays very good defensive abilities where he can lock down his opponents. Beside obvious motor he shows some promise in terms of court vision and shooting but needs to keep working on this. He is totally dominant among his age group in Germany and often ends the games as a top scorer of NBBL team playing against three year older competition. His steady and good demeanor is worth noticing as well. Overall Schoormann has all the ingredients and may be one of the best long term guard prospects in Europe at the moment. Based on physical tools alone he may have a chance to get draft attention.  

Azuolas Tubelis

U16 OVERVIEW
Azuolas Tubelis has a twin brother named Tautvilas who plays on the same team but is visibly shorter and appears to be less talented as well. Azuolas makes steady progress and headlines 2002 Lithuanian generation which doesn’t seem to be the best for this country standards altogether with Kasparas Jonauskas. He is kind of forward tweener who possess warrior mentality. He displays really smooth offensive game and is capable isolation scorer especially when guarded by power forwards. Also very good rebounder with decent positional size (already 6’8 in shoes). On the downside his shooting stroke looks really ugly and is must improve moving forward. Participated in notable role with older age group at European U16s in Podgorica. Has numbers of interests from foreign teams but according to reliable source is supposed to stay in Vilnius and sign with Lietuvos Rytas.  

Boris Tisma

U16 OVERVIEW
Boris Tisma moved to Real Madrid in the summer of 2015 as barely 13 years old. Previously he was a member of KK Dubrava. His father Miodrag is 6’9 former pro who played about 10 seasons on average Croatian level. Boris has two years younger brother who currently suits up for Cedevita Zagreb. Lefty forward resembles some qualities of his extremely successful countryman – Toni Kukoc. He looks very smooth on the court and it’s easy to notice his great understanding of the game. He seems to have all the ingredients to take point forward role on the court. Suffice it to mention very good handles for someone who already stands around 6’7, desirable court vision and ability to involve his teammates as pick & roll ball handler. Moreover poise, competitiveness and shooting skills are also there. Tisma body looks intriguing but is years away from reaching full development (after first season in Real weighted 74 kilo standing at 6’6, grew up overall 10cm first two years in Madrid) which is not bad thing at all.

Hector Alderete

U16 OVERVIEW
Hector Alderete is one of the most polished players in his age group. He‘s an early bloomer who stands at 6-8 and is build like a tank. Alderete plays for Estudiantes (has two years older brother -Diego – in the same team) and can play multiple positions on the court. He can handle the ball a little bit, finishes pretty well through contact and shoots the ball with confidence. The 16-year-old has a quick trigger and shoots a natural shot. While his floor is very high, there are concerns how his game will translate to higher levels (especially on the defensive end). He lacks great foot speed, gets beat by quicker guards off the dribble regularly and his future position is somewhat unclear. However, there‘s a lot to like about him and it‘s probable that Alderete will be one of the most dominant figures in youth competitions to come.

Oumar Ballo

U16 OVERVIEW
Born in Mali to 6’5 & 6’8 mother and father respectively. Baby Shaquille O’neal may be the most appropriate comparison when it comes to Ballo and it’s not that much exaggerated. He possess huge body but is not heavy at all on his feet. Oumar is smaller as he stands around 6’10 but possess mind blowing 7’5 wingspan. He totally dominated FIBA U16 Africa and domestic Spanish championship in the same age group. Basically his strength is too much for any youth competition in this world. With his enormous bulk he easily clears out space. Usually hard foul is the only way to stop him and prevent from making easy lay up or big dunk. Oumar started to play basketball at the age of 11 which is not late especially for bigs. Previously he was doing soccer which he benefits from as far as footwork goes. Beside paint domination, natural aggressiveness, he displays soft hands and ok rim running ability but struggles at the FT line for now. He has an older brother who plays professionally in France.

Ariel Hukporti

U16 OVERVIEW
Ariel Hukporti is German player with Togo roots. He is currently under long term deal with Ludwigsburg where he moved from Freiburg. Frontcourt prospect looks like a grown man among the kids while he is playing against peers. Standing at 6’10 he not only has excellent length but is physical specimen in general. He possess extremely strong built, huge palms, moves in rotation quite well and can really protect the rim. He takes pride in his defensive role and makes smaller unathletic player shy away from lay up attempts around him. It was visible even at Fiba U16 European Championship where he participated as underaged. Ariel maximizes his impact by using his phenomenal tools but offensively he doesn’t have much to offer as for now. Hukporti started basketball late (around the age of 13) which still shows in poor feel and raw skillset at times. Mostly he finishes simple plays after good dimes, preferably with huge dunks. However he keeps making strides towards broadening offensive repertoire, Touch is not bad at all, he can ocassionally surprise with good outside pass or even make a mid range jumper.