Amar Sylla

The biggest prospect in the league is in my opinion Amar Sylla. He withdrew from the draft this season but will try his luck in the next draft for sure. What raised some concerns in my eyes when I watch some games in the preparations is that he hasn’t made any noticeable bulking up and improvements in his body in comparison to last year and also his offensive game and shooting motion hasn’t improved much in the offseason. His main assets are his mobility, athleticism and length which make him a versatile defender that can cover much ground and switch in defense and also great rebounding instincts. His offensive game is still pretty raw and needs to improve for the highest level. 

The memorial tournament of Adam Wojcik in Wroclaw was first opportunity for high level scouting in my hometown since I started doing this. Tournament gathered three former clubs of Polish legend including Oostende with arguably first round prospect Amar Sylla. Senegalese forward still can’t play in Domestic league which by the way already started as he didn’t turn 18 which causes difficulties to sign a pro contract and Belgian champion decided not to pay extra fee to make him eligible before that. That’s why Real Madrid product was expected to play big minutes here.

First opponent was host and rebuilding powerhouse WKS Slask which will be happy if achieves playoffs. Oostende controlled the game and if it wasn’t for friendly atmosphere, big opening ceremony + questionable officiating they could win by much bigger margin. Average rival but at least in couple possessions after switching ball screens, Sylla could match up with NBA athlete and physical specimen like Torin Dorn who is rookie after NC State. 

Second game, Sylla faced Eurocup bound Asseco Arka Gdynia (well maybe one of the weakest in competition but still) without star power in frontcourt but comboforward with inside/outside skillset like Leyton Hammonds or modern energy undersized big Devonte Upson are solid mid level players in Europe who provide legitimate evaluation setting for teenage NBA prospect. Sylla was perhaps man of the match in 1st leg where he put on a dunk show and even though performance the following day was much more of the mixed bag (less minutes, some unnecessary turnovers) he finished as MVP of the tournament. 

Below observations I put together after attending both games. 

BODY 

Sylla definitely looks like he belongs to the NBA world from physical standpoint. He may not have too much meat on his bone but he is a wiry player standing tall. Upside is maybe not infinite but his good though a bit thin frame will likely continue to get few more pounds next seasons and it seems like he already plays a bit stronger than he looks. 

Anyway what attracts the most about his profile is a rare combination of agility and quickness for his height. First feature is truly cat like and second maybe not elite but still very good. Moreover he spreads +7’2 wingspan and has almost center like reach. His legs are really skinny which often raises question marks but it’s not the case with Amar. His long achilles releases a lot of energy and power which shows in highly desirable acceleration or explosiveness. 

DEFENSE 

Possibly his best selling point. Sylla offers tremendous switchability given his great hips and how low he can get thanks to them. He handles lateral motion in the same way as much smaller athletes which is huge asset considering his height and length. While he was rejecting shots left and right at U18 level, block numbers are not that great in pro level or U19 World Cup so far. However at times he played even two positions lower which naturally decreases potential rim protection impact and it’s hard to imagine him not reaching at least satisfying level for PF in this regard moving forward even if we talk about NBA outlook. Also it’s worth mentioning that besides being disruptive for the passing lanes, his end to end quickness and willingness to chase down helps to stop the fast breaks at times. 

POSITIONAL FIT & PERIMETER GAME 

Sylla is still really raw with the ball. It was exposed during U19 where he spent majority of time playing SF position due to cosmic length that Senegalese team possessed in frontcourt. It was caused also by lack of quality guard who could setup the offense. Amar was asked to produce offense by himself which resulted as forcing issue in questionable drives or shaky turnaround jumpers. If you want to play big ball he may occasionally spend few minutes as small forward but mostly because he can defend them and give rebounding advantage so at times it can make sense with two other strong ball handlers on court. Nevertheless his handle or shot creation doesn’t come close to meet prototypical requirements on this position.

On youth level with Real Madrid we often saw Sylla playing at Center. He may be a bit more equipped for a small ball big than SF but strength wise may struggle with some of the bigger bodies in NBA. At the same time he doesn’t have enough weapons in his offensive arsenal to compensate for that. He is mostly outrunner type of big (+ alley-oop target) but can’t really punish others consistently with his face up game by taking defender away from the paint and being an effective missmatch. So power forward seems like primary and almost exclusive fit for him. 

Amar made 3 from 6 three pointers in Wroclaw which is very small sample but suggest some improvement and gives promise of being more reliable as a puzzle within good system (2/20 at the U19s while no system at all). Still jumper is not very consistent, neither quick, nor suggesting good natural touch and it’s up to discussion whether Sylla can be good enough shooter at some point instead of can he be a good shooter at NBA level. Unfortunately it doesn’t get much better with the jumper at mid range area (it could give him advantage as he has potential to play over defender with better handle). 

Senegalese forward possess average bball IQ in best case scenario. He can be a ball stopper at times as quick decision making is not natural for him, he has no creativity, doesn’t read the game ahead and is rather a puppet on a string in half court than player who can break the set play for his own & team advantage. While he attacked closeouts few times with success he is still working on coordinating his catch & go, sometimes have troubles if he has to dribble more than once and is solely left hand finisher no matter which side or how difficult the angle is. 

There is not many flashes as a passer in his game either, technique and vision leaves something to be desired. If he doesn’t drive all the way, expect simple and not always fully accurate solution. 

What was very promising in Wroclaw is definitely off the ball impact. He seemed to understand his role and how easier for him is to help the team with simple running to transition, cutting off the ball, diving for the loose ball or chasing the putbacks. Especially knack for moving without the basketball, which ended up by big finishes and energizing the entire lineup at times was really impressive and may help him to stay on the court longer throughout the season. 

SITUATION AND OUTLOOK 

Sylla definitely has a good situation in stable environment under proven coach. Roster is not overly deep and he is expected to play 20 or more minutes on consistent basis. BCL provides extra amount of quality tests for up and coming prospect and pressure will basically start as late as in Belgium league finals in order to win 9th championship in a row.

He seems almost locked to be drafted in (late) 20s and worst case scenario may slip to the early or with really unexpectedly bad season mid second round. Anyway without further skill development (shooting alone may not be enough) he can become at most NBA second unit PF. If you don’t score or create you are unlikely to ever be a centerpiece which gives possibility to unlock things with his own presence for others. Sylla may help to give a little lineup flexxibility by checking some boxes temporarily as 3 or 5 man but not enough to be labeled as a glue guy and often solely defense is not sufficient for role player seeking regular minutes.

AMAR SYLLA (6’9, FORWARD)

Maybe the biggest victim of the system as he was used almost exclusively on small forward position which laid bare his feel and skill shortcomings. At times in some reports you can read that Sylla has a foundation of some serious on ball skill and can possibly shot, dribble and pass the ball. In my eyes he is really raw and actually perhaps doesn’t need that at all. He can probably still make millions as a 5 man just switching, rim running, dunking and protecting the rim but becoming PF could definitely help his future. Here he struggled to create his own shot. Could possibly be someone who plays over defender on the perimeter but ball handling (no right hand) is just too bad (ball watching) and turnaround jumper is the only go to move (also unpolished) he possess. I don’t really see it changing anytime soon if ever but moving out to Oostende in Belgium is a good choice for the NBA outlook. It may not be the league known from players getting drafted but situation seems secured given solid level of competition, likely to happen playing time, European competitions etc.

Amar Sylla (01’, 6’9’’, Center) Crazy physical tools, long arms, legs and great mobility that allows him to finish above the rim with dunks/alley-oops regularly and be a genuine rim protector. Moves around the rim well, knows where he needs to be to get a pass for an easy dunk or layup. Doesn’t have a wide range of post up moves yet and his back to the basket game needs to be further developed. Made all his shots from the charity stripe in the event (12/12), but his in game shots weren’t as confident with a rather slow release and not smooth form. Showed a lot of upside as a defender mainly helping from the second line, rotating well and sending the ball away with flashy blocks. Selected to the All-Star Five, averaged 14.5pts, 7.8reb, 1ast, 0.8stl, 1.5TO’s, 3blk in roughly 20 minutes spent on the floor.

Garuba’s frontcourt partner, Amar Sylla showcased his quickness, rebounding instincts and defensive upside in Munich. All around, he is still raw with underdeveloped jumper and basketball IQ on both ends. He have a lot of physical qualities that can land him a draft spot.

Sylla had a real good 2pt% in this tournament, coming mostly in the painted area and some of them was midrange jumpshots. He was very active on the boards, very much like Garuba he has a tremendous motor. One of his highlights was the one time he stole the ball at midcourt and threw down “360 dunk” on the break. It is not usual to see stuff like that from a center. His defensive abilities are very impressive, constantly challenges shots, showing off active hands and keep in front of quick guards/forwards. Very impressive block timing is a defining aspect of his game.

On the opposite side, Sylla is still looking very raw overall. His jumper looks to be developing but low body movement of his shot is slow and release has a hitch. He made some jumpers but further improvements are necessary in that area. He loses focus on the court once in a while. Offensive skillset is questionable, for now it seems he has only the basic moves. Footwork is definitely an area to improve further. Size is just OK at that point. His output will be the deciding factor but he is a candidate for a mid second round pick .

AMAR SYLLA (6’9, Forward, Real) – His arms seem longer than sight can reach. Possess wide shoulders and his frame is getting toned. Plays a bit different than typical African players with his length though. Much more fitable for 4 position. Will never do Anthony Randolph kind of things but perimeter shot is not broken and he can make simple one dribble mid range drives. Even feel for the game which shows in passing and concentration level is ok. If it is real that he won’t turn 17 for the next 8 months then wow!