Michael Ruzic

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.

The Croatian was definitely one of the most eye-catching players in Zadar last weekend. With his already well-developed understanding of the game and his steady motor, he was rarely stopped. This is also illustrated once again by his nearly 70% from two-point range. Although he doesn’t seem to be the most athletic player (yet), he shows a distinct light-footedness and certainly has room to improve his athleticism.

19.3pts, 5.7rebs, 1.3ass, 20/29 2FG, 1/7 3FG, 15/19 FT, 2.3to.

Offensively, the ball passed through his hands in almost every Zadar action, and he also often dictated which play to run. A still stagnant development is his distance shot. He also showed not yet 100% confident in his weak hand, because he often avoided shots with it, preferring to use his right hand despite drive with the left hand. Nevertheless, a very good performance of the 17-year-old.

In my opinion the player with by far the highest upside in Laktaši. Even though he was two years younger than most competition, he wasn’t shy to take the ball and make plays. Showed his inside and outside game, loved to play face up and attack from the outside and showed good ball handling skills for a player his size. He also has a soft shooting touch and was efficient in his shooting attempts from deep or free throw line. It is possible that he could still be growing and has a lot of space on his frame for more muscle mass in the future. Used his length well in defense and made some high IQ defensive plays. Definitely not a done player and can improve in so many aspects and areas of his game but one thing is sure; he is a player to follow – even for NBA scouts and executives.