The Final of Adidas Next Generation Tournament took place in Belgrade during Euroleague Final Four between 18.05 and 21.05. As we already covered a number of these players on previous occasions. This time Marko Turk and Igor Chytrzynski bring a summary of the event in a slightly different, more compact form with little bit more focus on players future. Enjoy!
Bassala Bagayoko (C | 208 cm | ‘06) ~ Mega Mozzart Belgrade
17.3 pts, FG2-68%, FG3-0%, FT-62.3%, 12.3 reb, 2.7 ast, 2.3 st, 4 to, 1.7 blck
Young Mr Bagayoko dazzled with his performance by making several highlight plays, flying high above the rims and also showing flashes of skills that give a lot of hope for the future. Earning as a result Rising Stars honours in this edition of the event. With inexperience, come mistakes. And Bassala had moments when he wanted a bit too much. Looked chaotic at times, trying to finish and pass way off balance but that didn’t stop him from delivering the ball where he wanted. General polish to his offensive game and work on defensive composure would be the next step. Curious to see how much of a reliable shot he will be able to develop. He didn’t have many tries, but his base, from what I’ve seen, looked a bit wonky. Early bloomer.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Nikola Djurisic (G | 202 cm | ‘04) ~ Mega Mozzart Belgrade
20 pts, FG2-36.8%, FG3-20.6%, FT-78.5%, 4.3 reb, 5 ast, 1.3 st, 6 to, 0 blck
MVP of the tournament was one of the most battle-tested players in the entire competition, having played even for the senior Serbian National Team. Was on a different level in terms of overall polish, but was a bit out of his character on this occasion. He really wanted to step up, but instead was responsible for slowing down the offense and it wasn’t hard to spot how much the flow had improved once he got the ball moving. I don’t expect him to play like that at the pro level, but regardless he shouldn’t be a primary instigator in the future in my eyes. Improvement in decision making and a consistent shot are still pending.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Andrija Jelavic (F | 207 cm | ‘04) ~ Mega Mozzart Belgrade
14.7 pts, FG2-66.7%, FG3-32.5%, FT-62.8%, 6 reb, 2 ast, 0.7 st, 2 to, 1 blck
Croatian forward transferred from Ljubljana to a Serbian powerhouse on a long-term deal not so long ago and it seemed the move has paid off straight away. He fit in quite well and was a vital contributor to the Mega success. Andrija has a nice size and continues to fill up. Efficient player, who by taking advantage of easy opportunities on and off the ball. Can deliver, somewhat quietly solid numbers,. Those “front page” players like Nikola and Bassala need guys like Andrija, that can do a number of things and fill in the gaps. His shot looks to be slowly coming around, which adds an extra dimension to his game. Defensively, he can challenge some players, but don’t expect him to be turning heads. Should be a solid contributor at mid-high levels in Europe in the future.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Killian Malwaya (SG | 198 cm | ‘05) ~ Asvel
13.3 pts, FG2-52.9%, FG3-28.6%, FT-71.4%, 6.0 reb, 1.0 ast, 1.3 st, 2.0 to, 0.3 blck
Killian is a player every team would want in his team. He doesn’t need the ball a lot in his hands and is not a high usage guy but when he gets it, he will make something happen. His driving off the catch is on elite level and he understands the driving angles very well and usually defense had a hard time stopping him because his first step was just too explosive and his angles too sharp. He felt great on open court and made a few attractive above the rim plays and I believe his game will translate great to the wider NBA floor. Has amazing instincts on the defensive end and is always at the right place at the right time and very good as a 1vs1 or team defender. He is still two seasons away from being draft eligible and I think his draft stock price will get bigger and bigger in the next few years.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Kymany Houinsou (PG | 196 cm | ‘04) ~ Asvel
13.7 pts, FG2-52.9%, FG3-20.0%, FT-74.1%, 7.0 reb, 5.7 ast, 2.7 st, 3.3 to, 0.3 blck
Kymany was filling all stat lines again as he did in the qualifiers tournament in Belgrade a few months ago. He played his game and was the main creator in Asvel’s offense. Due to his above average positional size and athleticism he was hard to stop on drives and showed advanced finishing at the rim. He was making similar mistakes as in the qualifying tournament with losing the balls too carelessly and struggled with shots from deep. It won’t be easy for him to get a spot in the Asvel’s pro roster next season but his player profile could be a good fit in a fast paced system and in my opinion teams from Australian NBL should try to bring him over for the NBL Next Stars program.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Zaccharie Risacher (F | 204 cm | ‘05) ~ Asvel
14.3 pts, FG2-41.2%, FG3-42.9%, FT-73.3%, 5.0 reb, 1.7 ast, 1.0 st, 2.0 to, 2.0 blck
The third high level prospect in Asvel’s team and one of the best long term prospects at this final tournament in Belgrade. It is obvious that basketball is in his blood and the game just naturally comes to him. He isn’t as athletic as Malwaya or Houinsou but due to his feel and instincts he can compete with better athletes and grab rebounds over them. If he struggled with shots from deep in the qualifying tournament, he has shown this time that he is a good shooter and that there shouldn’t be any problems with his shooting numbers throughout his career. Has space for more muscle on his frame and room for growth in many areas of his game but overall a very intriguing prospect due to his long term upside and elite feel for the game.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Matteo Visintin (G | 190 cm | ‘04) ~ Stellazzurra Rome
18 pts, FG2-44.2%, FG3-16.7%, FT-63.6%, 2.6 reb, 4 ast, 5.6 st, 2.6 to, 0 blck
Matteo is a warrior. Full stop. Maybe, not the most physically gifted player, but he gives insted a lot of effort and craftiness. He has so much of it he could easily share it with a couple of other plyers. He carries the spirit of the Stellaazzurra team and refuses to give up. If it takes stealing 11 balls to put his team in front, he will do it. Often grinds through long minutes and is not afraid to get his hands dirty. With that said, without a shot in place and proper playmaking abilities to compensate. Matteo’s upside is quite limited. But to be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if he surpasses the expectations, as he is that type of player.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Eric Dailey Jr (F | 205 cm | ‘04) ~ Stellazzurra Rome
13 pts, FG2-44.3%, FG3-11.1%, FT-66%, 7.3 reb, 0.3 ast, 1 st, 3.3 to, 0.7 blck
Eric holds many offers from all around the world, and it seemed like he wanted to test the waters in Europe before seriously committing to anything. He transferred for this tournament to a very respected programme in Italy – Stellazzurra Rome. The move was highly anticipated, given his profile and timing – just weeks before this prestigious tournament took place. 6’8 lefty forward brought an interesting blend of strength/athleticism/tools, but without getting into many details, it was a rather shaky showing. Eric didn’t have much time to adjust and it was visible. He wasn’t in the same gear as the rest of his team, had few selfish moments and even looked to be somewhat surprised by the intensity level. His impact wasn’t as high as expected, and he even limited his exposure a bit with a high number of fouls. With that said, I’m pretty certain the future holds something exciting for him, and this was just a one off.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Emmanuel Innocenti (G | 196 cm | ‘04) ~ Stellazzurra Rome
19 pts, FG2-48.1%, FG3-26.7%, FT-42.9%, 5 reb, 4.3 ast, 2 st, 3.6 to, 0 blck
Emmanuel didn’t waste any time and welcomed us with a 24/7/4 performance in their first game against Adidas Select Team. But, in the end, even that wasn’t enough to stop selct team packed with talent. It would have been one of the most spectacular comebacks in the last few years as him with Matteo got the team back withing 3 from a 23-point deficit. Athletic guard brough a lot of energy and inflicted pain on both ends of the floor at this level. Got maybe a bit carried away and played too aggressively on defense, which resulted in a lot of fouls, but his coach trusted him to stay and play. Altough he exploded offensively in this setting, I don’t see that as his forte. I would imagine him more as a guard focused on defense with a smaller role on offense, mainly simple plays and off-ball. Pretty much done product physically.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Henri Veesaar (PF | 211 cm | ‘04) ~ Real Madrid
10.0 pts, FG2-47.1%, FG3-42.9%, FT-71.4%, 4.0 reb, 2.3 ast, 0.0 st, 1.7 to, 2.0 blck
A decent tournament for Henri. As mentioned last time in the ANGT Ljubljana recap, Real has a lot of talent and it isn’t easy to find the best role for everyone. Henri was again showing his extra feel for the game and made a lot of correct decisions. He was making shots from deep, had a few good post up plays and made a few very good passes that we usually don’t see from players his size. He committed to Arizona just a few days after the tournament and I think he will be a great fit in Tommy Loyd’s international flavored system. Also going to NCAA might be a great decision for him to develop his body, add some muscle mass and grow as a person/player. It wouldn’t completely shock me if he gets some late first or early second round buzz in a future NBA draft.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Urban Klavžar (G | 185 cm | ‘04) ~ Real Madrid
16.3 pts, FG2-46.2%, FG3-36.4%, FT-86.7%, 2.0 reb, 3.3 ast, 1.0 st, 2.7 to, 0.0 blck
Urban was again Real’s main guy on the backcourt spots. He was delivering every game and in my opinion he was the most developed scorer in the tournament. Defenders can’t leave him open or out of sight even for a second because he will punish every mistake and convert the open looks. His body is developed and he is ready to take the challenge and start his pro career. It will be interesting to see if Real will offer him a pro contract or will he sign somewhere else but he has the right mindset to succeed and wherever he will go, he will play his aggressive & confident game style. But the keyword here is “play” and in my opinion he needs to find a destination where he will get enough playing time to show his talents.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Eli Ndiaye (PF | 204 cm | ‘04) ~ Real Madrid
15.0 pts, FG2-55.6%, FG3-12.5%, FT-80.0%, 12.0 reb, 2.3 ast, 2.0 st, 4.7 to, 0.3 blck
Eli was dominant on both ends once again. He is one of the few players that scored in double digits in all matches played and at the final tournament he had a double double with points and rebounds in every match. Had a bad tournament from a shooting standpoint and made just one of his 8 three point attempts. Also lacked focus sometimes and recklessly lost the ball. Overall his game is above this age group and he is physically ready to make the jump into pros. The question is if that will be in Real Madrid or in some other team but similar as in Klavžar’s case, he needs to get the playing time to compete against stronger and more experienced players to maximize his potential.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Baba Miller (F | 208 cm | ‘04) ~ Real Madrid
4.7 pts, FG2-75.0%, FG3-0.0%, FT-50.0%, 3.0 reb, 1.7 ast, 0.7 st, 1.7 to, 0.0 blck
After a not so good tournament in Ljubljana, this final tournament was even worse for Baba Miller. His talent is obvious and he has the tools but his body language and energy level look really bad. He was again playing without any fire in his eyes and it looked like he didn’t care about winning and if he doesn’t show improvements in the non-basketball areas, then he will never reach his full potential. He has the basketball skills and talent but it looks like his character will be the deal breaker between a NBA career or a fringe ACB career.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Rayan Rupert (G | 198 cm | ‘04) ~ INSEP Paris
19.6 pts, FG2-42.1%, FG3-31.8%, FT-66.7%, 4 reb, 2.3 ast, 4 st, 2.6 to, 0.3 blck
Rayan was one of the prospects that stood out in the Varese qualifier, but his game suffered from poor decision making. On this occasion though, he adjusted and, despite a few questionable pull up jumpers here and there. Change was easily noticeable. With better-placed shots, came better percentages both from inside while slipping through the lane and outside the arc when coming off screens or from the spot. He was one of the most disruptive players in this entire competition and as he fills out, he should become even more versatile. When it comes to his potential, I think it will be determined by how organized offensively he will be, and I think this performance gave a lot of food for thought to all scouts and executives. If he continues on this arc, I can see him being projected for the NBA Draft.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Noah Penda (F | 199 cm | ‘05) ~ INSEP Paris
12.6 pts, FG2-50%, FG3-11.1%, FT-45.5%, 4.3 reb, 3.6 ast, 3 st, 2.6 to, 0.6 blck
Noah, this time took on a bit different role and spent more time with the ball in his hands, looking for options to create. He intrigues not only with his instincts and feel, but also the way he uses his body. Taking contact while slashing through the lane, surprising opponents like Veesaar with his leap, rearranging his shots around the rim as well as selling body fakes to defenders. He proved with this showing, he can take care of things on perimeter, but a lack of a 3-point shot really hurts his stock, and that would be a big question going forward. I don’t expect him to be a first option, but rather a valuable role played few years down the road. Big test coming up for him with the u17s around the corner.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Zacharie Perrin (C | 207 cm | ‘04) ~ Next Generation Team
10.0 pts, FG2-54.2%, FG3-0.0%, FT-63.6%, 5.8 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.8 st, 2.5 to, 0.5 blck
Perrin was physically one of the most pro ready bigs at this tournament. He wasn’t as dominant as in the tournament in Varese mainly because this Next Generation Team had much more depth and quality on all positions and his role and impact was smaller. Nevertheless, he was doing his job and his interior presence was felt on both ends and had a good tournament overall. Played only a few minutes for Antibes in ProB this season and I can imagine that he will get more minutes on pro level next season, although he could also draw the interest from some high/mid major programs.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Pacome Dadiet (SF | 200 cm | ‘05) ~ Next Generation Team
13.5 pts, FG2-51.6%, FG3-25.0%, FT-92.9%, 5.5 reb, 0.8 ast, 1.8 st, 2.8 to, 0.0 blck
There is a lot to like in Pacome Dadiet if you are looking at the player through the eyes of an NBA scout. He has a strong and athletic body, amazing off-ball moves and feel for cuts, possesses a very good court awareness and has the 1vs1 skills to create advantages and get to the rim. At this tournament he struggled with his outside shot but was almost unmissable from the free throw line on a decent sample size. He has the potential to become a versatile scorer that could make shots from any position. Needs to improve his defensive awareness since he fell asleep a few times and allowed easy points. In my opinion Pacome was the player with the best NBA potential from all the players at this final tournament and that if he continues developing and improving in the right direction, he can become a good NBA player.
(Written by Marko Turk)
