The last European youth championship of the summer, FIBA U16 European Championship (Division A) in Skopje, North Macedonia was really interesting in many ways. We had the chance to watch some of the prospects that are already known, also as in all the U16 tournaments, we met a lot of new players that were not popular before.
Lithuania has won it this time, Spain was not considered as one of the favorites, but they again managed to take their place on the podium and finished the tournament in 2nd place. France took the last place on the podium winning over Greece in the 3rd place game. Croatia, Netherlands and Denmark could not manage to stay in Division A and got relegated.
Here are the standout players of the tournament:
Mario Saint-Supery (G | 190cm | ’06) ~ Spain
21.9 pts, 6.0 reb, 4.1 ast, 2.9 stl, 0.4 blck, 3.3 to, FG 42.1%, 3P 31.6%, FT 76.7%
Spain won a medal just like they’ve been doing all summer, this one was thanks to the MVP, ‘Super Mario’ without any doubts. Saint-Supery led his team into the final despite the absence of Hugo Gonzalez. His stats seem more impressive considering that he played more than 30 minutes in only 2 games in the tournament. He does whatever he wants on the court and is always one step ahead of his defenders. One of the most important gifts of Saint-Super is, he lightens up the entire team with spreading his energy and willingness to win no matter what, he never gives up. The final against Lithuania was close because he didn’t accept the loss and gave his all playing the entire game. His creativity and footwork brings new opportunities every second of the offense and make him unpredictable. He managed to score 2.6 of his 8.1 3-point attempts per game in the tournament but showed potential for being more consistent in the future. It might’ve seem like he pushed things too far in some positions and that’s why his field goal percentage is not that high but he kind of had to. 2.9 steals per game (4th most) tells a lot about his feel for the game defensively too. He totally deserved the MVP award in the tournament and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Mario Saint-Supery.
(Written by Doruk Karaca)
Neoklis Avdalas (F | 196 cm | ’06’) ~ Greece
14.7 pts, 4.1 reb, 2.0 ast, 1.9 stl, 0.9 blck, 3.0 to, FG 46.0%, 3P 28.1%, FT 73.7%
Avdalas led the Greek National Team to the semi-finals and was selected to the All-Tournament team. He didn’t play well consistently during the tournament, especially in the 3rd place game against France (got into foul trouble too). However, his athleticism and shot creating skills are intriguing and he shows a lot of potential. Using his athleticism, Avdalas loves transition basketball and also catching lobs in half court. I think his game has a lot of growing to do but he makes every move seem so cool and watching him give no-look passes, using his footwork to get open and dunk the ball after a steal is so entertaining. Avdalas only averaged 2 assists per game but that number is misleading because his court vision and passing ability offers so much more. On defense, he uses his arms really well to steal the ball and 0.9 blocks (3 against Israel) per game is not bad, he can jump and his timing is promising. He’s not a great on ball defender and it feels like he sometimes tends to start running to the offense while the job in the defensive end is not finished. He also needs to work on making his 3-point shots and being a better finisher around the rim. Overall, Avdalas can be the next big thing for Greece as an all-around player.
(Written by Doruk Karaca)
Mohamed Diakite (F | 204 cm | ’06) ~ France
9.4 pts, 8.4 reb, 1.6 ast, 1.9 stl, 0.3 blck, 1.9 to, FG 52.0%, 3P 30.4%, FT 70.0%
As a member of the All-Tournament team, I think Mohamed Diakite is one of the best prospects of the FIBA U16 European Championship. His body, speed and athleticism might make him a future NBA prospect right away. He is a solid rebounder, also loves running the floor after grabbing the rebound and gave some pretty good passes or scored in transition in the tournament. Diakite didn’t shoot the ball well in Skopje except the last game but it doesn’t matter. I’m almost certain that he is going to be a decent shooter. He is going to need to work on his ball-handling more, can commit easy turnovers. I’d want to see more effort from him on the defensive end around the paint, blocking some shots. Has all the tools but doesn’t try hard enough. Looks passive while protecting the rim. Averaged 1.9 steals, thanks to the game against Croatia (7 steals), he shows signs of being a good perimeter defender. Really excited about his future.
(Written by Doruk Karaca)
Ben Avraham Saraf (G | 195 cm | ’06) ~ Israel
24.3 pts, 6.7 reb, 4.1 ast, 2.3 stl, 0.4 blck, 2.7 to, FG 43.2%, 3P 31.0%, FT 77.6%
The scoring champion of the FIBA U16 European Championship, Ben Saraf played like the best player on the court in almost every single game. Saraf’s speed makes him one of the most dangerous transition players of his age and he showed it constantly during the tournament. His court vision, basketball IQ and passing ability makes it so hard to stop him, he seems to enjoy dishing out assists and creating for his teammates. He is not the most reliable shooter yet but he has the potential to be really really good at it. He can do it all; step backs, pull-ups, catch and shoots and his confidence is impressive. His crossovers were unstoppable and made it easy for him to drive to the paint but he still has to get better at finishing with his right hand and through contact with a little bit more control. Saraf averaged 2.3 steals per game and has really good defensive instincts. However, he tends to lose concentration and leave his man open sometimes, also needs to work on his timing for help defense. Overall, 2006-born player’s got a bright future ahead which might end up with him getting drafted into the NBA.
(Written by Doruk Karaca)
Nojus Indrušaitis (SF | 198 cm | ‘06) ~ Lithuania
15.1 pts, 4.6 reb, 1.4 ast, 1.3 stl, 0.0 blck, 2.4 to, FG 41.0%, 3P 36.0%, FT 80.5%
There was a lot to like in the scoring versatility of Nojus Indrušaitis. He was able to score at all three levels and usually he left the defenders guessing what came next. Really skilled as a ball handler and can create scoring opportunities for himself out of any situation but especially dangerous on open court when he is pushing the ball. Has a good eye for team mates too and can deliver sharp passes but more a scorer than a connector. Showed a good feel for the game and made correct decisions most of the time and didn’t commit many turnovers. Offers some versatility as a defender and can defend guards and wings. Definitely a player to follow for the next few years and how his development will go but probably more a top level in Europe than NBA prospect.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Dame Sarr (SG | 196 cm | ‘06) ~ Italy
14.4 pts, 4.1 reb, 1.6 ast, 2.0 stl, 1.6 blck, 1.9 to, FG 35.2%, 3P 38.8%, FT 58.8%
Sarr showed some of his potential at this tournament. His body is quite weak at the moment but frame looks good and it should fill nicely over time and when he completes the development program, his body should be ready for all the challenges. Dame is not really a player that would play a lot in isolation but more an off-ball scorer that moves good without the ball. He can effortlessly pull up and hit shots from deep but needs to put more work on his slashing game and finishing at the rim because he missed some layups that he should have converted. Shot selection was bad on some shots but he follows the saying “shooters shoot” and doesn’t like to overthink about his shots. There were also sequences when he hadn’t touched the ball for minutes and he was just hungry to score some points. With his athleticism he can play good defense on the perimeter too so he has upside on that end of the floor too. His tools and skills are intriguing, even for the NBA, but there is still a long way to go and a lot of sculpting and molding will be needed in the next years.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Dwayne Aristode (SF | 200 cm | ‘06) ~ Netherlands
15.3 pts, 9.0 reb, 3.1 ast, 2.0 stl, 1.3 blck, 3.7 to, FG 39.8%, 3P 37.5%, FT 60.0%
It was nice to see Dwayne Aristode in a different setting than at the ANGT Varese tournament in April where he played for Joventut. In Joventut he played mostly off-ball and didn’t get many touches in offense while here he had the ball in his hands more often and his offensive role was bigger. He had some isolation plays early in the tournament and he struggled to create advantages so an off-ball role definitely suits him better. He is an above average athlete and I would love to see him being more aggressive and attacking the rim more often and not just relying on his outside shooting. He showed that he is a good shooter already on a big sample size but the shot selection was sometimes bad and needs to add more in-between game and at the rim scoring to his repertoire if he wants to become a better and more versatile scorer. Offers high defensive potential as a wing too and has good instincts on that side of the floor. In my opinion, Aristode was one of the players with the highest upside in Skopje and if the development goes in the right direction, he could make an NBA career as a 3&D wing.
(Written by Marko Turk)
David Mirković (PF | 205 cm | ’06) ~ Montenegro
22.1 pts, 10.3 reb, 3.0 ast, 2.1 stl, 1.0 blck, 1.9 to, FG 46.7%, 3P 36.1%, FT 71.8%
Watching David Mirkovic play in the tournament made me feel like I’ve accidentally clicked on a NBA2K MyPlayer video. His basketball knowledge and IQ is unbelievable considering he is only 16 years old. Mirkovic can dribble and shoot the ball, make plays for himself and his teammates, also it’s hard to stop him when he gets the ball in the post. It’s not a good idea to double him since he is pretty good at finding the open man. His defensive instincts make him a decent help defender and he seems like he’s consistently in the right place at the right time thanks to his timing on deflections. Mirkovic is not very athletic or fast and he can face some problems against good rim protectors and athletic wings but it all comes to his intelligence in the end. His rebounding skills were also impressive in the tournament, especially against North Macedonia (19 rebounds) and Italy (15 rebounds) and we saw him run the floor in transition after grabbing rebounds a lot. We still need more tournaments and clips to talk about his potential but his game seems to fit in the “European player who is likely to be the steal of an NBA Draft” type. Still, It’s too soon.
(Written by Doruk Karaca)
Ognjen Radošić (SG | 195 cm | ‘06) ~ Serbia
21.7 pts, 2.0 reb, 1.3 ast, 3.0 stl, 0.3 blck, 0.7 to, FG 42.0%, 3P 23.1%, FT 76.9%
Played just two and a half matches in Skopje and then was out for the tournament because of an injury. His usage and offensive role was really high and he was the leader of the Serbian team but unfortunately we weren’t able to see how deep he could carry the team since he played just in the group phase. In those two matches he showed glimpses of what he can offer. A really talented shot creator and shot maker that loves to put pressure on the rim. He managed to get by defenders easily and on most occasions then drew a shooting foul. He was great at selling those fouls and spent a lot of the time at the free throw line where he was quite efficient for this age group. Hasn’t completely bought me as a shooter from distance and his release is a little shaky although I’m not putting too much weight on this at this age group but this is a skill that will need to improve in the future. Also needs to improve his off-hand since he is still doing most of the stuff with his stronger left hand. Quick hands and good instincts for steals and had some good defensive possessions.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Talis Soulhac (G | 186 cm | ’06’) ~ France
9.2 pts, 3.5 reb, 3.8 ast, 2.5 stl, 0.0 blck, 1.8 to, FG 38.8%, 3P 20.0%, FT 77.8%
Soulhac showed exactly what he can do and what he can not in the U16 European Championship. France was a better team with him on the court and his playmaking skills contributed to winning directly. His speed allows him to run the floor well in transition and he can either finish the fast breaks or dish out assists. Soulhac demonstrated his skills as a passer, PnR operator and playmaker, finding solutions on the half court offense as well. His timing on rebounds and athleticism could also be seen in some of the games in the tournament, good instincts on where the ball is going to land. Averaged almost 4 steals in his first 4 games, so he reads the game pretty well on the defensive end too. It might not be the best option to put him against decent shooters yet because of his height. He can also get himself into foul trouble with bad decision making. Soulhac’s biggest problem is his shooting ability. He tried 15 3-point shots and only managed to score 3 of them. Tries midrange shots too but they don’t fall yet either. He has issues with creating for himself and it feels like it’s going to be one of the main concerns with him in the future. Can still imagine him having a good career in Europe.
(Written by Doruk Karaca)
Nolan Traore (PG | 190 cm | ‘06) ~ France
13.6 pts, 3.9 reb, 4.6 ast, 2.4 stl, 0.6 blck, 4.7 to, FG 40.9%, 3P 21.4%, FT 63.0%
Athletic point guard with good positional size. He was the main initiator in the French national team and had the ball in his hands most of the time. Has an explosive first step and is a very good penetrator in general. His finishing at the rim could be better and there is room to improve. Also not reliable as a shooter and his shot selection was bad on many occasions. Made a lot of careless turnovers and bad passes and he needs to limit those mistakes in the future. Due to his positional size he is able to play good on-ball defense on perimeter and force opponents into mistakes. Not a true point guard/playmaker and more of a combo guard in my eyes that offers some two-way upside but his ceiling will depend on how much he can limit the mistakes in offense and how efficient he can be as a scorer.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Urban Kroflič (G | 195 cm | ‘06) ~ Slovenia
20.7 pts, 8.0 reb, 2.4 ast, 3.3 stl, 1.0 blck, 3.7 to, FG 36.6%, 3P 30.2%, FT 73.2%
One of the best scorers in the tournament but with a pretty bad efficiency. Urban is a very good shot creator that is able to create space for his shot and isn’t scared to pull the trigger from deep distance. This isn’t necessarily a good thing since some of his shots were too forced and he will need to improve his shot selection moving forward. Would also love to see him bring the ball closer to the rim more often and attempt more shots at the rim since he has the body and skills to be a good finisher there but he rather takes some tough shots from deep. Also was sometimes too rim oriented and hasn’t spotted an open teammate or delivered the ball on time. Hard to stop on open court because of his size and agility. In defense he gambled too many times with a steal attempt and fell out of the defensive scheme. Interesting player profile but to maximize his potential he will need to improve his decision making and make better decisions/less mistakes and be more efficient on both sides of the floor.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Vit Hrabar (SG | 202 cm | ‘06) ~ Slovenia
11.7 pts, 2.3 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.6 stl, 0.3 blck, 3.1 to, FG 32.9%, 3P 30.8%, FT 78.9%
Hrabar also showed some stuff that makes him an interesting long-term prospect. He has good positional size for a shooting guard, maybe he could still grow for an inch or two, but more importantly there is a lot of space to add some muscle to his bones. He moved well without the ball and attacked the rim of the catch. He has long strides and was able to create space while he also showed good balance on some finishes but struggled a little with finishes through contact due to his weaker upper body. His shooting touch is soft, showed good in-between game and I believe that when he develops his body and gets stronger that the shots will start falling in with great percentages. There is a trend of tall and long shooting guards with great off-ball movements and good shooting numbers and Vit could fit in that mold so if his development goes in the right direction, he could become a really interesting player down the road.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Frederik Erichsen (F | 205 cm | ‘06) ~ Denmark
15.9 pts, 5.1 reb, 1.7 ast, 1.1 stl, 0.4 blck, 3.1 to, FG 37.9%, 3P 19.4%, FT 80.0%
Erichsen has an intriguing long-term potential and he is a player that you must keep an eye on. He handles the ball really well for a player his size and he didn’t have many problems with bringing the ball to the rim. Possesses a wide arsenal of ball handling tricks and has potential to play as a point forward in the future. His body control on drives was good and he showed good touch at the rim too. Made some good passes and showed good passing touch but sometimes his team mates weren’t on the same wavelength as him because the talent difference between them was just too big and they didn’t understand his idea. Shooting motion looks good and shots will start falling in in the future. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for him and with the right development in the next few years he could turn into a player for the highest level.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Noa Essengue (PF/C | 203 cm | ‘06) ~ France
13.0 pts, 5.7 reb, 1.3 ast, 2.1 stl, 0.6 blck, 1.9 to, FG 46.5%, 3P 18.2%, FT 54.8%
The tournament was dominated by guards or wings and Essengue was one of the few bigs that somehow stood out. A bouncy and agile power forward/big with a thin frame and long limbs that uses his body tools well. Runs the floor like a gazelle and easily outruns other bigs plus has the ball handling skills to push forward after steal/rebound. Was solid as a finisher at the rim and made some tough shots under contact but also missed some shots that should be made. Attempted a few shots from distance too but shooting is an area that he still needs to work on because the release is very inconsistent. Noa has very good spatial awareness and a good feel for how to move without the ball to get open or how to roll in pick&roll settings. With his length and athleticism he was making an impact as a defender that could switch or cover ground as a helpside defender.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Demir Doğan (F | 205 cm | ’06) ~ Turkey
12.8 pts, 4.5 reb, 1.7 ast, 0.7 stl, 1.0 blck, 2.2 to, FG 44.3%, 3P 18.2%, FT 39.3%
Demir was not one of the standout performers of the U16 European Championship, but he sure is one of the most intriguing long term prospects. He’s able to guard 3 to 5 and got all the defensive tools as an on-ball defender and rim protector, still big room for improvement. On offense, he showed that he can dribble the ball, create his own shots and go to the rim with an impressive athleticism in transition. Turkish forward also has an underrated court vision and passing ability which allows him to find the open man. Biggest concern about Demir was his shooting ability and it still is. He shot only 18.2% behind the 3-point line and his free throw percentage was not good either. I think it’s not late for him to make adjustments for his release and shooting mechanism. He also needs to be more aggressive on rebounds. There is absolutely no reason for Demir not to be a solid player when he shows his passion for the game on the court and work on his weaknesses.
(Written by Doruk Karaca)
