The summer full of international youth basketball action started last week with the 6th edition of FIBA U17 World Cup. Europe had 6 teams (Spain, France, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovenia, Poland) competing in the championship and all 6 teams finished in top8. In the end teamUSA showed their dominance again and we are still waiting for their first lose – they were undefeated in all six tournaments so far. I had a feeling that this year France or Spain could have a chance but my prediction was wrong once again.

But you are probably not reading this article to find out which national team played there and how wrong I was with my prediction but because of the players that played there. Hopefully my evaluations and predictions on them will be better than the prediction about who will win the tournament..

There were quite a lot of interesting prospects playing in Europe in this tournament. Here at Eurospects we have mentioned a few of them already in the last few recaps on ANGT tournaments so I believe there is no need to write on them again but I will rather focus on other players that deserve a shoutout. 

Izan Almansa (PF/C | 207 cm | ‘05) ~ Spain

12.1 pts, FG2-55.7%, FG3-N/A, FT-29.2%, 11.9 reb, 1.6 ast, 1.1 st, 1.3 to, 1.6 blck

MVP of the tournament. Almansa has improved by a lot since the last time I watched him (that was before he joined Overtime). He is mobile, athletic and strong and can make a difference in the paint on both sides. There were possessions when just his presence in the paint scared opponents away from attempting shots at the rim. He showed good instincts for blocks and contested the shots when it was possible. Also crashed the boards on both ends and was among the best rebounders in the tournament. Unfortunately, he can’t offer much in offense except finishes in the paint. His shooting touch is poor and struggled even from the free throw line while he hasn’t attempted any shots outside the paint. His court awareness is very good and he opens up the passing lanes and has a great feel for how to move without the ball. He profited a lot from great passers in the Spanish team that served him some easy points/dunks when he lurked at the dunker spot or rolled to the rim in a pick & roll setting. Almansa has some post up game too where he can make a balanced spin that creates separation for a finish or make a precise pass to a teammate. Almansa has a lot of skills that can make him a great player in the future especially his rebounding, defense and interior game on both ends can make him a valuable asset but to make it into the NBA, he will need to add some range and start to knock down shots – at least from mid range if not even behind the three point line.

Hugo Gonzalez (SG | 193 cm | ‘06) ~ Spain

9.3 pts, FG2-54.8%, FG3-28.0%, FT-62.5%, 5.0 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.7 st, 1.9 to, 0.6 blck

One year younger than most of the competition but still played an important part in Spain’s success. Hugo is a versatile scorer that excels on open court. He is fluid with the ball and likes to push and attack early. Also due to his advanced body, he has no problem with getting to the rim and finishing there – under or over the rim. Maybe the numbers at this tournament don’t prove it but he is a good shooter with repeatable shooting motion and I believe he won’t have many problems making shots at a higher level. Moves well without the ball too and has great feel for cuts. His offensive/scoring game is really advanced for a player his age and has a bright future as a scoring swingman. Capable of playing good defense, his engine rarely stops and is always doing something on the court. A lot to like in Gonzalez and he is definitely one of the most talented players in his generation.

Lucas Langarita (SG | 195 cm | ‘05) ~ Spain

11.1 pts, FG2-56.1%, FG3-24.2%, FT-80.0%, 2.4 reb, 2.9 ast, 1.4 st, 1.3 to, 0.0 blck

Langarita was one of the most fun players to watch. He was stepping his game up every round and was playing better and better through the tournament. A very good athlete that made quite a few dunks on drives and forced the fans in the stands (and maybe even at home) to stand up from their seats. Overall a better slasher off the catch than from a standstill position and there is room to improve in his iso game. Lucas wasn’t that efficient as a shooter from deep but can make spot up shots if left open but he played with a lot of confidence and wasn’t scared to make a play when it mattered. Versatile perimeter defender too and can basically defend players from 1 to 3. There was a lot to like in Langarita and he showed much better performances here than at the ANGT in Varese where he played for Zaragoza. Curious what the future holds for him but he showed that he has the tools and potential to make it to the pro levels.

Ilane Fibleuil (SG | 195 cm | ‘05) ~ France

12.6 pts, FG2-60.0%, FG3-61.5%, FT-47.6%, 5.9 reb, 0.7 ast, 1.9 st, 0.9 to, 0.1 blck

Fibleuil was the player that surprised a lot of people with his performances in Malaga. He was maybe a little under the radar and some players in the French team got much more attention than him but Ilane showed great performances day after day and was amongst the best players in the team in the end. He is so smooth in offense and excels as an off-ball player in offense. Has elite instincts and he collected a few offensive rebounds while being at the right place at the right time. Of course, his athleticism helped him a lot in this regard since he has an explosive leap and is able to out-rebound taller players. He showed his athleticism on open court as well and managed to make some attractive dunks that “went viral” on social media. Shooting motion is also smooth and he is a good shooter for this level and showing the repeatability to be a good shooter in the future too. Solid on-ball defender because of his athleticism but made quite a few mistakes as an off-ball defender and was late in rotations a few times. He isn’t fully developed yet and still has room to grow into his body and Ilane Fibleuil is definitely a name worth following. I expect that he will get a much bigger role next season in INSEP and it could be his breakout season.

Alexandre Dam Sarr (C | 213 cm | ‘05) ~ France

12.0 pts, FG2-67.4%, FG3-44.4%, FT-83.3%, 3.9 reb, 1.3 ast, 1.0 st, 1.1 to, 1.4 blck

Sarr was consistently performing well every night. He was doing his job in the paint on both ends and showed his two-way value. But what makes me happy is that he made a big progress in shooting in comparison to last year’s U16 challenger. He wasn’t taking many shots from deep there and was also poor from the FT line but in this tournament he showed that he added some range and consistency in his shooting from distance. Not a player that would regularly stretch the floor but there are signs that over time he could get there. When it comes to finishing at the rim, he can finish with both hands with soft touch and also throw it down if he gets enough space. Can play face up and back to the basket so there is some versatility in his isolation game too. He runs the floor great, challenges shots at the rim… the only thing I would like to see more often from him is that he would go for a rebound more aggressively. He is athletic and long enough to grab more rebounds than he did in this tournament and rebounding will be an important skill in determining his ceiling. There is a lot to like in his game and the potential is really high if he continues to develop his game in the right direction.

Petras Padegimas (F | 201 cm | ‘05) ~ Lithuania

10.3 pts, FG2-47.6%, FG3-34.8%, FT-88.9%, 6.3 reb, 1.4 ast, 1.0 st, 3.1 to, 0.9 blck

Overall a good tournament for the new DME Academy member Petras Padegimas. Petras is an athletic forward with a good vertical jump and he made a highlight dunk almost every night. He wasn’t scared to rock the rim even if some defenders stood in his way. He loved to attack from the top and get by slowed defenders and he was efficient in those actions. He is more a straight line driver at the moment and at this level it was enough to get the job done but in the future he will need to become more unpredictable with his driving. Can offer some stretch potential as well and made the shots in decent percentages even though the shooting motion can get more fluid and quicker. With his athleticism and footwork he was able to defend multiple positions which is another big strength from him. Petras understands the game well, is able to find open teammates when needed and doesn’t force shots or falls out of the team systems. A great player that can be the leader or a follower, depends on your needs.

Justas Stonkus (PG | 192 cm | ‘05) ~ Lithuania

12.9 pts, FG2-46.0%, FG3-29.4%, FT-77.8%, 2.7 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.7 st, 2.7 to, 0.1 blck

Stonkus had a good tournament and except in the game vs Japan, where he went scoreless, scored in double digits in all other matches. He was getting to the rim at will and showed advanced finishing ability there. He had no problems finishing with a floater or going directly into the meat of the defender and finish through contact. He controlled the game fairly well and made a lot of correct decisions even though his turnover numbers don’t support that. His shooting needs a little more polishing and the release is on the slower side at the moment but was reliable from the FT line which is promising for the future. Would like to see him pass the ball more often and try to create some shots for team mates but he was mostly looking for a drive and finish. Born on the last day of 2005 so he was the youngest player in the team but still played an important role. Showed stuff that makes him worth following and could draw interest from mid/high D1 colleges in the future.

Bogoljub Marković (PF | 210 cm | ‘05) ~ Serbia

13.1 pts, FG2-55.6%, FG3-33.3%, FT-63.0%, 5,4 reb, 1.3 ast, 1.0 st, 2.4 to, 1.1 blck

Marković was moved to the center spot for this tournament even though he was playing as a forward before in Mega. He was actually quite good in that role. With his long arms he was able to alter some shots and make deflections but he isn’t a player you could trust to protect your rim. Lack of strength was obvious on post ups where he struggled to hold his stance and his high gravity point and slow feet were an issue on perimeter defense. But Marković’s game is more about offense than defense anyway. On offense he can play inside and outside and probably has a higher future as an outside big/wing. There were possessions in this tournament where he showed that he can push the ball forward and initiate a fast break which could be a big strength for him in future. Loves to run the floor without the ball too and was first in offense quite a few times. His ball handling skills still need more polishing since his handles are loose and usually the dribbles are also too high and he was losing a few balls under pressure. The shooting motion is smooth and he is a player that can stretch the floor adequately well at the moment but has the potential to be a good stretcher. Marković’s talent is intriguing and it is hard to put a ceiling to it but I can imagine him being the next big project coming out of Mega’s system.

Ognjen Stanković (PG | 198 cm | ‘05) ~ Serbia

11.7 pts, FG2-52.9%, FG3-33.3%, FT-61.1%, 4.7 reb, 5.4 ast, 2.4 st, 2.7 to, 0.1 blck

Probably the player with the highest basketball IQ and understanding of the game in Malaga. He just plays the game at his own pace and it works for him and his team well. He is an under average athlete and he isn’t really explosive but still somehow manages to get by defenders due to his advanced reads. His biggest weakness so far is his shot from distance. He wasn’t attempting many shots but the release looked slow and struggled even from the free throw line. Due to his great positional size he was able to see above defenders and scan the floor and deliver passes all over the floor. Even though his usage was high he hasn’t made that many turnovers which speaks again of his good understanding of the game. Filled all stat lines and was twice close to a triple double. A lot of his future will depend on his shooting because I doubt he will get much more athletic but the understanding of the game is elite and if he manages to become at least a decent shooter, he could make a very good career in Europe.

Jan Vide (G | 197 cm | ‘05) ~ Slovenia

20.1 pts, FG2-29.8%, FG3-26.9%, FT-69.2%, 5.7 reb, 3.6 ast, 1.6 st, 2.7 to, 0.1 blck

Top scorer of the tournament. His offensive role was really high and he was basically taking a shot in almost every Slovenian possession. Some of those shots were too forced for my taste but that was the game plan of the Slovenian team. Jan struggled a lot with his efficiency and missed a lot of contested layups at the rim and even more floaters from a few feet. He had no problems beating the first line of defense and his first step and acceleration is really elite. Also has a strong upper body and has no problem initiating contact but as said, struggled a lot with making those shots. Shooting from distance still raises some question marks and he isn’t a consistent shooter yet. Would love to see him create more for his team mates too and connect the dots in offense more often. His ceiling in my opinion will come down to his ability to knock down shots from deep and how he will be able to create opportunities for his team mates – and he was quite bad in both of those areas in this tournament. On the other hand, it is hard to say that the tournament was bad for him since he was carrying the team to a historical 7th place and finished as a top scorer in the end but he is capable of better performances. His progress needs to be followed and updated in next year(s) in Real Madrid.

Szymon Nowicki (PF | 201 cm | ‘05) ~ Poland

14.4 pts, FG2-41.7%, FG3-41.9%, FT-70.6%, 9.4 reb, 2.6 ast, 3.6 st, 2.6 to, 2.6 blck

The true leader of the Polish team in Malaga. Szymon filled all stat lines and was one of the statistically most versatile players in this tournament. He was doing it all from scoring to defending and everything in between. Shot for three is one of his main calling cards. His release is quick and has a high shooting arc and his attempts found the target in great percentages. Another big strength in his game is how he could find opponents on the wrong foot and attack the closeout with drive. Szymon isn’t an elite athlete but those types of reads enabled him to get to the rim easily. On the defensive side he was covering a lot of holes and was usually at the right place to intercept a pass or to block a shot as a helpside defender. A true leader and glue guy at the same time and players like him can be really valuable in any team.

Lucas Giovannetti (SF | 201 cm | ‘05) ~ Argentina

12.6 pts, FG2-61.4%, FG3-27.3%, FT-63.6%, 3.0 reb, 2.3 ast, 0.7 st, 2.3 to, 0.3 blck

Giovannetti was the leader of Argentina’s team. He is versatile and could jump in many different roles, it depended on what the team needed the most. He isn’t an above average athlete but due to his high basketball IQ and understanding of the game he was able to get to the rim at will. His strides were long but controlled and he was able to lose the defenders a few times when he shortened his last step. Played quite a lot as the creator in offense setting up his team mates for open shots and delivered some nice passes. Lucas is a decent shooter too even though he struggled with his shot in this tournament. He has Argentinian swag and his game reminded me a lot on Nicolas Brussino and I can imagine Giovannetti making a similar career.

Ladji Coulibaly (C | 209 cm | ‘06) ~ Mali

11.0 pts, FG2-51.8%, FG3-33.3%, FT-58.8%, 8.4 reb, 1.6 ast, 0.7 st, 2.6 to, 2.3 blck

There were things I liked about Manresa’s big man Ladji Coulibaly in this tournament. He has good size and body that could fill out nicely over time. He played a lot of minutes on the PF spot and was on the floor together with Malick Dialo but I can imagine Coulibaly more as a C in the future. He needed to play more outside, sometimes he was even attempting shots from deep (and made a few of them) even though he is quite a bad shooter. His game in general is still raw and far from developed but it offers a lot of upside. At the rim he showed decent touch in some finishes and went for dunks when he had enough space. Mali didn’t have an above average playmaker so it was hard to evaluate his PnR skills but in a few plays he showed that he knows how to roll to the rim. Coulibaly showed even more on the defensive end, especially as a weak side shot blocker. He made a lot of good rotations and came out of nowhere to swat away a shot attempt at the rim. His length, vertical athleticism and instincts make him an intriguing defensive player and if he manages to make strides forward in his offensive game too, he can become a really useful two way big on pro level.