Date: 24th June – 2nd July 2023
Location: Debrecen, Hungary
The summer of ’23 started with the U19 World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary. This edition of the tournament was not even close to the last one that happened in Riga in 2021 if we compare the individual talent of the players that played there or here. That tournament in Riga was really strong thought and just to mention some players that played in Riga: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Jaden Ivey, Johnny Davis, Dyson Daniels, Bennedict Mathurin, Zach Edey, Nikola Jović, Khalifa Diop, Ibou Badji, Adem Bona…
The tournament in Debrecen did not have that much elite individual talent but there were still some interesting names that we will see playing on the highest levels in the future. The story of the tournament was definitely the European domination since all three medals went to the European teams and the last time something like this happened was in 2011 in Riga when Lithuania (led by Jonas Valanciunas) finished 1st, Serbia 2nd and Russia 3rd.
Without further ado, here are some short notes on the best players in the European teams or players that are playing in Europe:
Izan Almansa (C | 207 cm | ’05) ~ NBA G League Ignite (USA), Spain
Izan Almansa continues where he left last summer – with collecting the MVP awards. Last summer he won the MVP award at the U17 World Cup and later also the MVP trophy at U18 European championship and now he added the U19 World Cup MVP title to his name. Impressive stuff and it will be really hard for someone to accomplish the same thing in the future. Almansa was a dominant inside player on both ends. He managed to get some nice looks at the rim due to his elite footwork but overall there is still a lot of room for improvements in his post up technique and learning some go-to moves. Usually he relied on strength to get close to the rim and then pivoted for a good look but I doubt that can work so well against better/stronger/more experienced competition. He was way better and more efficient in pick & rolls and catch & finish plays when he could show his great court awareness and mobility. He was rarely at the wrong spot and did not make a lot of mistakes which is also a positive thing. It looks like his shooting motion also improved and it looks smoother than last summer and that was especially obvious at the free throw line – last summer at U17 he was 7/24 (29.2 %) and at U18 10/20 (50.0 %) from the free throw line while now at U19 he was 17/19 (89.5 %). Still needs to add range in half-court sets though since he scored majority of his points at the rim and improving in that skill should be his main focus in next season. Showed great interior defense too and has not allowed any easy points at the rim while he also knew how to move his feet and defend on perimeter. It will be interesting to follow him in G League next season and how his game translates to pro level because in the FIBA competitions he looks really dominant.
Jordi Rodriguez (SG/SF | 199 cm | ’04) ~ Joventut Badalona, Spain
A very good tournament for Jordri Rodriguez. He stepped up when needed and showed the “cojones” in the most important moments. He was not scared to be in the spotlights and take the matters in his hands but sometimes that led to a bad shot and his shot selection in the final match could be better. Although that is his game and that unpredictability makes him so dangerous and interesting. He was showing great shooting throguth the tournament and was 18 out of 46 (39.1 %) behind the three point line. Some of the shots were not easy and were from deep range too and I give him props for that. He moved great without the ball and made some nice cuts too but he was not really efficient at the rim or at the free throw line and that needs to improve. Used his length well in defense too and played an important role as team defender. Might be a player to watch next season if he will have similar performances as here in Debrecen.
Lucas Langarita (G | 195 cm | ’05) ~ Casademont Zaragoza, Spain
Lucas Langarita played his game and was an important piece in Spain’s success. He was not the leader in the team but he complemented the other players so well, did what was expected from him on a high level and played a great complementary role. Unfortunately his worst game at the tournament was in the finals against France but in the other matches he was amongst the best players of Spain. Lucas was playing great on-ball defense, not allowing any easy points or forcing the mistakes. After his team got the ball, he loved to play on open court and did lots of damage that way too. Played a good role in half-court sets too and showed his versatility as pick & roll creator and also value as a catch & shoot shooter. The athletic and versatile combo guard offers lots of value as a role player and he would be a great fit in many HM college programs.
Baba Miller (F | 208 cm | ’04) ~ Florida State (USA), Spain
A rollercoaster tournament for Baba Miller but I would give him a positive grade overall. He had some impressive moments when he was able to showcase his great tools and his talent and I believe he improved during the season even though he has not played much at Florida State. He was great at putting the ball to the floor and attacking closeouts with drives. With his long strides, good body balance, footwork and mobility he usually had no problems of getting to the rim and defenders had a hard time to stop him. He was also very efficient in his finishes at the rim and threw down some powerful dunks. Shooting mechanics look good but the percentages weren’t that good and there are some reserves for the future. The tools and his talent is obvious immediately when you see him and it is just a question of time when everything aligns and clicks. If he manages to have a good sophomore season, he can quickly be back in the first round considerations for the next draft.
Melvin Ajinca (SF | 200 cm | ’04) ~ Saint Quentin, France
Melvin Ajinca was hands down one of the best performers at the tournament. He was consistent and delivered on every match and was next to Zacharie Perrin the main player for France. Melvin offers some intriguing stuff for the wing position. His shooting numbers at the tournament were crazy and he made 22 out of his 45 attempts (48.9 %). Not all shots were easy and some of them were well contested but that did not bother the left-handed French wing who was full of confidence and sinked one shot after another. He was good at attacking with drives too and showed his fluidity and athleticism in transition with some attractive dunks. Played aggressive perimeter defense and forced lots of turnovers and he did his job on that end of the floor. He has the length and athleticism to be a pesky defender and defend multiple positions and if he manages to stay consistent and reliable in offense too then we get a really valuable two-way/3&D wing. After this breakout tournament a lot of eyes will be on him in next season – he showed the things that are very valuable nowadays for a NBA wing.
Zacharie Perrin (PF | 207 cm | ’04) ~ Antibes Sharks, France
If France would win the championship, then probably Zacharie Perrin would be picked as the MVP of the tournament. Statistically he was the best performer at the competition and averaged 15.4 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.7 asists per game with an average PER of 25.1. Amazing numbers for the French big man. Zacharie has similar game and similar limitations as Izan Almansa. He scored almost all of his points at the rim and he doesn’t offer any stretching. He was great in following the game and offering himself around the rim – be it out of cuts or pick & roll plays. He run the floor well and often got rewarded with quick and easy points in transition. As said, lack of the ability to make shots from distance sets some limitations on him in offense and I think his ceiling will depend on how good he can get at shooting. Defensively he was doing his job, offered some switchability and was capable of defending inside or outside. Showed great rebounding efforts and was the best rebounder in Debrecen. Great tournament for him overall but those numbers won’t translate so easily on the pro level.
Alexandre Dam Sarr (C | 213 cm | ’05) ~ Perth Wildcats (Australia), France
Alexandre Dam Sarr was often in the shadows of other French big men but in the final phases of the tournament he managed to show his talents on the defensive end. He made lots of great defensive plays, locked down the painted area and controlled the area around the rim. He has all the necessary tools to be a great defender – long arms, athletic, agile and has good instincts. After some blocked shots he run the floor extremelly well and showed his rim running abilities too. Attempted some shots from deep but he is not a reliable and consistent shooting threat at the moment. Made some good catch & finish plays when he found himself in a good position under the rim and his team mates rewarded him with the pass. Offensive game needs more polishing and it is quite raw at the moment but he brings a lot of value in defense although it won’t be easy for him to make immediate impact on pro level in NBL next season due to his thin frame. Has lots of upside but the Perth Wildcats will need to be patient with him.
Zaccharie Risacher (F | 203 cm | ’05) ~ JL Bourg, France
Zaccharie Risacher went into the tournament as one of the best prospects that will play in the competition but in the end he did not meet the expectations. His performances at the tournament were poor and the expectations were much higher. In the both matches combined against Spain he managed to score just 2 points in the 47 minutes on shooting 1 out of 7 from the field. He even went scoreless in the final match at that should not happen to a prospect of his caliber. Truthfully, he did not have the ideal role in the team and could not shine in the brightest lights but he can offer much more than he showed at this tournament. Not everything was negative though and he had some positive moments in offense, especially as a spot up shooter. His mechanics are smooth as silk and he knocked down the open jumpers. Was handling the ball a few times and creating out of pick & rolls and he did a solid job at that too. The defensive effort was good and he proved that he could be a positive wing or team defender that knows how to use his hands and how to slide his feet. The talent is there, he has the tools too but it looks like he fits more in the “role player” than “leader” mold and he is not showing the character to take the ball and “be the man of the moment.”
Berke Buyuktuncel (F | 206 cm | ’04) ~ Tofas, Turkey
Good tournament for Berke Buyuktuncel. He was the leader of Turkey and led them to the 3rd place and a win against USA in the 3rd place match. Unfortunately he played his worst match in the semifinals against Spain when he scored just 2 points and did not make any positive impact on the team. In all other matches he was amongst the best players in the team but their opponents were one or two levels below Spain and USA so that needs to be taken into the consideration as well. Berke has great positional size and loves to attack from the outside in. He spend a lot of the time behind the three point line and took the open three pointers or when the defense stood too close to him, attacked with a drive. His shooting percentages were good but he was not that good in finishes at the rim – he needs to improve the touch at the rim. Was great at drawing the fouls though and very reliable at the free throw line. Played an important role as a rebounder and made some great passes too and showed that he can offer lots of versatility and that he can fill many stat collumns. Interesting prospects but still not sure if he has the necessary athletic tools for the NBA playing style.
Samet Yigitoglu (C | 216 cm | ’04) ~ Besiktas, Turkey
Samet Yigitoglu’s game would fit better in the basketball played one or two decades ago than into the basketball that is played nowadays. He has the skillset of the oldschool back to the basket bigs that set the screens and operate in the paint. Don’t get me wrong, Samet is skilled at what he is doing and can be a dominant player but the lack of more offensive versatility will lower his ceiling to the top level in Europe and I doubt he can make the jump into the NBA. He was good at rolling to the rim out of pick & roll settings and showed good mobility and hands. He went for the dunks if he had enough space but also showed the soft baby hook touch a few times. Did his job as a rebounder too. Even though he is really big, he did not make a big impact as a rim protector throughout the tournament but then blocked 4 shots in the match vs USA and showed that he is capable of doing that too. Should have a nice and long lasting pro career in Europe.
Lucas Giovannetti (SF | 201 cm | ’05) ~ Movistar Estudiantes (Spain), Argentina
Lucas Giovannetti finished the tournament with the averages of 15.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game and was next to Lee Aaliya the most important player for Argentina. As the stats suggest, Lucas was doing a lot of the stuff and slowly filling the stat sheets because when watching the games, I did not get a feeling that his stats are so good. He played as the secondary creator, mostly as a wing, and created for himself or his teammates. He was very fluid with the ball and he did not make many mistakes. His player profile also fits perfectly in a fast pace system because he has all the tools to be a lethal threat on open court. Lucas has the creativity and the confidence that we see from some Argentinian players playing on the highest level in Europe and I believe that he will sooner or later reach and play on that level too.
Lazar Djoković (PF | 207 cm | ’04) ~ Crvena Zvezda, Serbia
I have watched Lazar Djoković many times and followed him for a while and this was probably his best tournament that I saw so far. His body looks better, he added some muscle and looks stronger. He always showed flashes of athleticism and how fluid he can move but at this tournament he added more offensive production to his name and that made a big difference. He was efficient with shots from distance but I still would not put him in the stretch 4 bucket and I’m not completely sold on his shot. It is a positive sign though that he showed improvements in this aspect of his game. He made some good drives too, made one or two dribbles and attacked closeouts in a straight line. Another thing that stood out at this tournament was his passing upside and he averaged 3.1 assists per game. He was good at swinging the ball and made some sharp passes too. Defensively he did his job, covered ground, used his length and rebounded well. Still not a finished product and has room to improve but it looks like the improvements are going in the right direction if I compare him to the past tournaments – he still needs to get more confident in his skills though.
Filip Borovićanin (G | 201 cm | ’04) ~ Arizona Wildcats (USA), Serbia
Solid tournament for Filip Borovićanin even though he had a quiet freshman season at Arizona where he hasn’t played much. Filip has great positional size and he loves to use it on drives on when posting up smaller players. He was great at attacking the rim and when he decided to go all the way, the defenders often stood no chance of stopping him. His main offensive weakness is the shot from deep since his release is a little too slow and that way easier to contest. Also the release does not look consistent and fixing that should be his main focus in the offseason. For a guard he has great rebounding instincts and he finished the tournament with average of 7.3 rebounds per game. When he gets the rebound, he has no problems to bring the ball over to the offensive end and he can make damage in transition. Probably his role at Arizona will be bigger in next season due to some of the players on his position leaving the program.
Ilija Milijašević (G | 189 cm | ’04)~ Spartak Subotica, Serbia
Ilija Milijašević was probably the best shot creators at the tournament. The way he pulled up some of the off-the dribble shots was really amazing and not many players at that age are capable of pulling that out. It looked like that he is much more confident in his shots off the dribble than in the catch & shoot shots. He has advanced ball handling skills and can easily create enough separation for the shot or to force help defense to come closer and he can then dish an assist. Sometimes he wanted to show a little too much and got himself into a tough spot that resulted in a turnover. Ilija was not very effective in finishing closer to the rim and his main offensive weapon was his off the dribble shot from the top and he needs to get better as a finisher at the rim or add more in-between game. Plays pesky on-ball defense and has good instincts for steals. Ilija gives the “gunner guard” vibes but the questionable shot selection and too many turnovers can be an issue in the process of translating his game to pro competitions.
Sergej Macura (F | 206 cm | ’04) ~ Saski Baskonia (Spain), Slovenia
Breakout tournament for Sergej Macura. He showed great motor, was always on the move and showed his defensive potential. He is really long and athletic and he used those tools well on the defensive end to make disruptions and force turnovers. Used his athleticism well in offense too and made lots of attractive highligth dunks when he attacked the closeout or in transition. Sergej was also always present in offensive rebounding and showed great feel for them. His court awareness was great and he was often at the right spot at the right time. He needs to put more work on his three point shooting since his shooting arc is flat and he is not a reliable shooter at the moment. If he can do that and add more muscle to his frame to be better at absorbing contact, then we are talking about a player with serious upside on both ends.
Jan Vide (G | 197 cm | ’05) ~ UCLA (USA), Slovenia
Another player that in my opinion was often used in the role that doesn’t suit him so well. We are used to seeing Vide having the ball in his hands and be the cornerstone of the offense but in Slovenia he often played as secondary creator or off-ball. He managed to show his great scoring instincts and how good he is at beating the first line of the defense and finish with a floater or shot from mid-paint. He was pretty successful in those type of shots but had a little more problems with finishes at the rim against athletic and longer player. Even though he often struggled to get in the scoring rhythm, he still managed to score 17.9 points per game and be amongst the best scorers in the competition. Shooting is still not completely fluid but he made some important shots against Brazil and China and showed some clutch genes. Not the worst tournament but he is capable of more, hopefully he will show that next season at UCLA in the Pac-12.
Mathias M’Madi (G | 194 cm | ’05) ~ Elan Chalon (France), Madagascar
Mathias M’Madi finished the tournament as the best scorer with the average of 24.1 points per game. A reason for that was also the lack of talent in the Madagascar team and that M’Madi needed to do a lot of the things in offense and that his usage rate and the amount of shots he took every game was skyhigh but he showed some intriguing things. His combination of ball handling skills and athleticism was often too much for the defenders and they were not able to stay in front of him. M’Madi punished that with the drives till the end and often drew a shooting foul in the proccess. He was very precise at the free throw line but his percentages behind the three point arc were poor – it also looked like he lacks the strength for a proper release from that distance. Because of the lack of talent around him and his high usage, he commited a lot of turnovers maybe even a little too many. M’Madi was definitely fun to watch and showed the talent but he needs to be seen in a better system with better teammates for a more precise evaluation where to rank him.
