Because of the covid situation around the world, this year’s U20 (and the same goes for all other FIBA Youth Competitions that follow in this summer) was played with a different competition system as usual.
There were three groups or “challengers” with 6 teams in the group and the teams were playing against each other within the group. The best team won the “challenger” but no one really won the division or was crowned as an ultimate champion.
No team was relegated to division B and some powerhouse teams like Serbia, Lithuania, Latvia… weren’t even participating in the tournament while some teams sent a younger team and this year’s tournament served as a preparation for the events that follow in next year(s).
There were a lot of players playing two or even three years up which is usually not the case and here are the top10 prospects that stood out to me from the three challengers:
Gregor Glas (SG | 198 cm | ‘01) ~ Slovenia
18.4 pts, 2FG-58.1%, 3FG-27.7%, FT-85.0%, 5.0 rebs, 2.6 ast, 1.4 stl, 3.2 to, 0.4 blks
One of, if not even the best scorer in the competition. He has the scorer mentality and will take his share of shots even if he misses the first few of them. Gregor wasn’t the most consistent and had many ups & downs during the tournament but always found a way how to score some points. Moves really well without the ball and can create a lot of separation for shots when coming off-screen while also has a great feel for cuts to the rim – had a few possessions where he also finished with an alley oop dunk and showed that he has some bounce in his legs too. Smooth shooting stroke and when he gets more consistent he could become a great scorer for the highest level. Not so dangerous with the ball in his hands and in isolation but he has improved as a slasher and his handles look solid at the moment but still has room for growth in this area.
Luka Ščuka (F | 210 cm | ‘02) ~ Slovenia
11.0 pts, 2FG-68.4%, 3FG-21.7%, FT-87.5%, 5.4 rebs, 0.8 ast, 1.2 stl, 1.8 to, 1.8 blks
Ščuka improved a lot in last years and with his move to Cedevita Olimpija he quickly got on the radar and on a bigger scene. Similar as Glas he struggled with his shot from distance and is usually much better as a shooter than he showed in this tournament. Moves fluidly for a player his size and also a good athlete that can play above the rim. His on ball skills are limited but excels when playing off-ball. Has great court awareness and usually at the right place at the right time to get open shots or to grab some offensive rebounds. Needs to improve his defense against better athletes on the perimeter but overall showing some interesting potential for top level.
Richard Balint (G | 196 cm | ‘02) ~ Czech Republic
8.6 pts, 2FG-25.0%, 3FG-40.7%, FT-80.0%, 2.2 rebs, 4.8 ast, 0.8 stl, 3.4 to, 0.2 blks
A guard with great positional size that makes quick and smart decisions in pick & rolls. With his size he scans the floor over defenders and delivers precise passes with both hands. Controls all the players on the court and has a good feel for the game. He has the potential to go all the way to the rim or take shots from distance. He wasn’t the most efficient in his around the rim finishes and he can do much better in this area. Can play on both guard positions but I think he has a higher ceiling as a playmaker. On the defensive end he can defend multiple positions and play good defense on the perimeter. Sometimes he could be maybe a little more aggressive and put more pressure on the ball handler but I believe he will be when he adds more muscle to his frame and develops his body. In my opinion, he could be the player that will step in the shoes of Tomas Satoransky in Czech national team in the next few years.
Michael Caicedo (F | 197 cm | ‘03) ~ Spain
12.2 pts, 2FG-63.2%, 3FG-52.6%, FT-53.8%, 2.8 rebs, 1.8 ast, 1.6 stl, 2.6 to, 0.2 blks
Spain was one of the teams that sent a “mixed” roster with some “experienced” and some younger players. Michael Caicedo was one of the youngest players in the team but also one of the most important ones. An all around wing that can do a lot of the things on the court. With his athleticism he can be dangerous on open court especially after a successful defensive possession when he loves to push or run forward and finish with a dunk. Still a little unpolished in half court sets as a ball handler and slasher. Had very good shooting percentages from distance in the tournament and continues to improve as a spot up shooter. Michael also has all the tools to be a great perimeter defender. Still kinda searching for his best role in offense but overall an interesting player that could find a spot in an NBA team in the future.
Lovro Gnjidić (PG | 198 cm | ‘01) ~ Croatia
10.6 pts, 2FG-48.4%, 3FG-36.4%, FT-68.8%, 4.0 rebs, 5.0 ast, 2.0 stl, 2.2 to, 0.8 blks
Lovro had a good tournament in all aspects. He was the leader of Croatian team and filled up all the stats columns. Has a very good size for a point guard and bulked up in last year so is more and more ready for professional basketball. His ball handling skills are on a high level and with his athleticism and explosiveness he has no problems beating the first line of defense and getting to the rim. Sometimes he could be a little more aggressive with attacking the rim but plays rationally and likes to dish some assists to his team mates too. With his size he can see above the defenders and his passes are usually sharp and precise. Fluid in transition with the ball in his hands and hard to stop when he goes down the lane. Can improve as a shooter from distance to become an even bigger scoring threat. In defense he uses his length and athleticism well for going for steals and blocking some shots. Similar to his offense, I sometimes miss more aggressiveness from him because he has all the tools to be an elite perimeter defender.
Boris Tišma (F | 206 cm | ‘02) ~ Croatia
10.4 pts, 2FG-37.1%, 3FG-30.4%, FT-850.0%, 5.6 rebs, 4.0 ast, 1.8 stl, 2.8 to, 0.4 blks
A versatile wing that can play inside or outside. He wasn’t playing a lot in ACB in last season and that could be one of the reasons why he struggled with his shooting efficiency in the tournament. His release looks shaky and not consistent and he definitely has room to improve as a shooter from distance. Likes to play on perimeter and attack with drives while also capable to post up smaller players on low post. Not an elite athlete and could have a hard time getting past top level athletes even though he has solid handles for his position. Solid as a defender on perimeter too, slides his feet well and has good reactions. In my opinion, his ceiling is higher as an outside wing and his game translates better to international competitions than to the NBA.
Matteo Spagnolo (PG | 193 cm | ‘03) ~ Italy
12.0 pts, 2FG-38.9%, 3FG-16.7%, FT-79.3%, 6.4 rebs, 4.6 ast, 1.4 stl, 1.6 to, 0.0 blks
Similar situation as with Spain & Caicedo. Spagnolo was one of the youngest players in Italian team and by far their best player in the tournament. High IQ floor general type of a player that loves to have things under control and doesn’t make many mistakes. Usually taller than his matchup and knows how to use the size advantage. Has a great and explosive first step and has no problems getting to the rim where he is showing some good touch in around the rim finishes. He struggled with the shot from distance but the mechanics look fine and he is a much better shooter from distance than he has shown in this tournament. His court vision and passing game is on a high level and shouldn’t have much problems orchestrating the offense on a higher level.
Ismael Kamagate (C | 211 cm | ‘01) ~ France
10.2 pts, 2FG-66.7%, 3FG-N/A, FT-55.0%, 3.8 rebs, 2.0 ast, 1.2 stl, 1.6 to, 2.4 blks
Game changer with his rim protection on this level. Great interior defender with good instincts for blocks. His reactions on perimeter are also solid for a player his size and he is able to switch on smaller players. Has good length and uses his long arms smartly in defense. Offensively still a little raw and limited to around the rim finishes but showing some improvements on that side of the floor. He follows the game well and offers himself under the rim or at the dunker spot. There were also some occasions where he was creating from the low post and he found some nice passes. Good athlete and can outrun other bigs in transition but would love to see him run the floor more often. Definitely a prospect worth following for the NBA and top international level because he has the talent and upside to be an impactful player on both sides of the court.
Emil Stoilov (C | 212 cm | ‘02) ~ Bulgaria
16.0 pts, 2FG-65.1%, 3FG-N/A, FT-72.7%, 9.4 rebs, 1.8 ast, 1.0 stl, 3.8 to, 1.8 blks
Mobile big man that is not scared to go for dunks when there is an opportunity. Limited mostly to finishes in the paint but showing very good touch around the rim. Also a pretty good free throws shooter and I think he could develop some decent mid range game in the future. His low post technique is also on a high level for his age group and he knows how to operate from the post. There were some situations where he was also playmaking and delivering some passes to cutters or shooters in the opposite corner and he did a very good job in those situations. Pretty good rim runner and can score some points in transition. He was crashing the boards on both sides of the court and also showed some qualities as a rim protector. He had a size advantage over most players but I think in the future he can become a good inside defender on the professional level too. Not in the NBA but on some mid-top level in Europe.
Ondrej Hanzlik (SG/SF | 202 cm | ‘02) ~ Czech Republic
15.2 pts, 2FG-71.4%, 3FG-41.0%, FT-88.9%, 2.4 rebs, 2.2 ast, 2.0 stl, 0.8 to, 0.4 blks
Off-ball shooting swingman. Has a high and quick release and if he gets just a little space to breathe, he will punish that instantly. Has very good court awareness and follows the game well and understands the spacing rules. Moves fluidly around the screens and knows how to get separation from the defender. His on-ball skills are pretty limited so far but excels in the role of an off-ball shooter. With his athleticism he is active on the defensive end too and can play good defense on perimeter. Uses his long arms very well when going for steals.
