This particular qualifier was supposed to take place in Munich, Germany. But, due to recommendations from local health authorities, the event couldn’t go ahead. It was postponed and later relocated to Ljubljana, Slovenia and took place between 15 17.04. This tournament completed a set of four qualifiers and was arguably the most intriguing one in terms of talent. Again, Marko Turk with Igor Chytrzynski prepared a few observations from the event. Enjoy!
Jakub Necas (F | 202 cm | ‘04) ~ Basket Brno
17.8 pts, FG2-64.3%, FG3-25%, FT-55.6%, 8.8 reb, 4.5 ast, 2.2 st, 2.0 to, 0.2 blck
Jakub had a hard start. Couldn’t see what exactly happened, but from the first minutes of the opening game against Bassano, we saw him limping. At times he looked to be in so much pain he was subbed out. Later, not only did he get back into the game and showed a lot of character but also was one of the main instigators of a run in the 4th quarter which allowed Basket Brno to get back in the game and then secure the win. Despite the early injury, Jakub looked less and less affected as the tournament went on and had a good showing and some solid numbers to go along. He maybe doesn’t have an upside to be a first option in the future, but he is a player that binds all the pieces together. Reads the game very well, has nice vision and finds his teammates in good spots. Not the most explosive off the dribble, but can punish a bad closeout and has a body to take some contact on the way to the basket. Still looking for consistency from behind the arc, but he will find other ways to score and be productive. Able to explore many options as a roller on the PnR. On defense, although he brings effort, has nice hands and awareness there isn’t much to be excited about.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Eli Ndiaye (PF | 204 cm | ‘04) ~ Real Madrid
14.3 pts, FG2-58.1%, FG3-41.7%, FT-50.0%, 7.8 reb, 1.8 ast, 1.8 st, 1.0 to, 0.8 blck
The most consistent and also the best player for Real at this tournament and he was awarded the MVP award. The difference between his game and the game from most players was huge and in some moments it looked like a man is playing with kids. Physically Eli is ready for pro level and to compete against grown guys. Real was feeding him the balls down low so he can go to work and out-power the defense to get a good look. Sometimes he went completely to the rim while also had some turnaround and fadeaway shots. He showed that he can be a force inside but also knocked down shots from distance so you need to defend him close everywhere on the court. His release is pretty slow and needs space but still can’t be underestimated. He was also running the floor well and managed to score a lot of his points in transition. There is room to improve on the defensive end because looking at his athletic tools he should make a bigger impact as a rim protector, especially at this level.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Urban Klavžar (G | 184 cm | ‘04) ~ Real Madrid
12.0 pts, FG2-50.0%, FG3-40.0%, FT-100.0%, 1.3 reb, 3.0 ast, 0.3 st, 1.8 to, 0.0
blck
After a long time Urban played again in his home Slovenia and that brought a lot of his fans/friends to the stands and they made a good atmosphere in the arena. I would say that the keys of Real Madrid were given to him and that he was the leader of the team. Such an aggressive scorer that doesn’t need much space or time to punish the mistakes of the defenders. Lethal from deep and able to make shots off the bounce or off the catch, both in good percentages. He is a very good finisher at the rim too, has soft touch and can be also creative in his finishes but lacks size and sometimes rather goes for a mid-range shot than all the way till the end, especially when a good rim protector is lurking in the paint. He is a born scorer but he is slowly making progress in playmaking and passing although, in my opinion, he still has space for growth in this element of his game. Because of his strong body and good reactions he can be a pesky defender that makes life hard for the ball handlers but he doesn’t gamble for steals but tries to defend cleanly and milk away seconds from the clock. Overall good performances from Urban at this tournament and he did his part and deserved the spot in all tournament five.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Henri Veesaar (PF | 209 cm | ‘04) ~ Real Madrid
8.5 pts, FG2-56.3%, FG3-33.3%, FT-71.4%, 6.8 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.5 st, 2.8 to, 1.8 blck
Hot & cold tournament for Henri Veesaar since he played two good and two not so good matches. Real Madrid’s roster is loaded and there are a lot of players that can step up so a lot also depends on the individual matchups. Henri showed in some plays what he can bring to the table. Very fluid for a player that size and uses his long strides smartly in transition or on drives. He likes to attack face up from outside but also showed good post up game and that he can create advantages down low. It looks like he hasn’t grown into his body yet and that there is room for more muscle mass and he struggled with finishing through contact but in some finishes he showed soft touch. Also an underrated athlete that made a poster dunk against Bassano that was in my opinion the play of the tournament. He made a cut from top and elevated off two feet from the middle of the paint and went flying over the defenders. Had a few alley oop dunks out of pick & rolls too when. Also knocked down a few three point shots out of pick & pop sets and proved that he is making progress in that part of his game. An inside and outside big with high potential when he becomes stronger and grows into his body.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Baba Miller (F | 206 cm | ‘04) ~ Real Madrid
7.8 pts, FG2-68.8%, FG3-11.1%, FT-60.0%, 3.8 reb, 0.8 ast, 1.5 st, 2.5 to, 1.5 blck
One of the players with the highest upside in Ljubljana but he didn’t show his best performances, especially in his last two games What irritated me the most was his low energy and bad body language when he just didn’t look motivated enough and wasn’t looking for the ball in offense at all. But when he got the ball he could show what makes him so intriguing. The shots weren’t falling in but his shooting motion is smooth and fluid and can convert shots from deep range. With his long strides and good footwork he was also able to get open on semi-open looks in the paint when he was driving or attacking from post ups. I also missed more transition plays from him at this tournament since he can be really hard to stop on open court but there weren’t many transition plays from him at this tournament. Used his tools well in defense too but again lacked a little more effort and energy. His potential is scary high but if he won’t bring the effort to the floor every game, it will be hard for him to reach his full potential.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Jan Vide (PG | 194 cm | ‘05) ~ Real Madrid
10.5 pts, FG2-62.5%, FG3-25.0%, FT-81.8%, 2.3 reb, 2.3 ast, 1.3 st, 1.5 to, 0.0 blck
Similar as Urban Klavžar also Jan Vide brought some fans to the stands in Ljubljana. Had quite an important role when coming off bench and there were a few sequences when he made important plays in defense or in offense and pushed the team forward. Jan has very good positional size and a strong body and he knows how to use it on drives or at finishes at the rim to absorb contact. His first step is really good and can get by defenders. There is still room to improve in his shooting since he isn’t a reliable shooter from distance and I also see a lot of room for growth in his playmaking. He makes the basic first level passes but lacks the creativity to connect more dots in offense. If he wants to become a complete offensive player, these two areas will need to improve in the next years. Because of his strong body and competitive nature he plays good defense on perimeter too. One of the best guards in his generation and I think his ceiling is high, especially if he makes improvements in the shooting part of his game.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Paulius Murauskas (F | 204 cm | ‘04) ~ Zalgiris Kaunas
18 pts, FG2-61.5%, FG3-53.8%, FT-64.3%, 13.0 reb, 2.2 ast, 0.5 st, 2.5 to, 1.8 blck
Paulius spent this past season on loan in Kedainiai Nevezis so it was good to see him in white and green again. He had a great all around performance and yet again proved to be one of the best players in his age group. Had a bit of a shaky start, but quickly adjusted and his performance in the Final was the main reason why Zalgiris was able to get back in that game, but in the end, wasn’t enough. Paulius brings a lot of versatility and is a nightmare for opponents. Still needs some work on his ballhandling skills, but can play – inside, outside, face up and back to the basket. This time also added 3 point shot to the mix, converting over half of his attempts and dropping 6 threes in the Final. He works hard on his craft, and this time showed quicker release and if the shot is there to stay it would give him even more flexibility in the future. Always with a chip on his shoulder, likes to talk, tough physically and mentally. Additionally, it was good to see him step up as a leader, showing support and giving advice to younger players. Performed defensively as well, but in my opinion, there is still more to him on this end of the court.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Motiejus Krivas (C | 215 cm | ‘04) ~ Zalgiris Kaunas
15.8 pts, FG2-56.4%, FG3-0%, FT-71.1%, 9.8 reb, 3.2 ast, 1.5 st, 2.5 to, 3.0 blck
Lithuanian big man was one of the top interior options at the tournament. For a player his size, Motiejus runs/moves well and stays light on his feet. He walks on his toes with a center of gravity slightly shifted forward. It is a double-edged sword because it helps him defensively, making it easier to hold his ground, but offensively it is harder to create space. Nonetheless, he can explore a few options offensively. He is a reliable screener and a roll man. During this tournament even looked to pop after screens for some long-range jumpers but couldn’t make even a single one and, at times, looked to be without restraint. It is good he shows confidence, but there is no history or technique to back that up. Speaking about his decision making, he needs to be more careful as he made a few careless mistakes in the final stretches of a couple of games. Moving on. Another noteworthy part of his game is his ability to distribute the ball. Both on the short roll as well as from the low post. On defense, it was interesting to see how the opposing guards wanted to test his ability to protect the rim time and time again instead of looking for different options. In the end, he tallied 3-blocks per game which was one of the highest numbers in this year’s edition of the AdidasNGT. His vertical pop is rather average from a stationary position, but when running to contest can surprise. Also, his timing is very good.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Mantas Laurencikas (PG | 189 cm | ‘06) ~ Zalgiris Kaunas
3.5 pts, FG2-55.6%, FG3-27.8%, FT-0%, 3.5 reb, 3.8 ast, 1.0 st, 2.5 to, 0.0 blck
Mantas was one of the youngest players to take part in this qualifier and was an absolute pleasure to watch. He’s smart, crafty and has tremendous poise and maturity for his age. He didn’t look like he was playing two years up and for the most part, he was on par with the rest of the competition. He executes plays with patience, controls the ball well, finds good options and was able to even show some flair. Stayed calm even when pressured by bigger, stronger and lengthier defenders. He didn’t shoot the ball particularly well and failed sometimes to convert even from wide open positions. But it was a small sample in general when it comes to his scoring abilities. On the other hand, his shooting form looks good and showed he can find and move to open spots along the perimeter. Defensively he wasn’t afraid to put his body on the line, get in his man’s grill and moved his feet well to stay in front of some decent opponents. There were some small mistakes here and there, but it was a valuable experience for young Mantas and I’m looking forward to seeing him playing the first fiddle in the summer.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Dame Sarr (SG | 196 cm | ‘06) ~ Orange1 Bassano
13.2 pts, FG2-22.2%, FG3-43.8%, FT-53.8%, 3.0 reb, 0.8 ast, 1.2 st, 2.0 to, 0.0 blck
Orange1 Bassano had a young roster in Ljubljana where their ‘06 generation played a big role. Dame Sarr was one of those young players and he showed that he is a good shooter already and his shooting potential is really high. His shooting mechanics is smooth and repeatable and he was making shots in high percentages. Most of the shots were spot ups but he can make off the bounce shots as well. He wasn’t playing a lot with the ball or bringing the ball closer to the rim with drives and this is an area where he has room for growth. Due to his weaker body he struggled with finishing through contact but I believe that over years he will get better at this. One of the prospects to follow long term because I believe he can bring the shooting value to any team.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Urban Kroflic (G | 197 cm | ‘06) ~ U18 Next Generation Team Ljubljana
15 pts, FG2-52.8%, FG3-30%, FT-68.8%, 2.0 reb, 1.8 ast, 1.2 st, 2.0 to, 0.0 blck
A 16-year-old Slovenian lefty guard had a rather unexciting start to the tournament. Urban seemed like he was somewhere else and at times even looked like he didn’t want the ball in his hands. But, then all of the sudden in the last group game against Zalgiris he exploded with a 31-point performance. He was a lot more engaged on both ends, knocked down a few smooth jumpers and was more aggressive off the dribble looking for options down the lane. Generally, just played with purpose. With that said, Urban is a one-dimensional player at the moment. Doesn’t have a vast array of moves either and sometimes has moments when he gets ahead of himself. Not a convincing finisher close to the rim. Average passer at best, a lot of his deliveries were sloppy. Defensively it was also very inconsistent. Angles were off, often got completely lost on screens and at times seemed to be avoiding contact.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Maksymilian Wilczek (G | 197 cm | ‘04) ~ GAK Gdynia
13.5 pts, FG2-38.5%, FG3-48.9%, FT-62.2%, 6.5 reb, 2.8 ast, 1.5 st, 2.5 to, 0.2 blck
Maksymilian was arguably the most crucial player for the Polish team, not only did he lead in points, but was also up there in other statistical categories. He helped Gdynia to two very important wins not only for the club but also for Polish basketball. Maksymilian is maybe not the most athletically or physically gifted player, but he finds ways to be productive and fills the stat line. Took a considerable leap with his shot in the last couple of years and on this occasion, he did it particularly well with almost 50% from deep on solid 4.5 attempts per game. He can also put a strain on the defensive lines both on and off the ball. But, could work more on his explosiveness, also somewhat struggled to finish inside against size/length/athleticism at this event. Can get others involved pretty well, find them even from difficult spots and has a good idea, but needs to look after the ball a bit better. On the other end there are some limitations, but shows effort and plays an important part on the glass.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
