Spain EURO U 16 Scouting Reports

Spain was the champion of the 2016 U 16 Euro’s

ADAMS SOLA

6’3” – G – 2000 – Class of 2019

Spain – Estudiantes (club team)

Stats : 5.1 ppg. 6.7 rpg. 3.1 apg. 2.4 spg.

Notes : Long. Very explosive athlete and leaper. Elite quickness. Needs to improve jump shot especially from 3. Shot release is in front of his face. Shot is way more fluid when in the catch and shoot or in rhythm. Needs to improve ball handling to play point guard. Potential is there but basically a 2 guard right now. Very good defender. Very good on ball. Very quick. Causes a lot of turnovers and has potential to be a lockdown defender. Elite rebounder for size. Elevates in traffic over players. Out jumps everyone.

Projection : Low Division 1 Prospect

DIDAC CUEVAS

5’10” – PG – 2000 – Class 2019

Spain – Joventut (club team)

Stats : 9.1 ppg. 2.6 rpg. 3.4 apg. 3.3 spg. 34% 3pt.

Notes : Small but elite quickness especially with the ball. Most passionate player on the floor. Solid 3 point shooter but starts his shot very low and sometimes has too quick of a release without holding his follow through. May struggle to get shots off against bigger defenders. Tends to take very deep ill-advised 3’s at times. Extremely skilled ball handler especially in traffic. See’s floor well. Good passer on the break. Very pesky on ball defender. Can guard 1v1 full court. Great lateral quickness and fast hands. Complete pest on defense.

Projection : Mid Division 1 Prospect

USMAN GARUBA

6’7” – C – 2002 – Class 2021

Spain – Real Madrid (club team)

Stats : 16.3 ppg. 12.4 rpg. 2 apg. 1.9 spg. 2.9 bpg. 72% fg.

Notes : At 14 the second youngest player in the tournament. MVP of the tournament and most dominant big man. Big long frame. Strong and explosive athlete for size. Runs the floor at an elite level for size and can handle the ball on the break. Shooting form is ok but rotation needs work. Has to improve free throw shooting 35%. Needs to develop a mid range jumper. Very effective in the pick and roll. Dives hard to the basket and no one could challenge him. Very strong around the basket. Great hands and scored a lot on put backs. Will finish with dunks around the rim. Uses the spin move well on post ups but needs to develop more offensive moves out of the post. Solid passer out of the post. Solid overall defender. Moves very well and is quick laterally. Elite shot blocker. Uses his length to his advantage without fouling. Active on both ends of the boards. Gets great position. Soft hands coral rebounds with ease. Plays well above his age. Most intriguing prospect in the tournament.

Projection : Very High Division 1 Prospect

CARLOS ALOCEN

6’3” – PG – 2000– Class of 2019

Spain – CAI Zaragoza (club team)

Stats : 9.9 ppg. 2.3 rpg. 6.4 apg. 2 spg.

Notes : Solid athlete with good quickness and leaping ability. Needs to work on his jump shot. Only shot 20% from 3. True point guard. Solid ball handler. Likes to use the crossover dribble to get by defenders. Great distributor. See’s the floor and passing lanes at a high level. Penetrates with ease and finds the open man. Scores mainly off of drives in the lane. Finishes well on the break. Solid defender. Plays passing lanes and pressure plays with physical defense. Steady, pass first, true point guard.

Projection : Mid Division 1 Prospect

JOEL PARRA

6’6” – F – 2000 – Class of 2019

Spain – Joventut (club team)

Stats : 17 ppg. 7.4 rpg. 2.9 apg. 1.3 spg. 28% 3pt. 67% ft.

Notes : Solid frame but needs to be more physical. Average athlete, slower not very explosive. Lacks lift. Lefty. Shooting form is very fundamental. Has 3 point range but struggled. Needs to improve his ball handling. A tweener SF/PF as of now. Scores easily 1v1 in post. Likes left hand hook and spin moves. Soft touch around the rim. Mostly below the rim finisher. Needs to be more patient but decisive while in the post. Takes too long to make his moves. Needs to develop better post awareness when trying to score. Feel what his defender is letting him do and just make a move. Solid passer out of post. Has potential to be very good in the pick and roll. Can play both forward spots but may be better suited as a stretch 4. Needs to improve defense. Lacks lateral quickness but not understanding of where to be. Solid rebounder. Boxes out well and uses positioning to get rebounds. Overall a versatile threat on offense but defense must improve.

Projection : High Division 1 Prospect

Italy EURO U 16 Scouting Reports

Italy finished 7th at the 2016 U 16 Euro’s

FEDERICO MIASCHI

6’5” – SG – 2000 – Class 2019

Italy – Umana VE (club team)

Stats : 18 ppg. 4.4 rpg. 3.1 apg. 1.6 spg. 1 bpg.

Notes : Long, but big frame. Needs to fill out and get stronger. Explosive athlete and a great leaper. Needs to work on his outside shot. Ball handling needs more development. Relies on quickness and length to get by defenders. Plays under control. Scores in a variety of ways post, mid range, floaters, face up. At his best when attacking the basket using his length and size. Very crafty and slithery in the lane. Finishes extremely well on the break with dunks. Excels in the open floor with his elite athleticism. Very good passer. Makes the easy pass and see’s the floor well. Very good on ball defender. Has active hands and plays with a high i.q. Best defensive asset is his recovery ability. Uses his length to bother and block shots at the rim especially chase down blocks on the break. Solid rebounder that can elevate in traffic.

Projection : High Division 1 Prospect

MATTIA PALUMBO

6’4” – PG – 2000 – Class 2019

Italy – Roma S.Azzurra (club team)

Stats : 15.8 ppg. 4.5 rpg. 4.8 apg. 1.7 spg. 39% 3p. 80% ft.

Notes : Solid strong frame. Decent athlete but lacks explosiveness. Very good shooter with 3 point range. Shoots well coming off screens or in the catch and shoot. Average ball handler, needs to improved skill moves. Protects the ball very well however. Excels at penetration. Absorbs and finishes with contact. Shooting free throws is a big part of his game, he went to the line 5 times per. Plays with a high understanding on offense and never forces the issue. See’s passing lanes extremely well. Very adept in finding the open man on penetration or when open near the basket. Steady defender. Uses body well to keep players in front. Solid rebounder for size.

Projection : Mid to High Division 1 Prospect

OMAR DIENG

6’6” – F – 2000 – Class 2019

Italy – EA7 Armani (club team)

Stats : 7.7 ppg. 4.1 rpg. 82% ft.

Notes: Big strong body. Needs to continue to work on his body. Decent athlete for size but lacks explosiveness and lift. Has stretch 4 potential even though he only shot 27% from 3. His form is not bad but his rotation is inconsistent. Very good post scorer with either hand. Establishes deep post position and bullies smaller defenders. Below the rim finisher with a soft touch. Uses shot fakes well. Drives the lane with a quick first step. Uses the euro step effectively. Struggles with on ball defense due to lack of lateral quickness. Knows where to be on defense but struggles to get there. Gets very solid position on rebounds in the post, but should be at a higher rate with his size. Needs to be more active.

Projection : Mid Division 1 Prospect

LUCA CONTI

6’5” – SF – 2000 – Class of 2019

Stats : 8.6 ppg. 4.4 rpg. 1.7 apg. 2.1 spg. 51% fg. 82% ft.

Notes : Solid frame and length. Strong. Average athlete. Lacks quickness and leaping ability. Shooting form very fundamental. Very good in the mid range and can step out and hit the 3 when open, but did struggle during the tournament at 20%. Ideal pick and pop player. Cuts to the basket very well and understands floor spacing. Below the rim finisher around the basket. High effort defender. Needs to improve on ball but due to lack of quickness. Crashes the boards well. Understands positioning and sealing off players.

Projection : Low to Mid Division 1 Prospect

Latvia EURO U 16 Scouting Reports

Latvia finished 11th at the 2016 U 16 Euro’s

ARTURS ZAGARS

5’10” – PG – 2000 – Class of 2019

Stats : 16 ppg. 3 rpg. 4.6 apg. 1.3 spg. 39% 3pt. 80% ft.

Notes : Small stature. Very thin. Needs to add weight and strength, but has good length. Solid quickness. Very good ball handler with skill moves. Likes using behind the back dribble. Shooting form needs work. Shot starts low and release is in front of face. Very good 3 point shooter. Has deep range and solid in the catch and shoot or off screens. Has a quick first step. Uses hesitation well to get by defenders also. See’s the court very well. Can find the open man with ease but occasionally tries to make the spectacular pass when not needed. Very good passer in the pick and roll. Likes passing one handed with the left or right. Gets into the lane often but needs to work on his floater and he will be very effective. Quick hands on defense. Needs to stay disciplined and not gamble so much. Good rebounder for size. Not afraid to mix it up with a lot bigger players. Needs to improve strength and keep working on his defense.

Projection : Mid Division 1

ARTURS KURUCS

6’2” – G – 2000 – Class of 2019

Latvia – Laboral Kutxa (club team)

Stats : 10.4 ppg. 6.6 rpg. 4.1 apg. 1.4 spg. 35% 3pt. 69% ft.

Notes : Solid frame. Physical strong player. Doesn’t shy from contact. Solid athlete. Has quickness and explosiveness. Good leaper. Very good ball handler. Handles the press calmly. Quick first step. Effective shooter in catch and shoot. Has 3 point range. Relentless in getting in the lane. Attacks hard and uses crossover to get by defenders. Can finish with contact with either hand in lane. Also can create space for mid range jumpers. Good vision and has skills to play both guard positions. Runs the break very well and under control. Finds man at correct time to score. Very good on ball defender. Physical not afraid to press up on offensive player without fouling. Physical rebounder. Boxes out and plays bigger than his size. High motor player on both sides of the ball. Has skills to play either guard spot.

Projection : Mid Division 1

ANRIJS MISKA

6’6” – C – 2000 – Class of 2019

Latvia – Real Madrid (club team)

Stats : 9.5 ppg. 6.7 rpg. 29% 3pt. 83% ft.

Notes : Long good length. Needs to add weight and strength. Decent bounce. Has 3 point range but needs to improve arc. Very raw on offense. Lacks any post moves. Scores off put backs or short range. Lacks touch around the rim. Has a decent mid range stroke. Needs to be more aggressive at attacking with the ball in the post. Average defender. Good mobility but needs to anticipate better. Be more physical and use his length more in post defense. Good rebounder. Uses his length well. Very active on both ends of the glass. Potential is there but still very raw on both sides of the ball.

Projection : Low to Mid Division 1

ARMANDS BERKIS

6’5” – C – 2000 – Class of 2019

Latvia – Pardaguava (club team)

Stats : 6.1 ppg. 6.6 rpg. 68% ft.

Notes : Big solid frame and body. Strong and very physical at all times. Average athlete and decent mobility. Solid shooting stroke with a soft touch. Has potential to develop a good mid range jumper. Could develop into pick and pop player. Lacks post moves. Just uses his strength to back defenders down. Still raw on offense. Needs to use free throw shooting as more of an asset. Very active and physical on defense. Still struggles on switches in pick and roll but mobility is there. Very good post defender will not block shots but stands ground well. Needs to learn to force players to catch ball further out from post. Will not give up easy buckets. Very active rebounder. Relentless on offensive glass. Scores a lot on offensive rebounds. Tough to move when he gets position. Gritty high effort player with more potential on offense.

Projection : Low Division 1

Sweden EURO U 16 Scouting Reports

Sweden Finished 12th at the 2016 U 16 Euro’s

MELWIN PANTZAR

6’2” – PG – 2000 – Class of 2019

Stats : 7.6 ppg. 12 rpg. 5.1 apg. 2.1 spg. .9 bpg

Notes : Elite athlete as a point guard. Shows explosive quickness and leaping ability. Needs to work on his ball handling. Almost exclusively uses his right hand only. Extremely quick with the ball especially on the break. He will finish in the open court with dunks. This limits his ability to create space causing him to push off with his left hand often. Not a great shooter, but no mechanical flaws. Needs to continue to work on his 3 point shot and develop a mid range jumper. Scores off of hard drives to the basket, as well as offensive rebounds. Averaged 5 apg. His court vision needs some more development. He tended to see the passing lanes a little late resulting in turnovers, but the vision is there. He also needs to continue to work on passing at the correct time on 2v1 or 3v1 breakaways. Elite rebounder for size. Finished 3^rd in the tournament with 12 rpg. Very good on and off ball defender. His elite athleticism and strength allow him to guard 1-3. Has potential to be a lockdown defender.

Projection : Mid Division 1 Prospect

ERIK PERSSON

6’1” – SG – 2000 – Class 2019

Sweden – Helsingborg (club team)

Stats : 14.3 ppg. 2.9 rpg. 3 spg. 40% 3p.

Notes : Pure shooting guard. Average athlete, that lacks explosion and needs to get stronger. Lacks the ball handling necessary to play some point guard. He is a pure 3 point shooter and shot it at 40%. Led the team with 14 ppg. Can score in a variety of ways. Needs to work on creating space for. Likes using a step back jumper from mid range. When driving in the lane he showed the ability to make a floater over taller more athletic defenders. Excels in the catch and shoot, but needs to work on shooting off of the dribble. Gritty defender that has great court awareness. Finished 2^nd in the tournament at 3 spg. Potential 3 and d type player.

Projection : Low To Mid Division 1 Prospect

OLIVER GEHRKE

6’5” – F – 2000 – Class of 2019

Sweden – Jamtland II (club team)

Stats : 11.6 ppg. 6.6 rpg. 1.6 apg.

Notes : Average athlete that needs to continue to work on his body and strength. High effort player on both offense and defense. Has a nice shooting stroke with range that can extend to the 3 point line. Soft touch around the basket. Needs to develop more post moves and learn to make quick decisive moves. Can handle the ball some but needs to play within himself. Potential pick and pop player. Could really excel with his shooting stroke. See’s the floor well when he has the ball in the post or driving to the basket. Needs to work on his defense. Lacks lateral quickness, as well as strength to play in the post. Solid rebounder. Gets good position on his man. Will out work players for rebounds, but will not out jump.

Projection : Low Division 1 Prospect

Usman Garuba MVP Of U 16 Euro’s

USMAN GARUBA

6’7” – C – 2002 – Class 2021

Spain – Real Madrid

At 14, Garuba was the second youngest player in the tournament. He was the mvp of the tournament and the most dominant big man as well. Garuba’s body is that of a 20 year old. He has a big frame and great length. Strong and explosive athlete for his size. He runs the floor at an elite level for size and can handle the ball on the break as well.

His shooting form is ok, but his rotation needs work. He must improve his free throw shooting, which was just 35% in the tournament. He is a force down low so he will continue to get fouled the older and bigger he gets. He needs to develop a mid range jumper. He is a bit one dimensional, scoring mainly in the paint. He is very effective in the pick and roll. Garuba dives hard to the basket and no one could challenge him. Very strong around the basket. Great hands and scored a lot on put backs. Will finish with dunks around the rim. Uses the spin move well on post ups, but needs to develop more offensive moves out of the post. Solid passer especially out of the post.

Solid overall defender. Moves very well and is quick laterally. Elite shot blocker. Uses his length to his advantage without fouling. Active on both ends of the boards. Gets great position. Soft hands that coral rebounds with ease. He plays well above his age. Most intriguing prospect in the tournament.

Statline: 16.3 ppg. 12.4 rpg. 2 apg. 1.9 spg. 2.9 bpg. 72% fg.

Garuba would be a surefire high level division 1 player in the U.S. His ability is mind blowing at his age. He plays like he is in his 20’s and the other players are U 16, but he is only 14! My gut tells me Garuba will probably stay in Europe and turn pro until he is eligible for the NBA draft in 2024. Watch tape and see how he makes other players 2 years his older look like little kids.

Abdel Nader Signs With Maine Red Claws

Abdel Nader Should Thrive In Maine

Embed from Getty Images

Abdel Nader played extremely well at the Portsmouth Invitational this year and showed some skills at the combine as well. Nader will be given a big opportunity with the Maine Red Claws in the D-league. The Red Claws are the Boston Celtics affiliate.

Nader was selected by the Celtics in the second round with the 58th pick. He was very impressive with the Celtics in summer league play. He showed his versatility on offense and on defense. Nader shows potential to be able to guard the 1-3 position. He is a plus athlete and a solid finisher at the rim. The area where Nader will need to improve is shooting the three ball. He shot 37% last year at Iowa State, which was 16% higher than the previous year. Nader will have to improve his consistency on his jumper to excel at the next level and have a chance to play in the NBA someday. Nader’s best quality is his relentlessness when attacking the basket. He uses his strong frame very well and can take a lot of contact while still getting shots off. His skill set is a great match for the up-tempo style of the D-league.

The following scouting report was done on Abdel Nader while at the Portsmouth Invitational.

Scouting Report: AbdelNader4-16-16

Nate Wolters Signs With The Nuggets

Nate Wolters Has A Great Opportunity

Embed from Getty Images

Nate Wolters has signed a deal with the Denver Nuggets. Terms of the deal are currently unknown. Wolters will have a shot at cracking the roster, even though it is set at 15 already. The only point guards currently on the roster are Emmanuel Mudiay and Jameer Nelson.

Wolters has a great ability to create in the pick and roll. He shields himself from the defender and probes until the roll man has made a distinct move to the basket or flares for an open jumper. Nate is a more than willing passer and has the ability to score when needed. He is a pass first point guard, but will take what the defense gives him.

If Wolters can show a consistent ability to hit the three-point jumper and be a reliable defender, he has a very good shot at making the Nuggets roster. Nelson isn’t getting any younger and his production has fallen over the past several years. It is a matter of time before his effectiveness really takes a hit. Mudiay on the other hand needs more time to develop and Wolters could be a solid stop gap for him to do so. Wolters has a solid opportunity in front of him to return to the NBA. If I were the Nuggets I would give him a chance.

Scouting Report: NateWolters

The 2015-2016 Maryland Terrapins

The Five

Embed from Getty Images

The following are scouting reports completed on the Maryland Terps during the 2015-2016 season. The reports completed were up to the date specified. The players include Melo Trimble, Jake Layman, Robert Carter Jr., Diamond Stone and Rasheed Sulaimon.

Scouting Reports:

Egidijus Mockevicius Scouting Report

Mockevicius Doing What He Does Best

Embed from Getty Images

Egidijus Mockevicius recently just signed a deal with the Brooklyn Nets for a chance to make their roster during the preseason. It is reported that he will receive $100,000. guaranteed. Mockevicius was the leading rebounder in NCAA division I last season at 14 per game.That will be Mock’s calling card if he makes the roster. The Nets are in need of some depth at the center position. Mock will provide a solid physical body to get tough rebounds and play solid interior defense.

The only centers currently on the Nets roster are oft-injured Brook Lopez, inexperienced Justin Hamilton and Henry Sims. Mock will have a very good opportunity to crack the final roster. He will need to show more of an ability to make some plays on offense. If he can do that I think the decision will be between Mock or Sims. Hamilton is on a multi-year deal or else I would say it would be more of an open competition.

Mockevicius has the ability to make jumpers to about 18 feet. He is adequate in the pick and roll. He is not afraid to put his body on the line, as he sets solid fundamental screens. He will need to develop more in the post. He is not very polished, but if he were to make the team they would never run plays for him on offense to begin with. Especially if he were to share the court with Lopez, which may not be possible due to lack of versatility on offense. Mock will score mainly off hustle plays and put-backs.

Mock is a very tough defender in the post. If he continues to put weight on he will be even more solid down low. Mock averaged 2.76 blk. last season at Evansville. He does not project to be a prolific shot blocker, but he could surprise some guys on the weak-side. He also does a nice job altering shots without fouling. Mock is also very talkative on defense. Constantly calling out to teammates to keep everyone on the same page.

Mock has some potential to eventually be a rotation player in the NBA. He has a great opportunity right now with the Nets, but can he take advantage of it?

Scouting Report: EgidijusMockevicius4-16-16

Robert Carter Jr. Scouting Report

Robert Carter Jr. has signed a deal to play in Italy

Embed from Getty Images

Robert Carter Jr. has signed a deal with Enel Basket Brindisi of Serie A in Italy. This is the top basketball league in Italy. Brindisi struggled last year and finished in 10th place failing to qualify for the league playoffs.

Robert Carter Jr. vastly underperformed with the Golden State Warriors in summer league play. Carter finished summer league play averaging just 6.2 ppg, 2.4 reb, while only shooting 22% from the field in 11 mpg. Not to mention, Carter who has solid stretch 4 type potential and versatility on offense went 0-11 from three during summer league play. That fact alone is why Carter is not getting an invite to any teams training camp.

Carter does have other areas he must improve if he wants to play in the NBA someday. He is a shaky on ball defender. His stance is very upright and he lacks good lateral foot movement. He is adequate in the post. His length helps him inside to bother shots, and he even can get a few help side blocks occasionally. Carter does not provide consistent effort on defense. He is more of a one way player at this stage in his career.

Another area where Carter needs to improve is his body. He shed a lot of weight when he transferred from Georgia Tech to Maryland, but its still a work in progress. He still has some weight on him that he could turn into muscle that would vastly improve his conditioning and overall strength.

Carter Jr. has all the tools to succeed in Italy or in the NBA. He may even end up playing some of the 5 this season. His skill set fits the Euro style very well. I would not be surprised to see him draw some interest for teams next season. There might even be a possibility, if he plays well, to come to the NBA D-League or earn a 10 day contract this season. This is all dependent upon what his deal was with Brindisi. Terms have yet to be released.

Scouting Report: RobertCarterJr.