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          Scouting top international prospects for future NBA drafts

          Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
          • Mike SchmitzJan 17, 2018, 08:31 AM ET

          In a European market flooded with competitive, often financially struggling clubs, aggressive agents, and international talent evaluators yearning for an NBA scouting gig, prospects are identified and evaluated at a much earlier age than in the U.S. Under-14 and under-12 camps and tournaments are commonplace, as top prospects often agree to amateur deals with their local club or a basketball powerhouse like Real Madrid well before they can drive a car. While you never want to over-scout at too young of an age, it's important to at least be aware of the top international prospects who are up next.

          Understanding when the next Kristaps Porzingis or Giannis Antetokounmpo may be coming and tracking their development is certainly a priority for NBA teams. Knowing of these prospects by age 16 or so pays dividends, as -- like high school juniors -- they are only a few years away from being draft eligible.

          With that in mind, we scouted the Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) in L'Hospitalet, Spain, as well as the Baltic Sea Cup in Tallinn, Estonia, where Porzingis first debuted outside of Latvia as a 15-year-old. We also attended games both in France Pro B (second division) and France's under-21 league known as Espoirs, which is full of prospects who aren't yet draft eligible. Here's our breakdown of the top non-draft-eligible international prospects we scouted.

          Sekou Doumbouya | Combo forward | Age: 17

          6-foot-9 | 230 pounds | 7-1½ wingspan (according to his camp)

          Country: France (by way of Guinea) | Club: Poitiers (France Pro B)

          Where he has been scouted by the NBA: 2016 ANGT, France Pro B, 2016 FIBA U18 European Championships

          Draft eligible: 2019

          The 17-year-old combo forward headlines the group from an intrigue perspective, as he has been one of the most highly touted prospects in all of France since he was 14. Born in Guinea, Doumbouya moved to Orleans in North-Central France when he was 1. Growing up as a soccer standout, Doumbouya hadn't played competitive basketball until he was 12 or 13, when he was discovered by local youth coach Benoist Burguet while in the stands of a basketball game in France. With big hands, long arms and a projectable frame, Doumbouya was full of impressive physical gifts which caught the eye of Burguet, who has developed a strong relationship with Doumbouya and his family.

          The standout teenager started his career as more of an energy athlete and quickly sent waves through scouting circles in France with his tools and growing skills at such a young age. After a year or so of seasoning and shifting more into a combo forward role, Doumbouya ended up attending INSEP, the top basketball academy in all of France. That pairing was somewhat short-lived, though, and he eventually signed in France Pro B with Poitiers, playing his first game against men at age 15.

          He obtained his French local status in November 2016 and broke out on a grander stage at the under-18 European championships, where he teamed with future Knicks first-round pick Frank Ntilikina to lead France to a gold medal while averaging 17.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks in 29.4 minutes per game. Despite his lack of experience, the game came fairly easily to him, and Doumbouya intrigued scouts with his physical tools and tremendous defensive potential.

          The hype continued to grow surrounding Doumbouya, but he has had a bit of an up-and-down season in Poitiers and struggled during the game we attended in Blois, France. While he has had some tremendous scoring nights as a teenager against grown men, his energy level fluctuates and he hasn't quite evolved into a switch-everything, defensive monster. This season the often laid-back Doumbouya is averaging only 0.9 steals and 0.4 blocks per 40 minutes, which is certainly underwhelming given his length and quickness

          The situation in Poitiers isn't ideal for his growth, as the team is 4-10 and Doumbouya spends far too many possessions stationed in the corner watching a stagnant offense. His inconsistent intensity on the defensive end and sometimes uninterested demeanor are certainly sticking points for scouts moving forward. Too often he misses boxouts, gets back cut or is completely upright in his stance. When he doesn't get going early offensively, he has a tendency to let it affect other areas of his game.

          On the bright side, Doumbouya's shooting stroke has really progressed, as he has soft touch and excellent rotation on his high-arcing 3-ball. He can also straight-line drive with a strong first step or operate in the post against smaller wings. He's a gifted scorer with soft touch, and going for 17 or more points twice in the past three games at age 17 is no easy feat. If Doumbouya can be more consistent with his scoring and work to untap his defensive potential, he'll be far more appealing to NBA scouts, as his elite pro skill isn't quite clear at this stage. Improving his overall feel for the game is also a priority, as he has registered more turnovers than assists this season.

          Doumbouya told us that he expects scouts to dig into what he's like off the court and how he takes care of his body. He has dealt with a stress fracture in his foot and ankle injuries during the past eight months or so. He has a Carmelo Anthony-like body type -- more strong, long and quick than vertically freaky -- that could lead to a lack of explosion if he doesn't take care of himself.

          Still, Doumbouya is a supreme talent for his age and an impressive blend of size and length at a combo forward position every team wants to fill. He's expected to play at the Basketball Without Borders event in Los Angeles during the All-Star break, and he should have a big camp while playing among his age group. Doumbouya is also hoping to play in the under-20 European championship this summer, which would be a great opportunity to show out in a national team setting. He will likely make the jump to France's top division next season, and being in a winning environment where he's challenged every day will be great for his growth.

          Killian Hayes | Lead guard | Age: 16.4

          6-foot-4½ | 184 pounds | 6-7 wingspan (at age 15.8)

          Country: Lakeland Florida/France | Club: Cholet

          Where he has been scouted by the NBA: 2017 Jordan Brand Classic, 2017 FIBA Under-16 European Championships, 2017 Adidas EuroCamp, Cholet Espoirs Team

          Draft eligible: 2020

          Born to an American father and French mother, Hayes is an ultra-confident, explosive lead guard who is shining in France's under-21 league at age 16. He has tremendous size for his age to go along with quick-twitch athleticism that allows him to live in the paint. He has the ball on a string and keeps defenses off balance with his ability to shift gears and directions quite violently.

          More of a combo guard at a younger stage, Hayes is developing his floor game, as he currently ranks first in all of Espoirs in assists per 40 minutes (7.1) while also turning the ball over 5.3 times per game. Hayes continues to make great strides as a shooter as well. His 33 percent clip is a great improvement from the 25.8 percent shooting he registered during his MVP, gold-medal run with the under-16 French national team this past summer. He gets good rotation and can create space off the dribble impressively for his age.

          Playing with much more swagger and confidence than your typical French prospect, Hayes also hangs his hat on the defensive end, regularly pressuring the ball and creating turnovers. While he's still earning his stripes in Cholet, Hayes is more than capable of playing a role at the Pro A level right now and should see much more time with the top team next season. Although it's still clearly early, Hayes looks the part of a top-five draft pick in 2020, as he's farther ahead than fellow French guard prospect Ntilikina at the same age.

          Luka Samanic | Modern forward | Age: 18.0

          6-foot-10 | 205 pounds | 6-10 wingspan (at age 16.4)

          Country: Croatia | Club: Barcelona

          Where he has been scouted by the NBA: 2016 and 2017 ANGT, 2016 Adidas Eurocamp, 2016 FIBA under-16 European Championships, 2017 FIBA under-18 European Championships, 2017-18 LEB Gold (Spanish second division), 2018 Adidas ANGT

          Draft eligible: 2019

          One year after a so-so performance at the 2016 ANGT, Samanic exploded this time around, winning MVP honors by posting a 37.0 PER over the course of four games. The Croatian forward averaged 23.3 points, 14.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.8 blocks in just 27 minutes of play. Struggling a bit with toughness and body language in the past, Samanic appears to be turning the corner, playing with much more aggression and grit. He has had an excellent six-month stretch, as he was also named MVP of the 2017 FIBA under-18 European Championships B Division this past summer. He has been tremendous at the under-18 level with Barcelona and is playing a solid role for Barcelona's second team as well.

          As a player, Samanic has excellent size for a modern forward with outstanding agility. A good athlete who can play above the rim off of one leg in space, the Zagreb native is able to use his footwork effectively in the post against switches and as a perimeter defender. He continues to mature physically and get more confident in his body, which has allowed him to become more of a force on the glass (he averaged 21.7 rebounds per 40 minutes in L'Hosppitalet). A capable spot-up 3-point shooter who can also straight-line drive, operate out of the post and facilitate, Samanic brings a combination of size, agility and skills that intrigues NBA scouts.

          Samanic can continue to become a more consistent shooter and finisher in traffic -- 23.5 percent from 3 and 44.1 percent from 2 in L'Hospitalet. The fact that he doesn't have elite length also limits his defensive upside a bit. But the progress Samanic has made with his approach has been noticeable to NBA scouts, and he looks every bit a potential lottery pick in next year's draft. Samanic's amateur deal with Barcelona is up after this season. It remains to be seen if he will remain with the club or look elsewhere before likely entering the 2019 draft.

          Theo Maledon | Big combo guard | Age: 16.5

          6-foot-5 | 180 pounds | 6-9½ wingspan (unofficial)

          Country: France | Club: ASVEL

          Where he has been scouted by the NBA: 2016, 2017 and 2018 ANGT, 2016 Adidas Eurocamp, 2016 and 2017 FIBA under-16 European Championships, and 2017 Jordan Brand Classic

          Draft eligible: 2020

          An ANGT veteran at the ripe age of 16, Maledon stood out as arguably the camp's top point guard prospect, averaging an extremely impressive 28.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.3 steals in 35 minutes per game on 56.6 percent from 2 and 42.9 percent from 3. Maledon has made great strides in a variety of areas since we first evaluated him at the 2016 Adidas Eurocamp in Treviso. He has grown to around 6-foot-5 with a strong frame and above-average positional length.

          Extremely quiet on the floor at a younger age, Maledon is becoming a bit more of a vocal leader and playing with slightly more personality. Although not the most explosive athlete, he's a sound perimeter shooter when given time and can pick defenses apart with either out of pick-and-roll. Lacking a degree of wiggle with the ball, he plays a bit upright and doesn't always get by people in a half-court setting, but he's skilled and smart with positional size. Not traditionally the most dynamic finisher, either, Maledon has improved as a vertical athlete as he has grown into his body. He can defend either guard spot with his tools and could develop into a George Hill-style role with the ability to slide over to the 2 for stretches given his size and capable spot shooting.

          Maledon is still becoming a more versatile shot-maker while adding more sizzle to his game, but he's a rock-solid point guard prospect who improves with every evaluation. Playing for Tony Parker-owned club ASVEL, Maledon is very close with the Parker family and is in an excellent position to continue improving. Like his friend and counterpart Killian Hayes, Maledon is also posting impressive numbers in the Espoirs league, averaging 17.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 35 MPG. Maledon is one of France's top young guard prospects and could be one of the more highly touted international guards in the 2020 NBA draft if all goes according to plan.

          Arturs Zagars | Ultra-skilled point guard | Age: 17.7

          6-foot-3 | Weight: N/A | 6-2½ wingspan (at age 17.3)

          Country: Latvia | Club: Joventut (Spain)

          Where he has been scouted by the NBA: 2015 Baltic Sea Cup, 2015 and 2016 FIBA under-16 European Championships, 2017 Basketball Without Borders (Israel), 2018 ANGT

          Draft eligible: 2019

          Zagars is a supremely skilled point guard who broke out at the 2016 under-16 Euros in Radom, Poland, thanks to his polished game and confidence.

          Zagars has long been one of the more skilled 2000-born guards in Europe, but he was behind physically with a frame lacking size and length. It was clear in L'Hospitalet that he's starting to develop physically, blossoming to at least 6-foot-3 with a slightly more developed body. Not blessed with great length or dunk-contest athleticism, Zagars can be a bit of an acquired taste for some in terms of his pro outlook, but he's simply too advanced of a point guard not to consider him a legitimate NBA prospect. Zagars was one of the most impressive point guards in the entire tournament, and Joventut won the ANGT final against Barcelona despite his 1-for-9 shooting performance.

          Similar to Trae Young at Oklahoma, Zagars forces defenses to play him beyond the 3-point line because he's a threat to pull up off the bounce, and from there he uses his tight handle to get to his spots on the floor to score or facilitate. He's an excellent passer who blends creativity and timing to put others in position to score. Not afraid of the moment, Zagars enjoys the spotlight and fits the pass-dribble-shoot mentality teams are looking for. He still has room to improve as a finisher in the half court, since he's far from a physical specimen, but his skill level allows him to employ floaters or high-arcing kiss shots when faced with size and length. Defensively, he projects as a one-position defender who will have to play with consistent grit to make up for what he lacks in physicality.

          Malcolm Cazalon | Explosive off guard | Age: 16.3

          6-foot-6 | 180 pounds (unofficial) | Wingspan: N/A

          Country: France | Club: ASVEL-Villerubanne (France)

          Where he has been scouted by the NBA: 2016 Adidas Nations, ASVEL Espoirs Team, 2018 Adidas Next Generation Tournament

          Draft eligible: 2020

          Not a household name coming into the ANGT, Cazalon was a breakout performer thanks to his positional size, long arms, explosive athleticism and ability to create offense for himself and others in the half court. Cazalon played sparingly as a 14-year-old on the Adidas Nations Africa team, and he hasn't made any major camp or tournament appearances since, either stateside or abroad. He didn't participate in the 2017 under-16 Euros this past summer, so he was truly one of the lesser known high-level prospects prior to this year's ANGT.

          He's certainly in every NBA team's scouting database now, as it's not easy to find guards with his tools and natural scoring ability. He handles the ball fluidly, often mixing in sweeping crossovers and change-of-pace dribbles. He's shifty to the rim and can finish with tomahawk flushes or soft floaters when given time and space. His father, Laurent Cazalon, was a legendary dunker in France, and that explosiveness certainly trickled down. He can rise up in midrange spots comfortably or knife to the rim going left, mixing in Rajon Rondo-like behind-the-back fakes in the process.

          On the flip side, he's extremely left-hand dominant and can stand to get tougher as a finisher. He's also a very streaky 3-point shooter at this stage, which will be a main point of interest for scouts moving forward. His feel for the game is average, and playing with consistent discipline is a priority for Cazalon, as his basketball IQ leaves something to be desired at times. With that said, he shows flashes of a competitive streak and has more than enough in his physical profile to be a versatile on-ball defender at higher levels.

          Vinicius Da Silva | Shot-blocking, rim-running 5 | Age: 16.8

          6-foot-11, 205 pounds (unofficial) | Wingspan: N/A

          Country: Brazil | Club: Joventut

          Where he has been scouted by the NBA: 2018 Adidas Nations

          Draft eligible: 2020

          Arriving to his club in Spain from Brazil not all that long before the ANGT, the beanpole center introduced himself to NBA scouts in L'Hospitalet by averaging 3.9 blocks and 4.7 offensive rebounds per-40 minutes.. While still raw on both ends of the floor, Da Silva has long arms, wide shoulders and an impressive motor for a big man his age. He's extremely light on his feet with long strides to the rim, and he's far more willing to throw his body around than his feathery frame would suggest.

          Da Silva lacks much skill or touch on the offensive end at this stage, but he stays in his lane and is willing to embrace his role as a finisher, rebounder and shot-blocker. This is our first look at Da Silva, who certainly proved he's a name worth tracking as likely the most intriguing center prospect in the Clint Capela-type mold that we saw in L'Hospitalet.

          Aleksander "Oleg" Balcerowski | Stretch-5 | Age: 17.1

          7-foot-1 | 238 pounds | 7-2 wingspan (at age 16.7)

          Country: Poland | Club: Gran Canaria (Spain)

          Where he has been scouted by the NBA: 2016 Jordan Brand International, 2017 and 2018 ANGT, 2017 Basketball Without Borders in Israel

          Draft eligible: 2019

          In his second ANGT L'Hospitalet appearance in as many years, Balcerowski showed flashes of his potential as a mobile stretch-5, but also proved he's still not yet a consistent contributor in a few key areas. Marred by lower extremity injuries earlier in his career, Balcerowski is fully healthy yet still working to improve his physicality and feel for the game. For the second straight year he finished with at least twice as many turnovers as assists, this time boasting a 3-to-16 ratio. Becoming a more intent defender and rebounder is a priority, as he doesn't quite have the elite twitch, leaping ability or freakish length to fall back on in those areas.

          Still, Balcerowski was the most intriguing stretch-big prospect we evaluated in L'Hospitalet, as he has great size, a projectable frame, solid mobility and soft touch out to 3, even if it still hasn't fully translated to game play (2-of-7 from 3, 11-of-18 from the free throw line). Balcerowski just turned 17 in November and has plenty of time to shore up some of his shortcomings. The hope in Gran Canaria is that he can follow a similar development path to 22-year-old Latvian big man and Sixers first-round stash Anzejs Pasecniks, who has been with the club since 2015.

          Kriss Helmanis | Skilled center | Age: 15.7

          6-foot-10 | 215 pounds (unofficial) | Wingspan: N/A

          Country: Latvia | Club: Riga

          Where he has been scouted by the NBA: 2018 Baltic Sea Cup

          Draft eligible: 2021

          The best NBA prospect we evaluated at the 2018 Baltic Sea Cup, Helmanis is most certainly a player worth tracking as he continues to develop with Riga. Though just 15, he impressed with his wide shoulders, long arms, big hands, mobility and budding skill. Helmanis has soft hands and nice touch with both his right and left, although he struggles a bit to finish through contact and over length at this stage, as he's not the most explosive athlete. What makes Helmanis most intriguing is his ability to step out and shoot the ball, regularly spacing the floor beyond the international 3-point line with nice mechanics. Helmanis made 2 of 4 3s over the course of three Baltic Sea Cup games and also shot 87.5 percent from the line. According to the DraftExpress database, he's a lifetime 36.8 percent 3-point shooter on 87 attempts, which is quite impressive for a player his age.

          Helmanis' father (6-foot-8, 255 pounds) was a longtime pro in Latvia and has been coaching since 2010, most recently as the head coach of Valmiera in the Latvian first division last season. Also, his stepbrother is Joventut point guard Arturs Zagars. Helmanis, who is likely to end up being represented by Janis Porzingis, may very well end up in Kristaps Porzingis' sports school and club, which plays in the Latvian second division. He can stand to get tougher on the glass and defense, but given his frame, mobility and skill, Helmanis is one of the most exciting long-term prospects in all of Latvia.