Scouting Basketball Without Borders: Long-term draft prospects

Last weekend's Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Los Angeles gave NBA executives an opportunity to evaluate 43 players from 30 countries, continuing the camp's emergence as one of the top scouting events on the calendar thanks to the impressive talent assembled.

We selected 10 players who we felt had the biggest impact on the camp and deserve to be earmarked as the top long-term prospects in attendance, with five more honorable mentions thrown in for good measure.

Sekou Doumbouya | 6-foot-9 | SF/PF

France (via Guinea) | Age: 17.1

After leaving much to be desired when we scouted him with his club in France earlier this year, Doumbouya stood out as the top prospect to take the floor in L.A. Auditioning for a host of NBA execs for the first time, Doumbouya played with much more energy than we've seen in the past, using his tremendous physical tools to defend multiple positions while flashing his versatile skill set on the offensive end. With a 6-11 wingspan, 210-pound frame and an 8-11 standing reach, Doumbouya has more than adequate size to play the power forward spot in the modern NBA, yet he has the foot speed to defend on the perimeter and the budding skill set to play with the ball for stretches on offense. From a sheer size and length standpoint, he compares to Paul George (at age 20.2) and Thaddeus Young (at age 19.0), though he has a body type that could trend closer to Carmelo Anthony or Jabari Parker as he gets older.

Although he still has a tendency to miss boxouts or defensive assignments, Doumbouya was vocal in drills and did a great job of temporarily answering the questions about his effort and intensity. He has the potential to be a defensive stopper who can check up to four positions and watching him buy into that notion was beneficial for his draft stock moving forward. Offensively, Doumbouya is a blank slate, which is part of what makes him so intriguing. He shoots a really easy ball with great rotation and soft touch, he handles the ball comfortably in the open floor and he's an above-average athlete around the rim, even showing some ability to extend with his off hand for finishing attempts around length. Doumbouya could trend anywhere from a stretch-4 type to a playmaking wing, as his ball-handling and passing in space looked greatly improved with more freedom than he has with Poitiers. While France is full of talent, prospect development can often become stagnant, and it was certainly beneficial to see Doumbouya in a different setting among his age group. He looked every bit of a potential top-five pick. -- Mike Schmitz

Josh Green | 6-6 | PG/SG

Australia | Age: 17.2

The breakout performer of the camp, Green was a rightful MVP and proved to be one of the top NBA prospects in attendance. The Australian guard combines excellent physical tools (6-5 barefoot, 6-10 wingspan) with a strong frame, smooth athleticism and a polished skill set, operating on the ball almost full time and showing an innate ability to operate at different speeds and create for both himself and his teammates at a very high level. Green has excellent footwork and body control, handling the ball on a string, seeing both sides of the court and using his vision unselfishly. He has very soft touch on his floaters and can make a pull-up from the mid-range, but he's still figuring out the nuances of finishing aggressively around the basket and has yet to fully extend his jumper out to 3 consistently (career 34 percent on 3s, 67 perfect on free throws, according to Krossover). His release is a little slow and low, but he has soft touch and the ball comes out of his hand nicely, leaving room for optimism regarding his ability to improve in this area.

He competes defensively as well, thanks to his quick feet and long arms, and shows good instincts getting in the passing lanes, making him arguably the most complete player at the camp with plenty of upside to continue to improve as well. Ranked in the 20s by most recruiting analysts, Green made a strong case for himself as a top-10 player in the 2019 class and is likely to emerge as an intriguing NBA prospect down the road as well if he continues to improve his shooting. -- Jonathan Givony

Luka Samanic | 6-11 | PF

Croatia | Age: 18.1

The MVP of the Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Spain last month, Samanic showed his immense talent level and some of his shortcomings. The big man is an intriguing prospect with his ability to step out and knock down open 3s, straight-line drive with long strides, finish dynamically off of one leg, playmake on the move and score in the post against switches, showing impressive balance and touch. He gets good rotation with his feet set, but continuing to develop into a more versatile shooter and ball handler are keys to opening up the rest of his game, as his deep crouch and somewhat slow release limit him a bit. Samanic, who has a slight frame at 210 pounds, figures to rely more on pass-dribble-shoot skill at the higher levels given his so-so physicality and average length (7-0 wingspan), and cutting out some of his avoidable turnovers will be important for his growth on the perimeter.

Samanic also can improve his intensity on the defensive end and on the backboards, as he doesn't quite have the reach to fall back on in the post. With that said, he has the feet to switch and guard the perimeter and impressive instincts in the passing lanes. Samanic is no stranger to NBA scouts, and he's had some excellent moments with Barcelona's second team in LEB Gold, most recently scoring a season-high 17 points in 25 minutes on Feb. 9. Samanic's agreement with Barcelona is up after this season, but it is appearing more and more likely that he'll return to the Spanish powerhouse before entering the 2019 draft, where he's viewed as a borderline lottery-level talent. -- MS

A.J. Lawson | 6-7 | PG/SG

Canada | Age: 17.5

Lawson emerged as one of the top guards at the camp both in terms of productivity and NBA potential. Developing with GTA Prep in Ontario, he is continuing to build his draft resume as an explosive combo guard who can play both ends, put pressure on defenses in transition and finish above the rim with force. Lawson has excellent height and length for a combo guard, as he measured 6-6 barefoot with a 6-10 wingspan. The 17-year-old's frame is extremely slight (160 pounds), however, and because of his wiry frame he's likely going to be best at the point guard spot long term. From a physical standpoint, he fits in the Will Barton, Caris LeVert, Patrick McCaw molds. Known more for his defense, Lawson showed an ability to play downhill and create as an on-ball guard that makes him intriguing long term.

He has quite a bit of work to do as a natural decision-maker and shooter, as his shot is a bit slow and unnatural at this stage, but he's adept in drive-and-dish/kick situations and can live in the paint thanks to his quickness. Lawson also has proved capable of rising up in mid-range spots, and his jumper is far from a lost cause. Defensively, he's disruptive on and off the ball with his quickness, length and effort, and his willingness to play both ends makes up for some of what he lacks in the strength department. Lawson plays with a level of spunk and confidence that pairs well with his physical abilities and budding skill. He'll have to continue honing his skill set, but Lawson looks like a future first-round talent with upside. He has an interesting decision in front of him, as he has the opportunity to reclassify to the 2018 high school class should he choose and enter the NCAA a year early. It remains to be seen if he'll elect to do so, though, as his body needs plenty of work before it's even college-ready. -- MS

Paul Eboua | 6-7½ | PF

Cameroon | Age: 18.0

From a physical standpoint, there might not have been a more interesting prospect in attendance than Eboua. Despite standing just a hair over 6-7 in shoes, Eboua has a freakish wingspan (8½-inches greater than his height), gigantic hands and a 38½-inch vertical leap, giving him ample size to play the 4 considering his ripped frame. Eboua is more than just a physical marvel, as he also got quite a bit done on both ends of the floor throughout the camp. He played more skillfully and under control than what we had seen in previous settings, showing the type of improvement you want to see from a player who picked up the game only a few years ago.

Although his jumper is still somewhat on the mechanical side, he shot the ball decently in drills and scrimmages, both with his feet set and off the dribble, leaving room for optimism regarding his development. His ball-handling skills and overall feel for the game are a major work in progress, but he didn't force the issue as much as he has in the past and more than made up for any shortcomings he demonstrated offensively with his sheer energy level defensively. Eboua's length, mobility and intensity allow him to guard anywhere from 1 to 5. He rotates for blocks, gets in the passing lanes and hits the glass aggressively. His ability to defend both the interior and perimeter makes him extremely intriguing in modern basketball, and if he can continue to make strides with his skill level and become a little less mechanical with his decision-making, he has a chance to emerge as a very interesting prospect down the line. -- JG

Biram Faye | 6-8 | C

Senegal | Age: 17.9

Faye is making huge strides as a basketball player, having a very positive camp that leaves plenty of room for optimism regarding his development. While undersized for a center at just 6-7 without shoes, Faye's 7-2 wingspan, 9-foot standing reach and terrific frame more than help compensate for his lack of height when combined with his tremendous athletic ability. He moves like a guard, covering ground seamlessly, and registered one of the best three-quarter-court sprint times in our database's history, having the type of agility NBA teams actively search for in modern big-men prospects. Faye's primary value at the moment lies on the defensive end, where his long arms, quick athleticism, ability to get off the ground and tremendous motor give him a great starting point to build off as both a rim protector and pick-and-roll stopper.

Offensively, Faye is a major work in progress, often playing the game way too sped up, but he dropped just enough glimpses to indicate he has room to grow. He is an excellent finisher, showed some ball-handling ability pushing off the defensive glass or creating from the elbow and knocked down a handful of mid-range jumpers as well. His shooting mechanics aren't great, as he tends to pull the string on his jumper, but his high release point and decent touch are positives. Faye is so eager to make things happen that he can be mistake-prone on both ends of the floor, demonstrating poor shot selection and a generally underdeveloped feel. Still, he is fairly new to the game and seems to be making real strides, meaning he's someone to keep tabs on over the next few years to see how his game rounds out. -- JG

Tyrese Samuel | 6-8 | PF

Canada | Age: 17.9

Samuel stood out immediately with his ripped frame and plus wingspan, and he continued the strong first impression with the versatility he demonstrated in the drills and games. His skill level is fairly high for a player his age, as he can handle the ball, especially pushing off the defensive glass, and even change speeds with polished footwork in the half court. Samuel has some touch on his mid-range jumper, and will knock down an occasional pull-up off a closeout, but still has a ways to go as a shooter in terms of extending his range and ironing out the side spin on his release. When he wanted to make his presence felt defensively, he was an absolute monster, banging inside the paint and going out of his area for rebounds and blocks.

After looking like arguably the best prospect at the camp on the first day, Samuel rested on his laurels and faded into the background for the most part. His body language leaves a lot to be desired, and his motor is very up and down, which is likely one of the reasons he barely registers as a blip on the recruiting radar in the U.S. He doesn't always get back on defense, looks reluctant to sit down in a stance and doesn't play with the type of energy you might expect. His offensive efficiency leaves something to be desired as well, as he doesn't always know his limitations and has a tendency to freeze out teammates. Still, players with Samuel's physical tools and skill aren't easy to come by, so it would be foolish to write him off considering how young he is. -- JG

Martynas Arlauskas | 6-8 | SF

Lithuania | Age: 17.6

Arlauskas proved to be one of the most polished players at the camp, which is not a surprise considering he was one of the few players with actual EuroLeague experience underneath his belt already. He has good size for the wing, a solid frame and a strong feel for the game, clearly having benefited from the coaching he's receiving from the highly regarded Sarunas Jasikevicius at Zalgiris. Arlauskas is capable of playing on or off the ball, finding ways to impact the game with his ability to distribute, defend, rebound and do all the little things. When his team struggled with point guard play, he took responsibility and showed impressive ability to operate in pick-and-rolls, as he's highly creative with the way he can move the ball and has a very high basketball IQ.

Despite lacking length (6-7 wingspan), Arlauskas is a versatile defender who can check guards, wings and forwards alike. The one area he hasn't developed as much as expected is with his jumper. His stroke looks rigid and wasn't a consistent weapon for him from beyond the 3-point line, even if he showed some ability to make pull-ups inside the arc. Arlauskas lacks the physical tools to be considered a top-shelf NBA prospect, but he makes up for that in other areas. He's reportedly on the college track and will be an immediate contributor at the NCAA level thanks to his feel, versatility, toughness and ability to play winning basketball. -- JG

Leandro Bolmaro | 6-7 | PG/SG

Argentina | Age: 17.4

Making his debut to most NBA scouts, Bolmaro thoroughly impressed with his creativity and skill level as a 6-7 point guard. He broke out this past summer at the FIBA under-17 South American Championships, posting a 33.4 PER in six games and eventually earning an invite to the 2017 NBPA Top 100 Camp. Bolmaro has been developing with Bahia Blanca in the Argentina first division, where he's appeared in 14 games this season. The 17-year-old has physical dimensions similar to Greivis Vasquez, at 6-5 barefoot with a 6-7 wingspan. He's an average athlete and doesn't have the strongest or widest frame at 171 pounds, and he struggles defensively versus more physical, explosive athletes.

Bolmaro is at his best when he's playing on the ball, as he's an instinctual pick-and-roll player who can change directions and facilitate with craft. He has a natural feel for the game and seems to come alive with the ball in his hands. He's also a capable shooter with good rotation off the catch or dribble, yet he has a labored stroke that may not translate all that well to higher levels when he's asked to extend his range. Bolmaro can stand to improve his finishing and decision-making, as he can be a bit of a flash-over-substance passer at times. He was undoubtedly one of the camp's breakout performers and top guards, even if he isn't loaded with NBA upside. -- MS

Filip Petrusev | 6-11 | PF/C

Serbia | Age: 17.8

The future Gonzaga Bulldog stood out with his modern skill set and polished game at 6-11, 215 pounds with a projectable frame. Petrusev, who has measurement similarities to a young Joffrey Lauvergne at 6-10 barefoot with a 6-10½ wingspan, should be an instant contributor in the West Coast Conference thanks to his size, ability to step out and shoot the 3, score on the block with finesse and finish with either hand on the interior. He's a sound passer and decision-maker, and he even showed the ability to make pull-up jumpers or pick-and-roll reads on occasion.

More mobile than explosive, Petrusev isn't a dunker or vertical spacer, but his shooting potential and overall skill level make up for that on the offensive end. He has room to improve defensively, as he doesn't quite have the explosive athleticism or length to fall back on when his technique isn't flawless. He's not a rim protector and hasn't proved comfortable chasing around perimeter 4s, although he does have solid feet. He can stand to become a more aggressive defensive rebounder as well. Although he isn't oozing with length and explosiveness, Petrusev is a high-floor prospect who, at the very worst, is a great college player who will have a chance to play in the NBA once he's done in Spokane. -- MS

Honorable mention

Charles Bassey | 6-10 | C

Nigeria | Age: 17.3

A baffling MVP selection, Bassey had a very disappointing camp overall, floating aimlessly for the most part and showing little improvement in terms of skill or feel from the first time we saw him two years ago. His primary value lies in his huge frame, which hasn't changed much but remains absolutely chiseled. He measured only 6-9 barefoot, but his 7-3 wingspan and 9-0 standing reach give him ample tools for the center position. Bassey has nice touch on his mid-range jumper, knocking down a few face-up attempts and being fairly reliable from the free throw line. He doesn't show much willingness to use his body inside consistently and demonstrated poor body language when things didn't go his way, fluctuating from tentativeness to lethargy. When Bassey is engaged, he can be a monster on the glass, as a finisher and even as a defender thanks to his strong physical tools. He's just not quite athletic or skilled enough to be effective without playing hard consistently, and there are real concerns that his development has stagnated and he will struggle to live up to his lofty recruiting rankings as a consensus top-five recruit. Bassey's reputation proceeds him at the moment, but he hasn't been productive enough in any of the settings we've evaluated him in recently. -- JG

Killian Hayes | 6-5 | PG

France | Age: 16.5

Battling knee tendinitis over the course of the camp, the 16-year-old Hayes struggled to have the impact NBA scouts would have hoped, as he looked a bit ordinary athletically in this setting. One of the most touted young prospects in all of France, Hayes will have to continue improving his shooting and overall skill level for his game to translate to higher levels of competition. At 6-4 barefoot with a strong 215-pound frame and a 6-7 wingspan, Hayes has an excellent physical profile for a lead guard, and the fact that he's already playing minutes in France's top division with Cholet speaks his talent level and competitiveness. -- MS

Aleksander Balcerowski | 7-1 | C

Poland | Age: 17.2

Balcerowski stood out thanks to his unique blend of size and skill at 7-1 barefoot, 237 pounds with a 9-3 standing reach and soft touch out to 3. From a measurements perspective, he has similarities to a somewhat taller Spencer Hawes (at age 19.2). He's not that agile but looks mobile and comfortable putting the ball on the floor while scoring with finesse in the post. He lacks a degree of toughness and explosiveness and needs to improve across the board defensively and on the glass. -- MS

N'Faly Dante | 6-11 | C

Mali | Age: 16.3

The youngest player at this camp, Dante looked his age throughout the weekend but still dropped glimpses of potential that leave room for optimism long term. With a 7-4 wingspan, 9-2 standing reach and big shoulders, Dante has great measurements for a center. He's not overly explosive but moves well overall with soft hands and good touch both around the basket and on mid-range jumpers. When operating at maximum intensity, he can make his presence felt on the glass and as a rim protector thanks to his huge reach and solid instincts, but he was a bit inconsistent in this area throughout the camp. Dante has added quite a bit of his mass to his frame in the past two years, and he doesn't appear quite as bouncy as a finisher or stepping outside of the paint defensively as you might hope from a modern big man, particularly in terms of balance or quickness. His feel for the game is a work in progress at this stage, as he demonstrated poor shot selection at times, often settling for the first shot he could find on offense and not being a willing ball mover. Gaining experience and learning how to better use his tools defensively will be major priorities for him moving forward. -- JG

Christian Junior Koloko | 6-11 | C

Cameroon | Age: 17.6

Although he wasn't able to play during scrimmages due to a California state rule (he's in midseason with Birmingham High School), Koloko proved to be one of the more interesting long-term center prospects in attendance. He measured 6-10 barefoot with a massive 7-4 wingspan, a 9-2 standing reach and an incredibly light 170-pound frame. Koloko is clearly still at a very early stage of his physical development, but he's extremely agile with good hands and soft touch, sometimes even knocking down spot 3s despite some extra motion in his shot. Koloko has a ways to go physically and we still need to get a better feel for his game, but scouts will certainly earmark his name given his budding tools. -- MS