After scouting the top 15 players from this year's FIBA U17 World Cup, let's take a look at seven more long-term NBA draft prospects worth tracking -- including six internationals.
Adem Bona | C | Turkey | 15.2
Only playing basketball seriously for more than two years since arriving in Turkey from Nigeria, Bona played 60 total minutes in Argentina but led the tournament in blocks per 40 minutes at 6.7.
He has a tremendous frame for his age and impressed with his combination of physical tools and competitiveness, coming onto the court and bringing huge energy and intensity. He plays above the rim, goes out of his area for rebounds and has excellent instincts as a rim-protector despite his lack of experience.
He's currently very limited offensively and doesn't have much experience or feel to fall back on, which is expected considering his trajectory. He plays for a small team in Istanbul and is likely to move to one of the bigger clubs this summer, with Anadolu Efes reportedly being the likely destination.
Caleb Houstan | SF | Canada | 15.4 years old
Houstan played just 46 minutes in total due an ankle injury and was utilized sparsely early on when he was healthy.
He has good size, length and mobility for a perimeter player, plus some intriguing versatility to tap into -- including a decent-looking jumper.
Jean Claudio Montero | SG | Dominican Republic | 15.0
Montero put his name on the radar during this year's NCAA Final Four in San Antonio. He played up by a few years at the NBA Academy Next Generation event, earning a scholarship to the recently founded academy in Mexico City.
He continued his upward trajectory with a very strong performance in Argentina, leading his team in minutes played despite being two years younger than the competition. He showed terrific scoring instincts en route to averaging 15 PPG, displaying shot-making prowess (39 percent from 3), aggressiveness and confidence.
It will be interesting to see how Montero's frame -- he's small, and on the skinnier side -- and playmaking ability evolve over the next few years, as he's listed at 6-1 but is more of a scorer than a point guard. Considering how young he is, it won't be surprising if he grows and learns how to run a team more effectively.
Ladji Dembele | PF | Mali | 14.7
Dembele has an ideal frame for a power forward, standing around 6-8 with a big wingspan and athleticism. He moves gracefully, particularly on defense, where he showed the ability to switch onto guards, wings, forwards and big men alike while posting 10.4 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 2.4 blocks per 40 minutes. His shooting mechanics indicate that he has the potential to develop into a legitimate perimeter option in time, which would be very interesting considering his defensive versatility. Despite being as young as he is, he has a solid feel for the game.
However, Dembele struggled to get much done offensively and is still at a very early stage of development. We'll be tracking what kind of strides he can make in the next few years.
Kai Sotto | PF/C | Philippines | 16.1
Possibly the most hyped player to come out of the Philippines, Sotto struggled against the better competition (France, Canada and Mali) but was productive against the weaker opponents (Egypt, New Zealand, Argentina and Croatia), finishing the tournament averaging a solid 16.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 29 MPG.
Sotto's talent is evident on first glance, as he's got great size at 7-1 with a very skinny frame that should fill out in time. His average wingspan isn't ideal, but he moves extremely well for a player his height. He has soft hands and touch, and he's a good passer. Most of his rebounding and scoring production at the moment come from being bigger than other players, but he is a solid finisher when contact isn't an issue. He displays good footwork around the basket and gets out in the open court as a rim-runner. He's not much of a threat to make shots outside of the paint, but his decent stroke from the free throw line (68 percent) indicates that there is some potential here as well.
Sotto lacks strength and toughness, as he shies away from contact, doesn't box out, gets bullied defensively and plays with little intensity, often looking like he's just going through the motions. Sotto doesn't see much similarly sized competition in his age group in the Philippines, and that may lead to some bad habits on the court.
R.J. Hampton | PG/SG | USA | 17.4
Hampton suffered a foot injury early in the tournament and only ended up playing 25 minutes.
He is considered one of the biggest talents in the 2020 high school class, as he is a smooth athlete with a terrific frame who changes speeds fluidly from the combo guard position.
Aleksej Pokusevski | PF | Serbia | 16.5
Pokusevski struggled quite a bit in the group stage of the tournament, delivering a 2-point, 0-assist, 6-turnover game against the U.S. in just 17 minutes. But he came alive in the loser's bracket and showed some glimpses of upside.
Measuring 7-0 in shoes with a 7-3 wingspan and 9-1 standing reach, Pokusevski has a unique game. He plays strictly on the perimeter, seeing quite a few minutes at small forward and making a handful of 3-pointers with solid shooting mechanics. He's a highly capable ball handler with impressive fluidity and footwork off the dribble. You don't often see a player his age combining that kind of size and skill-level, and that alone makes him worth monitoring considering he doesn't turn 17 until the end of December.
With that said, there are quite a few hurdles Pokusevski will have to overcome to maximize his potential, including his narrow 189-pound frame and limited intensity level defensively. He struggles to finish around the basket and gets bullied by more physical players.
Pokusevski is signed to a a long-term deal with Olympiacos in Greece, a team that isn't particularly known for its development of local players -- let alone imports -- so it will be interesting to see how he progresses there.