<
        >

          NBA draft international scouting notebook, Part 2

          LUCAS BARIOULET/AFP/Getty Images
          • Jonathan GivonyJan 16, 2019, 09:08 AM ET
            Close
              NBA draft analyst and writer
              Joined ESPN.com in July 2017
              Founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams
            Follow on X

          Jonathan Givony spent two weeks in Europe crisscrossing the continent evaluating many of the top international prospects in the 2019 NBA draft, as well as some notable young players for future drafts.

          Here are the highlights of what he learned on his trip, while having his passport stamped in 10 countries.

          Go here for Part 1, including analysis on Deni Avdija, Yovel Zoosman and Khalifa Diop

          Germany

          Germany has been rising as a European basketball power and has become one of the top leagues and talent producers on the continent. Thanks to improved coaching, budgets and facilities, junior team clubs have benefited tremendously as well, leading to better performances at the national team level and a host of NBA prospects emerging year after year. With NBA scouts decrying the lack of high-end international talent in this year's draft -- some think there might not be more than one international player picked in the first round -- it made sense to take time on this trip to scout a handful of prospects from the 2000-born class that is just now becoming eligible to be drafted for the first time in 2019. These are essentially Europe's one-and-done talents: 18-year-olds who should have significant room for long-term growth but are already producing at a high level in their leagues.

          The first player we wanted to check in on was Estonian small forward Henri Drell. He is in the midst of a strong season in the German second division with Baunach, averaging 13.3 points in 25 MPG. The level of the league is admittedly low, but it was nice to see Drell in a featured role against professional basketball players, and Drell didn't disappoint, scoring 21 points while making five 3s and dishing out four assists in a narrow road loss.

          Drell seems to be making real progress in a number of key areas. His frame is filling out nicely, and considering his excellent size (6-foot-9), length (7-foot wingspan), wide shoulders and fluidity, it's easy to see him developing into a multipositional NBA forward. He has always had a versatile skill set, and it was intriguing to see him handling the ball in the open court, passing out of pick-and-rolls intelligently and making jump shots from all over the floor. His focus and overall maturity -- long considered among his biggest concerns -- seem to be improving as well. That was reinforced by club officials, who were very open about his shortcomings in this department in the past.

          At this stage, the fairly skinny Drell looks far from ready to step on an NBA floor. He has been streaky as a shooter for much of the season and has significant work to do on the defensive end, where his lack of strength and toughness are evident, even at this poor level of competition. He has been inconsistent from game to game, looking too focused at times on his scoring and not using his solid court vision to create for teammates. Drell is on track to receive German player status next season, which will allow him to play as a local for Bamberg. It isn't clear how willing this club will be to develop a young talent in his mold, so it will be interesting to see what kind of plan they put in place for him. Drell would likely be a sure second-round pick in this draft if he'd be happy to merely hear his name called, but that might be selling him short, as he has real potential to emerge as a first-round pick as early as 2020. He is hoping to be invited to the Nike Hoop Summit in April, according to his camp, and from what we saw in Germany and on film, he looks like an interesting candidate for the event.

          A four-hour drive from Dusseldorf to Wurzburg brought us to a midweek FIBA Europe Cup game between S.Oliver Wurzburg and Szolnok from Hungary. One of the more interesting situations in this draft internationally is brewing, as 18-year-old Josh Obiesie joined this club just a month ago but has already carved out an important role for the club and is exceeding all expectations.

          "We are pleasantly surprised by how quickly he's adapted," Wurzburg General Manager Steffen Liebler told ESPN. "We actually didn't plan on registering him for the BBL [German first division] initially. He was supposed to only play European competition, but it turns out we actually need him."

          The first thing that stood out about Obiesie is how big he is. He told ESPN after the game that he stands 6-foot-5½ barefoot and weighs 192 pounds, and he has a much bigger frame than you expect to see from a player his age. It's also notable how quickly and naturally he has adapted to the pro game, despite possessing little to no experience. He didn't look rattled playing point guard against the best team in Hungary, and based on the film, the likes of Bayern Munich and Oldenburg haven't phased him domestically.

          Obiesie handles the ball instinctually and delivers passes creatively. He stepped into a pair of 3s easily and even had the confidence to pull up for a difficult step-back. His strong frame, long arms and instincts give him excellent potential guarding 1s, 2s and 3s, and he had a handful of possessions switching onto big men as well within his team's aggressive defensive scheme.

          Obiesie still has room to grow and questions to answer about how his game translates to the NBA, particularly his unconventional shooting stroke. His lack of experience shows up at times with sloppy decision-making, turnovers and blown assignments off the ball. Still, it's borderline unprecedented to see an 18-year-old step into a team at this level of competition midseason and earn such a prominent role -- something that is also a testament to the organization he's in and the coaching staff, which has given him a total green light. It feels like he's only starting to scratch his ceiling.

          Very few NBA teams have been out to see Obiesie and Wurzburg at this stage, but that's likely to change, as he's a very draftable player as early as this year. He's also reportedly a strong candidate to earn an invite to the Nike Hoop Summit in April (he has an out in his contract that would allow him to attend), something that would give him much-needed exposure in front of NBA decision-makers. Judging by his first six games, Obiesie might be a better candidate for the 2020 draft.

          Montenegro

          Goga Bitadze -- a 19-year-old, Georgian 7-footer -- was in the midst of a terrific season with Mega Bemax in the Adriatic League (20 points, 8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks in 28 MPG, with a 68 true shooting percentage) when an unusual opportunity was presented to his agent, Misko Raznatovic. Would he be interested in sending his prized client -- and the star of the Serbian club his agency runs -- to Euroleague team Buducnost in neighboring Montenegro?

          "I was excited to play Euroleague," Bitadze told ESPN. "It was hard for me to leave my teammates and coaches, who are like family, but this was one of my dreams. It's a chance to show myself at the highest level of basketball outside the NBA."

          It took Bitadze no time at all to adapt to elite competition, as he dropped 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in just 23 minutes in a narrow loss at Bayern Munich in his first Euroleague outing. The team runs a huge amount of offense through Bitadze both in the post and on the perimeter, and the freedom he's getting to handle the ball in the open floor, take 3s and post up much older opponents has been quite notable.

          After playing once per week throughout his career, Bitadze has been forced into significantly more action, playing seven games (five on the road) in his first 18 days. This will be helpful for his adjustment to the NBA schedule, and it will be interesting to see how his body holds up, considering how hard he has been playing. Bitadze was nicked up in the home game we took in against Darussafaka, suffering a minor ankle injury in the previous contest that left him questionable until the opening tip.

          Bitadze wasn't at his best, posting 11 points, four rebounds and four blocks in 27 minutes of action and struggling defensively in pick-and-roll situations. He's mostly at his best going deep under screens due to his limitations covering space. Bitadze has good instincts as a shot-blocker when able to park in the paint and deter opponents from stationary positions with his excellent 9-foot-2 standing reach and ability to get off his feet quickly. He isn't quite as effective when asked to operate away from the rim, though, something that is important for NBA bigs. Foul trouble has been a major issue, as Bitadze has committed one foul for every 5.2 minutes he plays, an incredibly high rate.

          Nevertheless, it's difficult not to be impressed by what the 19-year-old has been able to accomplish thus far. It's rare to see a player this size who offers his combination of strength (250 pounds), reliable hands, soft touch, ballhandling skills, shooting ability and strong feel for the game. He draws strong reviews for his intangibles as well. The question at this stage is less about his talent and more about his fit in today's NBA, particularly on the defensive end. If he can't anchor a defense as a starting center, where does that leave his value?

          Multiple NBA teams have told us that they've graded Bitadze as a first-round-caliber talent on their big boards anyway, though things get a little dicier when accounting for team needs. The likes of Jaxson Hayes, Bol Bol, Jontay Porter, Daniel Gafford, Bruno Fernando and Charles Bassey -- plus many more traditional and small-ball centers -- are facing similar questions. Just how many big men will the NBA be looking to add in June?

          Paris

          The initial plan was to spend two days in Slovenia watching Luka Samanic in the domestic league on Saturday and the Adriatic League on Sunday. On Thursday, word started to trickle out that Olimpija was considering resting Samanic, who had played three games in the past six days. As such, we instead headed to Paris to watch league-leading ASVEL on the road at Nanterre.

          The best NBA prospect in this game -- and arguably in all of Europe at the moment -- was 17-year-old Theo Maledon, who is in the midst of an outstanding season. He starts for ASVEL and is posting impressive numbers, with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals per 40 minutes, while shooting 57 percent from 2, 38 percent from 3 and 93 percent from the line.

          Maledon looks nothing like you'd expect from a player his age at this high level of competition, as he is poised, mature and shows absolutely no emotion regardless of how he or his team are performing. He has outstanding size for a point guard at 6-foot-5 in shoes, with a 6-foot-8½ wingspan, and he has filled out his frame impressively, adding 10 pounds (up to 185) since June.

          "I have to improve my body, but at the same time, I have to be ready to play every four days," Maledon told ESPN. "We are looking for the right compromise."

          Maledon isn't the most explosive athlete, relying more on size, changes of speeds, footwork and craft. He is blessed with an incredibly high basketball IQ, though, particularly operating in pick-and-roll, and he plays with great confidence relative to his age. The biggest revelation this season has been how well he is shooting the ball, particularly off the dribble, as he's regularly making pull-up 3-pointers, something that is huge for his long-term projection. The fact that he's showing the ability to play and especially defend either guard spot is also important, as you rarely see him getting taken advantage of, despite the fact that he needs to continue to add strength.

          Maledon will need to improve his ability to create in one-on-one situations, as well as his finishing ability, as he is too heavily reliant on floaters and touch shots in the paint. He can stand to be more forceful with his drives, often trying to get too cute with fancy footwork. His teammates, who uniformly rave about his approach, tell us he doesn't even realize how athletic he is at this stage.

          There's quite a bit to like about Maledon, who is still a year away from being eligible to enter the draft in 2020. He already received a call-up to the French senior national team training camp in the last FIBA window, and word is he is likely to see minutes for them this summer. We already projected Maledon as a top-10 pick this past fall, and he has done nothing to discourage that notion with what he has shown this season.

          Maledon's teammate, Amine Noua, stole the show in the first half, scoring 19 points and finishing the game with six 3s. The 21-year-old is in the midst of a strong season in his draft-eligible year, upping his 3-point shooting to 36 percent on solid volume after being considered mostly a back-to-the-basket player for much of his career. Noua has an excellent feel for the game and plays with impressive confidence, looking very much the part of an NBA stretch-4 offensively.

          Still, there are questions about whether he's a good enough rebounder (6.7 per 40) and defender to hold his own, as he isn't blessed with great physical tools. Some NBA teams like Noua as a potential stash option in the latter part of the second round, and he's certainly in one of the better development situations.

          French Guiana native Jean-Marc Pansa was forced into solid playing time for Nanterre in this game, with starting center Julian Gamble out with an injury. At 6-foot-10, 240 pounds with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and 9-foot-1 standing reach, Pansa certainly looks the part of an NBA prospect. He gave his team excellent minutes defensively, hedging ball screens, protecting the rim and bringing good energy on the glass. Pansa's skill level is a major work in progress, but the fact that he is averaging 17 points per 40 minutes while shooting 60 percent from 2 and 77 percent from the line leaves some room for optimism. He is likely to be a popular figure on the pre-draft workout circuit and will surely be invited back to the NBA Global Camp, where teams can get a better sense of his progress and long-term upside.

          Ljubljana

          The final leg of the trip featured a visit to Olimpija Ljubljana hosting Mega Bemax, a contest featuring no fewer than nine draft-eligible prospects, drawing at least a dozen NBA scouts and executives. The most highly touted player: projected first-rounder Luka Samanic.

          Olimpija club officials expressed their disdain for the sheer amount of games they are forced to play, due to an ongoing dispute with the Slovenian basketball federation. As part of a schedule that combines appearances in the Champions League, Adriatic League, Slovenian league and domestic cup, the team will be asked to play, "16 games in the month of January alone, with difficult travel conditions," one club official told ESPN. "When we aren't playing, we are traveling. This is a young team, but we don't ever practice. How is it possible?"

          The team feels like the lack of practice has taken a toll on Samanic, who has had little time to work on his underdeveloped frame. Samanic has a beautiful shooting stroke but has been inconsistent thus far this year, hitting 32 percent of his 3s (but 74 percent of his free throws). He's been wildly inconsistent, struggling to get playing time early but seeing a lot more opportunity since Ljubljana elected to change its head coach.

          Samanic saw very little playing time in the second half of the contest we attended, despite playing relatively well in the minutes he did receive (9 points, 4 rebounds in 14 minutes). Olimpija officials told us that the idea of building a young, promising roster and developing prospects sounded very appealing during the offseason, but the club says it now realizes it desn't have the stomach for the ups and downs that come as a result. It's easy for people across the Atlantic to wax poetic about the Slovenian basketball school while decrying the way American players are brought up, but on this particular day in Ljubljana, it was difficult to agree with that notion.

          But it was still clear just how talented Samanic is. We're already hearing comparisons among NBA scouts to Rodions Kurucs and whether Samanic might be another case of needing a change of scenery. Samanic has similar physical attributes, standing 6-11 in shoes with a 7-foot wingspan, a projectable frame and good athletic ability. He has a strong first step driving in either direction, solid ball-handling skills in the open court and the ability to create his own shot. He's been finding success operating in the post this season, despite his lack of strength, and he's lob target as a finisher.

          He is showing promising signs defensively that hint at good things to come. He's been switching onto guards and wings all season, showing a better intensity level than he has in the pas. He still has a tendency to float at times, but it's nearly as bad as in the past. Scouts have long-expressed concern about his lack of toughness. Still, from a pure talent perspective it's difficult to not be intrigued by his versatility and modern NBA fit. There's little doubt that he has significant upside to grow into long-term.

          Also of note was the play of Mega Bemax's Adam Mokoka. The 6-5 French guard with a 6-10 wingspan and a terrific frame played absolutely stifling defense on any opponent he matched up with. His coach Dejan Milojevic told us before the game that he considers him "the best on-ball defender in Europe," something that Mokoka backed up by putting incredible pressure on his man. His team fell off a cliff defensively with him out of the game, eventually losing after being up 8 when he went down with an injury.

          Mokoka has been moved to the PG spot full time, and he is beginning to show just how impactful his tremendous physical tools and hard-charging style can be. Mega Bemax plays just once per week, which allows the players to get a huge amount of shots up in practice every day, something that clearly benefits Mokoka. After making just 10 3s in 476 minutes last season -- on a paltry 22 percent conversion rate -- Mokoka has already doubled his makes on the season. His free throw percentage has also risen from 55 to 67.

          Still only 20 years old, Mokoka is making real strides with his game and looks like a legitimately draftable player this upcoming June. Players in his mold -- think Bruce Brown or David Nwaba --certainly have a place in today's NBA, and the fact that he's in such a strong development spot could make him an attractive stash option for a team picking in the latter stages of the second round.

          Go here for Part 1, including analysis on Deni Avdija, Yovel Zoosman and Khalifa Diop