Scouting potential 2021 No. 1 picks, more from the FIBA U19s

CRETE, Greece -- The FIBA Under-19 World Cup -- occurring every other year since 2007 -- has produced 48 first-round picks in six tournaments, making it an essential date on the NBA scouting calendar. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Jayson Tatum and RJ Barrett are just a handful of names who have participated.

Team USA steamrollered its way to a gold medal this year, winning its games by an average of 30 points, which came as a relief after losing in the semifinals to a Barrett-led Canada team in 2017. This event has traditionally presented roster challenges for USA Basketball, as many college coaches have balked at sending their players to represent their country instead of enrolling in summer school. The U.S. managed to compile a nice mix of younger talent alongside veterans with a year of college experience, while benefiting slightly from some European countries being unable to get their most talented players to participate.

Among the 16 teams participating, we counted about 30 players we think have an excellent chance of hearing their names called in the 2020, 2021 or 2022 NBA drafts.

Here's our look at the top NBA prospects from the tournament, starting with players who are eligible for 2021 or 2022.

Cade Cunningham | 6-6 | SG | USA | Age: 17.7

Carrying momentum from a monster EYBL season, Cunningham shined as one of Team USA's most indispensable players, and he's quickly emerging as the early favorite for the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft. Although he wasn't uber-efficient (45.7 true shooting percentage), Cunningham had a huge impact, posting per-40-minutes averages of 20.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 2.4 steals, 1.5 blocks and 3.4 turnovers in seven wins.

Even as the second-youngest player on USA's roster, Cunningham took over when the lights were brightest, exploding for 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists in a competitive gold-medal bout with Mali. With a strong 215-pound frame and 7-foot-0 wingspan, Cunningham is exactly what the NBA is looking for in a big guard who can function as a primary shot creator while defending multiple positions. Even with his winning impact, Cunningham did show glimpses of his shortcomings, as he shot just 1-of-14 from 3 and 47.8% from inside the arc, lacking a degree of burst and wiggle in shot-creation situations while missing some pop at the rim in traffic. Cunningham lives at the free throw line at the EYBL level, but the whistle wasn't as kind in Crete (4.9 attempts per 40 minutes), and he'll have to continue improving his craft in a crowd. However, Cunningham's big reach shined through in space, as he hammered home a handful of big dunks thanks to measurements that resemble those of Tyreke Evans.

For stretches, the Texas native played a little bit more of a complementary role than usual, having to adjust to operating more off the ball with Tyrese Haliburton running the show. Becoming a more reliable standstill shooter in these situations will be big for his development and future versatility, but his true intrigue lies on the ball. The game comes easily to Cunningham, as he plays with tremendous pace in pick-and-roll, keeps the ball humming and can make virtually every pass necessary to run an offense at a high level. Developing into more of a lethal pull-up shooter will go a long way in upping his on-ball effectiveness from an NBA standpoint, but given his age, he's certainly ahead of the curve.

On the defensive end, Cunningham is competitive and instinctual, regularly chasing around the opponent's best perimeter player while making plays off the ball. He makes winning plays and is regarded for his intangibles, resulting in an ideal combination of high floor and upside. He is still uncommitted, and Oklahoma State recently hired Cunningham's older brother as an assistant coach in an attempt to lure the Texas native. Wherever he lands, scouts will be coming in droves, because he's as elite a prep prospect as there is in America. -- Mike Schmitz

Ziaire Williams | 6-8 | SF | USA | Age: 17.8

Coming off an explosive spring in which he catapulted himself into the conversation as a top-five prospect in his class, Williams took a back seat in Crete on an older squad, playing just seven minutes per game (mostly in blowouts).

Williams nevertheless demonstrated some of the highest upside of any player in the tournament as a fluid and versatile wing who can score from anywhere on the floor. He is oozing with natural talent. Williams demonstrates advanced scoring instincts creating his own shot, coming off screens and elevating off the floor quickly for putback dunks and lob finishes. He's a dynamic shooter with impressive footwork, range and touch, looking particularly impressive pulling up off the dribble with rangy step-backs. More than just a scorer, he shows his feel by making plays getting in the passing lanes, crashing the glass, protecting the rim and finding teammates on the move, even if his narrow frame is an issue at times.

Williams' extremely high ceiling makes it easy to look past his occasional lapses in toughness and scoring efficiency. It is extremely difficult to find players his size with the type of athleticism and versatility he offers on both ends, making him easily one of the best long-term NBA prospects in his class. -- Jonathan Givony

Jalen Green | 6-5 | SG | USA | Age: 17.4

While Cunningham holds the highest floor of the group, the most sizable upside belongs to Green, an electric, fearless scoring guard with an effortless three-level attack and a physical profile that resembles that of Zach LaVine. The youngest player on the USA roster, Green was still able to carve out a role off the pine as a microwave scorer, averaging 10.1 points in 21.3 minutes, doing most of his damage gliding to the rim in the open court.

Green is a top-1-percentile type of athlete with elite twitch, change-of-pace and bounce that allow him to go get his own shot at will, showcasing an encouraging handle and glimpses of passing instincts, even if he's more wired to score. Green's streaky nature from the perimeter held him back at times (6-of-29 from 3) while playing off the ball, and he's still evolving as a decision-maker. But his shooting mechanics are sound, as is his footwork, giving him on-the-move potential that should make him an even more dynamic scorer at the highest level.

Despite a wiry frame, Green also is a competitive defender with elite instincts in the passing lanes, regularly turning defense into offense with 12 steals in just 151 minutes despite a so-so 6-7½ wingspan length. He's great at chasing shooters around the perimeter and has the feet to be an excellent defender of point guards at the NBA level. He has already changed EYBL teams once midseason, and it will be important for scouts to keep an eye on just how Green's approach evolves over the next couple of years, but from a sheer talent perspective, few prospects in the world hold as much upside. Depending on his development path, Green could eventually rival Cunningham for the No. 1 spot in 2021. -- Schmitz

Evan Mobley | 7-0 | C | USA | Age: 18.0

Mobley played just seven total minutes because of back spasms but showed his value by earning a spot on the roster at the USA Basketball training camp, which we also attended. He has looked tougher and more assertive than before.

Mobley is easily the most skilled big man in the 2020 high school class, as he's as polished a 7-footer as you'll find at this age in the post. He's starting to make real strides with his perimeter game, as well, as he looked very comfortable stepping into spot-up 3-pointers from FIBA territory at training camp, as well as attacking closeouts with long strides and tremendous fluidity. Mobley has terrific timing rolling to the rim out of ball screens, catching virtually everything thrown his way and finishing dynamically with elite body control and touch, while also being capable of finding the open man out of a short roll.

Although he is exceptionally long and is quick off his feet for offensive rebounds and blocks, Mobley still gets pushed around a bit, especially by stronger and more physical big men. He's still figuring out the nuances of how to maximize his length and mobility stepping out on the perimeter on pick-and-rolls, but that's not particularly surprising considering where he's at in terms of his age and experience level. Big men in Mobley's mold aren't quite as en vogue in today's NBA as they once were, which is why continuing to expand his shooting range, developing his passing ability and becoming as versatile a defender as possible will be important. But there's little doubt that he's an elite prospect already. -- Givony

Ibou Dianko Badji | 7-1 | C | Senegal | Age: 16.7

Badji was far and away the most physically intriguing prospect in Crete, as there simply aren't many other human beings on the globe with his combination of size, length, agility and explosiveness, especially at his age. His measurements already rival Rudy Gobert's at 231 pounds with a 7-foot-8 wingspan and a remarkable 9-10 standing reach -- which would rate as the highest in the NBA behind that of Tacko Fall.

Despite his size, Badji moves with incredible fluidity. He's light on his feet with quick and explosive leaping ability that shows up mostly as a rim protector, his elite skill at this stage as he averaged 5.6 blocks per 40 minutes over seven games. He has natural instincts and holds the coordination to step out and guard on the perimeter for stretches, though his discipline and fundamentals leave much to be desired. On the offensive end, he's raw, with little game outside of uncontested dunks. He understandably struggled against hard double-teams and is still improving his hands and his touch in the paint. His instincts on the defensive glass are also lacking. He'll work to find a body on the glass but doesn't always read the ball well off the rim.

Still, Badji fits an NBA prototype as a run-and-jump center with potential to develop into an elite vertical spacer and rim protector. The questions surrounding Badji are more related to his health than his game, according to many talent evaluators. He was one of the NBA Academy's star pupils dating back to 2017 before the two parted ways. Badji quickly signed with an agent and landed in Barcelona, where he's expected to develop until he's draft-eligible. -- Schmitz

Scottie Barnes | 6-8 | PF | USA | Age: 17.8

For the third consecutive summer, Barnes powered a USA Basketball team to a gold medal with his unique combination of size, length, basketball IQ, defensive intensity and passing acumen, playing a Draymond Green-type role. Barnes has yet to start a game in 18 appearances for Team USA but nevertheless always finds a way to set the tone for the team with his toughness, unselfishness and infectious enthusiasm.

Barnes is at his best pushing off the defensive glass, crashing the offensive backboards, facilitating from the high post and cutting off the ball. He was USA's main weapon every time teams went to a zone defense, picking apart defenses with pinpoint passes. He's also a capable straight-line driver, though he's not particularly explosive finishing around the rim in the half court, relying more on his length than on verticality. His basketball acumen often shows up in the way he plays defensively, as he's a terror getting in passing lanes on the perimeter and can use his length to protect the rim operating as a small-ball center.

Barnes' perimeter shooting hasn't evolved much over the years, as he still sports a slow and awkward release on his jump shot, making just one 3-pointer in seven games. Opposing teams often sagged off him in the half court, and Barnes wasn't able to make them pay. Barnes is not a seamless fit in this hyper-shooting age, but his feel and versatility give him a fighting chance. NBA teams expressed some concern not only with his lack of scoring ability but also with how gingerly he moves, perhaps a product of some nagging injuries. It will be interesting to see whether Barnes can develop any type of jump shot in the next two years before becoming draft eligible. -- Givony

Josh Primo | 6-4 | SG | Canada | Age: 16.5

The youngest player at the tournament, Primo being able to carve out a role on a talented Canada team speaks to his long-term intrigue. He caught our eye at the 2018 BioSteel All Canadian Futures Game and built on that strong first impression in Crete thanks to a stellar physical profile, smooth shooting stroke (38% from 3), fluid athleticism and on-ball potential while logging 11 MPG.

Primo has long arms, a stud frame and excellent overall agility. He plays with unwavering confidence and has a clear-cut skill as a spot shooter, cashing in 37.5% of his 3s with sound mechanics. Primo has also shown the ability to operate on the ball for stretches. Although a bit wild with the ball at times, he does have passing instincts, some untapped ball-screen game and the ability to shoot off movement. Developing at Huntington Prep, Primo figures to become a FIBA mainstay for Canada and has the tools of an eventual prospect of one-and-done caliber as long as he continues improving his decision-making. -- Schmitz

Oumar Ballo | 6-10 | C | Mali | Age: 16.9

After being stuck in Paris with visa issues and missing the first two days of the tournament, Ballo landed in Greece and was the difference in helping Mali make a historic run to the championship game, averaging an impressive 18 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks per game. The Gonzaga commit will be one of the youngest players in college basketball this season, making his performance in Crete all the more impressive when considering the circumstances. Ballo is a force inside the paint at 6-foot-10, 250 pounds with a massive 7-6 wingspan and 9-5 standing reach, moving opponents around with his powerful frame and brute force. He's also highly skilled, with soft hands, nimble feet, an array of moves spinning off opponents and an increasingly polished turnaround jumper, featuring a high release and excellent touch.

Ballo's huge reach means he doesn't have to jump very high to finish shots created for him, but he could still stand to improve his explosiveness as he needs some time to load up around the rim. Similarly, his passing ability needs work, as he can get a little single-minded at times trying to force his way through double-teams. Ballo made 71% of his free throw attempts at this tournament, by far his best result at the FIBA level, which is a positive sign for potentially expanding his shooting range, something NBA teams will want to see.

Defensively is where Ballo faces the biggest test in showing his gaudy production can translate to the NBA. He's almost exclusively a drop defender on pick-and-rolls, as he struggles to cover ground on the perimeter and doesn't have the quickness to contain smaller players off the dribble. Improving his conditioning, technique and experience will go a long way toward maximizing his effectiveness on this end of the floor, as he certainly has the length and timing to make an impact when fully dialed in, as evidenced by his 4.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per 40 minutes here.

Ballo is not a perfect fit in the modern game, but there is still a place in the NBA for a highly skilled, highly productive big man who can dominate smaller opponents in spurts. To get there, he'll first have to show he can be a dominant player at the college level, something that will likely take him some time. Considering how young he is, Ballo has plenty of time to make things work. -- Givony

Charles Bediako | 6-9 | C | Canada | Age: 17.3

Highly regarded as one of the better big-man prospects in Canada, Bediako lived up to his reputation, shining within his role to the tune of 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in just 17.6 minutes per game. Bediako is physically interesting at 6-foot-9 with a wiry frame, long arms and excellent feet. He's an agile rim-runner who can finish above the rim in space and does most of his damage on the offensive glass thanks to his instincts, mobility and motor. Bediako is active on both ends of the floor and has a little bit more feel than most bigs in his mold, firing ahead accurate outlet passes to ignite the break on occasion. He has touch from the free throw line, yet doesn't quite have one offensive skill he can hang his hat on right now.

Bediako is still slight of build, which showed up at times defensively as he was buried by stronger, more physical bigs. He struggled with foul trouble and is a bit upright on the perimeter right now, but his length and motor suggest he can develop into an asset on that end as his frame fills out and he gains experience.

Bediako is at an early stage of development, but he's worth tracking long term. -- Schmitz