TEL AVIV, Israel -- Droves of NBA scouts and assistant general managers flocked to the 2019 under-20 European Championships to evaluate potential top-five pick Deni Avdija, but they left Tel Aviv with yet another Israeli prospect to add to their scouting database.
Meet Yam Madar, the biggest winner of the U20 Euros.
A virtual unknown outside of Israel coming into the event, Madar exploded for averages of 15.9 points and 7.7 assists in 31.1 minutes per game while shooting 53.1% from 2 and 47.6% from 3. Even for those who had seen Madar before, his showing was eye-opening. With the frame of a young teen, the 6-foot-3 18-year-old appears closer to a mid-major recruit than an NBA hopeful at first glance. But over the course of seven games, Madar electrified the city and played an integral role in Israel winning its second consecutive gold medal, and he showed glimpses of NBA talent in the process. Madar is fearless, tenacious and electric with the ball in his hands.
"He's a killer," Avdija said of his teammate and roommate during the tournament.
With the ball on a string and quick feet, Madar is loaded with sizzle. He changes speeds and directions on a dime, unleashing advanced combo moves. He plays a more American style, mixing up defenders to get into the teeth of the defense before spinning into midrange jumpers or kicking out to shooters. He picks up at 94 feet, applying constant pressure on the ball. He fights bigs in the post like he's 6-6.
Just two years ago, when Avdija was starring for the under-16 national team, Madar wasn't on the radar. He eventually joined Hapoel Tel Aviv's youth program at age 16. Madar played in 32 Israeli League games last season, logging 9.5 MPG. While he didn't post big numbers, he caught the attention of Maccabi Tel Aviv coaches and staff members, regularly giving them problems with his defensive pressure and quickness. Now his fan club extends beyond just Israel, as scouts were thoroughly impressed with his style of play, mentality and skill level.
"I think from being 3 years old, you always think about the NBA -- that's the dream, that's the goal," Madar told ESPN. "I can say that now it's become more realistic."
Here's why Madar now has a chance to work his way onto the NBA radar.
Partially due to a trapping defense, Madar showed his ability as a scrappy, 94-foot defender in the Patrick Beverley mold. He's a total pest with active hands and long arms. Although slight, he fights bigs on switches and finds a body on the defensive glass. His length showed up in scramble situations, as he registered five blocks in 218 minutes.
Madar's footwork, quickness and handle allow him to get to his pull-up at will. He loves spinning left to right into midrange pull-ups a la Tony Parker. His pull-up is most effective inside the arc, but he showed enough range to generate optimism.
Madar is a nightmare for defenders trying to keep him in front of them. Of course, you have to account for the level of competition, but Madar's change of pace would open eyes even on the AAU circuit. His ability to shift gears is high-level stuff, and he sets defenders up with slow-to-fast moves, regularly crossing between his legs before punching it into high gear. Madar, a Kyrie Irving fanatic, also has a variety of finishes in his bag.
4. Vision
More of a sped-up scoring guard in the past, Madar is really starting to settle down, which showed as he led the entire tournament in assists. He still gets out of control at times, but the passing instincts and vision are there once he gets into the teeth of the defense. He's flashy in transition, utilizing no-look dropoffs. He can make basic pocket passes or crosscourt skips as well, and he'll whip the ball to shooters with either hand as he skates along the baseline.
Madar looked quite comfortable playing off of Avdija, not always needing the ball to have an impact. Madar will leak out in transition or stay active as a cutter in the half court. He's still becoming a more consistent catch-and-shoot marksman, but the 48% 3-point clip here is a step in the right direction.
On top of all that, Madar is in an ideal situation to succeed. With the under-20 national team coach, Ariel Beit-Halahmy, taking over Hapoel Tel Aviv, Madar is expected to see a major increase in minutes. You never want to overreact to this small a sample of games, but Madar had some outstanding moments. At the very least, he put himself on the radar of NBA teams, even if he's a few years away from being able to compete at the highest level physically.
Five standouts
Carlos Alocen | PG | Spain | Zaragoza | Age: 18.5
Alocen reminded scouts why he once was highly touted, averaging 9.9 assists to just 2.6 turnovers per 40 minutes. He got outplayed by Madar in the U20 final, but Alocen still looked the part of a potential future draft-and-stash candidate given his positional size and floor game. Alocen is rarely sped up, with a mature style of play. He's a creative ball-screen facilitator, changing pace naturally and throwing darts all over the floor. He manipulates defenses with his eyes and plays a mistake-free style while still mixing in the occasional no-look feed.
After a strong start to the tournament, Alocen's warts did start to show as the competition stiffened. He struggles to score in the half court given his inconsistent jumper, lack of physicality and finishing struggles.
Alocen was recently signed by Real Madrid but is expected to remain with Zaragoza on loan next season, with yet another opportunity to continue progressing through the ACB.
Georgios Kalaitzakis | G | Greece | Panathinaikos | Age: 20.4
The long-armed guard tantalized scouts with his tools and talent, leading the tournament in scoring (19.7 points) on 64.9% true shooting for a 5-2 Greece team. Operating both on and off the ball, Kalaitzakis notched 4.4 assists in just 29.4 MPG, playing the role of jumbo lead guard for some stretches while looking more like a playmaking wing at others. Sporting a 6-10 wingspan and long strides with a lean frame, Kalaitzakis is a fluid slasher who can attack in either direction. He's creative with the ability to change speeds in pick-and-roll. Kalaitzakis shot 70% inside the arc and attempted 69 free throws in seven games in Tel Aviv.
Kalaitzakis also played a big role on the defensive end, chasing shooters, making plays off the ball with his length and instincts while attacking the defensive glass, and even notching a triple-double against Slovenia. The 20-year-old has made great strides with his competitive level defensively, as he's always had the tools to check up to three positions long term. His shooting remains maybe his biggest question, as he shot only 9 of 36 from 3, sporting a somewhat rigid release, especially off the dribble.
He has been stuck in Greece with Panathinaikos, playing only 274 Greek League minutes over the past two seasons. Greece lacks a strong youth infrastructure, which led to a stalled development for the ultra-talented Kalaitzakis. Now under new representation, expect him to pursue a different situation outside of Greece to begin maximizing his draft potential.
Vit Krejci | G/F | Czech Republic | Zaragoza | Age: 19.0
The tall, skinny playmaker shouldered a huge load on Czech Republic's impressive run to the U20 Division B final. Krejci finished the tournament averaging a steady 18.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.5 blocks per 40 minutes while shooting 68.9% from 2 and 20% from 3. What makes Krejci most interesting is his ability to operate on the ball as a shot-creator at 6-8, as he's shown tremendous creativity in the open court. He'll whip behind-the-back passes to open shooters and use his size to see over the top of a set defense.
Krejci's clear offensive swing skill is his shooting. On one hand, he's capable of rising into pull-ups impressively off a variety of combo moves, but on the other he shoots on the way down and is a career 33.5% 3-point shooter on 191 attempts. How he improves there will play a big role in the type of NBA prospect he becomes.
Defensively, he's instinctual with good feet for his size, covering ground impressively for blocks and steals. However, he still has issues with physicality and can get caught upright in his stance by quicker players. Krejci's draft stock likely will be determined by the amount of playing time he can garner next season and beyond. It will be interesting to see if Krejci can carve out a small role at the ACB level next season.
Neemias Queta | C | Portugal | Utah State | Age: 20.0
One of the most productive prospects in the tournament with a 37.7 PER through six games, Queta played a huge role in leading Portugal to its Division B title before going down with a knee injury against Russia in the semis. The injury put a damper on what was a solid showing for Queta, as he finished with per-40-minute averages of 22.0 points, 16.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 3.1 blocks while shooting 69.8% from 2. The soon-to-be sophomore had some really impressive moments as a rim protector, relying on his massive 9-3 ½ standing reach and sound instincts to spike shots in the paint. He showed solid hands and touch around the rim as well.
He still tends to get tired easily and teams will want to feel comfortable with his long-term durability before drafting him. On top of that, Queta is still expanding his offensive game while improving his defensive fundamentals, especially on the perimeter. But as long as he can stay healthy, the reigning Mountain West Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year should compete for Conference Player of the Year honors in hopes of continuing to build his NBA draft stock after an up-and-down showing at the 2019 combine.
Rati Andronikashvili | PG | Georgia | Baskonia | Age: 18.3
Despite just turning 18 on March 19, the 6-4 Georgian point guard competed at the U20 level for the second consecutive summer, this time shining as one of the most talented guard prospects in Division B. Andronikashvili posted per-40-minute averages of 24.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 2.9 steals on 50% shooting from 2 and 26.7% from 3. Andronikashvili's impressive numbers are partially a product of the ball-dominant role he plays, but his talent is clear. He's a shifty, slithery ball handler with sharp basketball instincts and the ability to go get his own shot, unlike most European guards his age. He can kick out to shooters comfortably with either hand or finish with finesse in the paint. Despite converting a poor percentage, his 3-ball looks improved.
Andronikashvili is loaded with offensive talent and defensive instincts, but he showcases poor body language when teammates make mistakes and has severe dips in effort and engagement on both ends. It will be interesting to see where Andronikashvili plays this season, as he'd been developing with Burgos in Spain but could benefit from starting to test himself at the pro level in some capacity.
Prospects to follow
Shooters with size: Shooters with positional size have a long shelf life on NBA radars, and Spain's Miguel Gonzalez and Lithuania's Lukas Uleckas stood out here. At 6-6, the 20-year-old Gonzalez shot 16 of 29 from 3 for second-place Spain and he has a versatile shooting stroke that should translate to higher levels. The 6-8 Uleckas turned in an impressive tournament overall, making 2.9 3s per game in 26.5 minutes at a 39.2% clip, with a handful of them coming off step-backs. Though neither is firmly on the 2020 NBA draft radar, they're worth following. Croatia's 6-8 shooter Toni Nakic (16.3 points in 29.5 MPG at 36.4% from 3) also deserves a mention.
NCAA bound: British wing Kayne Henry-McCalla (Jacksonville State) reminded scouts of his impressive athletic profile at 6-6 with a 7-0 wingspan, defensive versatility and shooting potential. Although inconsistent and inefficient across the board, he will be tracked in the Ohio Valley Conference. Minnesota-bound German forward Isaiah Ihnen also proved to be one of the more physically intriguing long-term prospects at 6-9 with wide shoulders, smooth athleticism and long arms. He didn't play a huge role for Germany but he had his moments bringing energy, and he holds the type of physical profile in which teams are interested. USF sophomore Dzmitry Ryuny (Belarus) showed glimpses of versatility at 6-9, and Dutch 7-footer Quentin Post (Mississippi State) is also a name to jot down as he stands 7-0 with range out to 3 and a solid feel for the game.
Playmaking wings: Belgian wing Vrenz Bleijenbergh (18 years old, 6-10) put his basketball instincts on display, averaging close to a triple-double per 40 minutes at 14.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 4.7 steals and 1.4 blocks. Still thin with an unorthodox shooting stroke, Bleijenbergh will have to start proving himself on the pro level to be considered a real NBA prospect, but he has impressive court sense, especially as a passer. Same goes for Sweden's Olle Lundqvist. The 6-7 wing has been hampered by injuries, and you can see his athleticism has taken a hit because of that. Even so, he was excellent for Sweden, operating as a primary shot-creator in the half court, slashing in either direction while also finding open teammates. We'll have an eye on him as he transfers to Spain to play for Real Canoe in LEB Gold (second division).
Dylan Affo Mama opened some eyes with his physical profile and energy. Standing 6-6 with a strong frame, big hands and long arms, the 20-year-old operates as an undersized PF/C yet showed he can check up to four positions while bringing physicality and aggression to the offensive end. He averaged 11.4 points in just 19.3 MPG here. His jumper and feel are shaky, but he'll be even more intriguing if he earns Pro A minutes next season.
Productive FIBA veterans: A national team mainstay at this point, Montenegro's Marko Simonovic finished the A division at No. 1 in PER, rebounds and win shares. Coming off a disappointing season with Olimpija Ljubljana, the 19-year-old center was productive here, even knocking down some 3s. With that said, Simonovic didn't look like a promising prospect against the tournament's top teams. He will play next season for Mega Bemax in an attempt to rebuild his draft stock. Spain's Sergi Martinez was also efficient and productive in his role for the silver medalists, constantly moving off the ball and keeping plays alive on the glass at 6-8. But he has yet to prove he can make an open jumper and hasn't separated himself as a legitimate NBA prospect. Last year's Division B MVP, point guard Lukasz Kolenda, finished seventh in scoring but ran out of gas on an underwhelming Poland team. Although a capable pick-and-roll player with three-level scoring potential, the 6-4 Kolenda didn't move the needle positively after a subpar season with Sopot.