Is the NBA Academy system working? The biggest questions league evaluators are asking

SAN LUIS POTOSI, Mexico -- Five years after the inception of the NBA Academy venture, a pathway for the league to uncover and develop its own international talent pipeline is beginning to crystalize.

NBA Global Academy alumnus Josh Giddey was the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and seven more players who passed through various academies in Australia, Mexico, Senegal, India and China appear in the latest ESPN top 100 for the 2022 NBA draft -- far more than any high school or international club/academy.

After successfully hosting the 2021 NBA Academy Games in Mexico on Sept. 25-26, attended by dozens of NBA scouts and college coaches, it appears the NBA's multimillion-dollar investment into building academies around the globe is bearing fruit.

But room for growth remains, and some scouts, evaluators and team officials still have reservations about aspects of the venture. Where must the NBA Academy program go from here? We addressed the most prominent questions:

The NBA Academy system has produced some solid players and a star in Giddey, but can it generate standouts from new territories?

Giddey proved to be a sensation in the Australian NBL last season, succeeding LaMelo Ball in winning Rookie of the Year honors before becoming an NBA lottery pick. Dyson Daniels, Giddey's former teammate at the NBA Global Academy in Australia's capital, Canberra, joined G League Ignite this summer and is considered a potential lottery pick next June.

In the college ranks, Baylor struck gold with NBA Global Academy alum Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua from Cameroon -- in many ways the heart and soul of its national championship-winning squad last season -- and secured a commitment from four-star-caliber Nigerian center Joshua Ojianwuna, who will enroll next summer out of the NBA Global Academy.

Others, such as Arizona's Ben Mathurin (Haiti/Canada), Washington State's Efe Abogidi (Nigeria), Tennessee's Santiago Vescovi (Uruguay), Davidson's Hyunjung Lee (South Korea) and Iona's Nelly Junior Joseph (Nigeria), proved to be steals for their college programs. A total of 28 players from the NBA academies are currently playing Division I college basketball.

Giddey was a huge home run for the Academy, but league executives will probably be much more enthusiastic if and when the academies can identify elite NBA talent from non-traditional basketball countries that didn't already have great infrastructure and history in place. The three academies in China (now consolidated to two) and one in India (currently on pause due to COVID-19) have yet to produce a single player of note, which raises questions about one of the core tenets the academy was built around -- finding a Yao Ming-type figure from some of the most important emerging international "priority markets" such as China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Mexico, Korea, Japan and others and helping to globalize the NBA, and in turn, create revenue for the league.

That's easier said than done, and may not happen for another decade or two, if ever, as that type of player simply doesn't come around very often. If one does emerge, there is likely to be resistance in local markets to turning over a once-in-a-generation prospect to foreign hands. The NBA Academy system signing a player eliminates the possibility of pro clubs and agents acquiring a buyout when that player eventually heads to the NBA, and also curtails the influence of local coaches and handlers in the talent identification, development and placement spheres.

Not everyone is enthusiastic about the idea of Americans coming in, telling them how things should be done, and then taking credit when a mega-talent pans out. But the NBA is surely less concerned with that perception than the idea of losing Yao, Hakeem Olajuwon or Giannis Antetokounmpo-type prospects to overtraining, injuries, poor coaching, nutrition, a lack of development infrastructure or another sport altogether.

As the academies gain more credibility around the globe, their ability to recruit the best prospects in each country will grow, but that's going to take time. There's also the reality that most of the best players in the NBA started playing basketball and being coached when they were young children, not in their mid-teens. (Both of Yao's parents played professionally, for instance). Building a basketball culture takes decades, not years.

"Not every talented player is going to choose to come to the NBA Academy," NBA Senior Director of International Basketball Operations Chris Ebersole told ESPN. "There are so many other pathways we're supportive of, which is a great thing for the game of basketball and our league. We do want to make this available for players that need it and might not have had the opportunity otherwise."

What's the threat to the NBA Academy program from other leagues?

While the NBA Academy has recently been able to pluck talent from new markets such as Indonesia, Romania and Russia, its recruitment efforts will always face stiff competition from around the globe.

Many of the best international prospects in the world are identified, recruited and signed to contracts by agents and pro clubs at the age of 13, 14 or 15, earlier than the NBA Academy is willing or capable. Recruiting players of that age often forces executives to wade into murky waters and deal with middleman characters that the NBA would prefer to avoid if possible.

U.S. high schools also compete head-to-head against the NBA Academy for some top talent, pitching its more traditional development model centered on playing games year-round against elite American players as a means for improving and attracting attention from college basketball coaches.

Meanwhile, Overtime Elite and its deep pockets have been snatching up talent from all over the globe, including from the Philippines, France, Spain, Belgium, Romania, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Without a pay-for-play model like OTE and, to a lesser extent professional European basketball clubs, possess, the academies will need to be creative with their recruitment efforts and find alternative selling points, such as the benefits of higher education, life-skills training and the ability to tap into the NBA's incredible marketing platform.

Luka Doncic was signed by Real Madrid when he was 13, facilitated by a buyout paid to a club in Slovenia and bolstered by an agency that brought Doncic's mother to live with him in Spain once it became clear that he was a game-changing prospect. The NBA will never be in that business, but it can surely point to the fact that their players won't be handcuffed by enormous buyouts, coaches who close practices to NBA scouts or other restrictions teams place on draft prospects -- as well as what has been a very strong developmental model thus far.

Are the NBA Academy prospects playing enough basketball?

All of the academies underwent a difficult past 18 months in navigating the NBA's stringent COVID protocols, which brought onboarding of new recruits, practices and especially travel to international tournaments to a halt.

Australia, home of the NBA Global Academy and where the program's best talent resides, has some of the most strict travel restrictions in the world, which prevented Academy prospects from attending the event in Mexico and saw their season canceled midstream.

Already playing fewer games compared with most American high schools, European academies or junior programs, the NBA academies need these trips to help their players gain significant experience, exposure and much-needed game time.

That's one of the main criticisms levied at the NBA Academy program from its competition -- the academies train far too much and don't play enough games. The NBA counters by pointing to the success its alumni have enjoyed almost immediately upon graduating its program, as well as the notable lack of injuries their players have endured.

"There's no doubt that COVID impacted our ability to play games," Ebersole said. "With that said, we put a lot of thought into finding a balance between skill development and physical preparation with competition and games. We have guidelines backed by our medical, performance and coaching staffs to help create a world-class development environment, including a competition schedule that fits into that schedule."

A return to post-pandemic normalcy will help the top NBA Academy prospects. That includes events such as the NBA's Basketball Without Borders Global Camp (during NBA All-Star Weekend), the NBA Academy Showcase in Las Vegas during the G League Winter Showcase in December, renewing a previously fruitful partnership with the NCAA and USA Basketball for a joint showcase conducted during the Final Four, as well as events coordinated with the G League Ignite program that should attract major NBA eyeballs.

The Academy also plans to participate in prep school tournaments in the U.S., such as the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas and National Prep School Invitational in Rhode Island. Next year, the Global Academy will officially join the NBL's second-tier league, NBL1, which should provide strong competition and a good platform.

Running the NBA Academy venture in a COVID environment isn't something the league had planned for when this idea was hatched, so how the pandemic evolves and whether the protocols and travel restrictions are loosened will play a big role in what the next year or two look like.

"Crossing borders is what makes our program special," Ebersole said. "Our players are champing at the bit for it. The reality of COVID is that everything needs to be done safely while respecting the health and safety protocols. We're in a position now where we're optimistic that we can create solutions and get back to what we're used to doing."

Can the league resolve the issues it has encountered in markets including China and India? Can it make strides in developing programs and players in Africa and Latin America?

Following an embarrassing 2020 scandal in China, Ebersole says the NBA is currently "in the process of reevaluating our NBA Academy program in China and exploring new models to find better oversight of day-to-day operations."

The NBA Academy in India is currently paused to in-person training because of the pandemic, but Ebersole says the league is still "100% invested in growing the game and finding future stars in China and India."

The NBA seems excited about the progress it has made in Africa. It's already openly discussing the possibility of opening up another Academy on the continent to complement the one it opened in Senegal in 2016 -- which sent two separate teams to Mexico to accommodate all the players in its program. Ebersole says the NBA expects the number of academies in Africa to grow further in coming years.

That effort dovetails with the NBA's venture into creating the BAL (Basketball Africa League), which wrapped up its first season in May. Using the NBA Academy to create a pipeline to discover, develop and market players from the more than 50 countries in Africa and help supplement the rosters of the BAL is a logical next step.

The NBA Academy already has one success story it can highlight on that front in Mohab Yasser, a 6-foot-5 guard (currently at East Tennessee State) who graduated from the NBA Academy in Senegal and helped Egyptian team Zamalek win the BAL title in May, scoring 14 points in the championship game.

The NBA will also continue to develop a similar relationship between its Latin America Academy and new G League team, the Mexico City Capitanes -- which will start its inaugural season in November -- as well as G League Ignite, which already had two Academy alums on their rosters.

Evaluating the top five prospects from the NBA Academy Games

Four years ago, the NBA Academy Africa ventured out of its then-under construction facility in Senegal for the first time to participate in a tournament in Prague, the GBA Invitational, an event we attended. It finished in last place, with the team struggling to make free throws or 3-pointers and turning the ball over incessantly. Just a single upperclassman on the team's roster received a Division I scholarship offer -- Patrick Mwamba, who committed to UT Arlington of the Sun Belt.

Fast-forward to 2021 and college coaches from Baylor, Arizona, Louisville, Creighton, Georgetown, Oklahoma State, Washington and many more power-conference programs lined the sidelines to evaluate the 36 prospects from the NBA Academy Latin America and Africa, doling out scholarship offers as the games tipped and they laid eyes on the players for the first time.

The NBA Academy Africa team convincingly beat a good American high school team from Atlanta, the Skill Factory (TSF), featuring several high-major players, by 22 points, and the Latin America squad defeated TSF in overtime as well. While there is still quite a bit of work to be done, college coaches and NBA scouts mostly raved about the progress they've seen from the talent assembled, as well as the impressive La Loma facility that the host Latin America Academy team moved into in January. Evaluators also noted how helpful it was to have an American team in attendance, providing a barometer against which to gauge the international players.

Here were the most buzzed-about players at the event. (Class years refer to the prospective year of high school graduation or the equivalent.)

Fredrick King, 6-9, Center, Bahamas, Class of 2022

Previously a total unknown who only joined the NBA Academy Latin America in January, King exploded onto the radar of NBA scouts and college coaches by posting 23 points and 12 rebounds per game on 77% shooting in Mexico. Having just turned 17 days prior to the event, and possessing virtually zero experience playing in competitive 5-on-5 games, it was impressive to see King's poise and maturity. He anchored his team's defense, created offense from the mid- and low post, and found teammates with intelligent passes all weekend long. With a remarkably high intensity level, King played to near exhaustion, almost never leaving the floor and constantly battling on both ends of the floor.

King left the event with scholarship offers from Creighton, Louisville and Washington State, and is starting to draw interest from some of the biggest schools in college basketball. Age-wise, King would only be a high school junior in the U.S., and there was some thought prior to this event that he may end up electing to wait until 2023 to enroll in college. From an NBA standpoint, King is a little undersized and not blessed with the biggest frame or longest wingspan to make up for that, so continuing to improve his skill level and experience will be key.

Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso, 7-0, Center, Nigeria, Class of 2022

Kingsley developed a reputation in grassroots circles with some eye-opening performances at this past summer's showcases, but had a more modest weekend in Mexico. Still, it's easy to see the long-term appeal when looking at his excellent size, 7-4 wingspan and prototypical NBA frame. He also moves extremely well, is quick off his feet and dropped several terrific flashes of talent in small doses, especially on the defensive end. Kingsley's tools allow him to cover considerable ground rotating to contest shots on the perimeter and especially protecting the rim -- he's extremely difficult to score over.

Offensively, Kingsley showed the ability to throw in jumpers, attack from the perimeter, or finish around the basket fluidly thanks to his huge reach. He went through fairly long stretches of not making an impact, partially because of his team's poor guard play but also because of his inconsistent intensity level -- he doesn't always play with the type of physicality you might hope. It's clear he's still figuring out how to best insert himself into games and will need to learn to slow down, improve his skill level and find more consistency in his approach.

While the 17-year-old Kingsley is widely listed as a 2024 class recruit in the U.S., he's slated to graduate high school in the spring and can enroll in college next summer if he chooses, NBA Academy officials told ESPN. Because of his youth, thin 213-pound frame and lack of polish, he may end up electing to do a post-graduate year and become a 2023 recruit. Georgetown made an offer to him during this event, while Georgia, Marquette, Seton Hall, Providence and Texas Tech were previously involved, pending which class he ends up in.

Ulrich Kamka Chomche, 6-11, Power forward, Cameroon, Class of 2023

The second-youngest player in attendance at just 15, Chomche wasn't always particularly productive, fouling out in all three contests and struggling with inconsistency, but could very well end up being the best long-term prospect at the event.

He has the type of long, well-proportioned frame NBA teams actively scan the globe for, with big hands, a 7-3 wingspan, tremendous fluidity covering ground and some real skill on the offensive end. Chomche made several eye-opening passes over the course of the weekend that demonstrated an excellent feel for the game and growth potential as the game slows down for him. He also knocked down 3-pointers in warmups and made some highly creative finishes around the basket, indicating he has excellent touch.