22. SF Vasilis Charalampopoulos, Panathinaikos
Charalampopoulos is certainly a fun name to say, but there’s a lot more to his draft stock than that. As one of the most skilled European prospects tabbed as a potential draftee in 2017, the Greek stud has flown largely under the radar thus far. He was on the same team as this year’s 13th overall selection, Georgios Papagiannis, last season, and has the potential this season to legitimately make a name for himself if he’s able to grab adequate playing time for Panathinaikos in Greece.
While he may seem like an obscure name at this point, Charalampopoulos brings a level of skill and polish that few players, especially at his age do. He stands at 6-8 with an excellent wingspan and a frame that provides plenty of room to grow into, all while having the skills needed to a little bit of everything when he’s on the floor.
Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress called him “one of the smartest and most polished teenagers you’ll find anywhere in the world,” and it shows when he’s given the freedom to operate on the court.
V.C. can score in a number of ways on the offensive side of the ball. He’s able to utilize his solid frame to get into the paint and put the ball in with nice touch around the basket, or spot up from three and knock down shots with consistency. He’s not overly athletic by NBA standards, but knows how to angle his body and put himself in position to score the ball. He shot 40% from beyond the arc as a pro, and has been playing professional basketball in the European ranks since age 15.
In addition to his scoring prowess, V.C. is an extremely smart passer. He won’t blow by his defender and create is stride, but he sees the floor well, whether from the post or the outside, and has a knack for hitting teammates with crisp passes that is extremely rare for a player with his size.
To top it off, he’s an aggressive defender and skilled anticipation, allowing him to stick with threes despite his limited quickness and play stretch four at times if asked. He also averaged 10 rebounds per 40 minutes at U19 FIBA championships in 2015.
Givony later went on to make the comparison to Draymond Green, and it seems oddly fitting when watching some of what Charalampopoulos is capable of doing on the floor. How he continues to progress this season from a playing time perspective with Panathinaikos could be the deciding factor as to where his draft stock falls, but there’s a lot to like about the European stud heading into next season.
Next: 21. Beachem