Bryan Colangelo Continues Tapping European Basketball

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Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks at the conclusion of the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /

Alberto Abalde

Strengths A 6-foot-7 small forward from Spain, Alberto Abalde would find himself passing one year point guard Sergio Rodriguez. Although he would miss out on playing with Rodriguez, his language is not the only similarities.

Abalde can shoot, in 2015 boasting the statistical anomaly of shooting 42 percent from both the floor and from three-point range. In just 17.6 minutes of play, he scored 7.0 points per game for FIATC Joventut. in 2015-2016.

He hails from the same system that incubated Kristaps Porzingis and Gonzaga’s Domantas Sabonis. As such, he is getting well-schooled in basketball fundamentals. He has good burst, and exhibits a good handle on the ball.

Weaknesses His shots tend to be “streakish” , which is common with less experienced players. He also fails to use height advantage over a defender, as he prefers spin moves to put him into a position to drive to the basket.

And yes, we do have the obligatory video:

Abalde is another player who could contribute to the 76ers in the 2017 NBA draft.

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All told, the trend towards European players should not be the primary source of building blocks for the team. But to round out the team’s roster, there are plenty of options in the 2017 draft. It may very well be that Bryan Colangelo will need to bring players across the Atlantic.

It’s something we know he’s comfortable with.