Nearly 25 percent of NBA players are international — let’s take a look at some of the top international prospects for the 2020 NBA Draft.
Despite Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that the NBA Draft is likely to pushed back from its scheduled date on June 25 the hiatus gives us time to look at the draft’s top prospects. Unlike the NCAA, foreign leagues such as the EuroLeague and Liga ACB decided to suspend their play rather than cancelling it. This means that while the top college prospects are left preparing for the draft international players will be able to showcase their skills in more a competitive environment.
Giannis. Luka. Gobert. Jokic. International players are taking the league by storm and none of these guys played college basketball nor grew up in the United States — this type of player is becoming more and more common. Nearly a quarter of the league is made up of international players and so is nearly half of the Sixers roster.
This years draft class features a plethora of international prospects. Some are near sure things and others are considered risks. Some experts have said this is one of the deepest international player pools in years.
(NOTE: This list includes the top players that were both born and played internationally — U.S. born players like LaMelo Ball and R.J. Hampton are not included — to highlight lesser known players. All stats included represent per 36 minutes.)
5. Leandro Bolmaro
Leandro Bolmaro is a 6-foot-7, 19-year-old Argentinian shooting guard. He currently plays for FC Barcelona splitting his time between Barcelona’s senior team that competes in the EuroLeague and Spain’s top league, Liga ACB. His professional career began when he was just 16 years old for Estudiantes de Bahia Blanca — who compete in Argentina’s top professional league. After shining for Team World the Nike Hoop Summit in April 2018, Bolmaro moved to Barcelona.
Bolmaro is a raw prospect. He is a streaky shooter that plays decent defense and comes away with a lot of steals. Bolmaro is able to make plays for his teammates but is an inconsistent shooter himself. He rarely heads to the foul line and when he is there he converts at just a 67 percent rate. A good athlete, Bolmaro has proven his ability to find his way to the basket but he struggles to finish at the rim and turns the ball over about 3.5 times per game.
For the Philadelphia 76ers, Leandro Bolmaro is too much of a gamble. He is not consistent enough with his shooting or playmaking ability to make a serious impact. He is still very young and would be nothing more than a rotational piece for the foreseeable future. Think of him as another Furkan Korkmaz but with a higher ceiling. Look for Bolmaro to go somewhere between the late first and mid-second round.
4. Aleksej Pokusevski
Aleksej Pokusevski should be a late first round pick in this years draft. The 7-foot Serbian has been with the Greek Club Olympiacos since 2015 — when he was just 14 years old. This past season Pokusevski spent with the Olympiacos B team but made his EuroLeague debut in March 2019.
Pokusevski is a brilliant passer, averaging nearly five assists per game at the power forward position. An athletic big he has the chance to turn himself into a serious rim-protector in the future. Pokusevski has spent the last year developing his shot and is now shooting at 32 percent from deep and 78 percent from the line. However, he struggles with interior offense shooting just 40 percent from the floor.
There is a chance Aleksej Pokusevski falters and does not develop, as the 7-foot 18-year-old is only 201 pounds and has yet to play major European basketball. However his size and athletic ability make him attractive for any team, the 76ers included. If he can develop his interior offensive presence he could become a solid rotational piece in the near future and for the Sixers he could become a playmaker at the four.
3. Theo Maledon
Theo Maledon has been on the radar of NBA teams for years now. Born in June 2001, Maledon is just 18 years old but is certainly no stranger to the big stage. So far Maledon has been a LNB Pro A (France’s top professional basketball league) Champion, named the Pro A best young player, won the French Cup, named the French Cup Final MVP, and a Pro A All-Star.
Maledon is a 6-foot-5 point guard who is a dominant athlete. He can shoot from anywhere and score off the dribble. Maledon is raw and will take some time to develop but the markings of excellence are there. He shoots the three well at 33 percent and converts from the line at a 77 percent clip.
Defensively he can lose focus sometimes but other times you can see the great potential he has. Maledon needs to hone his skills and become more selfish with the ball. He often finds himself looking for teammates when he has an open look or a mismatch. That is something rare nowadays — being too unselfish — but Maledon is gifted and needs to display his gifted shot making ability more.
Theo Maledon is someone the 76ers should consider taking if they end up with Oklahoma City’s pick. A versatile guard who can shoot, distribute, and lock down defensively if needed, would fill numerous holes for the 76ers. Raul Neto is not the answer for being Ben’s backup but Maledon could be.
With all international players predicting where they go is rare and Maledon is not an exception — he’s been projected anywhere between fifth overall to completely undrafted. But if he is there, the 76ers should take a serious look.
2. Killian Hayes
Like Theo Maledon, Killian Hayes is another 6-foot-5, 18-year-old French point guard. Hayes made his professional debut at 16 years old in LNB Pro A, he now plays in the Bundesliga, the top professional league in Germany. Hayes is a nearly guaranteed lottery pick, meaning he will almost certainly not be a 76er.
Known for his playmaking ability, Hayes is a crafty left-handed guard who can sometimes struggle finishing at the rim. He’s a better shooter off the dribble then off the catch but consistently makes smart shot selections. Hayes turns the ball over a lot, nearly five times a game, but is good at creating shots for his teammates averaging nearly eight assists per game. Hayes is a fantastic free throw shooter coming in at nearly 88 percent. He’s not the quickest or most versatile defender but can hold his own and comes away with a fair amount of steals.
Hayes is one of the top prospects in the entire draft. While he more than likely will not end up in Philadelphia the Sixers could see Hayes often if he goes to the Knicks.
It is important to watch Hayes and other point guard prospects to see where players like Maledon could end up if there is a run on point guards.
1. Deni Avdija
Deni Avdija is the best international prospect in this years draft. At 6-foot-9, 215 pounds, Avdija has massive upside. Currently he plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Premier League. He joined the Maccabi Tel Aviv junior teams in 2013 and made his professional debut in 2017. In 2019 Avedija debuted for the Israeli National Team in the FIBA Europe World Cup qualifiers.
Avdija is a talented defender with elite shot creating abilities. While he shoots at a decent rate from deep, Avdija struggles with free throw percentage (52 percent) and has consistency issues inside the paint. He is a skilled passer and defensive rebounder.
Avdija struggles with consistency issues in regard to energy. Defensively he cannot hang with the bigs in the EuroLeague and won’t be able to in the Association, and will be relegated to a wing defender in the NBA — however as a wing defender in Europe, he has been dominant. With that being said the 18-year-old has tons of potential.
Avdija will be an early lottery pick with all of his untapped potential. If he can improve upon his weak left-hand and shooting issues, Avdija could be a staple in the league for years to come. He’s drawn comparisons to Luka Doncic which, frankly, I don’t see. Perhaps he has some similarities as a player to Luka but will not be the All-NBA player Luka is.
With that, however, Avdija could become a core player for a contender soon and the third Israeli to ever be a first round pick.