Philadelphia 76ers: 3 under-the-radar prospects to watch in 2020 NBA Draft

2. Aleksej Pokusevski, Olympiacos B

PROJECTED DRAFT RANGE: 15-35

POSITION ON BIG BOARD: N/A

Aleksej Pokusevski might hold the title of most interesting prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft. He’s wholly unique. A 7-footer who can handle and shoot like a wing, but who also weighs in at a troublesome 201 pounds. He is ghoulishly thin, and yet the intrigue around his skill set is unavoidable.

There are moments when Pokusevski’s movements on the court don’t make logical sense. He can fly around screens and hit deep threes on the move. His shooting mechanics are quick and compact — easier on the eyes than most guards in this class. He regularly takes smaller defenders off the dribble and wins. He is a treat to watch.

Where the issues start for Pokusevski is his frame. He can get pounded on defense, and while he’s light on his feet, most wings can attack his high center of gravity, get him off balance, and easily exploit him as a weak point in the defense. For every acrobatic block, there are many failed possessions.

He can also have trouble inside on offense. While he has plenty of touch inside the paint, he’s effortlessly removed from his spots by bulkier defenders. On drives to the rim, he struggles to get all the way inside, and he’s not one to absorb contact and finish. He will need to improve his frame to maximize his natural gifts in the NBA.

For the Sixers, Pokusevski would be a bold risk. He might not come over year one, and there’s a good chance he’s not ready to. Worst case scenario, he flops out of the league entirely — maybe never sees a true NBA game. Best case scenario, he’s a sleek and mobile 7-footer who can space the floor and aptly defend the power forward spot in a jumbo-sized frontcourt.