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Basketball Without Borders once again displayed some of the best young talent from all over the world. The three-day camp, in Indianapolis over the weekend, consisted of drills and live games. Here are some of the standouts.
Top Prospects
1. Noa Essengue 6’9 195 PF, 6’11 wingspan, 9’3.25 standing reach – France 2006
Essengue looks the part from a physical standpoint with his frame, size, and length, giving him intrigue for both ends of the floor. He’s also fluid with his movements and a high-level athlete, covering ground well with long strides when taking it to the rim. He does need to improve his outside shooting as well as technique as a finisher, but he has a lot to work with. I didn’t think Essengue was as productive as Hamad Mousa or Moustapha Thiam but given his tools/talent and plenty of flashes, I would give him the edge as the top long-term prospect in this event.
2. Moustapha Thiam 7’1 210 C, 7’5 wingspan, 9’6.75 standing reach – Senegal 2006 (Central Florida)
I’ve seen Thiam periodically over the past year, and he noticeably improves each time I see him. He’s a legitimate 3&D big man prospect. His length and instincts help him block shots while defending on and off the ball. His touch from outside is a weapon as well. He can work on speeding up his release, but he’s not just flashing mechanics but also hitting shots in games with good consistency and showed a repeatable release in the 3PT contest. He also showed some shooting from midrange and pulled out a one-foot fadeaway with comfort and confidence on one play. He’s a gifted athlete as well, finishing with some jams and catching alley-oops throughout the 3-day camp. Thiam still has a way to go adding strength, but his overall development has been evident and positive.
3. Hamad Mousa 6’7 180 SG, 7’0.5 wingspan, 8’11 standing reach – Qatar 2006
Mousa had a great camp, showing a well-rounded offensive game. He’s vocal and excelled in the drills, looking like he gets a lot of reps in on his own. In the games, he spent time playing on and off the ball, giving him a lot of value at 6’7. He initiated the offense at times, using the screen to make the right pass or penetrate off the dribble. When off the ball, he appropriately spaced the floor and knocked down shots with consistency, and despite shooting it a little low, he got his shot off pretty well. He took guards and other wings of size into the post, hitting fadeaways over either shoulder and has a reliable floater when getting into the midrange. Mousa had some above the rim finishes, showed solid speed, and proved to be a plus athlete over the camp.
4. Khaman Maluach 7’1 225 C, 7’4.5 wingspan, 9’8 standing reach – South Sudan 2006
Maluach takes up a lot of space underneath and blocked/altered a number of shots. Offensively he can shoot from 3PT, but it’s still a work in progress and he does need some work with his low-post game and footwork, but he’s pretty accurate within close and a reliable lob target. He gets off the ground well, combined with his size/length, he had plenty of big finishes that no defender could contest. He threw some inaccurate passes and can work on protecting the ball better, but he flashed some skill on some plays in the post. He’s very vocal on the defensive end and shows pride as a help defender. While still developing, Maluach has plenty of intrigue and long-term potential.
5. Mohamed Diakite 6’10 198 PF, 7’0.75 wingspan, 9’1.5 standing reach – France 2006
Diakite scored well inside and out. His shot release isn’t real quick but he hit a fair amount from 3. He’s a good athlete and can finish above the rim with ease. He isn’t limited to dunking within close, as he also showed some skill when stopping short to pull up. He has some versatility as a defender, guarding a few different positions but can still grow in terms of defensive awareness and positioning. I thought he could’ve picked up the intensity at times and can work on moving without the ball, but he flashed a lot of upside.
Others
Efeosa Oliogu 6’5 215 SF, 6’8.5 wingspan, 8’8 standing reach – Canada 2006
Oliogu had bright spots as a finisher, with his advanced physical profile, explosive jumping ability, and body control at the rim. As a wing, he’s going to need to improve his perimeter skills. While he’s capable of hitting outside shots, he isn’t enough of a threat yet, even in the 3PT contest, he struggled to find consistency when shooting the exact shot in the same spot, missing a different way each time. He had success getting to the rim as a cutter and sometimes with triple threat.
Will Riley 6’8 190 SG/SF, 6’7 wingspan, 8’9.25 standing reach – Canada 2006
Riley was the camp’s MVP, and I may regret not putting him in my top 5 prospect list. He has good speed and moves well off the ball. He impressed as a shooter, hitting numerous shots on the move from midrange and 3PT. He has good size as a wing, moves with fluidity, and got his shot off well. He isn’t a real explosive athlete but was solid defensively. He handled the ball pretty well but impressed most with his scoring.
Nolan Traore 6’4 175 PG, 6’8 wingspan, 8’6.25 standing reach – France 2006
Traore didn’t stand out too much. He shot pretty well in drills, showed some burst with the ball, and led teammates with his passing, but nothing jumped off the page or seemed higher than his peers. He had a lot of unforced turnovers in the event and his shooting didn’t translate enough in the games. He may have played off the ball more than he preferred playing alongside Chris Anderson. He has nice measurements and did fine defensively but overall, I wanted to see more.
Shon Abaev 6’8 190 SG/SF, 6’7.25 wingspan, 8’8 standing reach – Israel 2006
Abaev displayed his high-level shooting ability, knocking down plenty of 3PTers mixed in with midrange pull-ups. He had a great final day of camp and made the defense pay when his defender went under screens. He showed a fadeaway on a few plays and got up well on a few dunks when he had free space at the rim. While he’s best as a scorer, he made some nice passes when the defense lapsed, and a teammate was in position to score.
Enrico Borio 6’6 209 SF/PF, 6’9 wingspan, 8’7.5 standing reach – Brazil 2006
Borio shot it well throughout the camp. He played well off the ball, scoring from 3 and picking his spots well when pulling up from midrange. He wasn’t his team’s first scoring option, but he consistently added when needed. He has a strong upper body and solid open floor athleticism.
Jaion Pitt 6’7 215 SF/PF, 7’0 wingspan, 8’11 standing reach – Canada 2006
Pitt stood out more in day 1 than the final 2 days, but his presence was felt over the camp. He shot it very well but doesn’t fall in love with chucking up shots from deep. He’s accurate within close with either hand and finishes well through contact thanks to his physicality. He’s active on both ends of the boards as well, giving his team plenty of second chance baskets. While Pitt’s production wasn’t as consistent as preferred, he was solid in his showing.
David Mirkovic 6’9 220 PF, 6’11.25, 8’11.5 standing reach – Montenegro 2006
Mirkovic impressed with his shooting and passing at his size. He does lack speed, can work on toning his body, and doesn’t project as an advanced defender, but his reads and creativity helped his production when he was on the floor. He played well within the flow and didn’t have to force his impact.…
Preview and list of all 2024 participants here: link
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