20 Under the Radar Prospects Eligible for 2023

[JazzP]

Hey guys! I have been trying to organize and track potential prospects in anticipation for the 2023 draft, and I wanted to try to highlight a few of the prospects I find interesting. I picked out 10 from college and 10 playing internationally.

I think most of these guys aren't actually DRAFT prospects- some might end up selected (I think international prospect rankings might change around quite a bit in the coming year), but most probably won't. However, I think there's plenty of opportunity for them to be potentially signed anyways.

International-

Milan Barbitch, Fos Sur Mer: He is playing at the Betclic Elite, and even got regular playing time at that level last year. His 3 point shot was still a little iffy, but he got off to a great start this year and should get plenty of opportunity to show his improvement, since he is a starter now. He is 6'5" and has some latent playmaking skills, though they might need a bit of work still. He is turning 21 in a few days, so he's not exactly a young and high potential prospect, but he ought to be one of the most productive draft eligible players this coming year, which could gain him some traction. His situation seems very similar to Hugo Benitez' to me, but Barbitch could end up as the preferable prospect even still.

Maxime Galin, Espoirs Bourg-en-Bresse: From what it looks like to me, Galin was rising as a prospect and showing promise in the French LNB in 20-21'. He even had a cup of coffee in Betclic. Then, last year, things went off the rails- he got demoted to LNB-B, barely got any playing time, and struggled with the little opportunities he had. He changed to a new team this year and got a fresh start back in the LNB, and he absolutely DOMINATED in his first 2 games. It is indeed a small sample size at a junior level, but the 24.5 ppg, 6 rpg, and 5 apg on 73%/50%/86% efficiency is an outstanding showcase of all-around talent for a 6'8" forward who also has (if anything) a decent defensive track record. It will take sustained success for him to be a serious contender for an NBA roster spot, but he certainly made an emphatic introduction.

Noam Yaacov, Espoirs Asvel: More than anybody else, I am stunned that Yaacov does not see his name more regularly in draft discussions, if not included in mock drafts altogether. I do fully expect that to change as he adds to his resume- which I can only guess is currently still too short. Yaacov, who turns 18 next month, played in LNB last year and did pretty well but not outstanding as a role player- probably well enough to land on the draft radar, but not as a particularly serious prospect. However, he absolutely broke out in the FIBA U18 Euros for Israel, averaging 19/6/6 on solid efficiency and making the All-Tournament Team. He returns to the LNB as a different player entering this season- with a much larger role, and stats that mirror his U18 tournament performance so far.

Millan Jimenez, Valencia Basket: Jimenez probably strikes a similar profile to Barbitch- not exactly a potential superstar, but a shooting guard who has shown proficiency as a shooter and overall role player. Jimenez had some time at Spain's ACB level last year, but he wasn't quite the regular fixture of the rotation that Barbitch got to enjoy in France. However, his results were perhaps more encouraging in the prior year, and he followed it up playing a prominent role in Spain's U20 Euro gold medal run. I think he is undersold as a glue guy with great awareness, consistency, and a respectable shot.

Matej Rudan, KK Mega Bemax: I think Bemax has become something of a hub for pro prospects. Scouts' eyes will likely already be on the club for Nikola Durisic and Malcolm Cazalon. However, it is Rudan who (like Matkovic last year), sneaks up and leaves the biggest impression on scouts. Rudan is not young (already 21), and has already established a career in Germany and on Bemax last year being useful, but not quite extraordinary- though his time with Bemax show a bit more signs of breakout potential. However, to begin this year, Rudan has clearly been a central player for Bemax in their VTB SuperCup run: averaging 13p/6.3r/6.3a/2s/1.7b on solid efficiency and (perhaps even more importantly still) earning the 2nd most playing time on the roster. If the passing isn't a fluke, it presents some very interesting positional capability for the 6'9" Rudan.

Jason George, Bayern Munich: George has been a homegrown prospect, staying within the Bayern Munich organization throughout his development, since 2018. As you can gather, he is not young- he will turn 22 before the draft. Jason George's game has taken steps forward consistently every year, but a bit slowly, primarily honing an efficient scoring skillset and advancing his jump shot the most. He had advanced to the G-BBL last season, playing a consistent 13.5 mpg, but dropping to about 5 mpg in the Euroleague, despite good rate statistics/efficiency in both competitions. Ranking him as a prospect feels more anticipatory of a breakout, as he hasn't really done enough to turn heads yet. But his profile on the surface also shows a LOT of polish, and not a ton of obvious pock marks, either. He could be in a position to see a lot more opportunity than ever before, and it will be interesting to see how well he uses it.

Jerry Rabibisoa, COSPN: I don't really know what to make of Rabibisoa's situation as a prospect. I have found no way to track his progress as a prospect for this coming season, and found it immensely hard to get any details on the N1 Malagasy league he played in last year. All I know is that in the extremely small sample size of the FIBA U18 Africas, he showed out. I don't know what to make of the competition, as there are some players that were absolutely future NBA prospects, and some that very much were not. I also don't think Rabibisoa is necessarily even the most enticing prospect on his own team- with Mathias M'Madi and fellow 2023 eligible Landric Rakotonanahary as teammates. Rabibisoa seems like the player most set in playing a complimentary role on a team, so at first glance it might seem odd to highlight him as the breakout for 2023-- especially since, with no real opportunity to showcase his game again before the draft, it might seem likely he isn't going to declare for next year at all.

But I think 2 things go in Rabibisoa's favor here: First, he seems like the closest 2023 eligible prospect to being NBA ready at the entire competition, and quite frankly by a wide margin IMO (no offense to Ousmane N'Diaye and the potential he offers). At 6'9", he moves like a guard (off ball at least) and has great defensive instincts beyond just taking advantage of obvious mistakes. His interior scoring needs work and his jump shot isn't amazing, but he was not a shy shooter and still hit 35% of his 3s at the tournament, which feels like a good starting point. Second, Rabibisoa would almost certainly be the youngest eligible prospect if he were to declare this year: He doesn't turn 18 until late December. The way the NBA world treated Yannick Nzosa last year, a player like Rabibisoa could easily warrant such consideration, even with very little information to draw from, in my mind. The U19 FIBA World Cup might provide more clarity... should the NBA draft be held after it.

Chae Hyung Lee, South Korea: The FIBA U18 Asia competition might not generate a lot of buzz from scouts, and there likely isn't much reason for that to change this year (perhaps the most prominent (?) prospects were in the 2024 class), but what Chae Hyung Lee did en route to the gold medal should not go unnoticed. I have seen some scouting reports of Lee, saying that his athleticism is a concern, that both his passing and scoring abilities are still very suspect, and that he benefitted from a very risky Korean team defensive strategy that happened to pay off for them. I believe that those criticisms are largely perfectly valid (except for athleticism- he is not obviously small, frail, wide, nor uncoordinated and I believe training can change a lot).

I also believe that they could be overrated concerns. He will need to work on his scoring, but that isn't what makes him a prospect, and he had a teammate who was better suited to showcase such skills anyways (Juyeong Lee). His playmaking definitely needs sharpening, but it isn't like he has no foundation- he averaged 5.8 assists, he just also averaged 3.0 turnovers. He has the court vision and instincts of a point guard, he just needs to work on honing his decision making and execution. Perhaps a lot. And HERE we get to what makes this guy a legitimate prospect in my mind-- the defense. Lee averaged 6.6 steals per game (!!) over the tournament. Twice, he achieved more than 10 steals a game, including as part of a triple double game. To say that he benefitted from an aggressive team defensive strategy doesn't do this situation justice-- pressing so hard IS a risky idea, and the reason that they implemented it and that it was successful was by the strength of Lee's acumen. He isn't the benefactor, he is the engine. As ridiculous as it is that the team averaged 19 steals per game, it is just as ridiculous that Lee alone grabbed more than a third of them. Regardless of the level of competition, that is something that has never been done there before and likely won't happen again for some time.
Is it good enough to work for Lee at a higher level? Maybe, maybe not. I think it should only be appropriate that teams should have some interest in finding out, though. Alas, as he's still a kid, unless he plays and catches fire in the South Korean league or something, I don't think he declares this year.

Bencao Vungo, Angola: I think this is remote, as Vungo would probably be the most raw prospect by far to be in the NBA hemisphere were this to happen. However, as a guy who came into the U18 Africa tournament as an unknown who wasn't really in their regular rotation to begin the competition, he might have begun to make a name for himself. He seems pretty one-dimensional as a shooter, but he let it fly 31 times from deep and hit 14 of them-- a stark contrast to the 3-point efficiency of most of the competition. His scoring spurts got him a bigger role with the Angolan team throughout his time there, and while there is no real height/weight info on him available, I think he has a NBA frame. As with the last 3 prospects, 2023 might not actually be in the cards here, but Vungo might be someone to keep tabs on.

Etienne Nasser Aspevik, Oppsal Tigers: I don't really know anything about him. RealGM cites him as 2023 draft eligible, and a Norwegian news article said he was 17 years old. He is playing on a bad team in the Norwegian league, but through the 2 games with box scores so far he's played 36 minutes per game and has some pretty decent stats. I think he is going to be the featured player of the team, and it seems like he does warrant it. I don't really have any gauge on how useful this story is to the NBA, but it seems to me like Aspevik is in a good position to maybe draw attention, at least.


College

Santiago Vescovi, Tennessee: I'm not sure if Tennessee wants to start Zeigler and keep Vescovi in an off-guard role, but Vescovi is perhaps underrated as someone who took big steps forward in 3 point efficiency and playmaking last season. He has always had solid defense, so if he does find himself in a position to showcase how well his point guard skills have developed in Kennedy Chandler's absence, he could easily find himself in the NBA.

Tanner Holden, Ohio St: Holden's transfer to Ohio St feels like a perfect fit. Holden will likely naturally step into a leader role for a very talented team. He will be 23 on draft night, and he will definitely need to show more willingness to shoot from 3 and agility to keep up with wings at the high major level. However, I think it is very plausible that he ends up recreating the production that he had at Wright St, but instead for a team that stays consistently ranked. There is a world where he looks like a college-level fusion of DeMar DeRozan and Jimmy Butler, and I think he absolutely warrants a draft selection in that outcome, even if his actual NBA outlook might not look quite that promising.

Jahmir Young, Maryland: Young was on the radar as a potential draft prospect most of last year at Charlotte. However, his stardom faded down the stretch as Charlotte's performance waned. This probably won't be Maryland's best year in history either, but Young fits well on a team with good complementary wing players and desperate for a talented scoring lead guard. Young should, at least, be able to audition his skillset at a high major level with a team built to feature him. His draft fortune might remain tied to his team's results, though I feel certain that barring a disaster he will be at next year's Summer League event either way.

Bryce Hopkins, Providence: To continue a trend on this list that won't end here, Hopkins transferred into a much better situation. Hopkins was considered the 33rd best prospect in his high school class last year, but he didn't get much opportunity at Kentucky, and didn't look all that great with the little time that he got. However, Providence found success last season with more of a grit and grind style that might suit him, and they've had a few departing players open up some playing time for Hopkins to bounce back. He's pretty old for a true sophomore (currently 21), and he will need to take a leap to be a relevant prospect, but the table seems pretty well set for him to find a consistent role and make a big impression if that does happen.

Norchad Omier, Miami: Omier is an unusual prospect and an unusual player. He is from a VERY small port town in Nicaragua called Bluefields. He wasn't well known as a prospect and went to Arkansas St to start his college career. He was a one-man wrecking crew for the team who often drew multiple defenders. I feel like the only way to describe him relative to most other players in that conference was as a monster. He is listed at 6'7", but he is a power forward/center. It isn't because he doesn't have a jump shot, though he doesn't. It isn't because he has a heavy step, although he does, if only a bit. It is because he is a rebounding vacuum and absolute defensive brick wall. His offense is hit or miss and will be challenged in the high majors at Miami.

But I cannot emphasize enough how much the onus is on opposing teams to prepare for him. I think that the high major level can BETTER contest him at what he does, but it cannot match him. It can only plan around him successfully, as teams managed to do to Arkansas St at the end of last season (high major teams have more tools at hand). I don't know if that will answer questions about his usefulness at the NBA level as this type of player- where there is a niche, but few occupy it, and most have either a jumpshot or otherworldly athleticism that Omier quite honestly may have, but may not. Guys like Zion Williamson, P.J. Tucker, Jae Crowder, Draymond Green, and Montrezl Harrell. I think most scouts are already well aware of him and just question if his potential is enough to make it, but Omier can certainly make an argument with a standout season or new additions to his skillset. He will make history as the first NBA player from Nicaragua if he makes it to the league, so he certainly has fans in his corner.

Andrew Carr, Wake Forest: As the final "this transfer really fits" guy on my list, Carr could be one of the most out of left field. He comes to Wake Forest as a pretty anonymous player, but he rode a surge to becoming one of Delaware's key players towards the end of last season, and plays with a grit unbecoming of his frame. He also has a surprising jump shot for a player his height (6'10"). Wake Forest just had two new transfers turn pro last season, and armed themselves with a bunch of strong new income transfers. But Carr could very well be the most poised to fill the gaps left by LaRavia and Williams, and could find himself in a very similar position to LaRavia at this time next year, too.

Daylen Kountz, Northern Colorado: Kountz plays for Northern Colorado, where he probably won't have the profile to enter the draft radar. He had a pretty stellar season last season, where he averaged over 20 ppg on over 50/40/80 shooting splits, and still didn't really get much attention. He's a bit small but passably sized as an off guard at 6'4". I'm not sure what he can do to bolster his case, given the bar he set last year, but if he is able to maintain or even improve upon it, he ought to be hard to ignore. I think he has a strong case to be a training camp steal.

J.T. Shumate, Toledo: Something clicked for Shumate ever since he transferred from DII. Ever since, he has been a really consistent player and absolute deadeye shooter for Toledo. He has only improved his shooting in last year, his 2nd at the program, and was absurdly efficient. He also seems to have excellent awareness of forward duties and plays them very well at the mid-major level, though I think he might face difficulties at keeping his effectiveness there at higher levels beyond. However, for all the electricity that his teammate Ryan Rollins brought before he was drafted, Shumate was arguably the stronger player for the team last year, on behalf of his consistency. He is almost certainly not the better overall prospect, which may dash NBA dreams-- but the chance is real and so is his ability. If he is able to keep the program looking strong even after Rollins' departure, teams should do their diligence with him.

Aly Khalifa, Charlotte: Staying behind at Charlotte after Jahmir Young transferred is Aly Khalifa, from Egypt. Khalifa is not a particularly dominant player, and has a few rather sharp weaknesses in his post game. However, he showed some very interesting playmaking abilities in Nuggets and Jokic-style reverse pick-and-rolls and hi-lo play. Khalifa very much seems to be a player in Jokic's mold, and has a rather solid jump shot as well. However, having the playstyle and having refined these skills to such a degree are very different expectations. Khalifa shows plenty of promise but is both timid and a bit mistake prone, still. But it is hard to ignore the highlights, and he seems like an easy candidate to take a huge leap forward on NBA wish lists if he gets more comfortable with his game at the college level.

Andre Cruz, Incarnate Word: I put perhaps too much stock in the FIBA youth competitions this past summer. However, I know many prominent colleges take chances on some of the tournament standouts without much more information. I know some of these signings happened before the FIBAs, but players like Kymany Houinsou (Washington St), Youssef Khayat (Michigan), Zacharie Perrin (Illinois), and Abramo Canka (UCLA) got scholarships to play for some high profile programs. And there was a player who performed rather objectively better than all of them, at least for a brief stretch this summer.

Andre Cruz played at the JUCO level last year, and he looked pretty darn good there, but not quite dominant. It likely wasn't enough to get him onto a major program, stateside. But it was enough to get Cruz, born in Portugal, to represent what was ultimately a pretty dismal Portuguese U20 national team. The team was bad, but Cruz was not. And in spite of being Portugal's only real scoring threat, his efficiency did not suffer from the usage rate and being contested. He was driving, crashing boards, and shooting on everybody with ease. I'm sure he still would have a few more questions to answer than most other top prospects, but the way he played would lead me to believe that ANY college team would be interested in having him on their roster, albeit in variable roles. But, he didn't pick any college. Perhaps signed before the U20 tournament (i'm not sure), Cruz chose to commit to Incarnate Word, which has been a D-I school for all of like 3 years now. I don't know how much he can prove to NBA scouts where he's at, but at the very least he makes for a very, very interesting prospect who could very well have clear NBA potential, even if it's still rather unlikely.

And as an aside, I can't help but be amused that his Incarnate Word is not the only abysmal team in the abysmal Southland Conference with a dynamic and exciting prospect who could maybe possibly be an NBA player--
A ranked prospect who spurned an offer from Memphis, instead joined NORTHWESTERN ST.
And that is a beloved (one-armed) prospect by the name of Hansel Emmanuel.



I'm so glad to have basketball season gearing back up.