60 International Prospect Big Board Heading into 2024
Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2023 12:11 pm
I made a big board of international prospects that are eligible for the upcoming NBA draft-- I think it's rather loose right now, I included some players that haven't really had any international careers yet outside of some FIBA tournaments and occasionally some Adidas Next Generation performances too, so it probably isn't a de facto top 60. I also am not including international-born players that will be playing for G League Ignite, OTE, or NCAA this coming season.
Plenty of personal opinion in the rankings and they're a bit influenced by the perceived opportunity I think some of these guys will (or won't) get to showcase their abilities and development, but that's what makes these kinds of things fun!
1. Zaccharie Risacher, France (2005)-
His recent FIBA U19 world tournament performance was not spectacular, and perhaps his initial projections were a bit lofty, but he has a great situation as a central piece on a Betclic Elite team in the season ahead. I think he is still very much a work in progress and he is more of a complementary player so having a team built around him might not be the huge red carpet to stardom that it was for Wembanyama, but I think he's still going to demonstrate his case as a lottery prospect.
2. Aday Mara, Spain (2005)-
It doesn't seem like his team is going to let him come play in the NCAA this season, and I wonder if he will have a regular rotation role in the ACB instead. He will at least have some opportunity to play against other top international prospects his age at the FIBA U18 Euro tournament. I think his soft touch could make him a mid first round prospect and potential lottery pick.
3. Alexandros Samodurov, Greece (2005)-
I'm probably a bit high on Samodurov's ceiling as a rangy PF, and he's still got a lot to prove at any established level. But he had a cup of coffee in the Euroleague last year as a 17 year old and a bit of run in the HEBA A1 league also, and he didn't look out of place. I hope he attends the FIBA U18 Euros; I could see him going virtually anywhere in next season's draft, or in a future one.
4. Tidjane Salaun, France (2005)-
Salaun is a smooth-shooting forward who seems likely to have an opportunity in Betclic Elite next year. He was not on France's FIBA U19 World or U20 Euro teams, but perhaps he will play at the U18 Euros. I think his game is advanced for his age, he might be able to handle the jump from youth league to pros without too much difficulty. He is rather commonly projected as a mid to late-first round pick, and I think that sounds reasonable.
5. Mohammad Amini, Iran (2005)-
I do not see Amini's name mentioned much on prospect lists, and I sorely think that is an oversight. I don't know how likely it is he sees enough opportunity to declare in 2024's NBA draft, but I feel fairly confidently that Amini will be a first round pick in whatever draft he's in. He participated for Iran in both the FIBA U16 and U18 Asia tournaments last summer and was positively dominant (though a bit inefficient) in both. He later played in a ANGT showcase and also stood out- enough to be signed by France's AS Monaco youth team.
He was then one of the best players in the French youth league, notable for a 17 year old. He even got an opportunity to play 37 minutes in a game for the eventual champions AS Monaco in Betclic, though it was in a throwaway game. He held his own, but the team did not.
Amini's 3 is usable but unreliable and not good enough for a NBA wing prospect. But his driving ability and intuition, his floater, and his defense are noteworthy at any level. I choose to consider Amini as a comparatively lower floor but higher ceiling prospect who is in a surprisingly similar situation to Tidjane Salaun mentioned above-- except with no confirmed spot on a Betclic team next season (yet?)
6. Nikola Djurisic, Serbia (2004)-
Djurisic saw his prospect hype rise and fall drastically over the course of last season. He struggled with efficiency, but he still did show flashes of a positively dynamic skillset. I think he probably needs to take noticeable steps forward in development to gain traction but figuring out little nuances would probably go a long way in applying his talents to his overall game.
7. Hansen Yang, China (2005)-
Yang still has a lot to learn and refine, especially offensively. I do not know if he will have enough experience to leverage for viability as a prospect for the 2024 draft. However, the passing and shotblocking ability that he is honing is tantalizing and if he improves his shooting, he poses the potential to be branded as a true "unicorn" prospect in every way. He was a key player for China at FIBA U19 Worlds and he was one of the youngest players at the tournament.
8. Michael Caicedo, Spain (2003)-
Finally in a position to get minutes in the ACB, Caicedo should cement his status as a draft prospect. He isn't a very high usage player, but he does seem like an efficient shooter and solid perimeter defender with the speed to keep up with NBA guards.
9. Ruben Prey, Portugal (2005)-
Prey has yet to establish himself much on a professional level, though it seems that he does have an affiliation with Spanish organization CB Prat. However, what he has shown in youth tournaments has been remarkable and caught the eye of quite a few NBA prospects, his name has cachet. He is a strong shooter for a big and is able to make a huge defensive impact against others his age. He will likely be one of the highlighted players of the FIBA U18B Euros.
10. Zacharie Perrin, France (2004)-
I wanted to see what Perrin would do in NCAA with Illinois last season, but it wasn't in the cards. He had impressed at the FIBA U18 Euro tournament last year and followed it up with an even more impressive run at the U19 Worlds this year. His skillset seems limited to that of the old-school big that is going out of style, but his game is polished and he has the size for it. I don't know what opportunities he will find and he probably won't be much of a 2024 target if he doesn't play in Betclic, but it is growing harder to deny his impact.
11. Bobi Klintman, Sweden (2003)
12. Eli John N'Diaye, Senegal (2004)
13. Evangelos Zougris, Greece (2004)
14. Alexandre Sarr, France (2005)
15. Berke Buyuktuncel, Turkey (2004)
16. Juan Nunez, Spain (2004)
17. Pacome Dadiet, France (2005)
18. Zvonimir Ivisic, Croatia (2003)
19. Noam Yaacov, Israel (2004)
20. Jaka Klobucar, Slovenia (2003)
21. Melvin Ajinca, France (2004)
22. Thijs de Ridder, Belgium (2003)
23. Lee Aaliya, Argentina (2004)
24. Mohamed Diawara, France (2005)
25. AJ Johnson, USA (2004)
26. Ariel Hukporti, Germany (2002 Auto-Eligible)
27. Andrija Jelavic, Croatia (2004)
28. Tobias Jensen, Denmark (2004)
29. Amadou Doumbia, Mali (2005)
30. Akira Jacobs, Japan (2004)
31. Mantas Rubstavicius, Lithuania (2002 Auto-Eligible)
32. Reynan dos Santos, Brazil (2004)
33. Liutauras Lelevicius, Lithuania (2003)
34. Armel Traore, France (2003)
35. Ilias Kamardine, France (2003)
36. Leonardo Okeke, Italy (2003)
37. Lefteris Mantzoukas, Greece (2003)
38. Mihailo Petrovic, Serbia (2003)
39. Lazar Djokovic, Serbia (2004)
40. Mouhamed Faye, Senegal (2005)
41. Samis Calderon, Brazil (2004)
42. Lucas Langarita, Spain (2005)
43. Urban Klavzar, Slovenia (2004)
44. Johann Gruenloh, Germany (2005)
45. Ousmane N'Diaye, Senegal (2004)
46. Ilija Milijasevic, Serbia (2004)
47. Roko Prkacin, Croatia (2002 Auto-Eligible)
48. Isaac Nogues, Spain (2004)
49. Nino Vrencken, Netherlands (2003)
50. Teodor Simikj, North Macedonia (2004)
51. Miguel Allen, Spain (2003)
52. Matthew Strazel, France (2002 Auto-Eligible)
53. Ege Demir, Nigeria (2004)
54. Oleksandr Kobzystyi, Ukraine (2003)
55. Vojin Medarevic, Serbia (2002 Auto-Eligible)
56. Etienne Aspevik, Norway (2005)
57. Mason Francis Amos, Philippines (2004)
58. Gregor Kuuba, Estonia (2003)
59. Orri Gunnarsson, Iceland (2003)
60. Chae Hyung Lee, South Korea (2004)-
Lee's only body of work as a basketball player is the FIBA U18 Asia tournament in 2022, in which he was a huge reason South Korea won gold. He did not participate in the U19 World tournament this year for them (which did give Yuhyeon Moon a chance to shine). I have no idea if he intends to pursue a pro basketball career, at all.
He seems like a decent enough passer and shooter, but he is not necessarily an offensive standout. He has the size for an NBA guard, but he doesn't have an outstanding physical profile, as one of the more unassuming players on the Korean national team. But his defensive capability seems almost supernatural. Even in a tournament with plenty of players who are not future basketball professionals, nobody else was even close to Lee in finding opportunities to punish mistakes. in 5 games, Chae Hyung Lee had 10 steals twice (he achieved a points/assists/steals triple double in his debut game). He AVERAGED 6.6 steals per game, and after "only" getting 2 steals in the Finale (in every other game he had at least 5).
I remember there was/is a basketball simulation program to try to draft individual seasons from NBA players to craft the best team statistically that adheres to a salary cap and some sort of minutes restrictions the game designed-- (I think it was WhatIfSports SimLeague? I was looking into this probably about 8 years ago now)
While the best teams were generally lined with various Michael Jordan seasons or Kevin Durant's peak, etc...
What surprised me was that the most consistent player signed on successful teams was, if I recall correctly, 1976-77 *Don Buse*, at least relative to the salaries the game prescribed to each of the various seasons throughout history.
It was only 5 games at a youth league tournament but Chae Hyung Lee strikes me as the modern reincarnation of Don Buse's game. Even if it is a niche talent, it's probably a valuable one. I hope he does stick around as a prospect- if he's finishing school, or doing his military service first, or whatever. He's almost certainly not on the 2024 radar but he is technically eligible and I happen to think there is a very real chance he is legitimately skilled enough to pursue the NBA.
Plenty of personal opinion in the rankings and they're a bit influenced by the perceived opportunity I think some of these guys will (or won't) get to showcase their abilities and development, but that's what makes these kinds of things fun!
1. Zaccharie Risacher, France (2005)-
His recent FIBA U19 world tournament performance was not spectacular, and perhaps his initial projections were a bit lofty, but he has a great situation as a central piece on a Betclic Elite team in the season ahead. I think he is still very much a work in progress and he is more of a complementary player so having a team built around him might not be the huge red carpet to stardom that it was for Wembanyama, but I think he's still going to demonstrate his case as a lottery prospect.
2. Aday Mara, Spain (2005)-
It doesn't seem like his team is going to let him come play in the NCAA this season, and I wonder if he will have a regular rotation role in the ACB instead. He will at least have some opportunity to play against other top international prospects his age at the FIBA U18 Euro tournament. I think his soft touch could make him a mid first round prospect and potential lottery pick.
3. Alexandros Samodurov, Greece (2005)-
I'm probably a bit high on Samodurov's ceiling as a rangy PF, and he's still got a lot to prove at any established level. But he had a cup of coffee in the Euroleague last year as a 17 year old and a bit of run in the HEBA A1 league also, and he didn't look out of place. I hope he attends the FIBA U18 Euros; I could see him going virtually anywhere in next season's draft, or in a future one.
4. Tidjane Salaun, France (2005)-
Salaun is a smooth-shooting forward who seems likely to have an opportunity in Betclic Elite next year. He was not on France's FIBA U19 World or U20 Euro teams, but perhaps he will play at the U18 Euros. I think his game is advanced for his age, he might be able to handle the jump from youth league to pros without too much difficulty. He is rather commonly projected as a mid to late-first round pick, and I think that sounds reasonable.
5. Mohammad Amini, Iran (2005)-
I do not see Amini's name mentioned much on prospect lists, and I sorely think that is an oversight. I don't know how likely it is he sees enough opportunity to declare in 2024's NBA draft, but I feel fairly confidently that Amini will be a first round pick in whatever draft he's in. He participated for Iran in both the FIBA U16 and U18 Asia tournaments last summer and was positively dominant (though a bit inefficient) in both. He later played in a ANGT showcase and also stood out- enough to be signed by France's AS Monaco youth team.
He was then one of the best players in the French youth league, notable for a 17 year old. He even got an opportunity to play 37 minutes in a game for the eventual champions AS Monaco in Betclic, though it was in a throwaway game. He held his own, but the team did not.
Amini's 3 is usable but unreliable and not good enough for a NBA wing prospect. But his driving ability and intuition, his floater, and his defense are noteworthy at any level. I choose to consider Amini as a comparatively lower floor but higher ceiling prospect who is in a surprisingly similar situation to Tidjane Salaun mentioned above-- except with no confirmed spot on a Betclic team next season (yet?)
6. Nikola Djurisic, Serbia (2004)-
Djurisic saw his prospect hype rise and fall drastically over the course of last season. He struggled with efficiency, but he still did show flashes of a positively dynamic skillset. I think he probably needs to take noticeable steps forward in development to gain traction but figuring out little nuances would probably go a long way in applying his talents to his overall game.
7. Hansen Yang, China (2005)-
Yang still has a lot to learn and refine, especially offensively. I do not know if he will have enough experience to leverage for viability as a prospect for the 2024 draft. However, the passing and shotblocking ability that he is honing is tantalizing and if he improves his shooting, he poses the potential to be branded as a true "unicorn" prospect in every way. He was a key player for China at FIBA U19 Worlds and he was one of the youngest players at the tournament.
8. Michael Caicedo, Spain (2003)-
Finally in a position to get minutes in the ACB, Caicedo should cement his status as a draft prospect. He isn't a very high usage player, but he does seem like an efficient shooter and solid perimeter defender with the speed to keep up with NBA guards.
9. Ruben Prey, Portugal (2005)-
Prey has yet to establish himself much on a professional level, though it seems that he does have an affiliation with Spanish organization CB Prat. However, what he has shown in youth tournaments has been remarkable and caught the eye of quite a few NBA prospects, his name has cachet. He is a strong shooter for a big and is able to make a huge defensive impact against others his age. He will likely be one of the highlighted players of the FIBA U18B Euros.
10. Zacharie Perrin, France (2004)-
I wanted to see what Perrin would do in NCAA with Illinois last season, but it wasn't in the cards. He had impressed at the FIBA U18 Euro tournament last year and followed it up with an even more impressive run at the U19 Worlds this year. His skillset seems limited to that of the old-school big that is going out of style, but his game is polished and he has the size for it. I don't know what opportunities he will find and he probably won't be much of a 2024 target if he doesn't play in Betclic, but it is growing harder to deny his impact.
11. Bobi Klintman, Sweden (2003)
12. Eli John N'Diaye, Senegal (2004)
13. Evangelos Zougris, Greece (2004)
14. Alexandre Sarr, France (2005)
15. Berke Buyuktuncel, Turkey (2004)
16. Juan Nunez, Spain (2004)
17. Pacome Dadiet, France (2005)
18. Zvonimir Ivisic, Croatia (2003)
19. Noam Yaacov, Israel (2004)
20. Jaka Klobucar, Slovenia (2003)
21. Melvin Ajinca, France (2004)
22. Thijs de Ridder, Belgium (2003)
23. Lee Aaliya, Argentina (2004)
24. Mohamed Diawara, France (2005)
25. AJ Johnson, USA (2004)
26. Ariel Hukporti, Germany (2002 Auto-Eligible)
27. Andrija Jelavic, Croatia (2004)
28. Tobias Jensen, Denmark (2004)
29. Amadou Doumbia, Mali (2005)
30. Akira Jacobs, Japan (2004)
31. Mantas Rubstavicius, Lithuania (2002 Auto-Eligible)
32. Reynan dos Santos, Brazil (2004)
33. Liutauras Lelevicius, Lithuania (2003)
34. Armel Traore, France (2003)
35. Ilias Kamardine, France (2003)
36. Leonardo Okeke, Italy (2003)
37. Lefteris Mantzoukas, Greece (2003)
38. Mihailo Petrovic, Serbia (2003)
39. Lazar Djokovic, Serbia (2004)
40. Mouhamed Faye, Senegal (2005)
41. Samis Calderon, Brazil (2004)
42. Lucas Langarita, Spain (2005)
43. Urban Klavzar, Slovenia (2004)
44. Johann Gruenloh, Germany (2005)
45. Ousmane N'Diaye, Senegal (2004)
46. Ilija Milijasevic, Serbia (2004)
47. Roko Prkacin, Croatia (2002 Auto-Eligible)
48. Isaac Nogues, Spain (2004)
49. Nino Vrencken, Netherlands (2003)
50. Teodor Simikj, North Macedonia (2004)
51. Miguel Allen, Spain (2003)
52. Matthew Strazel, France (2002 Auto-Eligible)
53. Ege Demir, Nigeria (2004)
54. Oleksandr Kobzystyi, Ukraine (2003)
55. Vojin Medarevic, Serbia (2002 Auto-Eligible)
56. Etienne Aspevik, Norway (2005)
57. Mason Francis Amos, Philippines (2004)
58. Gregor Kuuba, Estonia (2003)
59. Orri Gunnarsson, Iceland (2003)
60. Chae Hyung Lee, South Korea (2004)-
Lee's only body of work as a basketball player is the FIBA U18 Asia tournament in 2022, in which he was a huge reason South Korea won gold. He did not participate in the U19 World tournament this year for them (which did give Yuhyeon Moon a chance to shine). I have no idea if he intends to pursue a pro basketball career, at all.
He seems like a decent enough passer and shooter, but he is not necessarily an offensive standout. He has the size for an NBA guard, but he doesn't have an outstanding physical profile, as one of the more unassuming players on the Korean national team. But his defensive capability seems almost supernatural. Even in a tournament with plenty of players who are not future basketball professionals, nobody else was even close to Lee in finding opportunities to punish mistakes. in 5 games, Chae Hyung Lee had 10 steals twice (he achieved a points/assists/steals triple double in his debut game). He AVERAGED 6.6 steals per game, and after "only" getting 2 steals in the Finale (in every other game he had at least 5).
I remember there was/is a basketball simulation program to try to draft individual seasons from NBA players to craft the best team statistically that adheres to a salary cap and some sort of minutes restrictions the game designed-- (I think it was WhatIfSports SimLeague? I was looking into this probably about 8 years ago now)
While the best teams were generally lined with various Michael Jordan seasons or Kevin Durant's peak, etc...
What surprised me was that the most consistent player signed on successful teams was, if I recall correctly, 1976-77 *Don Buse*, at least relative to the salaries the game prescribed to each of the various seasons throughout history.
It was only 5 games at a youth league tournament but Chae Hyung Lee strikes me as the modern reincarnation of Don Buse's game. Even if it is a niche talent, it's probably a valuable one. I hope he does stick around as a prospect- if he's finishing school, or doing his military service first, or whatever. He's almost certainly not on the 2024 radar but he is technically eligible and I happen to think there is a very real chance he is legitimately skilled enough to pursue the NBA.