There is no Victor Wembanyama in this year’s international class, but everyone was aware of that before the season. Still, even without a generational talent available, the No 1 pick is almost a lock to once again be an International player. But even in a weak class like this year’s, the truth is that there is excellent depth when the conversation turns to international prospects.
1. Zaccharie Risacher (6-10, SF/PF, 2005, Bourg)
There was one thing that everyone knew about the French sharpshooter before the season started: He had a real chance to become a Top-5 pick and even the No 1 pick. All he had to do was justify the hype around him. Truth to be told, he didn’t exactly wow everyone with his performances. He didn’t have a historic season like Wemby a year ago, or Luka Doncic several years ago. But overall, he was really good, holding his ground against grown men in the competitive French League and in EuroCup, playing in 64 games. Risacher is a two-way wing with good size. He is a player with versatility on both ends of the floor, great feel for the game, who is mostly a Spot Up/Catch and Drive type of player for now, but has also shown some potential as a secondary creator. He sure has to improve in just about every area of his game and is far from a finished project. But he is young, and in an era where every team is looking for wings with his skill set, it’s difficult to ignore his potential.
2. Alexandre Sarr (7-1, PF/C, 2005, Perth Wildcats)
Playing in the NBL with Perth Wildcats proved to be the right decision for the French prospect. Having a consistent role, for a good team, in a competitive League, was what Sarr needed to demonstrate his talent, even if he remains rough around the edges. Sarr just oozes with potential. A 7-footer with his athleticism, mobility and quickness, who could become a rare, stretch big/rim protector with some switchability on defense, intrigues everyone. But he is young and raw. He has mostly shown flashes. He is a streaky shooter and needs to bulk up. The contrast between his floor and ceiling is worrisome. Bigs generally mature at a slower pace. Sarr has the potential to become a special player. But he will need time and patience to become the best version of himself.
3. Tidjane Salaun (6-10, F, 2005, Cholet)
The French prospect’s stock continued trending upward during the season. Being competitive while playing at a high level does that and Salaun managed to grab every opportunity in front of him, winning the scouts game by game. Salaun clearly has a ways to go. But it’s his potential that has everyone looking at him. Combo forwards with his size, athleticism, ability to stretch the floor and versatility on defense are hard to find. Even though he is a streaky shooter, for now, and has to improve his body and physicality, it’s easy to understand why a lot of scouts like him.
4. Nikola Topic (6-6, PG, 2005, Mega Mis/Crvena Zvezda)
The Serbian prospect’s two injuries in his left knee – and especially the second one (partially torn ACL) – affected his outlook. His stock fell and there is a high possibility that he will have a redshirt rookie year, making his situation a tricky one, since he is an international guard. With all that said, Topic is still as intriguing as any guard in this year’s class. A point guard with good size and a great feel for the game, who loves to drive to the basket, can make almost every pass in Pick and Roll situations and has shown potential as a Pull Up shooter. His average athleticism (by NBA standards) and inconsistent 3-point shooting are the real question marks along with defense and his health issues, so it remains to be seen whether his great first 2 months of the season will be enough to maintain a high pick.
5. Pacome Dadiet (6-8, G/F, 2005, Ratiopharm Ulm)
Another French prospect, in a class full of wings with size. Dadiet had a pretty good season in Germany, earning every minute on the floor, for a system that was made to produce future NBA players, like Mega. Dadiet is a versatile wing, who can guard from point guard to light power forwards. He can stretch the floor and has also shown in FIBA youth levels that he can put the ball on the floor and create his shot to a degree. He is definitely not ready to do the latter at an NBA level yet and – at the moment – he looks more of a jack of all trades, master of none, especially since his shooting remains streaky. There is a world where everything clicks and he becomes a starter-level 3-and-D wing, but even if that doesn’t happen, an added consistent shot might be enough for him to become a solid player.
6. Bobi Klintman (6-10, PF, 2003, Cairns Taipans)
The Swedish prospect had a solid season in the NBL after his surprising decision to leave Wake Forest. All in all, he probably made the right call, since he had the chance to play at a high level in a League that every team has an eye on the last couple of years. Klintman is a combo forward with good size and length. His skill set screams “3-and-D” and it’s easy to imagine him as an oversized wing with the ability to stretch the floor and guard multiple positions. With that said, his skillet is more of that of a power forward than a small forward for now, he is a decent athlete and is a streaky shooter. And is that combination of good and bad that could get him drafted in the late first round.
7. Nikola Djurisic (6-8, G/F, 2004, Mega Mis)
It was a roller coaster year for the Serbian prospect. At the beginning of the season, it looked like it could be a good thing for him to wait one more year before he declares for the NBA Draft. Playing in the shadow of Nikola Topic, he didn’t have the ball in his hands and that hurt him. After Topic left, everything changed for Djurisic, who became the focal point of Mega’s offense and thrived, reminding everyone that he was once considered one of the best players of his generation in Europe. Djurisic is a scoring wing, with playmaking potential. His shooting is still a work in progress, but he has already made strides as a 3-point shooter. If he manages to improve his decision making and become a more consistent shooter, he could become a really interesting player.
8. AJ Johnson (6-5, G/F, 2004, Illawarra Hawks)
Johnson’s decision to de-commit from Texas Longhorns and play in the NBL with Illawarra Hawks was questionable, since he struggled to find consistent playing time. Still, there was a silver lining in his decision, since he was able to be a member of a professional team at a young age and learn valuable discipline. Johnson is a long, combo guard with a 6-9 wingspan and good level of athleticism and two-way potential. He has shown flashes as a shot creator and a defender. The problem is that everything he has shown is just that: Flashes. Johnson’s ceiling could be as high as anyone’s in this year’s class. But it’s his floor that worries people. Several years from now, he could be the steal of the NBA Draft 2024. But he could just as easily be a fringe G-League player. It’s up to him to prove that he can become an NBA player.
9. Juan Nunez (6-4, PG, 2004, Ratiopharm Ulm)
One of the best floor generals of his generation in Europe (if not the best among his peers), Juan Nunez had a very good season in Germany, which helped his stock tremendously. The Spanish prospect is a true point guard. A Pick and Roll maestro, with great court vision and creativity, a fearless approach for the game and an evolving Pull Up jumper. He is an average athlete by NBA standards and his shooting is a major flaw of his game and the thing that will determine his ceiling (and role). But there is a lot to like about him.
10. Ulrich Chomche (6-11, F/C, 2005, NBA Academy Africa)
Practically a 2006 born player (he was born on December 30, 2005), the Cameroonian prospect has drawn a lot of attention, thanks to his combination of size, length and athleticism, while he also had a great showing on the 3 games he played in Basketball Africa League. Chomche is raw and inexperienced. But he is also… huge, mobile, with great length (has a 7-4 wingspan) and the potential to become a Serge Ibaka type of Stretch Big/Rim protector. He might never become that kind of player, but this is probably a risk that a team will be willing to take late in the second round.
Honorable mention:
Trentyn Flowers (6-8, G/F, 2005, Adelaide 36ers)
The NBL proved to be an inhospitable League for Trentyn Flowers, who had a difficult time earning consistent playing time for his team. With that being said, he still had his moments, especially on the offensive end of the floor. Flowers is an athletic wing with great size and 3-level scorer potential, who has shown flashes as a facilitator. He will probably need one or two seasons in the G-League for him to get ready, but somewhere in there lies a real NBA player.
Melvin Ajinca (6-8, SG/SF, 2004, Saint Quentin)
The French prospect improved his stock considerably in last year’s FIBA U19 World Cup and was on his way to even better days this season, before an injury slowed him down. Still, he made a god enough impression to keep his name in this year’s NBA Draft. Ajinca is a bulky wing with good size and athleticism, who has shown potential as a Pull Up shooter and Spot Up shooter. Neither of those things is there yet at a consistent base and the same applies for his slashing. But he has 3-and-D potential and that’s undeniable.
Armel Traore 6-8 PF, 2003, ADA Blois)
Traore is a long, athletic, well built forward who is defensive oriented. Traore played at the top level in France over the past two years and outplayed Nikola Jovic when the two faced each other a few years back. More recently, he helped France win the FIBA Europe U20 gold medal. He’s more of a 4 than a 3. Traore has a 7-3 wingspan. A decent rebounder, but needs a lot of work on his overall skill set and shooting. Had knee surgery in the 2022-23 season while playing for the Levallois Metropolitans with Victor Wembanyama and Bill Coulibaly which slowed his development. Traore could factor into the 2024 draft as a late draft and stash guy.
Ariel Hukporti (7-1, C, 2002, Melbourne United)
Being in his last year of eligibility, the German prospect could become a feel good story if he gets drafted, since he had to fight his way back in the spotlight after a lost year due to a major injury (ruptured Achilles). Hukporti is huge. He never actually lived to the hype that surrounded him since he was a teenager, but he became a solid player. The German prospect is a lefty rim runner, who can play the pick and Roll, protect the rim and rebound the ball. He can’t do many other things, but he might not even have to do anything else to have a role in a team.
Mantas Rubstavicius (6-8, SG/SF, 2002, NZ Breakers)
If it’s one thing that Tarik Biberovic proved last year (and Vanja Marinkovic before him) is that an International wing with size and the ability to shoot the ball will always have a chance to get drafted. That is probably the case with Mantas Rubstavicius. The Lithuanian wing had a solid season in NBL, drawing some interest thanks to his ability to knock down shots and move without the ball. For him to make the next step, he should prove that he can do more with the ball in his hands as a facilitator, but his shooting might just be enough to elevate him from the undrafted category to late second rounder.
Yannick Kraag (6-8, G/F, 2002, Joventut)
The Dutch wing is auto-eligible this year. Once considered an NBA prospect, he didn’t really do much this season, but at least he had a consistent role in one of the best leagues in the world, in ACB. Kraag is a versatile 3-and-D wing with great size and length (he has a 7-2 wingspan). He does most of his damage playing off the ball, cutting to the baseline to catch a lob and in transition, while he is also a solid defender. He can’t really create his own shot and has a lot of ups and downs. It will be a major surprise if he gets drafted. But craziest things have happened in the past.
Matthew Strazel (6-0, G, 2002, Monaco)
After many years of in and out of the NBA Draft, the diminutive French prospect is auto-eligible this year. Once considered a guard with NBA potential, Strazel watched the scouts forget about him, after he decided to join a team full of veteran guards, which led to a small role. Strazel’s speed, feel for the game and scoring talent were always intriguing. All these things are still there and the same applies for his ability to play the Pick and Roll. But he is 22 years old and spent the last couple years as a bench player. NBA teams have scouted him for years, alongside Wembanyama in FIBA’s youth level games. You only need one team to like you to get drafted late in the second round. But perhaps a team still likes him.
