The adidas Eurocamp is underway in Treviso, Italy and the gym is packed with NBA scouts and executives. The truth is that there isn’t as much talent as in past years, but still there were some players who managed to make a good impression, including some really talented American prep talent.
Here is a look at the International players who stood out in day 1:
Isaac Bonga (6-8, PG, Germany 1999) – Bonga was probably the guy that had the biggest reputation coming into Treviso. After all it’s not easy to find guys at 6-9 who play point guard, although it remains to be seen whether this will continue to be his position in the future. His athleticism and body control are great, especially considering that he is still growing. He covers a lot of ground with his long strides and has all the tools to become an solid defender. What really impressed everyone is his passing ability. Bonga has great court vision, always looking for ways to make his teammates happy. With that said, it should be noted that he overpassed at times and he gave the impression that he was trying too hard to prove to everyone that he can pass the ball. He did have some great moments though when he decided to go all the way to the basket, with some nice finger rolls. Bonga is currently listed as the 35th pick in the 2018 NBA mock draft.
Verners Kohs (6-8, SG/SF, Latvia 1997) – Kohs has the best looking jump-shot in Adidas Eurocamp. His shooting mechanics are excellent and he looks like a natural with the way he releases the ball. What’s more important is that he was able to show his skill in the All Star Game against USA Select. He still can’t play physical on offense and it would be interesting to see what he will do in a situation where his shot is not falling. Still, he looked really good on the floor and he even had some good moments on defense with a chase down block. He is far from ready, but considering that he is an above average athlete and a good shooter, he’s become the cream of the crop in his 1997 age group. Kohs has entered his name into this year’s draft and is currently listed as the 50th pick in the 2017 NBA mock draft.
Mario Ihring (6-3, PG, Slovakia 1998) – He started the day having some ups and downs. He had some problems when he was being pressured by opposing point guards. Still, Mario Ihring actually had a pretty good first day and a good showing in the Game against the USA select. He was able to demonstrate his elite passing ability, finding open teammates consistently. The mosty encouraging part was that he wasn’t afraid to go all the way to the basket and finish against bigger opponents, which shows a lot about his determination and character. His shot was falling on the first day, but he is considered a good shooter. As for defense, his lateral quickness isn’t bad and he is a willing defender, but it’s difficult to imagine him becoming an elite defender.
Amar Gegic (6-4, PG, Bosnia 1998) – Gegic had a great first day. His physique is great, his ability to penetrate and finish through contact have improved. The fact that he is a really good athlete helped him not being intimidated in the game against USA select. He played in both guard positions and he was trying really hard on defense and had some great moments on offense, thanks to his great court vision. For him to make the next step though he has to improve his shooting, which is below average for now.
Gytis Masiulis (6-9, PF, Lithuania 1998) – Day one wasn’t good for the bigs. Perimeter guys dominated the ball most of the time, trying to show what they can do for the scouts. Even in a situation like this, Masiulis found a way to stand out. The Lithuanian prospect isn’t a great athlete – actually he is below average – but his basketball I.Q is great. He is really strong, he is not afraid to bang bodies, he is always active on the boards and he even showed in the first day that he can shoot spot up 3s. It’s safe to say that Masiulis had probably the best day of any big, but he still has a long way to go.
Goga Bitadze (6-11, C, Georgia 1999) – One year ago Bitadze was just a big kid with baby fat with an interesting skillset. Now, Bitadze is a lot thinner and one of the most interesting prospects in Europe in his age group. He had just a decent day, like most of the bigs. But he was still able to show some things. He ran the floor well on fast breaks, he made some mid-range shots and he showed that he can play the Pick and Roll. He has a big body and some scouts even compared him to Jusuf Nurkic, but he is smaller than the Blazer center and it’s difficult to imagine him becoming a rim protector because he is just an average athlete.
Honorable Mention:
Agasyi Tonoyan (6-8, SG, Russia 1998) had a good showing. He played with a lot of passion, made some nice passes and was full of energy. Abdoulaye N'Doye (6-6, SG, France 1998) was probably the best perimeter defender on day 1. Luka Asceric (6-7, PG, Austria 1997) had some great moments, especially on offense, looking good on catch and shot situations and shooting off the dribble, while he showed some nice court vision. Emircan Kosut (7-1, C, Turkey 1995) was better than expected, with nice touch around the basket. Ismael Bako (6-10, PF/C, Belgium, 1995) had also some moments, going hard on the offensive rebounds and rolling hard to the basket after he set a pick, but he had problems finishing through contact.
