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22 - Frank Ntilikina

6-5, 190 Point Guard
France International
Birthday
07/28/98 (25.6 yrs)
Hometown
Ixelles, Belgium
International Team
Strasbourg
Team Site Profile
Statistics
Athleticism
8
Size
9
Defense
8
Strength
7
Quickness
8
Leadership
7
Jump Shot
8
NBA Ready
7
Ball Handling
8
Potential
8
Passing
8
Intangibles
8

NBA Comparison: Dante Exum

Strengths: Elite size for a point guard with very good athleticism and quickness … Impressive wingspan (close to 7 ft)… Very mature for his age with a good basketball IQ … He has a thin frame, but his body structure suggests that he can add weight and increase his muscle tone nicely … A true point guard with a “pass first” mentality … He can control the pace of the game nicely … Excellent passer with great court vision … He is always looking to find the open teammate … He can pass on the move and also while penetrating … Excels on the open court and loves to run the break … Great ball handler … He has a nice hesitation dribble and he has also an improving crossover dribble on his repertoire … Possesses an explosive first step … Really good on ISO situations thanks to his athleticism, length and excellent ball handling … He can create his own shoot and score off the dribble from mid-range and has also a floater as a counter move … When he has time to gather he can finish strong at the rim… Improving 3-point shooter… He is already very good on Pick and Roll situations as the ball handler, because he shows patience and is always looking for the right choice … His body and physical tools are his biggest weapons on Defense … He has great lateral quickness which helps him stay in front of his man … When he is motivated on Defense he can be a lockdown defender … His length and athleticism help him make a lot of steals … Versatile defender with the potential to guard multiple positions in the future … He has a high upside…

Weaknesses: He really needs to add some muscle to his body or else he could have problems at the next level … He hasn’t been tested at a senior level yet … His shooting release looks a little odd at times and that’s the main reason he isn’t a consistent shooter from long range yet … He needs to become more vocal and learn when he has to take over a game … At times he is too unselfish and too keen to pass the ball and as a result he looks passive … He must add some aggressiveness to his game … He has problems finishing through contact at the rim due to his thin body and at times he looks like he is even avoiding contact, settling for a mid-range shot … He has problems against physical game … He isn’t always focused on defense … At times he forgets to keep a low stance when he is guarding his opponent and as a result he can be crossed easily … He relies too much on his length to make steals when he gets crossed, which leads to bad fouls … He has problems defending the Pick and Roll, looking lost at times … Stronger players can post him up

Overall: Ntilikina is undoubtedly one of the best International players of his generation. His elite physical tools and feel for the game, combined with his high upside makes him a really intriguing prospect … He is not NBA ready just yet, but he has all the tools to become a very good player in the future …

Notes: He was born in Belgium and he is originating from Rwanda, but he was raised in France… He was a member of the France team that won the U16 European Championship in 2014… He was named “French League Best Young Player” in 2015/16 season …

Stefanos Makris 9/14/16

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