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2015 FIBA U19 World Championship Scouting Reports: Shooting Guards

2015 FIBA U19 World Championship Scouting Reports: Shooting Guards
Jul 07, 2015, 11:02 pm
Scouting reports on eleven of the top shooting guard prospects seen at the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship, including Furkan Korkmaz, Tyler Dorsey, Nik Slavica, Diego Flaccadori, Terrance Ferguson, Marc Garcia, Corey Johnson, Okben Ulubay, Vanja Marinkovic, Radovan Djokovic and L.J. Peak.
More FIBA U19 Content:
-2015 Point Guard Scouting Reports
-Interviews
Furkan Korkmaz, 6'6, Anadolu Efes, Turkey, 1997

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Solid size for a SG at 6-6
-Very explosive vertically. Can't always show it in the half-court, but has some impressive bounce, which he sometimes unleashes in transition situations
-Has nice fluidity and mobility
-Outstanding shooter. 45% for 3 at the U19s. 42% in the Euroleague/Turkish league this season
-Great natural touch on his jumper. Can throw the ball in the basket from difficult angles
-Excellent shooter with feet set. Developing shooter off the dribble
-Very unselfish player, sometimes to a fault. Plays the right way.
-Very creative passer. Makes the extra pass. Can drive and dish. Doesn't force the issue at all.
-Can beat his man off the dribble in a straight line with a quick first step. Has great footwork and timing on his drives
-Very intelligent cutting off the ball.
-Throws in floaters with soft touch
-Has great anticipation skills getting in passing lanes. Career 3.4 steals per-40 in national team competition. Sniffs out steals with his terrific feel for game
-Looks like a pretty humble and hard-working guy

Weaknesses:
-Frame is very immature. Will it ever fill out in a substantial way? Body looks pretty much the same as it did two years ago
-Average ball-handler at this stage. Doesn't bend his knees and get very low with his dribble. Struggles to create space to operate in the half-court on his own
-Doesn't finish very well in traffic. Lacks strength, but also some toughness
-Struggles to score effectively inside the arc. Tosses up floaters in the lane instead of driving all the way to the rim
-Average defender at best. Doesn't sit down on defense. Struggles to bend his knees. Lacks a degree of physicality. Needs to improve his frame and intensity level

Outlook: Tremendous scorer at the youth levels. Averaging 27 points per-40 in a Turkish national team uniform in his career thus far, with a sparkling 61% TS%. Played up a year (doesn't turn 18 until July) in Crete and was still one of the best scorers at the tournament. Named to All-Tournament team. Surprised everyone by carving out a solid niche for Euroleague powerhouse Anadolu Efes and playing 12 minute per game at the age of 17. Had some very memorable moments despite his youth. Will look to expand that this upcoming season in his first draft-eligible year. Told us in an interview in Crete that he has significant interest in playing the NBA, possibly as early as next year.


Tyler Dorsey, 6'4, Oregon, Greece, 1996

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Good athlete. Operates at different speeds. Quick. Good first step. Can elevate a little around the basket
-Outstanding in transition
-Does a little bit of everything offensively
-Hit 52% of his 3-pointers on nearly 5 attempts per-40. Also 77% of free throws
-Has very good shooting mechanics. Was extremely reliable with feet set. Can also make shots off the dribble
-Almost never forced the issue. Made a real effort to be very unselfish. Made extra pass regularly
-Can read the floor and find the open man, particularly passing on the move
-Can create in one on one or pick and roll situations. Got to the free throw line at an outstanding clip (8.9 per-40)
-Competed on defense. Put huge effort in for the most part. Capable of moving feet and putting strong pressure on the defense when he's locked in. Averaged 3.2 steals per-40
-Rebounded exceptionally well for a guard (8 per-40). Even crashed the offensive glass with tenacity

Weaknesses:
-Physical profile is average for the shooting guard position he plays. Only around 180 pounds
-Sports a negative wingspan (6-3 ½), measured smaller than his height (6-4 ¼ in shoes)
-Struggled to finish around the basket. Lacks great strength or length, which makes it difficult for him to convert shots in traffic at times
-Awareness on defense leaves something to be desired at times. When he's playing at full intensity he's solid. But when he doesn't he really struggles.

Outlook: Had a tremendous tournament at the U19s. 25 points per-40, with outstanding efficiency (69% TS%). Looked like a completely different player than the one we saw in high school at times, particularly defensively. Accepted a compact role playing around 20 minutes per game, despite being by far the most productive player on his team. Made a real effort to fit in and play to his strengths. Was extremely successful. Named to the all-tournament first team. Certainly helped his stock going into his freshman year of college, and likely his basketball IQ as well.


Nik Slavica, 6'7, Cibona Zagreb, Croatia, 1997

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Has great size for a shooting guard at 6-7.
-Very strong frame that will only continue to fill out in time
-Big hands, long arms
-Tremendous athlete. Had a handful of unbelievably impressive dunks and blocks throughout the course of the tournament
-Good in transition, where he finds himself frequently
-Can create for himself and others off the dribble
-Gets to the basket in the half-court thanks to strong first step, sometimes to throw down impressive dunks
-Averaged 5.9 assists per-40, one of the best rates at the tournament regardless of position
-Outstanding rebounder at every level he's played at. 8.0 per-40 in Crete.
-Shooting mechanics are not bad at all. Has made jumpers at every level he's played at. 1.5 made 3s per-40 in national team competition
-Even hits shots off the dribble in mid-range area when defense closes out too aggressively
-Excellent defender. Guarded 3-4 positions on a consistent basis in Crete. Often used to slow down point guards thanks to outstanding lateral quickness. Shut down a number of very good offensive players over the course of the week.

Weaknesses:
-Not an efficient or prolific offensive option historically. Career 47% 2P%, 25% 3P%, 62% FT% in nearly 1000 minutes of action
-Outside shot shows potential, but was career from consistent even at the U19s. Made just 7/26 3-point attempts and 59% of free throws
-Has a little bit of a slingshot motion to his jumper. Hesitates to shoot when left open at times. Splayed some ugly jumpers left and right at times, including a few airballs.
-Decision making is not quite there yet. Doesn't always know his limitations. Shot-selection can be questionable.
-Ball-handling skills are improvable. Can blow by opponents with his first step, but needs to continue to work on change of speeds and directions, especially in pick and roll and isolation situations
-Has a reputation for being a little bit off-center back home

Outlook: One of the breakout performers of the U19 World Championship. Saved his best game for last, scoring 23 points with 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals against USA in the Finals. Was huge against Turkey in the semi-finals as well. Has the makings of a high level prospect with his tremendous size, frame, athleticism, playmaking ability, defensive potential and decent shooting stroke. If he can find a consistent outside jumper he is a very likely NBA player.


Diego Flaccadori, 6'5, Trento, Italy, 1996

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Good size for a playmaking shooting guard at 6-5 with a 6-8 wingspan
-One of the most creative players at the tournament. Tremendous talent with the ball in his hands
-Creates offense with terrific ball-handling skills, footwork and change of pace maneuvers. Keeps defenders off-balance with his herky jerky style.
-Uses shot-fakes, pass-fakes, euro-steps, and other trickiness
-Can make shots off the dribble when defenders go underneath screens
-Plays with great aggressiveness and confidence
-Throws in floaters off the glass with outstanding touch
-Terrific feel for finding teammates with a variety of types of passes. Drives and dishes with great creativity and flair
-Gets in the passing lanes with anticipation skills and timing

Weaknesses:
-Only 172 pounds. Frame is very frail and needs quite a bit of work. Some concerns about how much potential it has long-term.
-Was not particularly efficient at this tournament. 46% 2P%, 30% 3P
-Not a consistent enough shooter at this point. Shot-selection has something to do with this. Almost all of his jumpers at the U19s came off the dribble. This is partially due to the abnormally large role he was forced to shoulder due to injuries on his squad.
-Not always strong enough to get into the teeth of the defense and finish through contact. Shoots too many floaters.
-Average defender at best. Doesn't always give the best effort here. Lack of strength is a hindrance. Will be the biggest obstacle he has to overcome to play in the NBA.

Outlook: Combo guard who can dribble, pass and shoot. Terrific option in pick and roll and isolation situations. Followed up a strong showing at the Adidas EuroCamp with an even better tournament with the U19 national team. Had a very good game against USA, showing his game isn't hampered by the athleticism of the Americans. Barely played last season in the Italian first division, which is surprising.


Terrance Ferguson, 6'6, Prime Prep Academy, USA, 1998

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-6-7 in shoes
-Incredibly explosive leaper. Elevates high above the rim in warmups with amazing ease
-Very good potential as an outside shooter. Makes catch and shoot jumpers regularly. Very confident in it (six attempts per game in just 22 minutes at the U19s)
-Can come off screens. Creates separation well thanks to tremendous athleticism
-Competitive defensively
-Only turned 17 a few months ago. Over two years younger than many of the players in attendance

Weaknesses:
-Only 183 pounds. Frame is somewhat frail, especially in the lower body, and will take time to fill out.
-Wingspan is average, measured between 6-8 and 6-9.
-Poor ball-handler. Struggles to create his own shot off the dribble in the half-court. Rarely gets to free throw line
-Shooting mechanics are not consistent. Sometimes shoots with a very low release. Often off-balance. Tends to jump too high and shoot on the way down
-Doesn't have any real in-between game. Shooting 3s in the half-court and running the floor in transition are his two main sources of production
-Awareness, feel for the game still a work in progress

Outlook: Freakishly athletic shooting guard with great size and good potential as an outside shooter. Draws comparisons to the likes of Jeremy Lamb and Gerald Green, but seems to have better competitiveness and overall potential defensively. Didn't have an amazing showing (7.9 PER), but still held his own in Crete despite being one of the youngest players in attendance.


Marc Garcia, 6-6, Barcelona, Spain, 1996

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Good size for a shooting guard
-Smooth athlete. Very fluid and mobile.
-Good instincts as a scorer and shot-creator.
-Terrific footwork on drives
-Shifty ball-handler with right hand. Changes speeds and directions. Gets low to the ground
-Doesn't turn ball over very often (13% career TOV%)
-Has done a great job of getting to free throw line at every level he's played at (6.7 attempts per-40 even in ACB)
-Has good shooting mechanics and has made quite a few 3-pointers in his career (2.5 makes per-40 in 113 career games)
-Reliable free throw shooter (85% in Crete, 78% career)
-Great instincts jumping in the passing lanes (2.6 steals per-40 in Crete, close to 2 per-40 career)

Weaknesses:
-Very thin frame which may struggle to fill out long-term
-Very poor finisher around the basket. Has struggled to convert inside the arc at every level he's played at. Career 40% 2P%. Shocking 24% for 2 at this tournament
-Not an explosive athlete. That, combined with his thin frame makes it difficult for him to finish around the rim. Settles for floaters regularly. Crumbles at the first sign of contact. Needs to improve his off hand on his finishes
-Struggling badly with his jump-shot as of late. 29% for 3 in the ACB this season. 30% at this tournament. In a huge funk from beyond the arc in past year plus.
-Not a great passer. Looks to create almost exclusively for himself
-A little bit of a gunner at times. Takes questionable shots
-Poor defender. Lacks toughness and strength. Intensity level leaves a lot to be desired. Doesn't close out with urgency. Doesn't fight through screens.

Outlook: Creative shooting guard with nice scoring instincts. In the midst of a difficult period, coming off a tough season in the ACB. Seems to have lost much of his swagger which made him such an intriguing player earlier in his career. Frame needs to improve substantially. Still flashes signs of intrigue with his ability to draw fouls, get in the passing lanes and make an occasional jumper, but needs to improve his defense, shooting consistency and become a much better finisher inside the arc to reach the tremendous potential he showed earlier in his career. Rights are owned by Barcelona, so will almost certainly be on loan again next year.


Corey Johnson, 6-5, Harvard, Canada, 1996

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Not extremely tall at 6-5, but has a very long 6-11 wingspan and a frame that is continuing to fill out.
-Arguably the best shooter at the tournament. Picture perfect shooting mechanics
-Automatic with feet set. Deep range. Hits shots with a man in his face.
-Runs to the corners in transition and is a huge threat in the early offense
-Makes extra pass. Plays within himself. Rarely turns ball over. High basketball IQ
-Length gives him a chance to be a solid defender when combined with his competitiveness and smarts

Weaknesses:
-Somewhat one dimensional. Was taken out of games by aggressive defenders looking to deny his jumper
-Needs to improve his ability to come off screens
-Needs to improve his ability to make shots off the dribble
-Ball-handling skills are rudimentary
-Poor finisher around the basket. Lacks great strength and explosiveness. Doesn't create contact inside the paint and get to the free throw line
-Gets blown by off the dribble a little too often defensively. Can continue to improve here
-Like many Canadians, going into high school a year older than most US-born collegiate freshmen.

Outlook: High level shooter with good size, length, feel and competitiveness. A huge steal for Harvard. Went to a small high school in Ottawa and was off the radar screen of better colleges seemingly (even though we liked him quite a bit at the FIBA U18s last summer and wrote as much). Needs to continue to improve his all-around polish, but has all the tools to do so and plays a role that is extremely coveted in today's NBA.


Okben Ulubay, 6'7, Anadolu Efes, Turkey, 1996

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Great size for a shooting guard at 6-7.
-Extremely versatile player who can do a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor
-Brings ball up the floor and initiates the offense at times
-Can play some pick and roll
-Gets to the free throw line at a high rate
-Creative passer. Finds open man in different situations
-Can post up a bit. Shoots a lot of turnaround jumpers
-Outstanding defender when motivated. Gets in a stance, moves feet. Can guard multiple positions
-Good instincts getting in passing lanes.
-Can make an occasional outside shot. Jumper not totally broken

Weaknesses:
-Not an efficient offensive player. 45% TS% at the U19s. Has been an issue his whole career
-Lacks consistency as a shooter. Shoots a very flat jumper. Contorts body. Needs to improve the arch on his shot and improve his lower body mechanics
-Struggles to finish around the basket. Made just 42% of 2-point attempts at U19s. Shies away from contact. Doesn't use off hand.
-Doesn't play with any real intensity. Often looks like he's just going through the motions, on both ends of the floor

Outlook: Staple of the Turkish national junior teams since the age of 15. Fifth summer in a row playing for the national team despite only being 19. Saw a handful of minutes this season in the Turkish league and Euroleague for Anadolu Efes, but mostly played for their second division team (Pertevniyal), where he was up and down. Extremely talented, but gives off a vibe as being somewhat of an underachiever. Lacks intensity and consistency. Has a definite chance to be a NBA player if he can maximize his potential defensively and become a consistent outside shooter.


Vanja Marinkovic, 6'5, Partizan, Serbia, 1997

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Decent size for a shooting guard at 6-5. Nice body. Solid length.
-Above average athlete. Can elevate around the basket. Solid quickness.
-One of the best shooters in the tournament. 44% for 3 on 4.6 attempts per game. 86% FT
-Very good shooter with feet set. Catches and shoots with good form. Has great range.
-Terrific weapon in transition and in early offense running to the corners. Decent speed running to the rim as well
-Can come off screens a bit
-Can pull-up off the dribble a bit.
-Makes contested shots in impressive fashion.
-A year younger than most of the competition

Weaknesses:
-One-dimensional player offensively right now. Struggles to create own shot
-Poor ball-handler.
-Struggles to finish around the basket in the half-court. Avoids contact. Doesn't get to free throw line (seven attempts in 191 minutes in Crete). Doesn't use off-hand.
-Can improve the quickness of his release. Dips the ball unnecessary on the catch
-Doesn't create much for teammates. Average passer

Outlook: A staple of the Serbian junior national teams at the U16, U17 and U18 age groups. One of the most experienced players at the tournament, after seeing 15 minutes per game at age 17/18 in the Serbian league, EuroCup and Adriatic League for Partizan. Had a handful of very impressive performances in senior competition. Struggled against better competition at the U19s, but ended up having a solid tournament with some good showings in the consolation bracket. Has some interesting tools to work with his solid physical tools and perimeter shooting ability.


Radovan Djokovic, 6'5, Mega Vizura, Serbia, 1996

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Decent size and length for a SG
-Versatile player. Does a lot of different things. Creative
-Plays some point guard at times.
-Can play at different speeds. Uses Euro-steps. Nice footwork
-Good feel for moving off the ball. Makes smart cuts.
-Soft touch around the basket. Uses the glass nicely.
-Decent shooting stroke. Can make a shot off the dribble or with feet set. Hit 50%
-Can pull-up in mid-range.
-Tries on defense
-Tries on D.

Weaknesses:
-Not a great athlete. Lacks explosiveness with his first step and vertically
-Very high dribble. Fairly wild with the ball. Dribbles into brick walls.
-Turnover machine at every level he played at. Astounding 6.9 turnovers per-40 in Crete. 4.8 turnovers per-40 on career
-Struggles to get all the way to the basket. Throws up a lot of garbage around the rim.
-Very streaky shooter throughout his career. 21/70 in 900 career minutes we have charted
-Lacks great lateral quickness on defense. Can he guard high-level shooting guards at the NBA level?


L.J. Peak, 6'5, Georgetown, USA, 1996

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Not overly tall (6-3 without shoes) but has a terrific frame (212 pounds) and an extremely long wingspan (6-9 ½) that allows him to play much bigger than his height
-Very good athlete
-Can attack in a straight line with a very quick first step
-Great quickness in the open court
-Outstanding defender. Guarded multiple positions in Crete. Long and competitive Great lateral quickness. Can get up and put tremendous pressure on the defense
-Gets in passing lanes on a regular basis.

Terrific defender. Catch and shoot jumpers. Pretty good athlete. Gets to rim.

Weaknesses:
-Limited offensive player. Was neither a prolific, nor efficient scorer as a freshman or at the U19s
-Poor outside shooter. Career 26% 3-point shooter. Made only two 3s in 95 minutes in Crete and 56% of his free throws
-Average ball-handler. Called for a travel almost every time he tried to put ball on floor.
-Often looked out of control trying to create own shot in the half-court. Can't change speeds or directions with the ball. Only drives right
-Needs to improve shooting mechanics. Shoots it differently almost every time. Dips ball significantly. Sometimes flails elbow out, and contorts body sideways as he elevates for jumpers
-Can't really create his own shot

Outlook: Solid role-player for USA. Defended, ran the floor, and mostly stayed out of the way on offense in the half-court. Made one huge 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter in the Gold medal game against Croatia.

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