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Giddey, sengun, garuba among the nba’s international prospects

Not too long ago, the goal of 6-foot-8 Aussie Josh Giddey was to play in the NBL, not in the NBA.

The Melbourne native had his country’s National Basketball League in mind when it came to his career goals, but his game has always improved – and so have his goals.

“I was good at basketball, but I don’t think I was in the position where I am now,” Giddey said. “My goal was to be a good NBL player. The NBA has always been a dream, but it only became a reality probably six to 12 months ago.

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Ga>, 18 Giddey, 18, is one of another round of intriguing international prospects who are expected to hear his name during Thursday’s NBA Draft. Other selections scheduled for the first round are Usman Garuba, a powerful center / striker from Spain, and Alperen Sengun, a center from Turkey.

Some NBA fans may not even know his name, as has been the case with other international player pool gems in recent years. Years as Luka Doncic (3rd general in 2018), Nikola Jokic (41st general in 2014) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (15th general in 2013).

Giddey, considered one of the best passers-by in the world draft, turned down college offers and instead chose to play last season for the Adelaide 36ers.

It seems to have been a good move.

In 28 games, he averaged 10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.6 league assists and 3.3 turnovers per game.

“Playing against adult men at a young age, I think it would accelerate my development,” Giddey told me in a draft in the online session.

He also gave credit to the NBA Global Academy for developing his game and having games on the radar with scouts.

Here are some of the key international prospects:

JOSH GIDDEY

With the ball in hand, he always seems to be in control and making good decisions.

HIGHLIGHTS: It’s a meager 205 pounds and not super explosive like other prospects, but it compensates with, one would say, a high basketball IQ. “I’m not the type to stand out. I’m a team player,” he said. “My game is a bit like you can see. Passing is my biggest strength … in the NBA because the field is so much more spaced out and widened – it will allow me to get into painting and do more reading, than “It’s about branding on myself or hitting teammates.”

WORRY: A blow to Giddey is his blow, which is a work in progress. He pulled 43% overall and only 29.3% from the 3-point line in a fairly small sample (29 of 99 long distance). He admits he had a slow start to the NBL season.

“It took me a while to find my pillows,” he said. “I think the shooting thing around me is a little stretched. I started the year so badly that it was hard for me to get back on track.”

USMAN GARUBA

Giddey did not come to Japan for the Olympics, but Usman Garuba played in the Tokyo Games for Spain alongside Pau Gasol, Ricky Rubio and his company.

HIGHLIGHTS: With its 6-foot-8, 230-pound frame, the defense is one of Garuba’s calling cards. Real Madrid’s powerhouse / striker was just 19 in March and has already two full seasons under his belt in the respectable Spanish National League and EuroLeague,

PRINCIPATIONS: He averaged 5.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in the Spanish League last season, with a slightly lower average than the Euroleague. He averaged 7.2 rebounds per game in the EuroLeague playoffs. But it has shown steady improvement. His EuroLeague averages last season were 4 points, 4 rebounds, 0.7 blocks and 0.6 steals in just over 16 minutes per game, which is good enough to win the “Rising Star” award. and voted. From the coaches.

“For me it was one of the most impressive things – watching what he was doing in the EuroLeague qualifier against Efes – changing those guards is difficult,” said Will Voigt, who coached in Germany last season with Bonn. “Not only did he hold on, but he played games. Seeing those flashes at this age, at this level, is pretty impressive. He can hold from 1 to 5.

ALPEREN SENGUN

Alperen Sengun is a powerful 6-foot-9, 240-pound “old school” center / striker. He models his game on Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal, as well as great current Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, he said.

POINTS POINTS: Their advantage. He was just 19 years old on Sunday, which means he was only 18 years old when he won the Turkish League MVP title last season with Besiktas. He averaged 18.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 34 games in 2020-21. Sengun has excellent footwork, a low-range range of motion, finishes skillfully with both hands, and is a good passer.

PRESOCCUPAZIONI: He’s not a good long-range shooter and lacks speed, especially on defense. “I need to improve my pick-and-roll defense and change the defense,” he said through a translator during a pre-draft media session on Monday.

BE CONNECTION LGIUM

Belgium is a hotspot for podcasts, usually not for NBA prospects. Vrenz Bleijenbergh and Amar Sylla hope to change this situation. Bleijenbergh had stolen a little under the radar, but no more. The 6-foot-10 goalkeeper has posted his pre-draft training sessions on his social media accounts – more than a dozen. For Antwerp last season, the 20-year-old averaged 9.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists per game and shot 33.5% from distance. On Saturday, in tweets, he quoted the day of the draft and indicated that a surprise was in store, post: “I can’t wait for the day when I prove that all the people who doubted me are wrong.” Sylla is another Belgium-based prospect who could find his place on an NBA roster. The 6-foot-9 striker is from Senegal and played for Ostend last season.

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