Nysier Brooks, VEF Riga
© photo by Fiber BCL
After appreciating the talents in the submerged in Europe and those that still are related to the G-League it’s time to raise the bar and look in the leagues from which Italian clubs draw in the summer transfer phase: Poland, Israel, Germany and Greece are some of the locations where part of the most interesting rookies of this 2022/23 season are showing off , let’s go and discover them
Alonzo Verge (P/G – 1998 – Dabrowa Gornicza, Poland – 20.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists) Good playmaking instincts for this winger who doesn’t mind attacking the rim thanks to a remarkable athleticism; shooting from beyond the bow isn’t his thing (30.7%) but his slasher qualities adequately compensate and guarantee him the podium in terms of points in the Polish league. Thanks to his leadership, Dabrowa Gornicza is in the running for a place in the play-offs and also has a positive record in the Alpe-Adria cup, it’s easy to imagine that for next season he will try at a higher level
Payton Willis (P/G – 1998 – Hapoel Galil Gilboa, Israel – 16.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists) The Israeli team’s season for the moment is a semi-disaster and the only happy note is precisely the product from Minnesota, he has been making for over the arc of the three points with an unreal percentage (43%) considering the amount of attempts: 8.9 per game. The margins of growth given the nature to involve his companions are there but at the moment it is undoubtedly on the notebook of every GM looking for an elite shooter; curious the bad percentage from the foul line (64%) so it’s better that he stays and shoots from outside
Mark Smith (A – 1999 – BG Goettingen, Germany – 17.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists) German recruiting is confirmed at the top for the Old Continent, among the many rookies who landed in Teutonic soil I opted for this athletic winger who has a sculpted physique he combines a shot from beyond the arc which this season is surgical (42.9% out of 6.5 attempts per match) and game vision capable of rewarding his teammates. Goettingen is close to the trio made up of Alba, Bayern and Bonn, being able to dream of a continental qualification but it will probably be possible to enjoy Mark only for these last six months
Spencer Levi (A/C – 1999 – Yoast United, Netherlands – 15.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.6 blocks) The product of a tiny Divion II college landed in the Netherlands without any fanfare, then unexpected performance made him a possible market target for next summer: double double average (he collected 9 in the first 12 games) and current BNXT leader for rebounds and blocks. Don’t ask him to score from outside the area, free throws are already a problem (46.7%) but he’s particularly good at making room under the basket with dirty work
Nysier Brooks (C – 1996 – VEF Riga, Latvia – 12.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 0.9 assists) A long university career to then land in Latvia where he also stood out in the Basketball Champions League, a very concrete player who loves juggling near the basket (60.9% from the field) and be ready to rebound. He tends to never stay too much on the parquet, the typical struggles to change on the outside for a player his size and a few too many fouls make him imagine him as a valid complementary element in a deep roster
Breein Tyree (P/G – 1998 – Telenet Ostend, Belgium – 16.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists) After two seasons in the G-League hoping for the opportunity, never had, to wear an NBA jersey, he decided to cross the ocean to sign in Belgium, this winger with propensities for a purebred scorer: shooting from beyond the arc (39.3% out of 5.6 attempts per match) is preparatory for attacking the rim and sending his fans into raptures with elegant floaters or some acrobatic lay-ups . He will have to discipline himself and involve his teammates more but the talent to become a point guard in a top league is evident
Savion Flagg (A – 1999 – Lavrio, Greece – 13.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists) All-round winger who after a difficult start is trying to get the small club in the Athens hinterland back on its feet; not a great shooter (30% currently) but he is useful in every aspect, he is the player of substance who can be useful in rebounding, especially offensively, and as a facilitator as well as wasting a few possessions (1.1 lost per match in over 30′) . In the defensive phase he is reliable and his presence in every statistical item is essential for the salvation race so much so that the club has rejected offers, but will say goodbye at the end of the season
Austin Wiley (C – 1999 – Neptunas Klaipeda, Lithuania – 9.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks) He’s not a rookie having left Auburn early but he’s old enough to be able to feature this giant on the roster who occupies the area and intimidates any unwary approaching iron; if the figures don’t seem sensational considering that they are put together in just 18′ of the game, the management of fouls and the need to do short stints penalize him but in the minutes on the parquet it turns out to be a factor. In the last engagement of 2022 he recorded 14 points and 24 rebounds, a nice way to greet the new year
To complete an ideal roster they can also be added BRAD DAVISON e FATS RUSSELL or you can evaluate the hundreds of profiles on ITALIAN BASKETBALL SCOUTING
