The 2014 NBA Draft is only a month away. Who are the top 5 European players entering the league?
5. Damien Inglis, Small ForwardStats, 2013-14: 27 GP, 15.3 MPG, 4.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1 APG, 49.5% FG
Damien Inglis is 6-foot-8-and-a-half weighing 240 pounds, and he has a wingspan of 7-foot-3. He has the strength of LeBron Jams (when entering the league) and the wingspan of Kawhi Leonard.
Strengths
Body: He's only 18 years old, but almost 6-foot-9, 240 pounds with a wingspan of 7-foot-3. He's physically ready to play in the NBA, averaging roughly 8 rebounds per 40 minutes.
Defense: He can guard any position from the 2 to the 4, and he uses his physical tools on defense like using his wingspan to get steals and blocks whilst using his weight to defend the post. Also, he has very good lateral quickness for defending guards.
Offensive Upside: He puts up similar numbers to Nicolas Batum's rookie year in France. Has great potential as a finisher with his strength and length. His shot mechanics are okay and can be worked on. He can handle the basketball in transition and has good passing instincts.
4. Kristaps Porzingis, Power Forward/CenterStats, 2013-14: 28 GP, 14.5 MPG, 5.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1 BPG, 46.1% FG
Kristaps Porzingis has shown very good shooting mechanics for a big guy and he is shooting a very solid field goal percentage. He's 7 feet tall in shoes and has shown potential on the defensive end.
Strengths
Shooting Ability: Shooting 32.5 percent from 3 at 19 years of age and being 7 foot is very enticing for teams. He also shows good mechanics.
Defensive Potential: Averaging almost one block and a steal per game whilst on playing 15 minutes a game shows a lot of potential on the defensive end.
Rebounding Potential: Although he didn't grab a lot of rebounds for his size, he's still averaging 7.6 rebounds per 40 minutes (pace adjusted).
3. Clint Capela, Power ForwardStats, 2013-14: 40 GP, 21.1 MPG, 10 PPG, 7 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 67.3% FG
Clint Capela is an explosive power forward (can play a bit of center) with an insane body at 6'11 and 7'4 wing span has shown some excellent potential to NBA scouts.
Strengths
Rebounding: He averaged seven rebounds a game in 21 minutes in France. This is roughly about 13 rebounds per 40 minutes, and this is great for the scouts to see
Finishing Ability: He finished at 68 percent at the rim and shot the highest field goal percentage in the Euro Cup at 71 percent.
Excellent Athlete: He's 6-foot-11 with shoes with a 9-foot-3 standing reach. He's very quick and speedy. He also has a decent vertical jump.
2. Jusuf Nurkic, CenterStats, 2013-14: 49 GP, 16.3 MPG, 10.8 PPG, 5 RPG, 1 BPG, 55% FG
Nurkic is a legitimate 7-footer with a 280-pound body and a 7-foot-2 reach. His body was literally built to bang with the bigs in the NBA. His efficiency is what stands him out from the rest.
Strengths
Efficiency: Nurkic posted a PER of 44, which is insane and unheard of. In per 40 minutes, he was averaging 33 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and two blocks per game. That is just crazy!
Rebounding Potential: Being so strong, tall and long gives him unlimited potential for rebounding. He is currently averaging 14 rebounds per 40 minutes.
Defensive Potential: Averaging four steals and two blocks per 40 minutes lets you know how good he could be on defense too. However, he has issues with fouling on defense a lot, but if that can get fixed the sky is the limit on D.
1. Dario Saric, Small Forward/Power ForwardStats, 2013-14: 48 GP, 32 MPG, 15.9 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 3.4 APG, 50.5% FG
I originally had Saric second, but after witnessing his dominating display at the EuroCup Final Four where he averaged 21.5 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and 2.5 blocks, I changed my mind. He also led his team to winning the EuroCup Final Four in upset victories.
Strengths
Offensive Versatility: Saric can score in multiple ways: getting to the rim, posting up, creating off the dribble, coming off screens, isolating—the list goes on and on. He also averaged seven assists over the two games in the Euro Cup Final Four.
Rebounding: He is averaging almost 10 rebounds a game, and at 6-foot-10 with a 6-foot-10 wing span, he has no issues of lack of length. He is also willing to bang down low to get rebounds on both ends.
Defensive Improvements Each Year: He has been known since he was 15 years old (he's currently 20 now), and his main weakness in the past has been his defense. Having shown defensive improvements the last two years, he has been proving he can guard on the perimeter and even guard the post. His stock has increased with his defensive capability.
