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2015 FIBA U19 World Championship Scouting Reports: Power Forwards

2015 FIBA U19 World Championship Scouting Reports: Power Forwards
Jul 12, 2015, 02:22 pm
Scouting reports on seven of the top power forward prospects seen at the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship, including Harry Giles, Mohammad Yousofvand, Yankuba Sima, Borisa Simanic, Egemen Guven, Marko Arapovic and Esam Mostafa.
More FIBA U19 Content:
-Point Guard Scouting Reports
-Shooting Guard Scouting Reports
-Small Forward Scouting Reports
-Harry Giles Interview
-Jayson Tatum Interview
-Josh Jackson Interview
-Furkan Korkmaz Interview
-Vasilis Charalampopoulos Interview
-Ivica Zubac Interview
-Georgios Papagiannis Interview
-Tyler Dorsey Interview
-Nik Slavica Interview
-Terrance Ferguson Interview
-William McDowell White Interview
-Chinanu Onuaku Interview
-Corey Johnson Interview
-Okben Ulubay Interview
-Kostas Mitoglou Interview
-Egemen Guven Interview
-Berk Ugurlu Interview
-L.J. Peak Interview

Harry Giles, 6'10, Wesleyan Christian, USA, 1998
Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Amazing physical profile for a 17-year old. Around 6-10 ½ in shoes, with a 7-3 wingspan, a 9-1 standing reach and a phenomenal 227 pound frame that will fill out even more in time
-Tremendous athlete. Agile. Quick. Nimble. Explosive. Bouncy
-Runs the floor with incredible end to end speed
-Super aggressive offensive player. Scored 25 points per-40 at U19s
-Impressive natural basketball instincts. Always looks a step ahead of the play athletically
-Shows potential operating with back to basket, mostly using simple post moves.
-Good footwork that should continue to improve in time.
-Very good body control in the lane
-Great touch with either hand around the basket. Has impressive range on his jump-hook. Tosses in pretty floaters
-Can attack off the bounce with a powerful and very quick first step. Difficult to stay in front of
-Gets to free throw line at a strong rate.
-Tremendous rebounder. 19 rebounds per-40, led the tournament by a wide margin. Does it on both ends of the floor. Superb intensity, timing and quickness going after loose balls
-Lighting quick second jump. Often off his feet for a second offensive rebound attempt before his opponents can jump once
-Has great potential defensively with devastating combo of length, quickness and smarts. Multi-positional defender who can guard any of the frontcourt positions seemingly.
-Steps out on perimeter and stays in front of opponents with excellent lateral quickness. Huge weapon in USA press
-Great anticipation skills for blocks and steals
-Shows some potential with pull-up jumper

Weaknesses:
-Needs to develop a perimeter jump-shot. Struggles in his limited attempts at the U19s. Knees are locked, release is not fluid at all.
-Career 59% free throw shooter
-Very fluid in lower body, but upper body is a bit stiff
-Fundamentals on defense can improve. Gambles in passing lanes. Bites on pump-fakes
-Struggled to finish around the basket at a high rate in Crete. Converted under 50% of his attempts inside the paint in the half-court, not including post-ups
-Struggled to score with back to the basket against weaker opponents. Converted just 6 of his 20 attempts in post-up situations all tournament, while turning ball over on nearly a quarter of attempts
-Career 50% 2-point shooter thus far in 34 games we have charted
-Ball-handling skills still a work in progress. Solid in a straight line. Struggles when forced to change hands, directions or speeds
-Was very turnover prone at U19s. Doesn't always know limitations. Can score whenever he wants in AAU or against players his age. Was still adjusting to playing against better competition at the U19s, particularly in the final games.
-Average passer at best. Posted a 6% assist rate, which is very poor. 8% last summer at U17s and Nike EYBL.A little bit of a black hole at times. Looks to score every time he touches the ball

Outlook: Phenomenal prospect that was one of the best players at the tournament, despite being more than two years younger than much of the competition. Amazingly instinctive rebounder. Shows great potential defensively. Also has a nose for scoring even if his skill-level and overall polish still has a lot of room for improvement. Impresses with his intangibles as much as he does with his talent. Looks very grounded and humble, which is a great sign for someone his age getting as much attention as he is, for a few years now. Has considerable room for improvement, which is scary considering how good he is already.


Mohammad Yousofvand, 6'9, Qazvin, Iran, 1996
Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Good size for a power forward at 6-9 with above average length
-Has a solid frame that should fill out
-Good athlete. Quick. Bouncy. Can play above the rim with ease. Threw down some very impressive dunks at the U19s
-Great offensive rebounder. 4.6 per-40 at U19s. 8.5 per-40 at FIBA U18 Asia last summer. Very active on glass.
-Good in transition. Runs floor well. Can handle ball in open court a bit
-Made a handful of 3-pointers in the tournament (7/21 in 7 games), showing he might have some potential here to improve in the future. Touch isn't bad. Made 71% of free throws
-Plays with good energy and spirit
-Uses long arms, quickness and solid anticipation skills to get in the passing lanes consistently (3 steals per-40 in Crete)

Weaknesses:
-Not very polished offensively. Gets most of his offense running the floor, crashing offensive glass, playing off the ball
-Doesn't have a consistent means of scoring
-Shooting stroke is not very pretty. Heaves ball at basket.
-Rudimentary ball-handler
-Doesn't have much of a post-game
-Feel for game is average. Shot-selection, decision making can be questionable at times. Plays mostly off his instincts
-Fundamentals on defense are poor. Gambles wildly. Not a rim protector. Struggles stepping out to the perimeter. Very upright in stance. Just kind of flies around on defense.

Outlook: One of the best rebounders at the U19s. Had two games of 20+ rebounds. Found ways to score as well. Not exceptionally talented for the highest levels, but has good physical tools and is fairly productive.


Yankuba Sima, 6'9, St. Johns, Spain, 1996
Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Great frame that will fill out considerably in time
-Long arms
-Solid athlete. Moves well.
-Can set quick screens and roll swiftly to the rim to catch and finish. Reliable finisher when catching the ball on the move in the paint
-Good rebounder. Can go out of area with quickness and length.
-Solid rim-protector. 3.3 blocks per-40.
-Has the ability to step out onto perimeter and stay in front of smaller players
-Gets in passing lanes (1.7 steals per-40)
-Has decent form on jumper. Made a handful of jump-shots at U19s, even an occasional 3-pointer. May be able to develop this part of his game in time

Weaknesses:
-Not a naturally high-motor guy. Intensity level comes and goes. Will jog half-heartedly up and down the floor at times
-Conditioning isn't great. Tires fairly easily
-Mostly a catch and finish guy offensively. Has poor footwork.
-Doesn't have any ability to score with back to the basket
-Hands are so-so. Will bobble some good passes at times
-Not consistent with jumper yet. Only shot 57% from free throw line. 49% from line at U18s last summer
-More of a center than a power forward offensively, but undersized for the position at 6-9

Outlook: Rebounded from a very poor high school season with a solid tournament in Crete. Lacks elite size or athleticism to be considered a top-shelf big man prospect from an NBA standpoint, but should nevertheless be a difference maker at the college level at St. John's with a chance to get drafted down the road if his skill-level, feel for the game and motor continue to improve.


Borisa Simanic, 6'11, Radnicki Basket, Serbia, 1998
Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Has great size for a power forward at 6-10 or possibly taller
-Very lanky frame, but should fill out nicely in time
-Has long arms and big hands
-Smooth, mobile and agile athlete
-More bouncy than he looks on first glance
-Has great hands
-Terrific scoring instincts. Averaged 24 points per-40 minutes shooting 74% from 2-point range
-Tremendous touch from anywhere on the floor. Extremely reliable finisher. Converted 72% of his attempts around the basket.
-Moves intelligently off the ball. Nice feel for cutting to open spots and finding angles to score. Very good footwork
-Finishes from different vantage points in impressive fashion with long wingspan and big hands. Huge range on his swooping hook shots
-3-pointers didn't make up a huge part of his arsenal at this tournament, but has a terrific stroke. Career 40% 3-point shooter on large volume of attempts. Can make shots with feet set or even off the dribble
-Can put ball on floor a bit in a straight line.
-Shows some potential on defense with his size, length and timing. Gets in passing lanes regularly (3 steals per-40 at U19) and also blocks shots as well (3.7 per-40). Can step out onto perimeter and contest shots in impressive fashion with his length

Weaknesses:
-Lacks strength in a major way at the moment
-Was somewhat of a defensive liability at the U19s, which helps explain why he played only 17 minutes per game, despite his tremendous scoring rate (and efficiency). Opposing teams went at him time after time and were able to score fairly consistently
-Doesn't play with enough urgency. Gets screened too easily. Allows himself to get pushed around inside and outside. Gets posted up
-Too upright in his stance. Has a high center of gravity. Struggles to stay in front of opponents. Gets blown by off the dribble and scored on by mediocre players.
-Poor rebounder at every level he's played at. 8.1 per-40 at U19. Similar numbers for career. Lack of strength is an issue, but so is lack of toughness and intensity level
-Tends to settle for floaters around the basket. Avoids contact like the plague
-Doesn't draw free throws. Career sub-2 free throw attempt per-40 .

Outlook: 17-year old playing at U19 level. One of the most talented players at the tournament and possibly one of the top long-term prospects as well. Game comes very easy for him. Was utilized as a mobile 4/5 who mostly cuts to the rim, finishing on pick and roll and runs the floor, but is more versatile than that in reality. A pure face the basket power forward who can space the floor and score from all over the floor. Some real concerns about his mentality as he often looks like he's operating at half-speed. Lacks aggressiveness in a major way. Shows up most prominently at the moment on defense and on the glass. Had opportunity to leave Serbia for the US or Spain (Barcelona), but appears likely to stay in the Red Star system.


Egemen Guven, 6'10, Karsiyaka, Turkey, 1996
Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Good size for a power forward at around 6-10, with nice length
-Tremendous frame. Huge shoulders. Will easily fill out his frame down the road and look very impressive
-Has very nice mobility. Agile big man who covers ground nicely
-Solid rebounder on both ends of the floor. Good knack for crashing the offensive glass
-Soft touch around the basket. Hits mid-range and turnaround jumpers. Likes to toss in floaters
-Can step out on the pick and roll in impressive fashion
-Protects the rim with length and mobility

Weaknesses:
-Stuck between the power forward and center positions. Not big enough to be a full-time center at the highest levels. Not skilled enough to be a power forward unless he continues to add things to his game
-Played without any real toughness at the U19s. Settled for soft floaters regularly instead of going up strong around the basket and trying to draw fouls
-Struggles to score with back to the basket
-Barely got to free throw line
-Needs to continue to extend the range on his jump-shot. Release is slow, with a long wind-up and significant ball-dip. Career 64% free throw shooter
-Has an average feel for the game. Never gets in passing lanes (career .4 steals per-40)
-Can he stay healthy long-term?

Outlook: Talented prospects coming off a difficult season, marred by injuries. Looked very out of sorts at times. Somewhat of a tweener without one great skill he can hang his hat on. Will need to go find minutes to continue his development, but that will be very difficult with the amount of money he currently makes in Karsiyaka. Scouts appear to be cooling on him, but has time to reverse that momentum with some wise career decisions.


Marko Arapovic, 6'9, Cedevita, Croatia, 1996
Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Arguably the big man with the best feel for the game in Crete
-Tremendous passer. 5 assists per-40. Finds cutters flashing down the lane. Excellent in high-low situations
-Moves off the ball with great timing
-Can put ball down on floor from outside a bit and finish with a floater
-Can operate with back to the basket using crafty footwork
-Hits turnaround jumpers
-Crafty with his finishes around the basket
-Shows some potential as a floor spacer with feet set. Hit 36% of his 3-point attempts this past season against pro competition. Half of field goal attempts were 3s. Hit a handful of catch and shoot 3s at U19s
-Rebounds very well at junior level thanks to strong feel for game and intensity level
-Smart and competitive defender. Puts the effort in. Uses strength to advantage. Always gets a hand up on shooters.

Weaknesses:
-Lacks great physical tools. Not particularly quick or explosive. Heavy legged, and plays below the rim
-Has an old man's body which is not particularly toned
-Career 31% 3-point shooter through 160 games. Release point isn't consistent. Sometimes flings ball at basket or shoots from above the head
-Can't always gather himself for finishes off two legs when on the move.
-Major question marks about how his interior game and rebounding ability will translate to the senior level.
-Lacks the length and explosiveness to protect the rim
-Lacks the quickness to move his feet out on the perimeter and stay in front of quicker players

Outlook: Named to All-Tournament team after an extremely productive showing. Averaged 21 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals per-40 minutes. Old school big man with a high skill-level, a great motor and an excellent basketball IQ. Already saw solid rotation minutes at a high level for Cedevita last season. Role will likely continue to grow this upcoming year. Will never wow scouts with his physical tools or upside, will need to win them over with his sheer productivity instead. Developing a consistent outside shot will be a major key in that.


Esam Mostafa, 6'8, Al Ahly, Egypt, 1999
Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
Youngest player at tournament at just 15 years old.
-Strong frame. Very thick legs. Long arms.
-Good scoring instincts
-Has some versatility already offensively
-Solid touch. Can finish with either hand
-Can put ball on floor a bit
-Good feel for the game. Finds open man
-Rebounds very well, especially on offensive glass.
-Makes extra pass
-Competitive kid. Ties on defense. Sets screens. Active on glass.

Weaknesses:
-Not particularly athletic at the moment. Plays below the rim
-Undersized. Around 6-7 or possibly 6-8.
-Frame may be maxed out? Doesn't seem to have a huge amount of physical growth left.
-Has a center's game, but is very undersized for that position
-Poor lateral quickness
-What kind of upside does he have defensively?

Outlook: Skilled and smart 15-year old who showed some nice ability relative to his extreme youth. Played up by nearly four years here in Crete, which is very impressive. Will he continue to grow? How much upside does he have long-term?

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