Claudio Fonseca

Probably the player with the highest contrast between potential and expectations to fulfill, Fonseca can leave your mouth open just to want to shout at him at very next play. In the end, he always leaves a very underwhelming impression, and this is not the first time we see him, as he plays for Pamesa Valencia in Spain and has participated in the last couple of editions of the L'Hospitalet Tournament.

Where's the intrigue then? Fonseca is a pretty long power forward (listed at 6-9, he could be around 6-10) with excellent athleticism and some serious skills. He shows a great body, still slim, but ripped and strong, with a good frame to add weight. He's a left-handed guy with an increasingly solid shooting stroke. Actually he looked extremely consistent in Sofia, netting almost every open spot-up shot he took out to the three-point line. He enjoys nice fluid mechanics with a high release point.

Not a good ball-handler, the most he can do is a couple of dribbles (preferably with his left) to take advantage of his quickness going to the rim, while he runs the court very well and can finish with layups (also in reverse fashion) or dunks almost as a wing. Showing good hands, he can score from the low post with turnaround jumpers or jump-hooks with a soft left handed touch, and almost always delivering moves to create separation from his opponent. Actually, here is where the concerns start arising. He's a soft player, plain and simple. He always tries to avoid contact and he's not effective at all dealing with it. Indeed, the super-skinny Milos Lopicic (mentioned above) completely out-powered him in the game against Montenegro by simple hustle and intimidation. Not only soft, Fonseca doesn't show competitiveness at all, and it's extremely rare to see him stepping up when his team needs him. On defense he's equally disappointing, capable of great punctual actions, but generally weak as well.

Fonseca will need a big change of mentality to turn into the elite player that his physical and technical gifts should allow him to become.