The second Russian standout among the big men is Vladimir Ivlev, one of only two players averaging a double-double throughout the championship. His rebounding was especially impressive, ranking second overall in this category.
Ivlev has a slender body frame with long arms, as well as good leaping ability, mobility and agility. He runs the floor well and shows solid hands and quick feet. Offensively hes still very raw and limited in the low post, but when his teammates can find him close to the basket, or cutting inside, he showed to be a great finisher. Ivlev converted on an outstanding 72.2% of his 2-point field goals, leading the tournament by a wide margin. He was able to compensate for his lack of pure strength and coordination with good intensity and toughness, allowing him to really make his presence felt around the basket at times. Although he can hit the occasional mid-range jumper, his outside shooting isnt his strongest point. He may have more potential here than he was able to show, though, as he did convert on an impressive 79% of his free throws. His ball-handling skills also show signs of potential. Hes not a guy who turns the ball over too often, even emerging as a solid passer for his team at times.
Ivlev shows a strong effort on defense, not being shy of contact despite his lack of strength. He did lack the bulk to be effective against some of the stronger opponents he matched up against, though. His length and athleticism did not necessarily translate to the shot-blocking category, which he averaged just .6 per game.
Although the success rates of Russian talents is anything but stellar judging by the last few years, there is reason to be optimistic about Ivlevs chances. We will have to see how he continues to develop over the next few years.
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