2011 Adidas Eurocamp Blog - Day 1
Day 1
Some have touted this 2011 Draft as the best ever for international prospects where we can see as many as six or seven go in the first round alone. So it's no surprise that GMs and front office personnel flocked to the Adidas Eurocamp to catch a closer glimpse at their potential franchise player.
Congo power forward Bismack Biyombo's stock has been on a tear the past several months, coming from relative obscurity into the lottery picture with his raw athleticism and tremendous length. We thought that he could go as high as 7 to Sacramento or 8 to Detroit just a couple of weeks ago, but that might be as high as Biyombo's stock will get. He went through an individual workout in the morning on Day 1 and that's just not what best suits his talents at this moment. He isn't going to wow you with his low-post moves or 12-foot jump shot, because those aspects are still developing. Biyombo came away relatively unimpressive and should be picked up somewhere between 10-20 on draft night.
Similarly, Lithuanian power forward Donatas Motiejunas drew reviews that could push his stock down a bit too into the 15-25 range. Motiejunas moves well and have some nice offensive moves to score the ball in the low post and from the mid-range, but his shots just weren't falling in his individual workout.
Lucas Noguiera hit the international scene the same way Biyombo broke-out at the Nike Hoop Summit in April. Biyombo recorded a triple-double with 10 blocks against some of America's premier up-and-coming talent, including future lottery picks and national champions. Noguiera has a long, lean frame with almost no offensive game, but his size, length and athleticism allow him to affect the game in a variety of ways. He recorded 27 blocks in five games in the FIBA Americas a year ago and had 22 points and 14 rebounds against Team USA. However, in both the 2011 Nike Hoop Summit and on Day 1 of Eurocamp, Noguiera looked exceptionally raw and uncomfortable.
Keeping on the current theme of big men, Leon Radosevic, the 6'10" 20-year old from Croatia was impressive in his action at Camp. He's been playing some major minutes with Cibona Zagreb this season and established himself as a big-time performer with his size and ability to finish scoring plays. He continues to establish himself as a pick-and-roll threat by finishing at the rim or as a pop option and knocking down a mid-range jumper from 15-feet out. With his high basketball IQ, scoring abilities and defensive expertise, Radosevic looks to secure himself as a second-round pick.
Equally impressive was Andreja Milutinovic, the Serbian wing. Milutinovic was 8-for-10 from the field, finishing with 20 points in his time. He showed off the ability to knock down tough shots with his size (nearly 6'8") and deep range and aggressive play attacking the rim as well.
By President Corey Ruff - 6-12-11
