Emerging Prospects: Scouting Profiles from Adidas Next Generation Dubai
Unveiling the Top 10 Prospects and Noa Essengue's MVP Triumph with ratiopharm Ulm
Maxence Lemoine - 2007
6’3” Point Guard
Adidas Next Generation Dubai
Maxence was the standout guard of the tournament. He constantly put pressure on the defense to the tune of 7 free throw attempts per game. He was really good in pick and roll and has excellent change of pace. He kept the big defender honest by varying his footwork on a variety of different finishes in the paint. What separated him from the other guards was his ability to create for himself in late-clock situations. He either used the screen or beat the big on the switch. He favors a step-back three-pointer at the end of the clock. His team played two close games, and both times, he was the one making decisions down the stretch, including a game-tying field to send the game into overtime. He was extremely confident and stood out on a team with other high-level talents. While showcasing very good playmaking, he can sometimes have tunnel vision and go stretches where he is the only one touching the ball for a possession. (15 pig, 5 app, 46/33/68)
Yohann Sissoko - 2006
6’5 Combo Guard
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne
Sissoko is a great athlete and a blur in transition. He has great size at the point guard position. He relentlessly attacked the basket and lived at the foul line, averaging 7 attempts per game. His first step was of the best at the event, and clearly, Sissoko was one of the most physically gifted prospects in Dubai. While he has great speed, he will need to learn to change speeds as he only has one gear right now. With that one gear, he can get sped up, which leads to a lot of turnovers. His jump shot at this age is a work in progress as he shot 9% from 3 over the four-game stretch. A positive is that he did shoot 79% from the foul line. (16 ppg, 37% FG)
Anthony Rodriguez - 2006
6’11 Post
Dubai Falcons Basketball Academy
To be quite frank, Rodriguez is EXTREMELY raw. It’s pretty obvious that he hasn’t played a lot of basketball. However, Rodriguez is a legit rim runner with good instincts. He defends well and is a solid rebounder. He didn’t have the best guard play, and it was clear his team focused on getting him the ball in post-ups. This is where you could see the lack of experience. While the game seems new, he does appear to have good shooting touch, as he shot 80% from the foul line and averaged 8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Marko Tofoski - 2006,
6’4” Wing
Dubai Falcons Basketball Academy
Tofoski was aggressive throughout the event and had to be, as his team lacked talent. The slashing wing took advantage of his opportunities and did what he could to keep his team in games. He’s a good athlete who excels in transition. He has good footwork in the half-court and often uses elongated steps to slice through the defense. His best game of the event came against the eventual champions, Ratiopharm Ulm, in which Tofoski led his team to an upset victory, scoring 25 points. (15 ppg, 38 % FG, 6 FTA/g)
Theo Airhienbuwa - 2006
6’7” Wing
Adidas Next Generation Dubai
Airhienbuwa looked like the ultimate complimentary piece for a talented team. The wing showcased good athleticism and a very good shooting touch from deep. The lefty uses his strong frame with broad shoulders to attack closeouts. He often drew the opposing team’s best offensive player. (11 ppg, 38% from 3)
Miikka Muurinen - 2007
6’10” Wing
Adidas Next Generation Dubai
Muurinen came into the event with big expectations, at least from my point of view. Watching him in warmups, you see all the talent and physical tools to be a great player. He has good shooting touch; he shows flashes of being able to handle the ball. He has impressive one-on-one moves in warmups, but then the actual game happened. Very little of what you saw in warmups translated to the actual game. I don’t know if he was under the weather or jet-lagged, but he seemed content with just being out there. He didn’t play a lot of minutes, though he started 3 of the 4 games. He was not on the court during the crucial final moments in two tightly contested games. He doesn’t appear comfortable dribbling the ball under any pressure, and he bobbled the ball more than a few times with no pressure from the defense. While it wasn’t all bad, he did throw down a few monster dunks and hit a few isolation threes to make you wonder why he was such a tease. He was easily the second most talented player at the event, only to Noa Essengue, who appears to be on the path to the NBA.
Noa Essengue - 2006
6’9” Wing
Ratiopharm Ulm
He came to play and won the MVP of the event. He handled his business and was clearly sending a message. His motor was on display from the opening game, no matter the opponent. He played the passing lanes, blocked shots, and cleaned the glass. He routinely turned defensive rebounds into fast-break layup attempts. Essengue was impossible to keep out of the paint, as evidenced by his 11 free throws per game. The only thing that could stop him from scoring was the foul line, where he shot a paltry 43%. He also shot 3/13 from 3 over the four games. Poor shooting numbers aside, he averaged 20 and carried his team to the championship, including a 33-point game against a very good Zalgiris team.
Mantas Juzenas - 2006
6’6” Wing
Zalgiris Kaunas
Juzenas is a do-it-all forward. He handles, he’s active on the offensive glass, cuts, and posted up; every way you think of how to score, Juzenas did that. He does have some ability off the dribble, but more times than not, he pulled up for a jumper. His best asset right now is his ability to shoot off the catch, which seemed like it was going in with every attempt. He’s a very good player on a very good team. (18 ppg, 10.5 rebs, 40% 3P)
Nedas Raupelis - 2006
6’9” Post
Zalgiris Kaunas
Raupelis anchored the defense for the best team at the event, although they came up short in the title game. Though a bit undersized, Raupelis is an effective rim protector. He changed shots and altered the course of the game when he was on the floor. He’s very active on the offensive glass, with a quick second jump. He has a good frame and great leaping ability, allowing him to play the five, though he was often shorter than the opposing team’s centers. He’s pretty limited on offense and relies on his guards to find him looks. (12 ppg, 7.5 reb, 2 bpg)
Joan Beringer - 2006
6’10” Post
Adidas Next Generation Dubai
Beringer is a rim running big man. He has a long, slender frame but is not afraid to mix it up on the glass. He the best shot blocker at the event (2.3 bpg) and controlled the glass (7.5 reb.) His team didn’t feed him too many times in the post as he scored the majority of his points in the dunker spot or off offensive rebounds.