Basketball Without Borders, which took place in Oakland over all star weekend,consisted of international talent at all positions. Everyone on the roster was born in 2007 and although the roster didn’t quite stack up to some of the previous years, there were some names we can expect to hear at the next level in the coming years.
Top Prospects
1. Dash Daniels 6’5 199 PG/SG, 6’9.75 wingspan, 8’5 standing reach – Australia 2007
Daniels played well off the dribble and knows how to get where he wants with the ball. His change of speed and quickness, especially at his height, is impressive. He’s a solid athlete and, like his older brother Dyson, an exceptional defender, showing pride and competitiveness on that end, taking home the Defensive MVP award. He was one of the more impressive players in the camp, but he has room to improve as a 3PT shooter, which is his biggest need of improvement as a prospect.
2. Luigi Suigo 7’3 245 C, 7’3.75 wingspan, 9’6 standing reach – Italy 2007
Suigo was the only 7-footer on the roster and he has very good mobility in addition to his size. His hips aren’t stiff and he moves better than you would expect from a 7-foot plus 18-year-old. He has a nice 3PT shot and has pick and pop potential, as he demonstrated many times in the games. His shot wasn’t limited to catch and shoot, he also looked good shooting midrange shots off the dribble in drills and off movement. He caught some alley-oops and scored some around the basket as well.
3. Ognjen Srzentic 6’6 194 SG/SF, 6’9.75 wingspan, 8’7 standing reach – Serbia 2007
Srzentic is skilled and reads/reacts well with the ball. He got to his spots and read the help defender to find the open teammate throughout the camp. He showed plenty of outside shooting over the camp, but I still think there’s room to add consistency. In the 3PT contest, even shooting the same shot from the same spot seemed to drift to the side at times. He’s not real explosive or quick but is well coordinated. He’s also not real emotional, getting up or down, staying steady over the three days.
4. Ikenna Alozie 6’2 191 PG/SG, 6’5.75 wingspan, 7’10.5 standing reach – Nigeria 2007
Alozie was the most explosive guard of the bunch, even dunking on a defender on one play. He’s very quick and constantly gets downhill. He had some nice passes and made some plays with the ball but tends to have tunnel vision at times as well. He was vocal and effective running the show in both the half-court as well as transition. Defensively, he showed quickness and intensity on the ball, looking to turn steals into instant offense. The shooting consistency can improve but he had a very good showing to earn camp MVP.
5. Ater Bol Meen 6’7 182 SF/PF, 6’10.25 wingspan, 8’9.25 standing reach – South Sudan 2007
Bol stands out with his length and athleticism on his first impression, but it doesn’t take long to see he can shoot it with consistency. He also had some nice takes to the rim. He played intense on-ball defense, harassing the ball-handler and making them feel uncomfortable on a consistent basis. He will definitely need to get stronger, but Bol did a great job of competing and using this platform to improve his stock.
Others
Jordan Charles 5’11 155 PG, 6’3 wingspan, 7’11.25 standing reach – Canada 2007
Charles is a highly confident and aggressive guard. With his quickness and tight handle, he created and had some good takes to the basket. He’s not afraid of contact, making some difficult and contested layups. There were times he was trigger happy and hunted for his own shot but he still scored well and constantly put pressure on the defense. Charles wasn’t necessarily one of the best long-term prospects, but he had a good showing each day.
Guillermo Del Pino 6’4 183 PG – Spain 2007
Del Pino is a skilled ball-handler, passer, and shooter. He has a very calm demeanor, but I thought he could have picked up the intensity at times. On one play, he didn’t show any urgency to escape a double team, and it was too late to get out of a bad situation. He made some nice shots from outside and impressive reads/passes as well. He was crafty as a finisher too, hitting some difficult layups after penetrating. There were times he over-dribbled and as a lead guard, he’s going to have to be vocal and he didn’t show much of that on either end of the floor.
Nolan Kemm 6’3 182 PG/SG, 6’7.5 wingspan, 8’5.5 standing reach – Brazil 2007
Kemm used his ball-handling and quickness to get into the paint. He did a good job of beating his man and playing aggressive while staying under control. He was one of the more athletic guards and defended well. He also showed some nice passing and ability to set up teammates.
Jahel Trefle 6’9 218 PF/C, 6’8.5 wingspan, 8’11 standing reach – France 2007
Trefle is explosive jumping off one or both feet. He was alert and reliable finishing around the rim, with an aggressive style of play. He caught an alley-oop over the defender on a backdoor lob, which was the most athletic play I saw on the first day of camp. He didn’t show much shooting range, but he looked good from midrange on occasional attempts. He has a strong build and uses it in the paint with his physical play. He also has a consistent motor and rebounded well.
David Ugonna Ike 6’11 234 C, 7’0 wingspan, 9’3 standing reach – Nigeria 2007
Ike came in with some hype but didn’t do too much to stand out. He’s an explosive athlete and runs the floor well but his ball skills are too raw at this time. His 6’11 barefoot measurement seemed generous as well, seeming a few inches shorter. He had some dunks and has the tools to work with but would have liked to see him separate himself a bit more.
Arafan Diane 7’0 313 C, 7’2.5 wingspan, 9’4.5 standing reach – Guinea 2007
Diane is mobile but still has room to work on his body. He plays well with his back to the basket, with solid footwork and good touch on his jump hook. He also rebounds well, securing the ball with two hands and not budging if a defender gets a hand on it. He shows some ability to face up within 15 feet, but his scoring range is limited. He has good measurements and overall, he played hard and consistently impacted the game.
