FIBAU19: An Eight-Man Roster to Watch

It is the time of the year when most international prospects suit up for their national team. They compete and showcase in different age groups in front of their families, a few hundreds of fans and a legion of scouts from all over the professional leagues. And the biggest price of the summer is just around the corner, heating up and bringing good vibes all over: it’s the FIBAU19 World Cup from Heraklion, in Crete.

As historically happens in this tournament, we will miss some of the most talented players of this generation because of the NBA Draft and a number of other reasons (Doumbouya, Sirvydis, Smailagic, RJ Barrett, Samanic, Zagars, Maledon, Hayes, the American lot). There are still plenty of guys to keep us interested and ready to enjoy this event: Rokas Jokubaitis, Marko Pecarski, Filip Petrusev, AJ Lawson, Leandro Bolmaro, Francisco Caffaro, Kai Sotto, Joel Ayayi, and many others that you may still not know.

With this wealth of talent in mind, and for my first piece on Medium, I have selected within a roster structure a string of 8 players who are worth keeping an eye on not just for the next ten days or so, but for the rest of their careers.

Let’s meet them while we wait for Saturday 29th of June to come…

JAHCOBI NEATH / Canada (00) — 6’4 Guard / Crestwood Prep (NPA)

We are in the era of Canadian hoops, and so it’s been for a while. The first time Jahcobi Neath came to my attention, he was balling in the National Prep Association (NPA) alongside Ole Miss redshirt freshman Franco Miller. Both were part of a versatile and athletic backcourt for Crestwood Prep, with Jahcobi playing more off the ball, advertising his explosiveness and shooting range. A year fast-forward, Neath has become his own man winning the NPA title and its MVP award among other numerous accolades. Now he’s on his way to play College Hoops in the ACC next season with Wake Forest.

Over the last 12 months Jahcobi has gained muscle, becoming a complete combo who can play defense and switch from running an offense to main scoring option using his elite burst to break defenders. He’s able to absorb contact and finish at the rim with ferocious dunks or timed layups. When stepping in the paint he will find his bigman or the open shooter. But Jahcobi is also a confident shooter himself, ready to pull up any given time showing off his NBA range.

What’s the challenge at the next level for Neath? To establish himself as a playmaker with more shake and creation for teammates while cutting TOs in the process. On the same note, defense can improve if he keeps his concentration and active legs for longer periods, avoiding ball-watching and being aware of the danger in close-outs.

The absence of Andrew Nembhard with the U19 national team this summer opens the door for the PG role with AJ Lawson as the main initiator in this Canada roster. However, if Jahcobi produces for the team and keeps his defensive motor switched on, it will also help his future role at Wake Forest, where he’ll play initially next to a scoring PG like Brandon Childress.

JUAN IGNACIO MARCOS / Argentina (00) — 6’3 Guard / Peñarol (Liga Nacional)

Lean and long, face of a child and light on his feet, Juan Ignacio Marcos announced himself to the rest of the world over a year ago during the first game of the FIBAU18 Americas. And it was glorious: ridiculous shooting streaks, own shot creation on step-backs, crazy spin moves, and craftiness and touch in the lane.

The Juani Marcos show went on smoothly during the tournament, even when floor general and TCU commit Francisco Farabello got injured. Juani took over the PG spot alongside another under 6’3 wizard like Marcos Giordano, and continued to produce buckets and plays for a team built around the imposing presence of UVA’s 7 footer Francisco Caffaro.

Marcos projects as a solid bucket getter at euro level, with work to do on defense but with plenty of offensive tools and shooting firepower. But it’s versatility and playmaking what makes him one of the most intriguing Latin American prospects. Although careless at times, he has vision in the open court, and the ability to read cuts or reverse the ball for the weak-side shooter. He can break defenders on skill and swag, but has more problems against size and athleticism, moreover on the defensive end. His wingspan and effort make a difference there, especially regarding passing lanes or at the top of a zone, but he needs to get stronger in order to compete at higher stages.

Over the season Juani has suited up for Peñarol in the Liga Nacional filling mostly as a SG with licence to kill and some brilliant clutch moments. In Crete, nevertheless, he will offer leadership at PG in a roster that resembles very much last year’s structure: three lively guards bringing buckets in turns and spacing around Caffaro, plus FC Barcelona’s wing Leandro Bolmaro, back after injuries in an all-around fill-the-gaps scoring role.

DOVYDAS GIEDRAITIS / Lithuania (00) — 6’3 Guard / Estudiantes (EBA-Spain)

This will be the second U19 world cup for Dovydas Giedraitis, who was one of the youngest players in the 2017 Egypt edition along with fellow Lithuanian Rokas Jokubaitis, both filling up in the PG role. Since then, Dovydas has learned his trade in Spain with Estudiantes farm team, playing in the Liga EBA (the 4th local division) and within an offensive system based on PnR and spreading the floor, nurturing fundamentals off the bounce and range shooting.

Suiting up with a competitive 00 born generation (Sola, Arroyo, Tamayo, Grytsak, Alderete…) and carrying the scoring load as the main initiator together with Chilean Nacho Arroyo, Giedratis has established himself as a sharp 3pt-shooter off screens, from the corner or pulling up. He has also worked on his mid-range, and become tough in the drive, slicing defences like a dancer in the lane, skilled with either hand or absorbing contact thanks to his short but strong frame and shoulders.

He just gets buckets and takes a ton of shots, with some TOs and poor shooting % at times, but has developed his vision in the process. Keeping in mind the level of competition Dovydas has been facing, the way he creates his own shot with pump fakes and step-backs, and his IQ improvement look all but translatable at a higher stage.

On the other hand, there will be also questions about how he suffers at the rim against size, how consistent his creation for others can become, and how he could struggle on the defensive end against longer and powerful matchups. Finding a natural balance between the 1–2 combo slots and trusting his offensive talent and hard work approach should be the step forward. Giedraitis is ready to embrace the chance in any pro league of certain level after this FIBAU19 World Cup.

HAOWEN GUO / China (00) — 6’7 Wing / Banyi Rockets (CBA)

At 6’7 with sweet stroke and positional size, Haowen Guo bumped into the international scene last year in the Albert Schweitzer and FIBA Asia U18 tournaments. Those performances won him a selection in this season Hoop Summit World Team. In Portland he was wildly introduced as a pure shooter, and he certainly nailed that role during his days at the showcase and especially with some catch & shoot situations during the scrimmage game.

But Guo is way more than marksman with his feet set or off the screen. He’s also a lengthy playmaker in love with the isolation and transition game, and can score in a variety of ways in the lane or via screens. Layups off the glass with a fully extended arm or floaters are his recurrent go-to-moves. He has some neat handle, hesitation moves, and a peak of speed in the open court. Fairly often he also draws fouls and shoot FTs. Obviously Haowen needs strength to compete in traffic, but there is real initiator upside in his game, as he shows periodically with his club Banyi Rockets.

Slender frame with narrow shoulders and small hands, Haowen falls behind in the athletic department against physical forwards. He lacks the chops to hold bodies in the paint, and his perimeter defense needs more legs than hands. His physical profile is exciting, though: he fits zoning around the rim, and eventually could take a point-forward/spacer role if he ever gets to bulk up.

They don’t call him “The Chinese Doncic” for nothing, but as good as Guo can be when taking advantage of defences collapsing on him, China’s chances to impress in a strong 1st round group with traditional powers like Serbia and France will rely on Penn’s forward Michael Wang’s contribution, and of course on Haowen’s consistency on the boards and the defensive end.

KENNY BAPTISTE / France (00) — 6’8 Forward / Le Mans (Espoirs)

Kenny Baptiste comes across as one of the most fascinating prospects in Europe based in his freakish length, size and athleticism. Standing at 6’8, skinny and skilled, he was spotted and nurtured at the MJCA Des Abymes in Guadeloupe, and represents along U19 Karlton Dimanche and Florian Leopold, the continuous wealth of talent pouring from the French West Indies into France’s youth basketball system.

Baptiste is a versatile combo forward who usually starts the play around the 3pt-line. His shooting mechanics though need fixing regarding his slow release and lack of leg-power. Besides, he’s efficient as a cutter coming from the weak side, catching dishes and finishing plays around the rim, although a bit more of aggression would do wonders to his game. His best offensive feature is an impressive and refined jumpshot from 12–18 feet range, rising lively over the defender on 1on1 or coming off screens.

His expanded role with Le Mans U21 team in the Espoirs league is definitely richer offensively. He brings the ball up constantly performing more wing-like, exploiting his length against mismatches and playmaking for his bigman. On the defensive end Kenny’s projection as a lockdown wing/forward is simply mind-blowing. He can grab and go, and transform steals into offense really quickly. Moreover, his wingspan and footspeed will allow him to switch almost any position, and hold his own against quicker players.

Naturally, muscle development is yet to come, and he still needs to redefine his shot selection and defensive awareness in occasions. In adittion he needs to get the most of his athletic tools in the offense and improve rebounding on both ends of the floor. Although raw Baptiste’s upside looks worthy of a future NBA chance if he can grow and put together a few bits and pieces in his skillset.

MAXWELL DARLING / New Zealand (00) 6’6 Forward / KK Vrijednosnice Osijek (A1 Liga — Croatia)

Despite not being a basketball powerhouse, New Zealand counts this FIBAU19 with a pretty interesting and versatile pool of talent (Flynn Cameron, Perrott-Hunt, James Moors…) in which West Indies native Maxwell Darling has made the man-inside role his own. Undersized at 6’6 but on the thick side and super strong, Darling is that guy you’d love in your team but truly hate to face on the court. He’s a physical monster with terrific motor and a ready-made body playing hard the whole game.

Maxwell’s area of influence is mostly the paint and the elbow, where he shows his athleticism and 7’1 wingspan with fluidity and power around the rim. He can finish dishes and put-backs and score with his back to the basket using spin-moves, reverse layups and some nimble footwork. He can also score in explosive cuts from the baseline showing his leaper potential, and runs the floor aggressively against bigger matchups. His range, however, is a work in progress, as he doesn’t even shoot consistently outside the zone besides corner threes. Those go in at a good rate if he’s given enough time and space.

On the defensive end, Darling is also a force to be reckoned thanks to his anticipation, ability to recover short distances and footspeed. He’s also a notable shot-blocker with vertical jump, but is naturally bound to suffer against elite size deep. Expanding his offensive skillset and range of matchups might be the best answer to this size limitation.

Maxwell Darling surprised analysts last year with his choice of bypassing college in USA and opting for a professional contract with Osijek in Croatia. There he’s continued learning his trade, coming off the bench as the one of the youngest guys in the A1 league. Against decent level of competition he’s made steady numbers and developed his intriguing skillset.

ARIEL JOHN EDU / Philippines (00) 6’10 F/C / Toledo Rockets (MAC)

Every time I hear the motto “Trust the Process” AJ Edu comes to my mind. Only 18 months ago, the “Filipino” international with Nigerian and Cypriot roots was dominating the U19 top English competition, putting monster numbers and playing above the rim. I wrote about him just before he was invited to the Baskeball Without Borders Global Camp in L.A. After that, he collected more individual awards and then committed to the University of Toledo.

Sandwiched between his euro breakthrough year and his freshman college season, AJ Edu suited up with Philippines in the FIBA ASIA U18 last summer, teaming up with the trendy 7’1 Kai Sotto in the paint. Both led the country to a 4th place and a World Cup spot performing like a long, versatile and mobile frontcourt combo with understanding in the high-low post game. Edu’s impact with Toledo has been less noticeable this season, mostly about screening and rolling, building up his body and strength. He got decent minutes from the bench, learning to cut mistakes and TOs, still explosive in short distances and in transition.

Unpolished with his back to the basket, we haven’t seen much shooting either, and he has looked a bit lost handling or attacking the lane. Edu, however, has worked his socks off on the glass, and has shown defensive effort and impressive athletic tools. He is versatile in mismatches and quick to lock the weak-side. His shot-blocking instincts and timing make him a sort of elite rim protector in small doses.

In the meantime, there will be certainly much more of AJ this summer. He is likely to feature as the main offensive weapon for the “Gilas”, taking turns with Sotto to establish position inside or space the floor, and counting on a bunch of undersized guards (Ildefonso, Panopio…) to shoot the ball around both giants.

SAMSON FROLING / Australia (00) 7’0 F/C Dandenong Rangers (NBL 1)

Just 9 months ago I wrote about Samson Froling joining Creighton Bluejays as one of the most exciting freshmen in the 2018 International Class, and his fit in the Big East. But just like it happened to his elder brother Harry, college wasn’t meant to be for the Samsom. After all his youth international tourneys as Australia’s go-to-guy, expectations weren’t met, and he left the school for good in March. There could be several reasons for this, including the athletic step up, the lack of meaningful PT, or simply his not fitting in Grey McDermott’s 4–1 system manning the centre and covering for a very different type of bigman like Martin Krampelj.

That being said, Samson has already signed his first contract at home with the Ilawarra Hawks, and will suit in the top Australian league next season. In the meantime, he has been dominating in the NBL 1 with Dandenong Rangers, and letting everyone know that his player traits are still there: a 7’0 footer with versatility and range, some left-hand dominant post-game, and the ability to make plays off the bounce and score in the lane.

Defensively, Froling still lacks athleticism and muscle, but makes up for this with length and positioning: walling up rivals, blocking shots and covering distance in slides. He’s done also a solid job in his backboard, always ready to run the floor and turn defense into transition.

Heraklion will be a special tournament for Samson after his disappointing year in Omaha; carrying once again the aussie flag, playing with friends and getting back into his best form. Next season promises to be an exciting one not just because he will become automatically eligible for the 2020 NBA Draft, but also because LaMelo Ball will join the Illawarra Hawks bringing some attention and an army of scouts ready to look for prospects down under.