Nick Richards – The Patrick School, New Jersey (C, 6’11.75, 239) length + mobility, good athlete, has touch on baseline jumpers, lacks offensive awareness, good touch on jumpers (stand still shooter).
Richards possesses good length and good awareness on defense. Is not quite the fast-twitch athlete in the mold of Nerlens Noel or Willie Cauley-Stein, but is a sturdy 240lbs with a wingspan that measures just under 7’4’’. A strong two-footed jumper. Showed plus shot-blocking ability and will be a good help defender. Displayed an ability to get low in his stance on defense and switch on the perimeter. Will have to learn to use his length on switches, as the foot speed and dexterity might not be at a level to handle quickest perimeter players. Offensively, Richards at times seemed lost, unsure where to go on the floor and lacking awareness at times. This could be attributed to lack of familiarity with teammates. Has big hands, and though slightly robotic in his movements in the post, displays good touch on baseline and elbow jumpers as a stand-still shooter and around the basket.
Ikechukwu Obiagu- Greenforest Christian Academy, GA (C, 7’1.25, 250) stiff and robotic on offense, good length and size, good touch on free throws, capable help defense/shot blocker, takes up space in passing lanes.
Obiagu is definitely a project on offense at this stage. Stiff and robotic once he gets the ball down low, and is not comfortable yet in making decisive post moves. That said, Obiagu is big, long, and athletic and should contribute on the offensive boards and as a dive man on the pick & roll. Defensively is where Obiagu is furthest along. Outside of the physical tools (size, length, foot dexterity, and athleticism) Obiagu displays great shot-blocking ability both in help defense and even in man-to-man situations, ably contesting his man’s shot attempts. Size and length allow him to be a deterrent in passing lanes.
Felipe Dos Anjos – Oviedo, Spain (C, 7’3, 251) good (not great) athlete, good touch with right hand/on jumpers, showing good fundamental awareness on D, goes up strong
Felipe displays very good fundamentals, seemingly always having a good feel for where to be positionally on both sides of the court. Felipe is huge with a long wingspan that he uses to his advantage on defense. Will struggle to defend on the perimeter in pick & roll situations, but will have positive impact deterring shots at the rim if he continues progressing with his positional awareness. Possesses a strong right hand on offense and good touch on free throws. Still slow and methodical in the post when receiving the ball down low.
Isaiah Hartenstein – Zalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania (PF/C, 7’1.25, 250) +Athlete, awkward spin on shot but gets good arc, better from the left side good from above the break, rangy on D.
Hartenstein displayed plus athleticism on both sides of the ball and is an explosive finisher at the rim. Athleticism on defense is apparent as he is able to close out hard on shooters, and recover once forcing them to drive. Despite size and athleticism, ability as a shot-blocker is unclear. However, his quick feet could make him a positive in pick & roll defense. Offensively, Hartenstein has good feel and shows glimpses of playmaking ability for others. His shooting ability remains an interesting question mark. Much better in rhythm, either with a dribble or some movement, than in a stand-still/spot-up situation. Further, due to his lefty stroke, much better from above the break and left corner. Gets a lot of arc on 3-Pt Attempts, but places an awkward spin on the ball (possible pinky & ring finger release) that gives the ball a heavy landing, with little touch. Despite this, shows good touch on floaters and shots around rim.
Borisa Simanic – Crvena Zvezda, Serbia (F, 6’11.75, 203) Good feet, fluid athlete, rushes in post, good shooter from corners, solid shooter.
Borisa displayed positive athleticism and quick, fluid footwork on offense, and the ability to stretch out and hit threes with consistency. Currently has a lean frame but could put on good muscle. Good hips allow him to bend in his stance on defense. Could lend to guarding across both the 3 and 4 on D.
This article was written by Mitchell Libanoff, a correspondent ad scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can subscribe to our RSS feed from the upper right corner of our home page, follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.
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