Pre-Draft adidas Eurocamp is Back, Featuring the NBA's Most Elite Draft-Eligible Athletes
TREVISO, Italy — The 2023 NBA Finals aren't the only exciting thing happening across professional basketball this month. From June 9-11, adidas Eurocamp will return to its world stage in Treviso, Italy to showcase the best international ballers for a chance to be drafted into the NBA.
The pre-draft camp will include five teams with 10-13 players on each roster that will face off against each other in organized games and drills. An additional 'Next Gen' team will also be a part of the camp featuring rising high school seniors who are not yet draft eligible but look promising for the future.
“This is one of two what we call NBA pre-draft camps meaning we have draft eligible players here prior to the 2023 draft," said coaching director Bill Bayno. "They have the big NBA Combine event in Chicago, and the second one and the only other one in the world is the adidas Eurocamp.”
The camp is in its 16th edition and back for the first time since 2017 hosted at La Ghirada Sports Complex in Treviso. Bayno served as coaching director before the break and has coached or witnessed hundreds of Eurocamp athletes who have gone on to have illustrious professional careers. Forty-one former adidas Eurocamp athletes hold NBA contracts, and 71 play in EuroLeague Basketball.
NBA players such as Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela and guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier, Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, etc. all got their start at adidas Eurocamp. View a more comprehensive list of past Eurocamp attendees here.
Evan Fournier competes in the 2012 adidas Eurocamp.
Any draft eligible players from all over the world can be invited to the camp. The adidas staff scouts out 18-22 year-old players at all levels and interact with agents who try to get their rising players noticed.
“They come from all over Europe," Bayno said. "We have players from Turkey, Spain, Germany, Poland, Russia, you name it. Anywhere in Europe if they’re good enough, we invite them here."
Coaches from all over the world also attend to train the Eurocamp athletes. This year, Dell Demps, Rodney Billups and Jesse Mermuys plus National Basketball Players Association alumnus Rajon Rondo and Josh Smith will lead the pack. Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. and Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac will also attend and speak to the athletes.
“We have a long history of former NBA head coaches, top assistant coaches that have worked here, and it’s another thing that makes the camp a great experience," Bayno said.
On the first day of camp starting Friday June, 9, adidas Eurocamp will introduce the coaches and players, take team photos and get right to practicing before games start in the afternoon. Each day consists of three games at 2:30, 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
“I think the most important morning of the camp is that first morning because we have team practice, so all the NBA coaches that are here can get to know their players," Bayno said. "It’s the first time they’re seeing them and coaching them. They can have a practice, give them NBA terminology.”
Official 2023 adidas Eurocamp logo
adidas Eurocamp
June 10 is all about sharpening up skills before stepping back out on the court for a competitive transition offense and defensive drill that gives scouts an opportunity to see the players' live decision making.
“We give coaches the opportunity to go over the adjustments, things they did good that they want to continue to do well, things they need to get better at...do like a mental walkthrough practice both on offense and defense," Bayno said.
Following the drill, the six teams will play a different team than they did the previous day in the afternoon games.
June 11 features a competitive shooting drill in the morning before the three scheduled games in the afternoon and evening.
“They’ll shoot 50 mid-range shots, and we chart them for the NBA scouts, and they’ll shoot 50 NBA threes, and we’ll chart those…which just gives them more information and the players a chance to show off their shooting skills," Bayno said.
Sunday's last set of games are for the adidas Eurocamp championship with a winner crowned at the conclusion of the pre-draft camp.
Bayno is from Goshen, N.Y. and has coached at a variety of levels including a head coaching stint for five seasons at UNLV and various NBA coaching positions before first working with Eurocamp in 2004. Although he had played against some European players before, he said he never had the exposure to their talent ahead of this opportunity as the camp's coaching director.
March 20, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Chris Johnson (17) works out with assistant coach Bill Bayno using arm blocker pads before the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center.
© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
“The European players have made the NBA a better league," he said. "They have brought over a different style of play. They have brought over a style that I think our American kids have jumped on and taken advantage of.”
After all, the last three NBA MVPs have been international most recently with Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (2023) from Cameroon, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic from Serbia (2021-22) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019-20) from Greece.
"I think Europe and America have really worked well together," Bayno said. "We’ve helped their leagues over here with the players we send over, and they’ve helped us with all the great young talent that we have imported into the NBA, and Eurocamp’s a big part of that.”
The 2023 NBA Draft is slated for Thursday, June 22 at 8 p.m. ET at Barclays Center in New York City. Perhaps some young stars from Eurocamp will hear their names called on the biggest stage in professional basketball.
“I think the NBA is in the best place it’s been in," Bayno said. "It just keeps getting better and better.”
