Event Recap: Adidas Next Generation Tournament Munich
Organized by Euroleague Basketball, the Adidas Next Generation Tournament is the premier international club competition in the Under-18 age category. Already in its 21st edition, the tournament has seen an impressive number of future NBA players over the past two decades as the list of former MVPs include, among others, names like Luka Dončić, Dario Šarić and Donatas Motiejūnas.
In this year’s edition, 32 teams will compete in four qualifiers of eight teams each, in order to qualify for the final round of the tournament. The first qualifier was held in Munich, Germany, with Real Madrid winning the competition and earning an automatic berth for the ANGT Finals which will be held in Kaunas, Lithuania, during the month of May.
Here’s an overview of some of the top NBA Prospects in the competition.
Pacome Dadiet
6’7” Wing | 17.5 Years Old | France | Ratiopharm Ulm
Despite playing a grand total of just 34 minutes during the tournament, as he tweaked his ankle on the first day of competition, Dadiet made the most of his ANGT appearance, showing an incredible ability to create his own shot both via drives and pull-ups.
Standing at 6-foot-7, Dadiet has all the tools to thrive at the Wing at any level of competition, being extremely strong for his age, with a developed frame that allows him to play through contact and finish at the rim. Dadiet is a consistent threat as a slasher with his combination of strength, fluidity with the ball in his hands and touch around the basket.
Dadiet is also able to set up teammates with crisp pick-and-roll executions and simple drive-and-kick passes, situations in which he takes full advantage of his gravity as a driver. In the perimeter, he is a confident shooter with a smooth release and an impressive level of shot-making off-the-dribble.
Dadiet is a late riser who has improved in every single competition during the past three years. Considering his optimal size for the position, motor, defensive engagement and shooting ability he is a prospect who offers a fairly high-floor, but the ceiling, as a strong 6-foot-7 multi-level shot-creator might be just as high.
Egor Demin
6’8” Wing | 16.9 Years Old | Russia | Real Madrid
It’s the second time in as many months that Demin appears in a tournament recap, as I had already highlighted him as one of the stand out prospects at the L’Hospitalet Junior Tournament in late december. Demin’s performance at ANGT was just as, if not more impressive than the one at L’Hospitalet.
Standing at 6-foot-8, Demin stands out on tape immediately due to his combination of size, shooting ability and passing vision. His 52.9% mark from 3 point range during the tournament and the degree of difficulty of the attempts he takes as a jumpshooter make it easy to project him as a versatile floor-spacer at the next level of competition. Demin is just as versatile as a passer, being able to run half-court offense with impressive vision and accuracy for his size. Despite not being extremely explosive, he is fluid enough with the ball in his hands to impose himself against smaller guards and get to the rim in traffic.
Despite being inexplicably left out from the All-Tournament Team, Demin had yet another incredible performance at ANGT, which keeps him on track to become a potential lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Ilian Pietrus
6’4” Guard | 17.6 Years Old | France | Next Generation Team Munich
Pietrus put an incredibly efficient scoring performance at the tournament, with an average of 20.3 points per game on 68.6% True Shooting. Despite not having the most explosive first step, he is a prolific driver who gets to the rim due to a combination of strength, body control and ability to handle the ball in tight spaces. His finishing at the rim is versatile, being able to convert shots that require a great level of hangtime and touch against physicality.
Pietrus is also a threat as a shooter, as he converted 43.8% of his 3 pointers during the tournament and showed the ability to hit pull-up jumpers, especially from the mid-range. Despite his prolific scoring profile, the guard also showed unselfishness in his approach to the game, finding teammates consistently with simple kick out passes or running pick-and-rolls with good timing and feel.
Overall, Pietrus had an incredible tournament and despite a lack of defensive production (no steals or blocks through 71 minutes in the tournament), his versatile offensive profile is extremely enticing and could position him as an eventual first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Alexandros Samontourov
6’11” Forward | 17.8 Years Old | Greece | Panathinaikos
Samontourov was the most interesting prospect from a physical standpoint as he has truly elite tools for his position. Standing at 6-foot-11 with long arms, Samontourov has the speed and body control of a Wing, which makes him a complete mismatch for opposing defenders.
He led the tournament in scoring which came mostly via drives, while the ball-handling still needs work, as he is somewhat rigid when putting the ball on the floor, he compensates with his open court speed, his long legs, which allow him to take long strides to cover long distances on his way to the rim, his length, which allows him to finish with good extension and his sheer size, which makes it extremely difficult for Wings to stop him once he gets momentum.
The young forward also contributed in other areas of the floor, using his size and length to create defensive events at a good rate, showing flashes of self-creation in the post and playing with an unselfish approach to the game, finding open teammates with his scoring gravity. The jumpshot was the only concern at the tournament as he converted just one of his fourteen attempts from beyond the arc.
Samontourov was the definite boom-or-bust prospect from an NBA standpoint, if the shot comes around it’s hard not to see first-round value in his combination of elite size, ball-handling ability, defensive production and unselfish approach. One of the few prospects in attendance who could develop into the coveted unicorn archetype at the NBA level.
Other Prospects of Note:
There are multiple players who could qualify as honorable mentions, as I counted at least three dozen prospects in the tournament who could contribute for NCAA Division I teams ranging from the low-majors all the way up to the national championship contenders. Some of the top prospects in attendance were:
• Hugo Gonzalez (Real Madrid) was yet another prospect that I highlighted previously in my scouting report of the standouts at the L’Hospitalet Junior Tournament and once again he came away from the tournament earning MVP honors. Gonzalez’s open-court athleticism and versatile two-way game make him an enticing NBA prospect, as he’s able to contribute to some degree in most, if not all areas of the floor. One of the top prospects to watch ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft who projects as an interesting connector with the requisite physical tools for the Wing position.
• Jack Kayil (Alba Berlin) earned an All-Tournament Team nod at Munich. Leading the tournament in steals, Kayil projects as a high-level 3-and-D guard who makes an impact with explosive drives, jumpshots and defense at the point-of-attack. Won’t be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2025.
• Samuele Miccoli (Milano) had a breakthrough performance as a gifted scorer at the combo guard position, standing at 6-foot-3, Miccoli showed tremendous versatility as a shooter, aggressiveness to get to the rim and the ability to make plays for teammates on the move. Plays with a high level of intensity on both ends of the floor and makes an impact as a defender. Potential draft pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
• Jan Vide (Real Madrid) was one of the better known names in the competition and he showed the aggressive scoring mentality and the self-creation ability in tough drives and mid-range jumpshots which make him a highly regarded prospect. Vide will be eligible for the 2024 NBA Draft but will need to refine his shot selection and work on some mechanical aspects of the jumper (namely a hitch at the top of his release and his aggressive wrist snap) in order to be considered as a true NBA prospect for next year.
• Lucas Giovanetti (Next Generation Team Munich) is a smooth and strong 6-foot-7 forward who despite lacking an elite level of explosiveness, shows the handling ability to get to the rim and the touch around the basket to finish through contact. Makes advanced reads and deliveries with consistency. Could have NBA potential if the jumper continues to develop.
• Mohamed Diawara (Next Generation Team Munich) had one of the most interesting physical profiles in the tournament, as an athletic 6-foot-8 forward who is extremely coordinated and mobile for his size. While his perimeter game is a work in progress he has shown touch around the basket and a willingness to play through physicality. A prospect to track down for the future given his physical tools.
• Nekolis Avdalas (Panathinaikos) led the tournament in assists as he orchestrated the offense for Panathinaikos. A creative Point Guard with the adequate size for the position, standing at 6-foot-5, Avdalas also showed flashes of scoring but was not exactly efficient in this area, especially as a shooter, an area in which he needs to develop to be considered as an NBA prospect.
• Eric Reibe (Ratiopharm Ulm) projects extremely well as a modern 6-foot-10 big who is able to put the ball on the floor and convert triples, but also to execute the traditional role of a big man by posting-up, finishing pick-and-roll plays, rebounding and blocking shots. Lacking elite explosiveness and athleticism, Reibe projects as a really interesting prospect for Europe or a high-level D1 program, but could develop into an NBA caliber player if the jumpshot continues to fall.