Event Recap: Adidas Next Generation Tournament Zadar
The Adidas Next Generation Tournament is likely the top club competition in the world when it comes to the Under-18 age category.
The third qualifying tournament took place over the weekend in Zadar, Croatia where Barcelona won the title and earned an automatic berth for the ANGT Finals, which will be held in Kaunas, Lithuania during the month of May. It was the third straight Spanish team to win an ANGT qualifier, as Real Madrid and Joventut Badalona won the previous two qualifiers.
Here are the prospects who made an impression in the tournament and should be considered as potential picks in the 2024 and 2025 NBA Drafts.
A Loaded Barcelona Team Takes the Title
Barcelona assembled one of their best rosters in the past few years and dominated competition in Zadar, winning all of their games by an average scoring margin of 17 points.
Lithuanian guard Kasparas Jakucionis led the way and was named MVP after averaging 19.2 points on a tremendously efficient 71% True Shooting. While Jakucionis is not really a primary ball-handler, as evidenced by his high turnover count in the tournament, he provides value with his off-ball shooting and perimeter defense.
Despite not having the dominant performance that many scouts were expecting, Italian wing Dame Sarr was the most interesting prospect in Barcelona's roster from an NBA standpoint. His jumper, which is one of his main selling points as a prospect, didn't really fall for him at the tournament, as he shot just 26.2% from 3-point range. Sarr did find other ways to be efficient, standing at 6-foot-6 and possessing tremendous length and athleticism, Sarr made his mark by attacking the basket and generating defensive events.
Other contributors for Barcelona were Roger Fabrega, a quick-but-undersized floor general who was able to get by defenders with his quick first step, Swiss forward Dayan Nessah, who added value with his ability to score in the paint, rebound and hit the occasional jumper, and Spanish center Pol Salo, who provided a physical presence in the paint, finishing plays with power and protecting the rim.
Lucas Langarita Breaks Out
The Spanish Guard averaged 18 points, 7.8 rebounds and a tournament-best 5.3 assists per game and looked like one of the most complete players in the tournament while leading Zaragoza to the finals.
Standing at 6-foot-4, Langarita showed an interesting physical profile for a two guard, having enough strength, quickness and explosiveness to get by defenders and finish at the rim. Langarita was able to utilize his tools and his polish as a scorer to create his own shots on various levels of the floor, whether it was with pull-up jumpers or with drives.
After making the all-tournament team in last year's FIBA U17 World Cup, Langarita adds yet another impressive performance to his resume. With his versatile scoring profile, Langarita should be one of the names to watch for future NBA Drafts.
Other Players of Note
When compared with the previous two ANGT qualifiers, it’s fair to say that there weren’t as many high-level prospects in attendance at Zadar. However, there were a number of players who impressed and could make an impact in college or at the professional levels down the line.
- Israeli wing Ori Ziv Cohen made an impact for Maccabi on both ends of the floor. His combination of 6-foot-7 size, long arms and fluid handling ability made him a tough cover for defenders on drives, while also adding value as a tremendously efficient shooter from beyond the arc. He also used his tools to make an impact on defense.
- Standing at 6-foot-10, Mouhamed Faye already has the size, length and strength to thrive at the professional level, as such, he was extremely dominant in the tournament, averaging 14.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game on an incredible 82.4% from the field. The game came easy for Faye with his physical tools and ability to play through contact on both ends of the floor.
- Prince Lumena from Stellazzura was one of the most intriguing long-term prospects in attendance. Born in 2007, Lumena showed a limited-but-efficient game, adding value as a prolific rebounder and efficient interior finisher. He won’t be draft eligible until 2026 under current rules, so there’s still time to grow and develop his game.
- More names to follow: Toni Bilic (Wing - Cedevita Olimpija), Stefano Conte (Guard - Stellazzurra), Brunel Madzou (Guard - Helsinki Basketball Academy), Garang Machol (Center - Helsinki Basketball Academy), Omer Mayer (Guard - Maccabi Tel Aviv), Michael Ruzic (Center - Zadar), Leon Sifferlin (Wing - Next Generation Team Zadar) and Adama Traore (Center - Next Generation Team Zadar)
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