What Does Mohamed Dabone Getting Elevated to Barcelona’s First Team Mean?

If you're following international NBA prospects, even passively, there's a good chance you have heard of Mohamed Dabone at this point. He's been nicknamed "Wemby Antetokounmpo" and, at just 13 years old, was already a dominant force in Next Gen EuroLeague youth competition for Barcelona this season. He overpowered prospects four and five years older than him with relative ease.

Dabone is 6-foot-11, with a 7-foot-4 wingspan. He'll turn 14 in October and already brings NBA size to the table as a prospect. But it's about more than size for Dabone; his game is remarkably refined and advanced for a player his age. His dominance does, of course, start with his size. While notably younger than many of his interior opponents, Dabone dominates vertical spaces and the glass already. He's got great size and length, is a terrific first and second leaper, and has soft hands and touch inside. The cherry on top is his anticipation skills, which give him the final massive edge on the offensive glass.

Dabone's hands, touch, and anticipation are his most impressive skills at his age. The size and athleticism are what pop first, but many players his age with his physical gifts forget to develop the secondary skills that perfectly accentuate what they already bring to the table physically. Simply put, being taller, longer, and more athletic than everyone often compensates for any deficiencies in anticipation and coordination at a young age, and leads to less emphasis on development there. But Dabone is growing across the board.

His anticipation skills translate to the defensive end as well. In this summer's ANGT finals, he blocked numerous shots as a rotating help defender. Once again, he could over-reli on his athleticism, but it's his positioning and anticipation that helped him out with most of his defensive playmaking, and his athleticism just made him a force that could not be overcome on many occasions.

Dabone is deceptively strong for his frame as well. He looks wiry, but his core and lower body strength are obvious. Luigi Suigo, who signed a professional deal with Mega Basket this summer, could not overpower him in the post. Suigo is a thin figure himself, but he looked like he was ramming into a wall up against Dabone.

Lastly, Dabone's got range. His three-point shot isn't perfect, but the release is relatively fluid for his size, and he lets the shot go from high up, making it difficult to block even though he takes some time to load up. The hype around him is not misplaced and has led to him reportedly being elevated to Barcelona's senior team for the upcoming season. Again, he will only be 14 years old.

What Role Can We Expect Mohamed Dabone To Have With Barcelona Next Season?

Dabone's elevation to the senior team has drawn a ton of attention. Rightfully so, it's rare for 14-year-olds to be featured in a senior EuroLeague squad. However, it's unlikely he will feature on the court a lot next season. More than anything, this is a developmental move that will allow Dabone to practice, train, and learn from Barcelona's professionals.

With Barcelona, he'll be matching up with ex-NBA centers Jan Vesely and Willy Hernangomez at practice, as well as established EuroLeague veterans like Will Clyburn and Tornike Shengelia. This is the best regular competition he could possibly receive at this age.

Dabone getting playing time can't be counted out either. Dame Sarr started last season as mostly a bench prospect, but head coach Joan Penarroya did pivot to him in the second half of the season and made him a regular part of Barcelona's rotation until they parted ways. Dabone is, of course, younger than Sarr, but it's clear Penarroya is willing to play young prospects if they prove worthy of the minutes.

Dabone will probably spend most of the season on the bench, but if he doesn't, it will be remarkable to watch how his development continues. He is draft eligible in 2030 and will likely remain with Barcelona for the next three seasons, but in 2029, he could be in line for perhaps the most lucrative NIL offer in history if he continues on his current path. He could also already be a regular EuroLeague starter, similar to Luka Doncic as a prospect, and decide to stay in Europe. While speculating is fun, for now, let's all enjoy watching his growth while we can.

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.