Real Madrid

The success of men&rsquo;s basketball in the 2024 Olympics has opened the eyes of many fans to the fact that there are great teams and players across the planet. While Team USA swept to the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/team-usa-defeat-hosts-france-to-claim-olympic-gold-medal">gold medal</a> with a win over France in the final, maybe you were impressed by some of the tournament&rsquo;s best non-NBA players and wondered whether they might end up in the American league.
<h2>Willy Hernangomez - Spain</h2>
&nbsp;
At 7-foot tall, this center is an imposing physical presence in the Spanish team. He broke through at Real Madrid and joined the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2015 NBA draft before being traded to the New York Knicks. His time playing at Madison Square Garden appeared to start well and was Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month early in his career as he led rebounding for newcomers to the league. He ended his first season in the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Willy then bounced around a few American teams without realizing his obvious potential. In 2023, he signed a three-year deal with Spanish team FC Barcelona. He was recently reported to be dissatisfied with his role at Barcelona and will have been disappointed that the highly-rated Spanish team dropped out of the Olympics in the qualifying round. Will Willy return to the NBA at some point? After seven years in the American league, he stated that he was happy with the <a href="https://basketnews.com/news-197125-willy-hernangomez-havent-felt-this-much-support-in-all-my-years-in-nba.html">support he received</a> on his return to Spain, so it seems unlikely at the moment.&nbsp;
<h2>Bruno Caboclo - Brazil</h2>
This 28-year-old power forward from Brazil started his career with Pinheiros before joining the Toronto Raptors in the 2014 NBA draft. This selection is still best remembered for Fran Fraschilla saying that he was "two years away from being two years away" when reporting it. Bruno never quite made the breakthrough expected of him in the NBA and returned to Brazil, where he was more successful.
After moving around a few teams in different countries, he joined Partizan Belgrade of the Serbian League in 2023. He averaged 9.4 points over the 2023-24 season, which was ultimately unsuccessful for the team. Given his globe-trotting career to date, it would be easy to imagine Bruno being interested in a move back to the US, but the latest news reports suggest that he is <a href="https://www.nbamaniacs.com/en/nba-rumors/bruno-caboclo-receives-an-offer-from-israel/">considering an offer</a> from Israeli team Hapoel Tel Aviv. At the Olympics in Paris, his 33 points vs Japan was one of the top individual performances.
<h2>Wenyen Gabriel - South Sudan</h2>
Wenyen was born in Sudan but moved to the US as a youngster. His college basketball was played for the Kentucky Wildcats, and he was one of the country&rsquo;s most highly-ranked young players at one point. Despite this, he went undrafted in 2018 but then joined the Sacramento Kings to play in the Summer League. After briefly joining the Portland Trail Blazers, Wenyen moved to the New Orleans Pelicans followed by the Brooklyn Nets and other US teams.
He then went to Puerto Rico with the Vaqueros de Bayam&oacute;n and it was recently announced that he&rsquo;s signed for Maccabi Tel Aviv to play in the Euroleague and the Israeli Basketball Premier League. If you want to follow his career, you can now easily find online content for foreign basketball leagues and stream games. You might also want to check the current <a href="https://www.bodog.eu/sports/basketball">basketball odds</a> for leagues around the world. You&rsquo;ll see live betting odds as well as the numbers for upcoming games. Choose from options like moneyline, spread, and total bet when looking for games to bet on in the Euroleague and elsewhere.
<h2>Carlik Jones - South Sudan</h2>
Carlik was born in the US and grew up in Ohio, becoming one of the highest-rated college players while performing for the Radford Highlanders and then the Louisville Cardinals. He went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft but then joined the Dallas Mavericks to play in the NBA Summer League. After moving around a few teams, he was named as the NBA G League&rsquo;s Most Valuable Player in 2022 while playing for the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp;
The point guard played in China and was rumored to be moving to Maccabi Tel Aviv this season but surprised everyone by signing for Partizan Mozzart Bet of the Serbian league instead. Carlik revealed after the World Cup that he had some offers from the NBA but that the move to Serbia felt right and that Partizan appears to be the ideal team for him. At 26 years old, he might still have time to move back to the American league in the future.
<h2>Summary</h2>
At the moment none of the non-NBA players who performed well in the 2024 Olympics seems set to join the American basketball league. Yet, some of them have already played here before heading abroad to try their luck elsewhere, so it wouldn&rsquo;t be a major surprise to see one or more players from this list reaching the NBA at some point. &nbsp;

The success of men’s basketball in the 2024 Olympics has opened the eyes of many fans that there are a lot of great teams and players.

Which Olympic Basketball Stars Could Join the NBA?

FIBA EuroBasket is making a triumphant comeback this week after five years away from competition. Per ESPN, that's the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34457762/eurobasket-2022-scores-schedules-teams-news-updates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">longest gap in the tournament since World War II</a>, so EuroBasket 2022 should turn out to be a remarkable celebration of basketball's growth across Europe.
A&nbsp;lot has changed in five years. Luka Doncic was the "chosen one" of European hoops in 2017 as an 18-year-old suiting up for Slovenia, Giannis Antetokounmpo had just won Most Improved Player with the Milwaukee Bucks and earned his first NBA All-Star appearance, and Nikola Jokic had yet to clear 30 minutes per game in an NBA season.
Today, the three international stars are among the faces of basketball in the NBA and around the world, and the trio will compete in EuroBasket 2022. That's just the tip of the iceberg as far as the immese talent slated to participate. We've already gotten a peek of what the action could look like via the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers that have taken place over the past week.
EuroBasket features 24 teams in four groups, with action beginning on Thursday and culminating in a gold-medal showdown on Sept. 18. Here's a rundown of the must-see NBA players (as of last season), international stars and top prospects (under age 23) in each group.
(Note: If a player is listed as "questionable," it is because their playing status is uncertain. Not all EuroBasket rosters have been finalized, so several countries' teams may look slightly different. <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/eurobasket/2022/news/roster-tracker-fiba-eurobasket-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here is a full roster tracker</a>.)
GROUP A: SPAIN, TURKEY, MONTENEGRO, GEORGIA, BELGIUM, BULGARIA
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Alperen Sengun against Serbia: 17 PTS | 13 REB | 2 AST | 2 BLK | 61 TS% Spearheaded the Turkey comeback in the third quarter 🔥<a href="https://t.co/faBFt2SQLe">pic.twitter.com/faBFt2SQLe</a>
&mdash; Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/JTGatlin/status/1563966082322468869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players: Juan Hernangomez (Spain), Willy Hernangomez (Spain), Furkan Korkmaz (Turkey), Cedi Osman (Turkey), Goga Bitadze (Georgia), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Georgia)
Top International Players: Rudy Fernandez (Spain), Lorenzo Brown (Spain), Shane Larkin (Turkey), Bojan Dubljevic (Montenegro), Retin Obasohan (Belgium), Sasha Vezenkov (Bulgaria)
Notable Prospects: Usman Garuba (Spain), Vrenz Bleijenbergh (Belgium), Alperen Sengun (Turkey), Marko Simonovic (Montenegro)
Spain and Turkey might not have quite the Tier 1 star power of some other countries, but both squads are fun and deep. Fernandez and Brown are stalwarts who have starred on their respective European teams for years. Then for Turkey, Osman and Korkmaz are NBA rotation players boosted by an electric point guard in Larkin.
We'll hopefully get to see the pair of Houston Rockets sophomore talents as well. Sengun impressed with his flashes last season and has already created highlights with Turkey over the summer. Garuba was quieter as a rookie, but has experience on a large Spanish stage with his time playing for Real Madrid.&nbsp;
GROUP B: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, FRANCE, GERMANY, HUNGARY, LITHUANIA, SLOVENIA
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Luka Doncic drops 25 PTS, 11 REB, 8 AST in win over Estonian National team 🔥😭<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MFFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MFFL</a> <a href="https://t.co/4khnb7BEr3">pic.twitter.com/4khnb7BEr3</a>
&mdash; MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) <a href="https://twitter.com/NationMffl/status/1562897679155204098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players: Jusuf Nurkic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Evan Fournier (France), Rudy Gobert (France), Timoth&eacute; Luwawu-Cabarrot (France), Daniel Theis (Germany), Dennis Schr&ouml;der (Germany), Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania), Ignas Brazdeikis (Lithuania), Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Goran Dragic (Slovenia), Vlatko Cancar (Slovenia)
Top International Players:&nbsp;Dzanan Musa (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Elie Okobo (France), Guerschon Yabusele (France), Thomas Huertel (France), Vincent Poirier (France)
Notable Prospects:&nbsp;Th&eacute;o Maledon (France), Franz Wagner (Germany), Rokas Jokubaitis (Lithuania), Ziga Samar (Slovenia)
Yeah, this group is absolutely loaded. Five of the six rosters could potentially boast multiple players with 2021-22 NBA experience. Slovenia, led by Doncic and Dragic, is considered a favorite to win EuroBasket. But France has a loaded roster (though no Victor Wembanyama), too. They'll be worth checking out additonally because Okobo has been balling in Europe since leaving the NBA.
New York Knicks fans might want to circle Lithuania as the team to watch. They'll receive a nostalgia injection in the forms of Brazdeikis and Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and they'll get a glimpse of the future with Jokubaitis, the team's 2021 draft-and-stash guard. Franz Wagner is one of the best young talents in EuroBasket too, making Germany a team to monitor.
GROUP C: CROATIA, ESTONIA, GREAT BRITAIN, GREECE, ITALY, UKRAINE
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Giannis Antetokounmpo <a href="https://twitter.com/Giannis_An34?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Giannis_An34</a> dropped 26pts 7rebs in the <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fibawc</a> Qualifiers win for Greece. Watch all the games of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> Qualifiers on Courtside 1891 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForAll?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForAll</a> <a href="https://t.co/t7JNIYvGgG">pic.twitter.com/t7JNIYvGgG</a>
&mdash; Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) <a href="https://twitter.com/swishcultures_/status/1564222344067010561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players:&nbsp;Bojan Bogdanovic (Croatia), Dario Saric (Croatia), Ivica Zubac (Croatia),&nbsp;Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Tyler Dorsey (Greece), Simone Fontecchio (Italy), Alex Len (Ukraine), Svi Mykhailiuk (Ukraine)
Top International Players: Mario Hezonja (Croatia), Sacha Killeya-Jones (Great Britain, questionable),&nbsp;Nick Calathes (Greece), Georgios Papagiannis (Greece, questionable), Kostas Papanikalou (Greece), Kostas Sloukas (Greece, questionable), Nicolo Melli (Italy)
Notable Prospects:&nbsp;Karlo Matkovic (Croatia), Roko Prkacin (Croatia),&nbsp;Issuf Sanon (Ukraine), Nico Mannion (Italy)
Three of the Antetokounbros (the above two, plus Kostas, who is questionable at this time) could assemble for their home country. Greece also has a handful of international stars who might play; their roster has yet to be finalized. Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 40 points in a World Cup Qualifiers loss against Nikola Jokic and Serbia, so it's safe to say he's firing on all cylinders.
Croatia, however, might be my pick for most intriguing team in the tournament. They have a trio of NBA players, plus a former top-five pick in Mario Hezonja. Prkacin has been on NBA Draft radars for several years now, and Matkovic just went No. 52 overall in the 2022 Draft to the New Orleans Pelicans. This is a fun mix of talent at different stages and platforms.
GROUP D: CZECH REPUBLIC, FINLAND, ISRAEL, NETHERLANDS, POLAND, SERBIA
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
They call him the MVP for a reason 🃏 Deadly in so many ways, Nikola Jokic was in top form for Serbia during World Cup Qualifying 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForSrbija?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForSrbija</a> 🇷🇸 <a href="https://t.co/1ZqvDPLQsi">pic.twitter.com/1ZqvDPLQsi</a>
&mdash; FIBA (@FIBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBA/status/1564286832510226436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players:&nbsp;Vit Krejci (Czech Republic), Tomas Satoransky (Czech Republic, questionable), Lauri Markkanen (Finland), Nikola Jokic (Serbia), Nemanja Bjelica (Serbia, questionable),&nbsp;
Top International Players: Jan Vesely (Czech Republic), Vasilije Micic (Serbia, questionable), Nikola Milutinov (Serbia)
Notable Prospects: Deni Avdija (Israel), Yam Madar (Israel), Balsa Koprivica (Serbia, questionable)
Nikola Jokic instantly makes Serbia a frontrunner for the gold, but the nation could have several veterans backing him up in a potential deep run. Micic in particular should be on NBA fans' radars as a player who could immediately come over and produce in the league. The 28-year-old guard won two EuroLeague titles and was named MVP in 2021. Oklahoma City currently owns his draft rights, though he was mentioned frequently in offseason trade rumors.&nbsp;
Israel has a pair of notable young talents leading the way. Deni Avdija took a legitimate step forward in his second year with the Washington Wizards. Madar, meanwhile, has been playing overseas as a draft-and-stash prospect selected by the Boston Celtics in 2020.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic lead a stellar group of competitors in EuroBasket 2022.

FIBA EuroBasket 2022: Top teams, players and prospects to watch

The 2021 NBA Draft is approaching, rumors are flying and basketball fans are anxiously awaiting where the next generation of talent will land on Thursday night.
Draft week is underway. The New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies reportedly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mem-trades-jonas-valanciunas-no-17-pick-to-pelicans-for-eric-bledsoe-no-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed on a layered trade</a> that should only mark the beginning of a chaotic few days.
BasketballNews.com's Lead Draft Analyst Matt Babcock recently updated his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 NBA Mock Draft</a> with some of his latest predictions and intel. Babcock and his draft team have been full-throttle in recent weeks, so in order to learn more about what went into his predictions, we dug a little deeper to get a pulse on the league ahead of Thursday night. Below are Babcock's latest insights:
Cade Cunningham has been the public favorite to go No. 1 to the Detroit Pistons since the lottery. While Detroit is surely doing its due diligence, is there any reason to doubt that Cunningham will be the first name we hear on Thursday night?
Matt Babcock: I expect Cade Cunningham to be the top overall pick in this draft, selected by the Detroit Pistons. However, I&rsquo;ve been told that the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder have been knocking the Pistons&rsquo; door down. Rumor has it that the Thunder offered the No. 6 pick and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in exchange for No. 1 -- the Pistons declined. If the Pistons receive an offer better than that one, they may need to seriously consider it.
Scottie Barnes has moved up to No. 4 in your latest mock draft, breaking through what is generally considered to be a four-player top tier of Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs. What inspired you to make that change?
Babcock: Scottie Barnes&rsquo; draft stock seems to be at an all-time high. There's a lot of buzz swirling around that he&rsquo;ll be going to either the Toronto Raptors at No. 4 or Orlando Magic at No. 5. I&rsquo;m not completely convinced that Barnes will end up in Toronto at No. 4; however, it&rsquo;s what I decided to go with for now.
Another thing worth noting is that I&rsquo;ve heard Toronto is very high on Evan Mobley, who I do not think will be available at No. 4. I could see a trade between Toronto and either Houston or the Cleveland Cavaliers making sense. 
Josh Giddey, Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba headline the draft's international class. What do you see their respective ranges being?
Babcock:&nbsp;Josh Giddey from Australia seems to be a hot commodity right now. I have been told that Golden State likes him at No. 7, but that the Warriors are supposedly being assertive on the trade market.
I had heard that the Memphis Grizzlies and Houston were teams that could move into the lottery in an effort to select Giddey. Memphis just struck a deal with New Orleans, which now gives them the No. 10 pick. Subsequently, I do not see Giddey getting out of the top 10, much less the lottery.
Alperen Sengun seems to be in a very good situation. I&rsquo;ve heard his name being suggested as an option for teams picking as high as No. 8, which is Orlando&rsquo;s pick. I&rsquo;ve also heard his name linked to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 11, San Antonio Spurs at No. 12, and Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 16. It&rsquo;s looking as if Sengun's chances of being taken in the lottery are pretty high.
Although maybe not ranked quite as high as Sengun overall, Usman Garuba is also generating a lot of interest from teams. His name has been linked to the New York Knicks as well as Houston.
One interesting note with Garuba: I&rsquo;ve been told that his buyout with Real Madrid is for $3 million, which is just ungodly. It doesn&rsquo;t sound as if it is going to limit teams from selecting him; however, a large bulk of that buyout will have to come out of Garuba&rsquo;s own pocket, which just doesn&rsquo;t seem fair.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_15413947_lg.jpg" alt="" width="557" height="371" />
What prospects are elevating their status from the second round to the first round?
Babcock: The pre-draft process has been kind to both Josh Primo from Alabama and Nah'Shon Bones Hyland from VCU, as both have put themselves smack dab in the middle of discussions among teams selecting in the twenties. I would not be surprised to hear one or both of their names called by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in the first round.
What prospects are seeing their draft stock slip in the closing weeks?
Babcock: Jonathan Kuminga was widely reported as a projected top-5 pick for most of the year; however, it&rsquo;s looking like there is a strong possibility that he goes either No. 7 or No. 8 overall now. Two other names that could potentially slip a little bit are Jalen Johnson from Duke and Sharife Cooper from Auburn.
Five teams (Oklahoma City, Orlando, Golden State, New York and Houston) currently own multiple first-round picks. Do you expect movement from any of these squads?
Babcock: There has been so much trade chatter this year among those teams, but most of the other teams, too. I fully expect there to be a ton of movement prior to, or during, this year&rsquo;s draft.
Baylor's Jared Butler was recently cleared by the NBA's Fitness-to-Play panel. Now that he has been cleared, what do you anticipate his range to be?
Babcock: One thing to keep in mind is that being cleared by the NBA&rsquo;s Fitness-to-Play panel is completely different from being cleared by each team&rsquo;s doctors. I&rsquo;m absolutely hoping for the best for Butler, but I don&rsquo;t think he is completely out of the woods, as I still think it&rsquo;s more than possible that he could be medically red-flagged by some teams.
However, a rumor that I hope to be true, for Butler&rsquo;s sake, is that the Thunder have their eyes set on Butler with the No. 18 pick.
Have any franchises been particularly tough to get a read on in the pre-draft process?
Babcock: Typically, gathering information about the San Antonio Spurs&rsquo; intentions is comparable to breaking into Fort Knox. This year is not any different.
Lastly, what remaining surprises could be in store as we watch this year's NBA Draft?
Babcock: That&rsquo;s all I have for you at the moment, but new information has been coming in at a rapid pace. We are set to do a live-stream show during the NBA Draft on Thursday, July 29, starting at 7:45 p.m. ET. My colleague, Derek Murray, and I will be providing analysis on each draft pick while also sharing the latest intel that we&rsquo;ve gathered -- so be sure to tune in.
Be sure to follow along with Matt Babcock and BasketballNews.com for the latest on the draft and offseason. To see BasketballNews.com's latest 2021 NBA Mock Draft, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.

Matt Babcock shares his insights ahead of the 2021 NBA Draft, including rumors surrounding trade chatter and prospect stocks.

2021 NBA Draft: Matt Babcock on rumors, trades, risers, fallers

The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft has been completed, and the second round will tip off on Thursday, June 26 (8 ET, ESPN) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. This will be the second time in NBA history that the draft will be held over two days, following its introduction over a year ago.
Here are all the first-round selections courtesy of the NBA: (article to be updated with the second-round picks)
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/cooper-flagg">Cooper Flagg</a> (Duke) to the Dallas Mavericks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/dylan-harper">Dylan Harper</a> (Rutgers) to the San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/vj-edgecombe">VJ Edgecombe</a> (Baylor) to the Philadelphia 76ers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/kon-knueppel">Kon Knueppel</a> (Duke) to the Charlotte Hornets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/ace-bailey">Ace Bailey</a> (Rutgers) to the Utah Jazz</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/tre-johnson">Tre Johnson</a> (Texas) to the Washington Wizards</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/jeremiah-fears">Jeremiah Fears</a> (Oklahoma) to the New Orleans Pelicans</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/egor-demin">Egor Demin</a> (BYU) to the Brooklyn Nets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/collin-murray-boyles">Collin Murray-Boyles</a> (South Carolina) to the Toronto Raptors</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/khaman-maluach">Khaman Maluach</a> (Duke) to the Houston Rockets &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/suns-rockets-trade-kevin-durant">Traded to Suns</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/cedric-coward">Cedric Coward</a> (Washington State) to the Portland Trail Blazers &ndash; <a href="https://x.com/memgrizz/status/1938089198935834700">Traded to Grizzlies</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/noa-essengue">Noa Essengue</a> (Ratiopharm Ulm) to the Chicago Bulls</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/derik-queen">Derik Queen</a> (Maryland) to the Atlanta Hawks &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/pelicans/news/derik-queen-nba-draft-trade-forward-center-maryland-new-orleans-pelicans-atlanta-hawks-first-round-draft-pick-13">Traded to Pelicans</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/carter-bryant">Carter Bryant</a> (Arizona) to the San Antonio Spurs</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/thomas-sorber">Thomas Sorber</a> (Georgetown) to the Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/hansen-yang">Yang Hansen</a> (Qingdao) to the Memphis Grizzlies &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/blazers/news/trail-blazers-acquire-draft-rights-to-yang-hansen">Traded to Trail Blazers</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/joan-beringer">Joan Beringer</a> (Cedevita Olimpija) to the Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/walter-clayton-jr">Walter Clayton Jr.</a> (Florida) to the Washington Wizards &ndash; <a href="https://x.com/utahjazz/status/1938070621159616606">Traded to Jazz</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nolan-traore">Nolan Traor&eacute;</a> (Saint-Quentin BB) to the Brooklyn Nets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/kasparas-jakucionis">Kasparas Jakučionis</a> (Illinois) to the Miami Heat</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/will-riley">Will Riley</a> (Illinois) to the Utah Jazz &ndash; <a href="https://x.com/WashWizards/status/1938082193785397462">Traded to Wizards</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/drake-powell">Drake Powell</a> (North Carolina) to the Atlanta Hawks &ndash; <a href="https://x.com/BrooklynNets/status/1938071333008482655">Traded to Nets</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/asa-newell">Asa Newell</a> (Georgia) to the New Orleans Pelicans &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/hawks/news/atlanta-hawks-acquire-the-draft-rights-of-asa-newell-the-no-23-pick-in-the-2025-nba-draft">Traded to Hawks</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nique-clifford">Nique Clifford</a> (Colorado State) to the Oklahoma City Thunder &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/kings/news/kings-acquire-draft-rights-to-nique-clifford">Traded to Kings</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/jase-richardson">Jase Richardson</a> (Michigan State) to the Orlando Magic</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/ben-saraf">Ben Saraf</a> (Ratiopharm Ulm) to the Brooklyn Nets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/danny-wolf">Danny Wolf</a> (Michigan) to the Brooklyn Nets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/hugo-gonzalez">Hugo Gonz&aacute;lez</a> (Real Madrid) to the Boston Celtics</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/liam-mcneeley">Liam McNeeley</a> (Connecticut) to the Phoenix Suns &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/hornets/news/charlotte-hornets-agree-in-principle-to-acquire-the-draft-rights-to-liam-mcneeley">Traded to Hornets</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/yanic-konan-niederhauser">Yanic Konan Niederhauser</a> (Penn State) to the Los Angeles Clippers</li>
</ol>

The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft has been completed, and the second round will tip off on Thursday, June 26, still in Brooklyn.

2025 NBA Draft: Full results

France forward Guerschon Yabusele will reportedly sign a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers after his impressive Paris Olympic outing, sources told The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania.&nbsp;
The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 14 points per game for France&rsquo;s silver medal finish. He started in all three knockout games for the French side, proving his value as a physical scorer and a capable floor spacer. Yabusele served as one of France&rsquo;s main offensive weapons, using his bruising presence alongside French phenom Victor Wembanyama. Yabusele also had one of the memorable moments of the Games, when he dunked over Team USA superstar LeBron James in the gold medal game.&nbsp;
The 28-year-old will now shore up a Sixers frontline in need of a true 4. Philadelphia has had a stacked offseason, signing marquee free agent Paul George to form a big three with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers also snagged away Caleb Martin from the Miami Heat to slot him at the 4 spot, but he is kind of undersized there so this is where Yabusele could prove his value. Philadelphia is trying to pivot to a switchable lineup at the wings to pair with Embiid and Maxey and Yabusele fits that bill with his frame and defensive versatility.&nbsp;
Yabusele will make his NBA comeback following an inspired effort in Paris. He was notably drafted by Sixers rival Boston Celtics in 2016 and played there from 2016 to 2019 before being released. Yabusele spent his last few years playing professionally in the Euroleague for Real Madrid before starring for France and earning back his NBA opportunity again this summer.

France forward Guerschon Yabusele will reportedly sign a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers after his impressive Olympic run.

Guerschon Yabusele signs with Sixers following sensational Olympic run

Former No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker is turning heads after taking some shots at the NBA.
The former phenom recently signed a one-year contract with FC Barcelona and when asked why he decided to join the EuroLeague rather than continue his NBA career, he didn't mince words.
"I just want to be a part of something legitimate. I want to be a part of [a league where] &lsquo;every game matters.' Sadly, the NBA is a business and there are 10-12 teams that try to win every game and the other half try to get a draft pick," Parker told <a href="https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1557757/jabari-parker-longed-to-be-a-part-of-something-legitimate-in-a-new-home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EuroHoops</a>. "Where does that leave good players? You either have to be super good or bad to lose games. It&rsquo;s no excuse to see DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard or John Wall, guys who are potentially going into the Hall of Fame&hellip; not have a job.
"We are seeing the league getting watered down, unfortunately. It&rsquo;s a lot of things that are out of our control. EuroLeague and the fans are expecting a lot, and we as players expect a lot from ourselves and we want to compete."
Parker didn't stop there. He also argued that EuroLeague rosters might be better than NBA rosters from top to bottom since there are more veterans.
"Euroleague might have, arguably, some of the better players consistently on a team," Parker <a href="https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1557757/jabari-parker-longed-to-be-a-part-of-something-legitimate-in-a-new-home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "In the NBA, you have a lot of counterparts that don&rsquo;t really contribute to a talent, maybe [it's] political, maybe a favor, whatever. Out here, you have to play; you have to be able to be good, you have to have some experience and you see it with teams like us: [Alex] Abrines played with OKC, Jan [Vesely] played in the Wizards, Sato (Tomas Satoransky)&hellip;
"This is not like baseball where you have veterans that stay on a team; there is no minor league. Where is the room for experienced guys and veterans [on NBA rosters]? That arguably says that you do have some better talent [in the EuroLeague], just from the experience. If you have a roster full of guys that have been pro for 10-plus years, how are rookies or two-year guys exceeding them? You see that around Europe, with many other teams, not only ourselves. Real Madrid has some really good guys on their team too."
Parker's last NBA stint came to an end in January of 2022, when he was waived by the Boston Celtics. Rather than continuing to wait on an NBA call, Parker decided to sign abroad instead.
"I knew I wanted to play this season and I didn&rsquo;t want to wait," Parker <a href="https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1557757/jabari-parker-longed-to-be-a-part-of-something-legitimate-in-a-new-home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a>. "I didn&rsquo;t want to have to go through the extenuating process of trying to figure out an NBA team that was going to take a chance on me.
"As soon as we had the conversations with [FC Barcelona director] Mario Bruno Fern&aacute;ndez, I got down here. They pretty much gave me an offer that I couldn&rsquo;t refuse. I decided this was the best place for me."
Parker has suited up for six NBA teams: the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings and Celtics.
Throughout his eight-year NBA career, the 28-year-old averaged 14.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.9 steals while shooting 49.4% from the field, 32.6% from three-point range and 74.3% from the free-throw line.&nbsp;

Former No. 2 pick Jabari Parker didn't mince words when discussing his move to the EuroLeague and how it compares to the NBA.

Jabari Parker: NBA is 'watered down,' less legitimate than EuroLeague

The NBA announced that the Dallas Mavericks will play a preseason game against reigning EuroLeague champion Real Madrid at the WiZink Center in Madrid on Oct. 10, 2023, at 8:45 p.m. CET.
This will be the NBA&rsquo;s eighth game in the Spanish capital and 20th game in Spain overall, and it will mark 35 years since the NBA's first game in Spain in 1988.
The Mavericks currently feature four-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA First Team member Luka Dončić, who joined Real Madrid at the age of 13 and became the youngest-ever EuroLeague MVP and EuroLeague Final Four MVP when he led Real Madrid to the 2018 EuroLeague title at age 19. The Mavericks also feature 2016 NBA champion and eight-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving.
Real Madrid features Spanish legend and former NBA draftee Sergio Llull as well as several former NBA players, including Rudy Fern&aacute;ndez, Mario Hezonja, Džanan Musa and Sergio Rodr&iacute;guez. Real Madrid has won a record 36 La Liga ACB championships and is the winningest team in EuroLeague history with 11 titles.
The matchup marks the first preseason NBA game in Madrid since 2016, when Dončić and Real Madrid hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 1988, the Boston Celtics played two games in Madrid against the then Yugoslavian Men&rsquo;s National Team and Real Madrid.
Prior to the game in Madrid, the Mavericks will play two preseason games against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 5 and 7 as part of The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023.
&ldquo;Bringing the live NBA experience directly to our passionate international fans is an important part of our year-round efforts to grow basketball and the NBA around the world,&rdquo; said NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer Mark Tatum. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re excited for the Mavericks to play Real Madrid and look forward to engaging with fans from Spain and across Europe around this historic matchup.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Following our preseason games in Abu Dhabi, we are thrilled to play the game we love for the MFFLs in Madrid,&rdquo; said Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall. &ldquo;Our team is lucky to have one of the greatest international NBA ambassadors in Luka, and we look forward to connecting with Real Madrid and their fans.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Facing an NBA team is always special, but on this occasion even more so, as it will give us the opportunity to once again enjoy a Real Madrid legend and NBA star like Luka Dončić, who proudly carries the name of our club and presumes of being a Madridista wherever he goes,&rdquo; said Real Madrid ambassador Felipe Reyes. &ldquo;It will be a great spectacle and a very exciting moment for all madridistas and basketball lovers.&rdquo;
Tickets for the game will go on general sale Aug. 31.&nbsp; Fans can check Real Madrid&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.realmadrid.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.realmadrid.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1693516418041000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1N6d_mVGbXuv9mwGvRYEfp">website</a> for more information. The game will air live in the U.S. on NBA TV and Bally Sports Southwest. Additional broadcast distribution details will be available at a later date.
There have been 16 NBA players from Spain, including 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Pau Gasol. NBA games have aired in Spain since the 1987-88 season, and the league opened its office in Madrid in 2007.&nbsp;
NBA games are currently available in Spain on NBA League Pass via the NBA App, including 39 weekend games during the 2023-24 season that will air in primetime in Europe as part of the league&rsquo;s &ldquo;NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays&rdquo; initiative.

The Dallas Mavericks will play a preseason game against reigning EuroLeague champion Real Madrid at the WiZink Center in Madrid.

Dallas Mavericks, Real Madrid to play preseason game in Madrid

Veteran point guard Ricky Rubio is stepping away from basketball indefinitely as he focuses on improving his mental health, he announced on Saturday.
It's unclear how long Rubio will be out, but he won't be playing for the Spanish national team during the 2023 World Cup. While he has two years and approximately $12.5 million remaining on his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, it's possible he'll miss time during the 2023-24 NBA season too.
"I have decided to stop my professional activity to take care of my mental health. I want to thank all the support I have received from the [Spanish national] team to understand my decision," Rubio said in a <a href="https://www.feb.es/2023/8/5/baloncesto/comunicado-ricky-rubio/95235.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
"Today #family makes more sense than ever. Thank you. I would ask that my privacy be respected so that I can face these moments and be able to give more information when the time is right."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Cavs and Spain's lead point guard Ricky Rubio announced Saturday that he was putting his career on hold indefinitely to focus on mental health. <a href="https://t.co/Whm36orVQi">pic.twitter.com/Whm36orVQi</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1687841319404859392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2023</a></blockquote>

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As ESPN's Brian Windhorst <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/38138955/cavs-pg-ricky-rubio-pause-career-focus-mental-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>, Rubio "left the [Spanish national] team's training camp this week in Madrid and didn't play in Spain's first warmup game Friday night against Venezuela."
The 32-year-old is a 12-year NBA veteran who appeared in 33 games for the Cavs last season, averaging 5.2 points, 3.5 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game. The year before, he was playing some of his best basketball &mdash; averaging 13.1 points, 6.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.7 threes and 1.4 steals &mdash; before he tore a knee ligament in the 34th game of the season and required surgery.
It remains to be seen when Rubio will return, but it's good to see that he's prioritizing his mental health and getting the support he needs during this difficult time.

Ricky Rubio is stepping away from basketball indefinitely as he focuses on improving his mental health, he announced on Saturday.

Ricky Rubio stepping away from basketball to focus on mental health

Spencer Davies speaks with Taqwa Pinero about his life journey and how he's preparing both the future and current hoop generations.

Taqwa Pinero's knowledge is its own currency, and he's paying it forward

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; The Mavericks have signed Argentine guard Facundo Campazzo, a former teammate of Luka Doncic who will be another ballhandling option behind the Dallas superstar.
The move was announced Tuesday, a day before the Mavericks open the regular season at Phoenix, where Dallas routed the Suns in Game 7 of the second round to reach last season's Western Conference finals.
The 31-year-old Campazzo became a free agent after spending his first two NBA seasons in Denver, following careers in the EuroLeague and his native Argentina.
Campazzo played alongside Doncic at Real Madrid and helped the Spanish club win championships in 2015 and 2018. Doncic was MVP of the EuroLeague Final Four for the second title.
The 5-foot-11 Campazzo averaged 5.6 points and 3.5 assists in two seasons with the Nuggets, starting 23 of 130 games.
Campazzo started his professional career at 17 in his home country and was a two-time Argentine League Finals MVP while helping his team win four championships in five seasons.
The addition of Campazzo comes as the Mavericks figure out their rotation following the departure of point guard Jalen Brunson.
Brunson started his career as a backup to Doncic but had a stellar postseason performance last season as a starter alongside the Slovenian standout. Brunson signed with the New York Knicks in free agency.
Campazzo is captain of Argentina's national team, which won the FIBA AmeriCup gold medal last month. He averaged 12.3 points in the tournament.

Facundo Campazzo played alongside Doncic at Real Madrid and helped the Spanish club win championships in 2015 and 2018,

Mavericks add Campazzo, former EuroLeague teammate of Doncic

According to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1582114544419151876" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic</a>, free agent guard Facundo Campazzo has reached agreement to sign with the Dallas Mavericks.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Free agent guard Facundo Campazzo has reached agreement to sign with the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>. Campazzo joins Mavs&rsquo; regular season roster, reunites with former Real Madrid teammate Luka Doncic.
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1582114544419151876?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2022</a></blockquote>

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&nbsp;

The Dallas Mavericks have added to their backcourt, signing free agent guard Facundo Campazzo.

Mavericks sign free agent Facundo Campazzo

On the latest episode of JJ Redick&rsquo;s podcast, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_BxkCDxls4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;The Old Man and the Three,&rdquo;</a> Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic joined the show to discuss a wide variety of topics.
At one point, Doncic discussed what it was like adjusting to life in the United States and making the transition to the NBA. Prior to being drafted in 2018, he had only ever spent two weeks in the US &mdash; all in Santa Barbara, California, where he was training at P3. He didn&rsquo;t know any US cities before the Mavs selected him No. 3 overall, so he had no idea what to expect when he arrived in Dallas.
"It's a great city, man,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;I always say that with Dallas, you have everything, but not too much. You have great restaurants, great people, great everything. I love Dallas.&rdquo;
He added that the Mavs ended up being the perfect situation for him because he had a great veteran mentor in Dirk Nowitzki.&nbsp;
The hardest part of Doncic's transition to the NBA had nothing to do with basketball; it was the fact that his family and friends back home in Slovenia were seven hours ahead of Dallas, so he was always texting them when they were asleep and vice versa. He also had to improve his English, which he says he did by watching a ton of &ldquo;Friends&rdquo; and &ldquo;Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" re-runs.
As far as his on-court transition, he was surprised at how quickly he was able to thrive in the NBA.&nbsp;
"Yeah, I was surprised,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;I didn't expect in my second year &mdash; when I started playing way better than my rookie year &mdash; to [do that]. When I came to the NBA, I never expected to be this good of a scorer. I was never really a scorer. I was really surprised.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Doncic explained that even though NBA players are way more talented than EuroLeague players, it&rsquo;s &ldquo;100% easier&rdquo; to score 30 points in the NBA because of the larger court, rules and defensive schemes. Also, in the EuroLeague, he explained that it&rsquo;s more about team basketball than individual scoring.&nbsp;
Other than that, he pointed to the fame as the biggest difference between his NBA lifestyle and EuroLeague lifestyle. He mentioned that Real Madrid's soccer team is way more popular than the basketball team (and there&rsquo;s a huge gap between the two), so even though he was the EuroLeague MVP, he didn&rsquo;t have to deal with the level of fame that he does now.
Be sure to check out the full conversation between Doncic and Redick below:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u_BxkCDxls4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

On JJ Redick's podcast, Luka Doncic opened up about the hardest parts of adjusting to the NBA and moving to the United States.

Luka Doncic opens up about adjusting to the NBA and life in the US

Prior to retiring in 2019, Dirk Nowitzki became the first player in NBA history to spend 21 seasons with one franchise. His legendary career is the second-longest in NBA history, trailing only Vince Carter&rsquo;s 22-year run.
However, several years removed from his retirement, Nowitzki wonders if he should&rsquo;ve called it quits sooner since those final seasons negatively impacted his health long-term.
"I keep thinking whether the last two years in the NBA were really worth it," Nowitzki told Real Madrid's midfielder Toni Kroos on his podcast (<a href="https://basketnews.com/news-165159-dirk-nowitzki-if-not-the-title-in-2011-i-might-have-looked-to-other-teams.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as translated by Basket News</a>). "Of course, there were highlights, but we didn't perform well on the court, and I couldn't even really move anymore.
"If I had quit two years earlier, I could probably move better today and play soccer with the kids sometimes. I can't do that at all now.&rdquo;
Nowitzki talked about how he loves to play tennis, but explained that it&rsquo;s difficult due to his limited mobility. He said that he can only play doubles these days.
&ldquo;It's really a super awesome sport, really fun. But when you can't move properly anymore, it's hard,&rdquo; Nowitzki said, per <a href="https://basketnews.com/news-165159-dirk-nowitzki-if-not-the-title-in-2011-i-might-have-looked-to-other-teams.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Basket News</a>. &ldquo;We still play a few times a week, but I can't move much anymore. Most of the time, I just hit a few forehand shots from the baseline in the doubles.&rdquo;
Many NBA legends have a difficult time deciding when to retire. They&rsquo;ve spent their whole life playing this game and it&rsquo;s a huge part of their identity, so walking away isn&rsquo;t easy.
"It's always hard to find the right time when you stop,&rdquo; Nowitzki said, per <a href="https://basketnews.com/news-165159-dirk-nowitzki-if-not-the-title-in-2011-i-might-have-looked-to-other-teams.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Basket News</a>. &ldquo;You're still having fun, the body is still halfway functioning, and the motivation is still there.&rdquo;
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Nowitzki seems to be enjoying retirement, and he&rsquo;s still getting his basketball fix since he serves as a consultant for the Dallas Mavericks. He explained why this role is perfect for him.
"It's nice that I'm a bit free and can organize my day. Sometimes I take a month off and spend time at home supporting my wife, and in the next weeks, I'm a bit more active in my role as a consultant with the Mavs,&rdquo; Nowitzki said, per <a href="https://basketnews.com/news-165159-dirk-nowitzki-if-not-the-title-in-2011-i-might-have-looked-to-other-teams.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Basket News</a>. &ldquo;I find that very good right now that I am my boss. Basically, that's why I asked the front office to be a consultant for now, because I can't imagine taking a full-time job today. I'm also extremely comfortable with that.&rdquo;
Over the course of his 21-year NBA career, Nowitzki totaled 31,560 points (sixth-most in NBA history), 11,489 rebounds and 1,982 three-pointers over 1,522 games. He posted career averages of 20.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 threes on .471/.380/.879 shooting splits.
The 14-time All-Star and 12-time All-NBA selection led the Mavericks to their first NBA championship in 2011 and was named the NBA&rsquo;s Most Valuable Player in 2007.
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"If I had quit two years earlier, I could probably move better today and play soccer with the kids sometimes. I can't do that at all now.”

Dirk Nowitzki wishes he retired sooner so he could 'move better today'

Team USA will take on Team France, also known as Les Bleus, in the gold-medal game at the Tokyo Olympics this Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET. The gold-medal game will be televised by NBC in the United States &ndash; the first men&rsquo;s basketball game to appear on the network&rsquo;s flagship station.
This will be a rematch of the first game each team played at the Saitama Super Arena, when France defeated the U.S. 83-76, outscoring Team USA 26-13 in the fourth quarter of the quarterfinal matchup.&nbsp;
These teams also played at the 2019 World Cup of Basketball in China, with France defeating Team USA by a final score of 89-79. The Bleus earned the victory by outplaying the Americans in the fourth quarter. Evan Fournier, now a member of the New York Knicks, scored 22 points while Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz scored 21 points to go along with 16 rebounds.
So France has a two-game winning streak over the U.S. and returns many of the same players from their team of two years ago, while the Americans are almost entirely different. Only Khris Middleton and Jayson Tatum (who was a DNP-CD in that game) remain on the roster. Kevin Durant has been the Americans&rsquo; top player at the Olympics, averaging 19 points on 53% shooting from the field. He is trying for his third Olympic gold medal.
Here are 10 things to know going into the gold-medal game:
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10. Point guard will be a critical matchup, with Jrue Holiday of the United States going against Nando de Colo of France. U.S. head coach Gregg Popovich coached de Colo for three years in San Antonio. After leaving the Spurs, de Colo played one season with the Toronto Raptors before moving back to Europe where he spent five seasons as the floor general for CSKA Moscow and one with Fenerbahce in Turkey. Holiday is the best perimeter defender on the American team, but had trouble with Ricky Rubio of Spain in the quarterfinals. In France&rsquo;s semifinal victory over Slovenia, de Colo scored 25 points to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. He had 13 points in France&rsquo;s 83-76 victory over the United States in the Olympic opener for both teams &mdash; a game in which France scored 16 of the game&rsquo;s final 18 points. He is shooting 47.1% on three-pointers.
9. Center may be an even more important position because French coach Vincent Collet used a Twin-Towers tandem of Gobert and Vincent Poirier in the first meeting between the teams, and the Americans did not have the size to match up. If it happens again, Popovich will have to weigh whether to use Bam Adebayo and JaVale McGee alongside each other for the first time, and no coach likes to put out a lineup in the ultimate game that he has never used before. Using Draymond Green alongside Adebayo is also an option. Gobert is averaging 11.4 points and 9.6 rebounds in just over 25 minutes per game. Poirier, who plays for Real Madrid, did not play against Slovenia and is averaging only 12 minutes per game.
8. One of the newest members of the New York Knicks, Evan Fournier, is averaging 19.2 points per game (two-tenths more than Durant) and is shooting 54.1% on two-pointers and 41.7% from three. He is France&rsquo;s featured scorer. He has scored above 20 points in four of five games, with his average getting affected when he played only 14 minutes against Iran. Fournier shot just 1-for-4 from the field in that contest. His best game came in the opener against the United States, where he went 11-for-22 from the field in 34 minutes.
7. Popovich has shortened his rotation and is relying most on Durant, Holiday, Tatum, Adebayo, Devin Booker, Zach LaVine, Damian Lillard and Draymond Green. But Lillard comes with a caveat, because he has been subbed out for matchup purposes when his defense could be a hindrance. That happened against Spain when Cleveland&rsquo;s new point guard, Ricky Rubio, went off for 38 points. One of the intriguing questions going into the gold-medal game is whether Pop will value Lillard&rsquo;s offense as a necessary component to getting the victory. Collet&rsquo;s lineup choices will have an impact on that question.
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6. Green has only missed two shots in the Olympics, but he has only taken nine, despite playing an average of 18 minutes per game. Green is 3-for-3 on three-pointers and has made all four of his foul shots, but he also leads Team USA with 20 fouls and is the 10th-leading scorer at 4.2 points per game. He was placed on the roster because of his versatility on both ends of the court, and defense has been the one constant for the Americans in their victories.
5. The Americans have been called for 100 fouls, compared to 79 for their opponents. Under FIBA rules, a disqualification comes after the fifth foul &ndash; and technicals (called an &ldquo;unsportsmanlike foul&rdquo; in FIBA) count against a player&rsquo;s total. The refereeing has been par for the course as far as FIBA goes, with lots of physical contact allowed under the basket and in the open court. However, ticky-tack reach-in fouls are also whistled at random times. The referee assignments for the gold-medal game will be closely watched by the American federation, which keeps copious stats on different international referees&rsquo; tendencies. None of the officials will be from France or the United States. No NBA referees are working the Olympics.
4. Is LaVine Team USA&rsquo;s secret weapon? The Chicago Bulls&rsquo; All-Star &mdash; who will now be teaming up with DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso &mdash; will be the top three-point shooter (percentage-wise) in this game, hitting them at a 47.6% clip. But he is averaging only 19.6 minutes per game, despite being second on the team in assists (20) and being perfect from the foul line (5-for-5). He is getting squeezed in the rotation somewhat because so many of the American players are wings, and if he comes into the game against France and has a hot hand, it will be interesting to see whether Popovich rides him. LaVine is just ahead of Adebayo and just behind Booker in terms of minutes played per game.
3. Pressure is one of the biggest intangible factors in any basketball game, but much more so in a gold-medal game. Durant has played in three of them, and nobody on France has played in a single one in the Olympics. At the 2019 World Cup in China, Gobert was only 1-for-3 from the field and was outscored 28-3 by Luis Scola of Argentina in a semifinal game. Fournier shot only 6-for-17 in that loss, and de Colo came off the bench behind Frank Ntilikina and scored 11, while Nicolas Batum was just 1-for-6. Those stats do not exactly inspire &ldquo;confiance&rdquo; &ndash; the French word for confidence. Durant had 30 points in a 96-66 gold-medal victory over Serbia at the 2016 Olympics and another 30 points in America&rsquo;s 107-100 victory over Spain in the gold-medal game of the 2012 Olympics.
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2. Statistics other than points often paint a clearer picture of what certain teams are doing particularly well. The Americans have 50 steals to their opponents&rsquo; 27, 26 blocks compared to nine for their opponents and are forcing 17 turnovers per game compared to 10.9 by their opponents. They are also outrebounding their opponents by 1.6 per game despite being beaten in that category in their opener against France, 42-38. In five games, their opponents have combined for only 85 third-quarter points &ndash; an indication that they come out of halftime at each game with a strong defensive mindset, something we saw against Australia in the semifinal when they outscored the Boomers 32-10 in the third.
1. Despite Durant already having two of them, a gold medal is an extraordinarily difficult thing to earn. Most NBA players have none and will never have any, so this opportunity is extra special and will bring out the best in the best competitors. What should worry the Americans is having a close game late in the fourth quarter, because that is when the strangest of strange things happen. At the infamous 1972 gold-medal game between the Soviet Union and the United States, the final play was replayed twice despite a jury (yes, they have a jury at gold medal games) ruling in the Americans&rsquo; favor on one disputed play. It was overruled by the head of FIBA, who came down from the stands and ordered the final inbounds play to take place a third time. Team USA won the silver medal at those games, but those medals have remain locked in a vault in Geneva, Switzerland ever since, because every player on the American team refused to accept them.
So it&rsquo;s okay to expect the unexpected, despite Team USA being favored by 12.5 points.

Kevin Durant and Zach LaVine will lead Team USA into the gold-medal game against Team France. Here are things to watch for.

10 things to know ahead of USA-France Olympic gold-medal game

ATLANTA (August 5, 2021) - OTE (Overtime Elite) announced today the signing of Izan Almansa, making him the 13th player to join the transformative new league and will be part of its inaugural season this September.
(Editor's Note: Read our Spencer Davies' exclusive interview with Aaron Ryan and Brandon Williams, and an extensive profile on Overtime Elite <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.)
From Murcia, Spain, Almansa is a 6-foot-9 power forward who previously played for Real Madrid Cadete A. He is ranked #6 for 2005 born players on EuroHopes.com and is regarded as one of the top European prospects with NBA potential because of his length, motor and feel for the game.
&ldquo;This is a remarkable day for our program, attracting a player of Izan&rsquo;s talent, upside and character, as we continue to build an incomparable group of elite basketball players from across the world,&rdquo; said Brandon Williams, OTE&rsquo;s EVP and Head of Basketball Operations. &ldquo;OTE was created for players like Izan, who craves the coaching, training, and education that will help maximize his gifts and best prepare him to reach his dreams as an NBA player.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Izan is the type of player that makes you excited to be a coach,&rdquo; said Kevin Ollie, OTE Head Coach and Head of Player Development. &ldquo;This is a young man who&rsquo;s elite natural talent is actually outweighed by his drive and desire to get better. That makes his ceiling limitless and we&rsquo;re going to do our part to ensure he&rsquo;s given everything he needs to become a world class player and person.&rdquo;
Almansa is the thirteenth player to join OTE for its inaugural season. The league has signed top prospects Jalen Lewis from California, Amen and Ausar Thompson from Florida, Matt Bewley and Ryan Bewley from Florida, and Jai Smith from North Carolina.
OTE has signed international prospects Jean Montero from the Dominican Republic, Alexandre Sarr from France, Nathan Missia-Dio from Belgium, Emmanuel Maldonado from Puerto Rico, Francis Lopez from the Philippines and Tudor Somacescu from Romania. The league expects to make additional player announcements in the coming weeks.
OTE provides a comprehensive accelerator for elite players&rsquo; professional careers. The league, a division of next-generation sports brand Overtime, offers a year-round development program combining world-class coaching, cutting-edge sports science and performance technologies, top-notch facilities, and a rigorous, highly personalized academic program that energizes and enhances each athlete&rsquo;s journey.&nbsp;
Every OTE player will earn a six-figure salary, with a guaranteed minimum salary of at least $100,000 per year, plus bonuses and shares of equity in Overtime. In addition, players will participate in revenue from use of their name, image and likeness, including through sales of custom jerseys, trading cards, video games and NFTs.&nbsp;

Regarded as one of the top European prospects, Izan Almansa is the 13th player to sign with Overtime Elite.

Overtime Elite signs highly-touted Spanish power forward Izan Almansa

With the 2021 NBA Draft just days away, BasketballNews.com's Lead NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock has put together a list of the top available prospects by position. He recently listed the draft's top&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2021-nba-draft-top-point-guards-in-this-class" target="_blank" rel="noopener">point guards</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2021-nba-draft-top-shooting-guards-in-this-class" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shooting guards</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2021-nba-draft-top-small-forwards-in-this-class" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small forwards</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2021-nba-draft-top-centers-in-this-class" target="_blank" rel="noopener">centers</a>.
Here are the best small forwards in this year's class:
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/jalen-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jalen Johnson, Duke</a>
Although he had a disappointing freshman season at Duke (in which he left his team early), Jalen Johnson possesses an intriguing combination of strength, athleticism, and playmaking skills. Considering his abilities as a ball-handler, distributor, and finisher at his size, he&rsquo;s one of the more talented forwards in this year&rsquo;s draft class and he has a ton of upside.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/kai-jones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kai Jones, Texas</a>
At 6-foot-11, Jones teased with his athleticism and offensive tools this past season at Texas. He will need to develop his physical strength and add polish to become a high-level NBA player; however, his long-term ceiling is extremely high. At the end of the lottery, he might be worth the risk.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/isaiah-jackson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Isaiah Jackson, Kentucky</a>
<span data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Due to his length and leaping ability, Isaiah Jackson is a premier rim protector. He will need to add physical strength, but his presence in the interior is felt on both ends with his mobility and explosion. A bit raw on the offensive end, he's flashed decent touch and the ability to play above the rim. Jackson could serve as an effective rim protector, rim runner, and roaming big.&quot;}" data-sheets-userformat="{&quot;2&quot;:6847,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;4&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:13756105},&quot;5&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0}},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;6&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0}},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;7&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0}},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;8&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0}},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;10&quot;:2,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;14&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0},&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Arial&quot;}">Due to his length and leaping ability, Isaiah Jackson is a premier rim protector. He will need to add physical strength, but his presence in the interior is felt on both ends with his mobility and explosion. A bit raw on the offensive end, he's flashed decent touch and the ability to play above the rim. Jackson could serve as an effective rim protector, rim runner, and roaming big.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/trey-murphy-iii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trey Murphy III, Virginia</a>
A sniper as a shooter and an effective defender, Trey Murphy III came into his own at Virginia after transferring from Rice. He doesn't excel in creating for himself, but as a movement and spot-up shooter, he can be incredibly valuable to just about any NBA offense. Considering his size, length, mobility, defense, and ability to stretch the floor, Murphy is a viable option in the first round.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/usman-garuba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Usman Garuba, Real Madrid</a>
Known mostly for his defensive prowess, Usman Garuba causes problems for opponents all over the floor with his length and explosiveness. He is instinctual at the rim, as both a protector and play-finisher. Aside from his positive contributions on the defensive end, his offensive abilities have been somewhat of a concern for some time now. This past season in Spain, Garuba&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/international-basketball-fiba-europe-euroleague-real-madrid-usman-garuba-progressing-as-shooter-trending-upward-2021-nba-draft-prospects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three-point shooting improved greatly</a>, providing real hope that his game might translate to the NBA better than initially expected.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/jt-thor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JT Thor, Auburn</a>
Thor is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing prospects in this class. He's long, rangy, and fluid for his size. He also has the ability to shoot the deep ball and protect the rim. Thor is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jt-thor-could-be-2021-nba-draft-diamond-in-the-rough-auburn-tigers-prospect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a potential diamond-in-the-rough</a> who could make a great impact at the next level if it clicks. He likely won't be ready to contribute early in his career, but the physical tools and skill set are worth betting on.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/j-robinson-earl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova</a>
Although he isn't the flashiest player in the class, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl projects to be a reliable contributor. He averaged 15.7 points and 8.5 rebounds this past season, showing that he's willing and able to do the little things necessary for team success. He's a strong rebounder, screen-setter and passer, and he has flashed the ability to stretch the floor as well.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/kessler-edwards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kessler Edwards, Pepperdine</a>
Kessler Edwards is a proven shot-maker who excels in both three-point shooting and scoring in the post. He has good size at 6-foot-7 and a knack for doing all the little things well. Edwards is a disciplined and active team defender who can provide a decent amount of switchability. While he doesn't have a ton of upside, he looks to provide solid value on both ends of the floor in versatile roles.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/isaiah-todd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Isaiah Todd, G League Ignite</a>
Isaiah Todd is an impressive athlete with good physical tools that he uses to his advantage, making him a difficult assignment for defenders. Todd averaged 12.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15 games this past season for the G League Ignite. He has good length at 6-foot-10 and has shown the ability to stretch the floor, as he shot 36.2% from deep. If he is able to improve his decision-making and discipline, Todd could likely tap into his significant potential.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/greg-brown-iii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greg Brown III, Texas</a>
Greg Brown III is arguably the most explosive athlete in the draft. His leaping ability off one or two feet is incredible, which led to many highlight plays at Texas this past season. He has a high motor and a knack for attacking the offensive glass. He has shown flashes of being able to shoot from outside and make plays on the offensive end. However, his basketball IQ and self-awareness as a player seem to be lacking. Considering his level of athleticism, overall physical tools and raw talent, Brown should still be selected somewhere in the first round.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/isaiah-livers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Isaiah Livers, Michigan&nbsp;</a>
Isaiah Livers is one of the best shooters in this draft, especially off movement. He has NBA size for a wing at 6-foot-6 and he was a career 41.2% three-point shooter at Michigan. He likely won't be relied upon to create much offense at the next level, but his ability to stretch the floor will likely provide him an opportunity.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/sam-hauser" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Hauser, Virginia</a>
Hauser projects as a stretch big at the NBA level due to his impressive shot-making ability. He excelled at Virginia shooting off movement and the standstill, and has shown he can hit big-time shots from the mid-range as well as from deep. Hauser is one of the older players in this Draft cycle at 23 years old, but his skillset is one that organizations covet. Look for him to get a good NBA opportunity next season.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/matthew-hurt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Hurt, Duke</a>
Hurt was one of the best three-point shooters in the country last season, knocking dow 44.4% of his 126 attempts. After being ranked No. 12 in the 2019 RSCI, he had an underwhelming freshman season at Duke. As a sophomore, he came into his own as a scorer and showed that he can contribute on the interior as well as the perimeter. He's tough on the glass, has good size, and projects as a stretch four at the NBA level.
To see BasketballNews.com's latest 2021 NBA Mock Draft, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.

BasketballNews.com's Lead NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock has put together a list of the top power forwards in the 2021 NBA Draft.

2021 NBA Draft: Top power forwards in this class

ATLANTA (July 1, 2021) &ndash; OTE (Overtime Elite) announced today that French forward Alexandre Sarr has signed with the transformative new league and will be part of its inaugural season this September. Sarr is the first European player to sign with OTE.
(Editor's Note: Read our Spencer Davies' exclusive interview with Aaron Ryan and Brandon Williams, and an extensive profile on Overtime Elite <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.)
Sarr, a native of Bordeaux, France is a 6-foot-10 inch power forward who played last season for Real Madrid and is ranked #9 overall by Eurospects.com for International Prospects born in 2005. Prior, he spent time with Toac (2014-16, 2019), Union Brugieres Basketball Club (2018-19), Labege Auzeville Club (2017-18), and Tropkclub Toulouse (2016-17). &nbsp;
Sarr&rsquo;s father, Massar, is a former professional basketball player from Senegal, while his older brother, Olivier, played collegiately at Wake Forest and Kentucky and is a 2021 NBA Draft prospect.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Alexandre comes from a basketball family, learning from a father and brother who came before him. So he has heard of the work and dedication required to be a pro,&rdquo; said Brandon Williams, OTE EVP, Head of Basketball Operations. &ldquo;From his experience playing as a junior player in the Real Madrid club, Alexandre brings a youthful professionalism and a desire to be great, that will be a huge benefit to his teammates and our league.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Alexandre is a skilled and versatile athlete, a natural shot blocker, and a rebounder on both ends of the floor,&rdquo; said Kevin Ollie, OTE Head Coach and Head of Player Development. &ldquo;We look forward to experiencing rapid development every day once we can work with Alexandre in the gym.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Sarr is the eighth player to join OTE. In the past few weeks, the league announced the signings of top-rated guards Amen and Ausar Thompson and forwards Matt Bewley and Ryan Bewley. OTE signed its first international player, point guard Jean Montero from the Dominican Republic and recently announced the signings of Emmanuel Maldonado from Puerto Rico and Jai Smith from North Carolina. The league expects to make additional player announcements in the coming weeks.
OTE provides a comprehensive accelerator for elite players&rsquo; professional careers. The league, a division of next-generation sports brand Overtime, offers a year-round development program combining world-class coaching, cutting-edge sports science and performance technologies, top-notch facilities, and a rigorous, highly personalized academic program that energizes and enhances each athlete&rsquo;s journey.&nbsp;
Every OTE player will earn a six-figure salary, with a guaranteed minimum salary of at least $100,000 per year, plus bonuses and shares of equity in Overtime. In addition, players will participate in revenue from use of their name, image and likeness, including through sales of custom jerseys, trading cards, video games and NFTs.&nbsp;
About OTE
OTE (Overtime Elite) is a transformative new sports league that offers the world&rsquo;s most talented young basketball players a better pathway to becoming professional athletes, while engaging and inspiring a new community of digitally native fans.
OTE (pronounced Oh-Tee-E) provides a comprehensive accelerator for elite players&rsquo; professional careers. The league offers a year-round development program combining world-class coaching, cutting-edge sports science and performance technologies, top-notch facilities, and a rigorous, highly personalized academic program that energizes and enhances each athlete&rsquo;s journey from proficiency to pro.

A native of Bordeaux, France and 6-foot-10 power forward, Alexandre Sarr played last season for Real Madrid.

Overtime Elite signs first European player, French forward Alexandre Sarr

The NBA Draft is often thought about and discussed in terms of finding potential superstars. Top-10 picks and the sure-fire prospects rightfully receive the most attention from media and those who cover basketball, but each year there are a few players in the second round who are selected with a long-term outlook. These international players are filled with untapped potential, but given the right fit and organizational investment, they can become valuable assets to an NBA team.&nbsp;
Here are a few names that have come to NBA fruition:
Bojan Bogdanović - 2011 | Miami | Pick 31 Davis Bertans - 2011 | Indiana | Pick 42 Tom&aacute;&scaron; Satoransk&yacute; - 2012 | Washington | Pick 32 Cedi Osman - 2015 | Minnesota | Pick 31
The 2021 NBA Draft will be no different, with a handful of players likely to be selected as projects with the future in mind.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/ariel-hukporti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ariel Hukporti | Nevezis | Center | 2002</a>
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Hukporti is physically gifted with his tools and length at only 18 years old. In his 21 games with Nevezis, he averaged 10.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks, and showed that even though his game is still a bit raw on both ends, he has the potential to be impactful at the NBA level. Scoring in the low post has been his bread and butter for a while now, but he is actively working to improve as a shooter. He measured 6-foot, 10.75 inches without shoes and posted a 7-foot, 2.5-inch wingspan. BasketballNews.com's Lead NBA Draft Analyst, Matt Babcock, saw Hukporti live in Chicago at the NBA Draft Combine.
&ldquo;Although I think Hukporti is more of a long-term project than being someone that can be expected to contribute to an NBA team right away, he is certainly not a stiff," Babcock said. "I originally thought that he would only be considered as an option for the draft-and-stash route; however, after watching him in Chicago, I wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised to see a team consider selecting Hukporti and bringing him over right away. It could be advantageous to get him into an NBA strength-and-conditioning program and also on the court with NBA coaches sooner than later.&rdquo;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/juhann-begarin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Juhann Begarin | Paris Basketball | Guard | 2002</a>
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Begarin is a tremendous athlete with good positional size at 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds. At the recent NBA G League Combine, he played well in the scrimmages, including a steal and Eurostep finish in transition. Our Matt Babcock was able to see him up close in Chicago, as well.
&ldquo;Begarin has a lot of room for improvement in regards to his basketball IQ and feel for the game, but his physical tools are impressive and he seems to have a solid motor," Babcock said. "I do believe that he would be a good option to draft-and-stash.&rdquo;
Still 18 years old, he is physically developed and played 33 games this season for Paris Basketball in the LNB Pro B League. He averaged 11.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals, and shot 36.4% from deep; with improved feel for the game and refinement on offense, Begarin has tons of untapped upside.
Ibou Dianko Badji | FC Barcelona | Center | 2002
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Badji has incredible physical tools, and he stands 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-8 wingspan. This length, paired with his innate rim protection instincts, makes him a menace in the paint. His offense is still extremely raw, but he excels with his back to the basket in the post, using his frame to get to the rim and finish over his opponents. Every so often, he&rsquo;ll use impressive footwork and touch to score in the mid-range, as well. His long-term projection is likely as a lob target and rim protector, and he is one to watch as we approach the draft.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/vrenz-bleijenbergh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vrenz Bleijenbergh | Antwerp | Guard/Forward | 2000</a>
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In 10 Eurocup games for Antwerp, Bleijenbergh averaged 9.4 points and 2.3 assists in 23.9 minutes per contest. At 6-foot-10, he is comfortable running the pick-and-roll and excels in creating open looks for his teammates as a facilitator. He plays with change of speeds and pace, and is comfortable operating with or without the ball. With his current skill set and continued development, Bleijenbergh has real potential to become a point forward in the NBA.
Yoan Makoundou | Cholet | Forward | 2000
Makoundou is a long, rangy, athletic forward who plays with a tremendous motor on both ends of the floor. He excels scoring off movement and in transition, playing above the rim with ease. In his 30 games for Cholet this season, he has only averaged 16.4 minutes per contest, so he hasn&rsquo;t had a chance to truly show what he&rsquo;s capable of. But with his size and current skill set, he&rsquo;s one to monitor moving forward.&nbsp;
Amar Sylla | Oostende | Forward | 2001
Once regarded as a potential first-round pick, Sylla is a 6-foot-8 forward from Senegal who excels attacking the rim. With his 7-foot-2 wingspan, he is a strong rebounder on both ends, and plays with high activity as a cutter. Stretching the floor as a shooter has always been a concern, but he still has upside with his athleticism and physicality.
Carlos Alocen | Real Madrid | Guard | 2000
Alocen is a quick, shifty guard who is aggressive and flashy as a facilitator. He is tremendous in the pick-and-roll and has great vision, giving promise to him being a rotation-level point guard in the NBA. At 6-foot-4, he is a strong ball-handler, but questions remain regarding his shooting (27% from three in 2020-21). Due to his playmaking and ability to create for others, he remains a viable option in July&rsquo;s draft.&nbsp;
Rokas Jokubaitis | Zalgiris | Guard | 2000
Jokubaitis has good positional size at 6-foot-4 and195 pounds, and has shown to be an intelligent lead ball-handler. He&rsquo;s comfortable in the pick-and-roll and continues to develop as a playmaker, improving as a scorer in an increased role in 2020-21. This season, he hit 38.8% of his three-point attempts, flashing the ability to score in both the mid-range and from deep. His play can be inconsistent at times, but the tools and feel for the game could make him a solid choice.

Each year, there are players selected in the NBA Draft as projects. Derek Murray lists the 2021 international draft-and-stash prospects.

Potential 2021 NBA Draft-and-Stash Options

U18 Real Madrid survives!
It took an overall collective effort for Madrid to win the Adidas Next Generation Tournament Final 4 in Valencia. The guard-oriented team faced some adversity and won the tournament without Juan Nunez, who left after their second game, and a limited Matteo Spagnolo, who played with calf pain. But instead of searching for an excuse, Madrid found multiple answers and surprised FC Barcelona in the Final. Here are my takes on some of the best players:
Eli John N'Diaye: 6-foot-8 | U18 Real Madrid | Forward | Age: 16 
MVP Eli John N&rsquo;Diaye played his best basketball, and at the right time! &nbsp;We certainly remember his performance in Istanbul a few months ago, where he averaged 13.3 points and 8.6 rebounds on 55.6% from the field and came up with 28 points and 11 rebounds during the March final vs Stellazzurra.
N'Diaye topped his previous performance by not only showcasing his ability to find scoring opportunities within the offense, but it looks like he is also acquiring the individual skills required to create his offense. He averaged 19.0 points, 13.3 rebounds on 45.2% shooting during the tournament. &nbsp;His touch near the rim, his relentless effort on the glass and his three-point shooting were too much for his direct defender. &nbsp;
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N'Diaye came up with a rock-solid 30 points and 15 rebounds in 38 minutes in a close win vs. U18 ASVEL, reiterated his performance vs, U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade with 18 points and 16 rebounds in 34 minutes. And finally, he overcame the physicality of FC Barcelona (James Nnaji and Teodor Simic), with another solid performance with 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals.
Without a doubt, N'Diaye was the best player at the tournament, and even if it seems that he doesn&rsquo;t look like a super-high ceiling player due to his height and set of skills as a power forward, N'Diaye certainly looks like a player that has a lot more to offer if he continues to work on expanding his offense and continues controlling the boards as he has been doing.
Henri Veesaar: 6-foot-10 | U18 Real Madrid | Center | Age: 17 
It was a solid performance overall for Veesaar! He hasn&rsquo;t gained weight, but he tried to be physical, and I loved the fact that he finished with dunks every time he could. His three-ball is becoming a real threat, and he knows where and when he can pull the trigger. As a finisher, he does a good job, but I&rsquo;d like to see him work and create his own shot here and there, as he becomes prone to guards needing to create for him.
As usual, Veesaar used his height and length near the rim to rebound, and protect the paint. What I like the most about him was his fire throughout the tournament; he continuously brought a level of energy every time he stepped on the court. He averaged a productive 12.0 points and 7.0 rebounds on 63% from the field, including 40% from beyond the arc during the tournament in 26 minutes per game.
Sediq Garuba: 6-foot-4 | U18 Real Madrid | Wing | Age: 17 
The unsung hero! It takes more than stats to be able to portray what he brought to his team. Physically capable to defend four positions on the court, as well as help and recover, Garuba brought his A+ defensive game with him. &nbsp;He's still got hours to spend in the gym as an offensive player (1-for-5 from deep), but his defense kept Madrid in the game when the offense wasn&rsquo;t clicking. &nbsp;
Garuba did a great job of cutting and driving the lanes, contesting jumpers and stopping fastbreaks by utilizing his athleticism. His hustles earned him playing time (32 minutes per game), and he was capable of finishing around the rim when it counted the most. &nbsp;If he can develop a steady perimeter shot in the corner, he&rsquo;ll have some solid tools as a pro.
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Baba Miller: 6-foot-9 | U18 Real Madrid | Forward | Age: 17 
I was hoping for him to get more done when Nunez left, but unfortunately, that wasn&rsquo;t the case. He only played five minutes during the Final and averaged 13 minutes in the tournament. Baba was the biggest question mark at the tournament, and I still don&rsquo;t have an answer. &nbsp;I&rsquo;ve seen him in a limited role of shooting threes and slashing from the opposite side where he can either catch a lob and get a quick dunk.
But as a 6-foot-9, athletic, skilled forward, I want to see him get more of an opportunity, as he averaged 2.5 pts and 1.8 rebounds during the tournament. He is still on top of my 2004 board, though, and it will be interesting to follow him when the moment comes for him to get more playing time.
Kostadinov Konstantin: 6-foot-8 | U18 Real Madrid | Forward | Age: 18 
Konstantin's best performance came at the right time, as he had his best game during the Final with 18 points and 12 rebounds. He looks better, being able to play with more responsibility. The advantage of having Nunez is that it allows Kostadinov to finish with a high percentage shot. And by the way, this is probably how his career will go -- threes and dunks. &nbsp;
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But there is still room for improvement, and getting outside of his comfort zone made him look better. Konstantin was a bit stiff with the ball, and still lacks the shiftiness that all players should have if they find themselves isolated at the end of the shot clock. But the more he was aggressive offensively, the more his teammates were able to take advantage of an a slower-reacting opposing defense. He finished the tournament with solid stats: 14.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Killian Malwaya: 6-foot-4 | U18 ASVEL | Wing | Age: 15 
Malwaya looked aggressive and showcased his athleticism. While most of his damage was done near the basket by either driving, slashing, or rebounding the ball, I&rsquo;m glad he took the open threes! He didn&rsquo;t make much out of it (1-for-7 from distance), but he will need to become comfortable with these shots if he wants to get close to his potential.
Malwaya's defensive presence and efforts were outstanding, too, and he had some great sequences on the ball. As one of the youngest players on the court, I look forward to watching him next year with more offensive responsibilities. He averaged 11.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 25 minutes during the tournament.
Zaccharie Risacher: 6-foot-8 | U18 ASVEL | Forward | Age: 16 
Risacher continues to impress me with his all-around effort, and his ability to stay close to the action. He is a true modern forward who can stretch the floor with confidence. He averaged 12.0 points and 4.0 rebrounds during the tournament. He did an excellent job behind the three-point line, shooting 4-for-6 in his two games.
What's more impressive with Risacher is his ability to get into the game "ready." His IQ allows him to put forth a high level of productivity and impact the game on both sides of the court. He is already a good positional defender, and he has a good feel for the game, allowing him to defend all positions on the court. I&rsquo;m still hoping that he will develop some kind of go-to move to create for his teammates.
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James Nnaji: 6-foot-10 | U18 FC Barcelona | Center | Age: 16 
Nnaji is improving! We know about his freakish athleticism and his strength, but he is adding a touch around the rim that allows him to finish without dunking everything. I&rsquo;ve kept a close eye on him, and was happy to witness his progression offensively. He still doesn&rsquo;t look to score outside the paint, and at this moment, he wouldn&rsquo;t win a free-throw competition against Shaq. But if he can develop a short hook shot and learn to pivot on both shoulders, it will do the trick at a high level.
It&rsquo;s rare to see a one-dimensional player with such an interesting ceiling. He did a great job rebounding everything on both sides of the court, and his ability to cover ground defensively and get off his feet was remarkable. If you think about it, Nnaji is the reason why bigs love to stretch the floor, because sometimes it&rsquo;s just too physical down there for them to handle. He averaged 14.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.3 blocks in the tournament. Nnaji's next levels of development are improving his free throws and continuing to better his touch around the rim.
Paulius Murauskas: 6-foot-8 | U18 Zalgiris Kaunas | Forward | Age: 17 
Coming off a minor knee injury, there were some questions if Murauskas was going to be ready for ANGT. He played for a limited time, and couldn&rsquo;t find his rhythm. &nbsp;As one of the top players in the 2004 generation, it was not easy for him to assume the offensive load needed for Zalgiris to win games, and they lost all three contests. He started well by scoring 7 points in the first quarter vs U18 Real Madrid, but finished with 9 points and 5 rebounds in 20 minutes. &nbsp;
All through the tournament, he looked out of sync with the rest of his team, and with his lack of conditioning, he wasn&rsquo;t able to create or make his shots. I could see the disappointment on his face, and as the losses piled up, he started to isolate himself from the rest of the group. Murauskas gave his best efforts against ASVEL, and even if he could have done more, you can see that once he&rsquo;s locked in it&rsquo;s pretty difficult to stop him (27 points and 6 rebounds in that game).
I&rsquo;ll be watching his development closely, and how he is going to bounce back from Valencia. With a player of that level, you might wonder what his transition will be within the next two years, as he needs to step into a program where he can play relevant minutes while facing adequate competition. Murauskas averaged 16.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 24 minutes, making 4 of 15 shots from three.

Jacques Vandescure analyzes the 2021 ANGT Final Four in Valencia, the majority of U18 Real Madrid's team and other players that stood out.

Adidas Next Generation Tournament Final 4: Players that stood out in Valencia

For a few years now, Usman Garuba has been widely projected as a first-round pick and the best international prospect born in the year 2002. He joined Real Madrid when he was only 11 years old, and really came into his own in 2016 when he dominated the 2016 FIBA U16 Europe A Tournament as a 14-year-old, where he averaged 16.3 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2 assists per game.&nbsp;
Listed at 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, Garuba is a powerful, intelligent, energetic forward who has seen valuable EuroLeague minutes as a teenager, and has continued to progress and develop over the course of this season. Having recently turned 19 years old in March, Garuba is a young prospect whose defensive activity and rebounding continue to stand out as his most projectable skills. He uses his powerful frame, 7-2 wingspan and feel for the game to his advantage, as he&rsquo;s a tenacious rebounder on both ends. He has also flashed the ability to be a multi-positional defender.
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While he&rsquo;s known most for his physical tools, motor and rim protection potential, his recent notable progression has come as a shooter.&nbsp;Garuba&rsquo;s ability to shoot the three has long been his swing skill and the primary concern from an evaluation standpoint for scouts. Over the duration of his young career, he&rsquo;s been inconsistent -- and passive -- as a shooter, which has raised the question of whether or not that part of his game could ever be reliable. I&rsquo;ve had some conversations with NBA personnel regarding his shooting, and the key point of those conversations has alluded to the inconsistency of his footwork and placement of his off-hand.
Here&rsquo;s are his three point shooting statistics over the past few seasons:
2017-18: 0.0% (0-of-9) 2018-19: 33.3% (8-of-24) 2019-20: 29.6% (8-of-27) 2020-21 (through April 14): 31.1% (28-of-90)
Although the percentage for this season doesn&rsquo;t stand out, his performance the last few months has caught my eye.&nbsp;
Since Dec. 1, 2020, Garuba has connected on 24 of 61 attempts from behind the arc (39.3%). His recent success shooting the ball has given me real hope that his value and projection as an offensive player at the next level could be higher than I once thought. It&rsquo;s also promising to see Garuba&rsquo;s huge jump in shooting volume, as he&rsquo;s already tripled his output from the previous season. Garuba has shown this year that he&rsquo;s willing and able to take open shots, and often contested ones, as well.
In recent film that I&rsquo;ve watched, it&rsquo;s evident that Garuba&rsquo;s been working to improve his jumper. His release still isn&rsquo;t the quickest, but his pre-shot footwork has become cleaner and his delivery now wastes little motion, and he remains balanced and composed, not rushing into his shots as much as he did early in his career.&nbsp;
Most of his offensive value has come from getting downhill and attacking the rim, or as a cutter because he excels in scoring on the move at the rim. Adding a perimeter game could open up tons of opportunity, both for him and his team&rsquo;s offense moving forward. With an extended range and growing confidence on offense, paired with his motor and defensive promise, Garuba seems to be trending up.
Keep an eye on Usman Garuba as Real Madrid continues its season, and as we inch closer to the 2021 NBA Draft.&nbsp;

Derek Murray digs into Real Madrid forward and 2021 NBA Draft prospect Usman Garuba's game, and how he's developed.