2024 FIBA U16 EuroBasket: Top Prospects (Heraklion, Greece), plus notes from B Division

From August 9 to 17th the EuroBasket A Division was played in Heraklion, Greece where 16 teams played 7 games to determine where they currently rank in European basketball. Resulting in France defeating Spain 82 -70 in the championship game and Serbia defeating the host country Greece for its third-place finish on the podium. This setting is for some their first exposure to scouts and while it gives a good indicator on who may be the top players from the continent it is a very fluid situation. It is also a transitional period for many who change clubs either just prior or post this event. Given these factors a player in the honorable mention section may very well ultimately become better than some or all the players in the top 10 prospects therefore I encourage taking these rankings with a grain a salt and focusing on the type of the player they currently are and what are some things they could work on to become a better prospect:

Top 10 Prospects:

Ricards Aizpurs 6’6 SG Stella Azzurra Roma 2008 Born Latvia Highlights

Ricars Aizpurs was the third leading scorer at this event averaging 18.1 points per game. At 6’6 he was one of the more skilled players, flashing playmaking skills as a small forward and shooting ability from long distance. Going 44/97 from the field overall (45%) Ricards shot it best in catch and shoot opportunities where he featured his high arching shot, going 14/40 from three at this event. In addition, he went 25/33 from the free throw line (76%). He can either bring the ball up court or run the lanes in fast break offense and has the vision to make the advantageous pass or finish plays off with dunks. A right hander, he likes getting downhill going left and finishing plays off with his right using his nice soft touch. At Heraklion he found ways to score in the post, using spin moves, drop steps and other to finish plays off. He competed on the defensive end and was very active getting 9 steals and 8 blocks in 7 games.

Andrej Bjelic 6’4 CG Real Madrid 2008 Born Highlights Serbia

Andrej Bjelic helped lead Serbia to a third-place finish. He projects to be the best shooter from this U16 EuroBasket as he has the combination of a fluid shot, quick release, and good positional height. In 7 games he shot over 8 threes per contest going 22/59 (37.3%) and 27/33 from the free throw line in 221 minutes. The second leading scorer at this event at 18.4 per game he used pick and roll play to score off floaters or to finish at the rim, lay in it in with his soft touch. Bjelic uses a good change of pace dribble and shot and head fakes to fluster opposing defenders as he knows opposing defenses are focused on forcing him off the three point line and this allows him to open opportunities for himself and teammates. Andrej showed flashes as a passer when he focused less on scoring, in the single elimination games where he followed up a 4 assist 1 turnover game against France with a 7 assist 4 turnover game against Greece. He will finish plays off with an occasional dunk but is far from a high-flying athlete on fast breaks. His progression in pick and roll efficiency will be key as a prospect. Defensively showed solid strength and ability to get into the passing lanes at this level but is not projected to be more than an average defender at the top levels.

Vuk Danilovic 6’2 PG Mega Miss 2008 Born Serbia

The son of former NBA and Serbian international basketball player Predrag “Saša” Danilovic and his sister is professional tennis player Olga Danilovic. Vuk Danilovic played the Robin to Andrej Bjelic’s Batman as the two dynamic scorers for Serbia at the EuroBasket U16 tournament. Slightly smaller and slighter than Andrej, Vuk without a growth spurt projects as a point guard. Averaging 15.7 point per contest while going 12/32 from long distance flashed a fluid and efficient shot and flashed tight handles. He is highly efficient in his use of both dribbles and space to get a good shot off. He moves well off the ball and has good mechanics in catch and shoot opportunities.  WHile not particularly powerful he has good quickness and great balance in his body movements. As he progresses, he needs to add some strength to his frame, develop a floater, and become more of a playmaker for teammates. He had 20 turnovers to his 14 assists in 191 minutes of playing time.

Achille Elouma 6’7 Wing Pôle France 2008  France

Achille Elouma is a long athletic wing with long term potential as a three and D prospect. Elouma had 14 steals in 125 minutes and was one of France’s key players disrupting the opponent’s offense. On fast break offense he will fill the lanes and finish plays off with dunks. In half court sets he showed solid handles for a forward and an ability to create as he would get the ball from the wing pump fake, take one dribble and make mid-range jumpers over opponents from the free throw line extended.   He also flashed some ability to create for others with his ball handling skills and vision leading to his 16 assists to 12 turnovers in Heraklion. Not yet a threat from long distance where he took 3 threes and made 1, he will need to get comfortable from long distance as the level of competition progresses.  In addition, refining his shot in catch and shoot and from the line is a low hanging fruit for him to work on.  The anthropometrics and the athleticism look ideal for a wing and his intangibles look solid as well both as a passer and understanding in his scoring opportunities within the French offense.

Amani Haruna 6’10 PF/C Helsinki Academy 2008 Born Finland

Amani Haruna is as much a work in progress as anyone in this top 10. His body seemed a lot less mature than most players at this event but at 6’10 with some length and a body that looks like it will add a few more inches that also is what makes him intrigue as a prospect. Amani was 3rd in blocks with 15 in 173 minutes and 4th in rebounds with 15 in 7 games. On defense he primarily played in a drop. Raw both on offense and defense he was late at times on rotations and can find himself in ill-advised defensive situations, yet he still made his mark both as a rebounder where he has a good motor and natural nose for the ball and as a rim protector. He lacks ideal strength and power which is not atypical for a player that tall at his age, but he has agility and dexterity that makes up for it. On offense he was a threat on the offensive rebounds and around the rim. He has nice soft touch and can absorb contact, and finish plays off that touch. On the block he tends to want to be on the right block and spin center using his right hand to finish. He is not a good shooter at this stage of his basketball career shooting 10/35 from the free throw line, often rushing his shot and shooting it flat.  At the EuroBasket U16 he still seemed quite mechanical in his reads, taking too long to process the action, given his rawness and his strong motor on the court this should alleviate as he matures provided, he is challenged in a strong developmental program.

Cameron Houindo 6’8 PF Pôle France 2008 Born France Highlights

Cameron Houindo (pictured) was a man among boys in this tournament. He physically overmatched everyone with his combination of power, height, and athleticism. His play helped lead France to an undefeated tournament and was deservingly voted MVP of the FIBA U16 EuroBasket.  Aaron Towo-Nansi, Matthys Mahop, and Marvin Wade looked to give him lobs off pick and roll offense due to his good hands and athletic attributes. He finished plays with two handed dunks from the dunker spot, off pick and rolls, and sprinting down the lane on fast break opportunities. He finished the tournament shooting 53% from the field while averaging 13.9 points per game and being the 3rd leading rebounder at 7.9 while playing 21.8 minute per contest. Defensively he played center for France. Making him a very switchable post defender.  His length and athleticism allowed him to defend the taller bigs but as those players mature physically Cameron ideally would guard power forwards at the top level. An intimidator in the post, he was second at the event in blocks, swatting 16 in 7 games and a menace in the lanes with 16 steals. While there were some flashes of high-level skill with a few back to basket fall away jumpers Houindo still has work to do in shooting, passing, and ball handling. At this stage Houindo is just a finisher and not a primary creator, He went 21/41 from the free throw line, did not make a three and only had 3 assists in 153 minutes. At 6’8 and without a likely multi-inch growth spurt he will need to develop his skills in all those areas to make the top level.

Fabian Kayser 6’7 Wing Real Madrid 2009 Germany Highlights

Fabian Kayser was mentioned in our FIBA U17WC. One of the younger prospects here and there he has since made the move to Real Madrid and is considered one of the top 2009 born prospects in Europe. At 6’7/6’8 for a player his age and with his height he features excellent guard-like handles. He’s able to get to his spots, create for himself and create for teammates. At the EuroBasket U16 he averaged 11.3 points per game and 1.2 steals. He flashed a nice stroke with time going 11/13 from the free throw line and off catch and shoot opportunities. He still has some work scoring off the dribble and getting accustomed to the physicality of play as his percentage from the field was not ideal 25/71 and 7/28 from three. Despite his height he did not rebound the ball particularly well here which may be explained with him defending primarily perimeter players. He can move well laterally on defense and uses his height and length to help prevent offensive players from getting downhill.  A good athlete he will finish plays at the rim and has a scorer’s mentality. Despite his playmaking potential he needs to be more efficient with the ball as he had more turnovers (18) than assists (17) in the 6 games he played.

Lukas Klein C 7’0 Alba Berlin 2008 born Germany

Lukas Klein was the most dominant center at the tournament. At 6’11/7 foot he has good height and strength for the position. In addition, his body control and agility are excellent for a player that tall for his age. While he just has average athleticism for the top level, he makes it up some with his willingness to give and absorb contact from opponents. On offense he finished plays off with dunks as the trailer in delayed fast breaks and on cuts in high low opportunities in half court sets. He can set some strong screens off pick and roll offenses and has the fluidity to finish plays as he rolls to the basket. He’s comfortable on the block in the post and only had 4 turnovers in 114 minutes of game play (8 assists). He has some potential as a shooter and looked good in catch and shoot situations when given time. He went 11/13 from the free throw line and even made a couple three pointers (2/4). Defensively he showed rim protecting ability with 12 blocks in 7 games. He isn’t the most switchable player from guard to big but has some agility to him. He may already be in his fully mature body focusing on being a true catch and shoot threat and working on developing his athletic power as others in his age category mature will be key in his development as a prospect.

Omer Kutluay 6’4 PG Real Madrid 2009 Born Turkiye Highlights

Omer Kutlay’s father, Ibrahim Kutluay is a former Turkish basketball player who was a EuroLeague champion in 2002 and is considered one of the greatest shooting guards in Turkish basketball history. A bit of a prodigy, he has already spent time for the Real Madrid youth programs. The guard led the tournament in scoring albeit missing the last three games due to injury.  In half court sets on offense, he is very good in pick and roll situations. His mixture of head fakes, hesitation dribbles, change of pace, and crossovers confuse the defenders and allows him to get space to either pull up for a jumper or finish at the rim with a lay-up. He is very good at creating space and absorbing contact when he gets past defenders or gets to the hole. He has very good footwork off the jump stop using spins, fadeways, and step throughs to score. He has a very fluid jump shot with a nice high arc that allows his shot to kiss off the rim ever so softly. On fast break offense he’s best leading the break and allowing others to finish. He was slightly turnover prone at this event with 16 assists and 15 turnovers in 4 games.  Omer lacks elite athleticism but his mastery of the pick and roll, fluid jump shot, and positional height make up for it. He was solid from the field going 31/63. Defensively was able to anticipate plays and get steals getting 5 in 116 minutes but lacks the explosive power to be a good defender. Excellent at creating for himself, needs to continue to work on creating for teammates.

Matthys Mahop 6’5 CG Pôle France 2008 Born Highlights 

Matthys Mahop has ideal athleticism and height at the guard position. His change of pace and explosive power to get past defenders and get downhill stood out significantly at this tournament. He glided past opponents using an explosive euro step or jump stopping to the dotted line, drawing a help defender and setting up his open teammate off the help. Split defenders on pick and roll opportunities and has excellent defensive instincts. He has great point guard-like vision and has excellent instinct reading plays as they develop. Ideally as a prospect he would end up as a point guard for the top level but to do so he needs to work on his handles as they can get loose. He already has the mentality of a point guard as he looks to set up teammates more than he looks to score for himself. With over a 2 to 1 assist to turnover ratio the signs are there to become France’s lead guard by the time he plays at the Eurobasket U18 in 2026.  He showed good form on his shot at the free throw line but has some work to do as a perimeter threat. High upside given his length, athleticism, and great hip mobility. Some scouts question if he has enough of a mentality as a scorer for the NBA brand.

2009 Born: 

Aaron Towo-Nansi 5’9 PG Cholet 2009 Born Highlights

Aaron Towo-Nansi was very good for the EuroBasket U16. He featured the best handles of the event, led the champions French team in assists with nearly a 5 to 1 assist to turnover ratio (35 to 9), and made his shots from the charity stripe going 12/14 (86%) for the event. He’s a true floor general managing offenses and setting himself up and teammates up with his quickness and great change of pace ability. A strong shooter with space he flashes the ability to make long distance threes and to shoot sidestep three-point shots. Offensively he is affected by his lack of height (generously listed at 5’9) as he shot 20/57 from the field. However, on the flip side he is getting more adept at playing against players much taller than him in an early stage of his career and should learn to adapt sooner rather than later as he is slated to play for the U21 Cholet team this season. Defensively he knows he must defend the entire 90 feet to stay competitive which he does showing good lateral quickness and leading to 19 steals in 161 minutes played. His lack of height will always make him a fringe prospect for the top level as there are very few point guards who are 6’0 and under in the league and even fewer who have made it to the NBA at that height as a foreign player. But players such as Andrew Albicy and Nadir Hifi have made their mark in international basketball and should Towo Nansi choose to take the NCAA path I’m sure there will be programs interested in his service in the future

Lun Jarc 6’8 PF Mega Mis 2009 Born Slovenia Highlights

A 2009 born with great positional height in a great developmental program. Lun Jarc features good positional height and athleticism. He ran the lanes well and showcased flashes of some outside shooting potential. He was the youngest player on his team and didn’t always move without the ball as much as he could have. He played 121 minutes averaging 5.3 point per games (14/26) from the field and is one of 5 2009 born players in this article who is eligible to play at this event next season.

Aaron Ona Embo 5’10 CG Real Madrid 2009 Born Highlights

Aaron Ona Embo was the third leading scorer in the B Division at 18.9 points per game. He was particularly proficient from deep in the tournament taking long range threes from beyond the NBA three-point line and going 20/49 (41%) in 7 games.  He has great speed, long range, and a quick release that allows him to create space and get off shots despite his diminutive size. In the event he had a great assist (33) to turnover (12) ratio but for many of the games he was Belgium’s primary scorer. Shot the ball well from inside the arc going 27/55 (49%), by either blowing by defenders and being at the basket alone or by stopping on the dime and making a mid-range jumper or floater. Defensively he is small but solid and quick. He will pick up opponent’s full court leading to 16 steals in 203 minutes. Unfortunately, he will not play in the A Division next season as they came in 4th and top 3 move up divisions.

Honorable Mention:

Player: Anil Alyanak] 6’8 PF 2008 Born Turkey  Highlights

Anil Alyanak is a good athlete who was top 10 in both blocks (3rd) and Rebounds (9th). At 6’8 he’ll need to grow an inch or so to be a true prospect, but his fluidity, physicality, and athleticism stood in Greece. Active, with long arms he had 12 steals and 15 blocks in 183 minutes in his 7 games played.  In the post he has solid footwork and tends to fake middle and use a drop step to score baseline side. Has an inconsistent release point when he shoots (13/28 from the free throw line) but looks to have the ability to become more consistent with it as he matures. He even made a few threes going 4/14 from beyond the arc. Lacks soft touch, as when he misses the ball tends to fall hard off the rim. Very fluid rim runner and finisher on fast breaks.

Chrysostomos Chatzilamprou 6’7 Forward Aris 2008 Born Greece Highlights

Chrysostomos Chatzilamprou was voted in the all-tournament team for this event after being the 4th leading scorer at 17.9 points and shooting a high volume of threes in a 7-game span (20/56, 36%).  With good size and a knack for scoring the southpaw has high upside with his less developed body relative to most of the players at this event. He was one of the best at this event to score by using: pick and rolls to get downhill, catch and shoot threes or to back down smaller wings. On drives he has soft touch and can finish with either hand. He needs to get stronger and increase his explosive power as he matures but he is quite agile and slithers through defenses to get closer to the rim. Had a sub 40% field goal percentage due partially to the high volume of threes but also because he still needs to get better in absorbing contact. He has great vision on fast break offense and can either run the lanes or finish plays off. A natural scorer that can create for himself, but his handles can get loose from time to time. Was the engine that helped lead Greece to a 5-2 record.

Karl-Randell Kouame 6’4 SG Paris 2008 Born France Highlights

Karl Randell Kouame displayed solid shooting mechanics, athleticism, and length to get into the passing lanes. A role player for this iteration of the French team he averaged 5.9 points in 12.1 minutes per game. In half court sets most of his points came from moving without the ball or a jab step one dribble mid-range jumper from the free throw line extended. In catch and shoot opportunities from long distance he was able to be proficient but at a low volume (6/16). Solid with the ball in his hands, he had one turnover in 85 minutes of game play and featured a crossover to get downhill. Whether it was the spot minutes or just his rawness to the game he lacked the quick reaction time to read plays when the ball was in his hands at times and can look a bit mechanical on the court because of it. Processing and making quicker decisions in the flow of a game will go a long way in his in-game progression. However, he may very well be slightly underrated at this point given his intangibles, shooting mechanics, and athleticism.

Louka Letailleur 6’6 SF BCM Gravelines Dunkerque France Born Highlights

Louka Letailleur had a good semifinal game versus Serbian getting a double double. and helping him earn an all-tournament selection for the event. He was a jack of all trades for the French team being their second leading scorer, a good rebounder and finishing plays well around the rim in the dunker spot with two handed flushes. Efficient as a scorer, he shot 31/55 from the field (56%). At this stage of his basketball development, he clearly has the playing style of a forward and needs to continue to develop his range from the outside and developing plays off the dribble for teammates. The southpaw shot 5 threes in 143 minutes of playing time making 2.  A good athlete he runs the lanes and finishes plays well with dunks on fastbreak opportunities. Louka has a good motor that creates opportunities on cuts and offensive rebounds on offense and helps him make plays on the defensive end.

Randy Livingston Jr 6’2 PG Isidore Newman 2008 Born Italy Highlights

Randy Livingston Jr is son of former NBA point guard and LSU product Randy Livingston. Currently a 4-star recruit in the class of 2026. Randy was the second leading scorer for the Italian team at 14.3 points per game and was masterful running the point for the team. This experience of manning the point guard position both in high school and international play will be invaluable as he moves up levels. In Heraklion he was 4th in assists at 4.7 per game while having a great assist (33) to turnover (16) ratio in 166 minutes. Randy has great handles and was one of the more athletic point guards at this event, this allowed him to get to his spots and set teammates up. He demonstrated a proficiency in getting past the first line of defense and kicking the ball out to the wing or corner for an open three point shot attempt. He showcased a fluid shooting motion and an ability to make shots beyond the arc (9/24).  He is a fluid lateral mover on defense and was able to get 10 steals over his 7 games of play. Although scoring is not his primary focus, he has the tool set to score at all three levels with his jumper, mid-range and push shot, and finish at the rim by absorbing contact and laying it in.

Gabriel Sularski 6’5 SG Lemont High School 2008 Born Poland Highlights

The lefty is currently a 4-star recruit in the class of 2026 playing out of Lemont high school in Illinois. Gabriel Sularski was the 10th leading scorer at this event at 16 points per game. Despite being on the losing end of most games in the tournament he featured good positional size at 6’5 with solid strength and ability to get to spots and score. His use of jab steps and general footwork were more advanced than most at this event. A bit of a bowling ball going downhill, he was very good at using his body when he got past defenders, shielding them away from catching up on the play without fouling or creating contact against shot blockers near the rim to create space and finish off plays.  He was very comfortable shooting floaters just inside of the key or finishing off plays with a decelerated euro step. A very change of pace type of player due to his lack of elite athleticism becoming more efficient both in shooting from three (7/28) and assist to turnover ratio should be in the next phase of his development. On defense he was able to anticipate plays and get steals through his physicality with 9 in 7 games.

B Divison:

The B Division was played at the same time and won by Estonia in Skopje, North Macedonia, defeating  runners-up Romania, and Switzerland narrowly  beating Belgium despite a 35 point performance from Aaron Ona Embo. Below are 5 B Division eye catching prospects:

Jayden Anike 6’4 CG Zentro Madrid 2008 Born Netherlands  Highlights

Jayden Anike is a good athlete who affected both ends of the court. He averaged 13.4 points and 4.3 assists for the tournament.  In half court sets he was able to get downhill with a strong crossover and euro step. When he drives, he prefers to finish it off the glass with his right hand as he is very adept of giving it the right spin off the glass from improbable angles. Good from the mid-range, he needs to continue to work on developing his range and adding arc to his shot as he went 4/33 from three. He did however shoot it much better at the line where he went 39/57 (68%) but both areas to develop. On defense he will pick up opposing guards full court and hassle them with ball pressure. He had 15 steals and 9 blocks in 256 minutes of game play.  If he ends up playing point, he will need to become more efficient and cut down his turnovers.

Roman Avdejev 6’8 PF Reinar Halliku Korvpallikool 2008 Born Estonia 

Roman Avdejev helped lead Estonia to the Division B championship and was voted MVP for the event. A power forward who averaged a double double with 12.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. He was best at the high post or near the block backing down opponents or using a spin move to score. Solid from the free throw line (25/32 or 78%), he has some potential to expand his range from beyond the arc in catch and shoot situations (Did not attempt a three at this event). On defense was able to affect shots getting 15 blocks in 156 minutes and was able to get deflections and 9 steals. A little tight in the hips.

Lukas Kubala 6’7 Power Forward 2008 Born Slovakia

Lukas Kubala as a forward for Slovakia showcased some athleticism and length. Mainly playing as a post player at this event he has potential as a hybrid forward. He showed some ability facing up on the perimeter even going 8/27 from long distance. However, at this stage he prefers to be on the block finishing plays near the rim. He will finish plays off with dunks on lobs and while running the lanes on fast break opportunities. Defensively has the length and athleticism to get 14 steals and 8 blocks in 207 minutes. He averaged 9.6 points and 7.8 rebounds for the tournament

Malcolm Price 6’1 PG St Joseph High School 2008 Born Sweden

I last watched Malcolm Price play at Section 7 for St Joseph High School and is currently in the class of 2027. He was the 4th leading scorer at this tournament averaging 17.2 points per game while going 33/68 from inside. the arc. He can dribble with either hands and has the speed and athleticism to blow by opponents at this level. Solid from the free throw line (16/20), he was not as proficient from long distance going 7/27. A point guard by height and trait, for the Swedish team, he was asked to take more of a scoring role. However, his negative assist to turnover ratio is something he will need to work on for St Joseph this season. Defensively was able to use his speed to get to balls and disrupt opponents, leading to 9 steals in 156 minutes of game play.

Oskar Skaaning 6’4 CG Bears Academy 2008 Born Denmark

Oskar Skaaning is a combo guard who has a very nice and repetitive stroke. He averaged 12.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists for the event. He demonstrated the ability to put the ball on the floor to get mid-range jump shots using his body to shield off defenders. Not the best of athletes, his great skill is his shooting ability where he went 14/15 from the free throw line.  He will need to continue to expand on that skill set as he moves up levels. Defensively he competed and was able to use his basketball IQ and physicality to get 9 steals in 7 games.

Others From Division A & B:

Athanasios Asimenios 2008 Born Greece

Federico Cattapan 2008 Born Italy Highlights

Teun Van Der Heijden 6’9 PF/C Orange Lions Academy 2008 Born Netherlands

Stefan Joksimovic 6’4 SG Saski Baskonia 2008 Born Slovenia

Anton Kemmer Forward 6’6 Alba Berlin 2008 Born Germany

Mate Khatiashvili 6’4 Guard Saski Baskonia 2008 Born Republic of Georgia

Samuel Nohel 6’9 PF/C Tygri Brno 2008 Born

Elyjah Rebetez 6’3 SG Joventut Badelona 2008 Born Switzerland Highlights

Alexandros Skliros 6’8 PF/C Promitheas Patras 2008 Born Greece

Javier Viguer 6’8 PF Valencia Basket Club SAD 2008 Born Spain Highlights

Marcos Zurita 6’3 CG Real Madrid 2008 Born Spain Highlights Voted in the Top 5