The U20 EuroBasket starts this weekend in Gdynia, Poland. In this article I will preview some of the players that I think should be paid attention to. All of those guys want to rise their stock with this upcoming tournament, and prove themselves as a valuable option in a 12-man rotation.

Noah Penda – France, 6’8, Vichy-Clermont (LNB PRO B)

The French player comes to Gdynia as an undrafted player in this year’s NBA Draft. A forward with intriguing physical parameters – 6’8 tall with a 7-foot wingspan. He can play multiple positions on the court. On offense, he lacks shooting consistency – 27.1% from three on 2.1 attempts per game in the 23/24 season. Penda relies on his physicality and can create paths to the basket – covering his shooting deficiencies to some extent. He moves well without the ball and knows when to cut to the basket. He feels comfortable with the ball in pick and roll actions, attacking the rim and providing his team with scoring opportunities. While he can pass the ball, he’s not skilled enough to be considered a potential playmaker. In defense, he is average – struggling against quicker players due to lack of hip fluidity. He positions himself well but tends to over-watch the ball, making him a weak link in team defense.

Zacharie Perrin – France, 6’10, Antibes (LNB PRO B)

The French forward is another draft returned. Perrin brings remarkable experience at the youth level as he was amongst the best five players at last year’s U19 World Cup. Mind you, he was on the team with names like Alex Sarr or Zaccharie Risacher.

Perrin is a player who relies on his physical attributes, which translates into his ability to score in the restricted area and rebounding the ball on both ends of the court. Nevertheless, his versatility also allows him to operate away from the basket. For his size, he demonstrates decent ball-handling skills. Perrin also has good court vision and is able to pass the ball well. His shooting seems to be better compared to his previously mentioned teammate – in the 23/24 season, he shot 35/7% from three point range on just over 2 attempts per game. This is not a large sample, so it can be expected that teams will encourage him to take more shots from beyond the arc.

Filip Jović – Serbia, 6’9, Mega MIS (ABA League)

Another product of the Serbian talent factory. The Mega MIS player made a name for himself during the U18 Eurobasket, where he won a gold medal alongside Nikola Topić (12th Pick in the 24’ Draft – OKC). In that tournament he averaged 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He arives in Gdynia as one of the most intriguing players, looking to prove his worth as the key player for the Serbian team.

Jović is a player who combines his athleticism with his ability to play back-to-the-basket, making him a very interesting player. He shows remarkable maturity in his game. Operates well in the paint thanks to good footwork. Jović is not a good perimeter shooter, but he’s still letting the ball fly. He feels more comfortable as a player who sets screens and rolls to the basket in PnR actions. Furthermore, he can create scoring opportunities and penetrate to the basket, finishing above the rim in many ways. Jović can contest shots and block them thanks to his defensive instincts and skill.

Urban Klavzar – Slovenia, 6’1, Florida Gators (NCAA)

The Slovenian point guard will play college ball next season, as it was announced he committed to Gators team for the next season. In 23/24 he played in the Spanish second level. You can also recognize him from ANGT competitions where he represented Real Madrid. In Gdynia he will be a player with an interesting background and one of the best at his position.

Klavzar plays with a lot of creativity on the offensive end. He can create his own shot, which is textbook. Despite his size, he can drive to the basket and finish at the rim. However, this does not mean he needs the ball in his hands to be a useful part of the team on the court. He feels great in catch & shoot or spot-up situations, where he likes to fake a shot, then beat closeouts and consistently finish from mid-range with a floater or drive to the basket. He can be recognized as a scoring point guard rather than a playmaking one.  This does not mean he cannot pass or lacks vision on the court. He executes pick and roll actions well, spotting a cutting player and delivering the ball to give them a scoring opportunity. Defensively, he plays very aggressively, seeking steals or continuously disrupting his opponent’s rhythm.

Noam Yaacov – Israel, 6’1, Hapoel Tel-Aviv (Israeli Basketball Premier League)

The Israeli point guard represented LDLC ASVEL in France’s top league and the EuroLeague. Next season, he will be a player for Hapoel Tel-Aviv, where he will look to play a bigger role than he had in France. He comes to this year’s EuroBasket as a player looking to prove he deserves a larger role and earn more minutes next season. Yaacov has excellent ball control and explosiveness, allowing him to create scoring opportunities in any area of the court. He feels comfortable using screens from teammates, finishing plays with scoring opportunities, or making precise passes to better-positioned teammates, showcasing his court vision. The Israeli player has above-average speed and acceleration, allowing him to beat opponents and create space to take accurate shots off the dribble. He can take the game’s weight on his shoulders, as he showed at last year’s U20 EuroBasket, where Israel fought toe-to-toe with the tournament winners – France – until the final moments of the game. He comes to Gdynia with extensive experience in European basketball and is eager to build a strong reputation after the tournament in Poland.

Jakub Szumert – Poland, 6’8, Arka Gdynia (Orlen Basket Liga)

A Polish touch couldn’t be missing from this lineup. Although the group stage for Poland is extremely challenging (Greece, Serbia, France), it will be the best test for those players against the top of European basketball. Jakub Szumert is a player from Arka Gdynia, which announced the transfer of Joel Ćwik (last season with Ratiopharm Ulm) . The power forward wants to show at this tournament that he deserves more minutes in Arka’s lineup next season.

Szumert has interesting physical attributes that allow him to finish efficiently and effectively above the rim, as he showed at the U17 World Championships in 2022. The Arka player demonstrates intriguing anticipation of passes, intercepting the ball and scoring points for his team in transition plays. Szumert feels comfortable with the ball, showing freedom in creating paths to the basket, where he can finish in many ways, not just with spectacular dunks. Considering his height, he shows above-average mobility and agility, allowing him to keep the guarded player in front of him. Combined with his wingspan, he provides his team with good rim protection and a significant number of rebounds on both ends of the court. If he can shine in the group stage against much better teams, I wouldn’t be surprised if his reputation rises after the tournament in Gdynia.

Ognjen Stanković – Serbia, 6’7, Igokea (ABA League)

The Serbian player, who stands 6-foot-7 tall, was the assist leader (5.4 ast/g) at the U17 World Championships in 2022. In four games in the 23/24 season in the Adriatic U19 League, he averaged 21.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Although this is not a representative sample, it may be a sign of the versatility he offers. At the tournament in Gdynia, he will be one of the most complete players at his position.

Stanković shows a wide range of skills in offense. He feels comfortable with and without the ball. He can be a threat from any place on the court, being able to shoot from beyond the arc but lacking consistency. He shows incredible creativity in pick and roll actions, where he likes to make flashy, yet effective passes. Stanković executes transition plays well, pushing the pace and not forcing shots, passing to better-positioned teammates. He also shows interesting control of the game’s pace – knowing when to speed up and when to calm the situation on the court. In defense, he demonstrates good anticipation of passes and the ability to pressure the player with the ball. Combined with his shot-blocking abilities and general defense in the paint, he is a good defender who can pass and score on offense. His actions with the aforementioned Filip Jović will be worth watching.

Sergio De Larrea – Spain, 6’6, Valencia (Liga Endesa) / Godella (LEB Gold)

The Spanish point guard played at various levels this season. Most of the season, he played for Basquet L’Horta Godella in the third tier of Spanish competitions. However, it should be noted that he also played for Valencia this season – appearing in one Liga Endesa game (7 minutes against Tenerife) and in the EuroLeague (17 minutes against Partizan Belgrade). At the tournament in Gdynia, he will be a player who aims to utilize his experience from the 23/24 season and lead the team from the Iberian Peninsula to the medal zone.

The Spanish guard stands 6-foot-6 tall. Considering that he plays as a point guard/shooting guard, we are dealing with a very versatile player who can fulfill more than one role on the court. He can be a threat from behind the arc, creating his own shooting opportunities. Moreover, he shows a willingness to drive to the basket, which, given his physical attributes, makes for an interesting combination. He operates well near the basket, where he can finish plays in various ways regardless of whether he uses his left or right hand. De Larrea operates interestingly in pick and roll actions, offering a good balance between scoring and finding passes to better-positioned teammates. At the tournament in Gdynia, it can be expected that he will be an important part of Spain’s squad competing for a medal.

Jacob Ensminger – Germany, 6’8, Santa Clara Broncos (NCAA)

The German guard comes to Gdynia after a season spent in the NCAA with the Santa Clara Broncos. He is an important part of the rotation for the team in the WCC conference, averaging 19 minutes. During the tournament in Poland, he is expected to show that he deserves a bigger role on his team, utilizing his experience from the U.S. and last year’s U20 EuroBasket, where he finished sixth with the German national team.

Ensminger stands out at his position due to his height and perimeter skills. He demonstrates very good ball control and creativity in finding his own shooting opportunities. Combining this with his height, we get an intriguing player who can score from any position and can also find his way under the basket, effectively adding points to his stats. Thanks to his size, he poses a problem for defenders who are usually shorter and lighter than him, creating a mismatch. Ensminger is excellent at exploiting this and is a tough challenge for the opposing defense. The German player will be one of the few in Gdynia who, at such a size, offers such a various range of skills.

Tomas Thrastarson – Iceland, 6’6, Thor Thorl (Iceland Subway League)

The Icelandic guard was one of the key figures on his team, which unfortunately did not win the national championship. Nevertheless, he garnered enough attention to commit to Washington State University (WCC Conference). This means that next season Thrastarson will compete in the same conference as the aforementioned Jacob Ensminger (Santa Clara Broncos).

Thrastarson is a very versatile player. He can create his own shot, play off the ball, and effectively operate in the three-second area thanks to his athleticism and strength. What sets him apart the most is his incredible aggression, combined with his willingness to drive to the basket. Thrastarson averaged two offensive rebounds per game, showing the drive the young Icelander has towards the basket. Moreover, Thrastarson has decent ball control and a deep shooting range. With his physical attributes, he had no problem attacking bigger and stronger defenders at the pro level this season. This suggests he will easily score points at the youth level, in the context of the tournament in Gdynia. Thrastarson will be a player who, during this year’s U20 EuroBasket, wants to prove that he deserves an important role in the Washington State Cougars rotation in the upcoming season.

Motiejus Krivas – Lithuania, 7’0, Arizona Wildcats (NCAA)

The Lithuanian Center was one of the most skilled bigs during last year’s Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy. He spent last season in United States, where he played at the collegiate level with Arizona.

He can dominate in the paint easily. Despite his size, shows great body control and footwork while creating his own scoring opportunities around the rim. Shows comfort finishing with both hands. He displays great instincts in pick and roll actions and is able to finish efficiently as well. Krivas has a high basketball IQ, understands how his team is playing and adjusts to it accordingly. He can be considered as an old-school big who can dominate inside the paint efficiently and set screens for his teammates. His intangibles are the trait that stand out the most. Defensively, he’s not the most oriented player, but his decent mobility and wingspan are great tools that can serve as a great development base in this area.  In, Gdynia he wants to show that he can play in the bigger role next season with the Wildcats.

Almar Atlason – Iceland, 6’8, Bradley Braves (NCAA)

In 23/24, Atlason was a backup player for Bradley star – Malevy Leons (Exhibit-10 contract with OKC). Nevertheless, he was an important rotational player, averaging 19.5 minutes per game last season. Before his college career, Atlason stood out in Iceland’s U18 Team where he put on a shooting clinic – which is his biggest trait.

Atlason is a stretch four that can provide necessary spacing to any team. His shooting is remarkable – with the potential of becoming even better.  Motion is smooth and he is able to shoot the ball from any area behind the three-point line. Besides shooting, Atlason displays an interesting mix of mobility and skillset for a player of his size. He can be an effective dribble handoff playmaker or produce efficiently on pick and pops. Furthermore, he shows glimpses of court vision, usually on drive and kicks, as well as the ability to pass the ball and create comfortable shooting positions for his teammates in halfcourt sets. Even though he is not the most athletic player and it’s the part of his game Atlason should develop, he has good defensive instincts which allow him to be a decent rebounder at a good volume.

Berke Buyuktuncel – Turkey, 6’9, Nebraska Cornhuskers (NCAA)

Buyuktuncel is another player with a collegiate background on this list. He represented the UCLA Bruins in 23/24 but transferred to Nebraska for the 24/25 season, seeking a bigger role in the team from Big-10 Conference. The Turkish forward brings tons of experience to his team, as he was playing in the U19 World Cup last year, coming back with a bronze medal, and then also representing his home country at the 2023 U20 Eurobasket in Heraklion, Greece.

Buyuktuncel is a high-energy wing who provides solid production while being able to play off-ball well, displaying high IQ. He can score well on cuts and put himself in comfortable shooting positions. He lacks shooting range, since most of his jumpers found its way to the basket from mid-range. But he is able to get to the rim at a decent clip. Given his size he has great mobility, using that when driving to the basket. Taking into account his high energy and high basketball IQ, Buyuktuncel can also produce defensively, being a solid rebounder for his team. His potential on defense is the most intriguing part of his game as his lateral quickness and ability to switch effectively make him a well-rounded defender. If he’s able to expand his shooting range in Gdynia, he could become an intriguing 3&D option and definitely bring more attention to his name.

Lucas Langarita – Spain, 6’5, Casademont Zaragoza (Liga Endesa)

The Spanish combo guard will arrive in Poland after a successful season with his team, playing an important role, both in domestic and European competitions. He is a player with a lot of pro experience, which he seeks to utilize during this tournament to help his national team succeed.

Langarita is a great complimentary piece for his team. He displays great on-ball defense, where he doesn’t allow much scoring opportunities for his matchups. Additionally, he puts constant pressure on his opponents, forcing them to commit many mistakes throughout the game. Langarita displays intriguing creativity in PnR situations and brings necessary spacing for his team, mostly off the catch. Langarita showcases decent athleticism and versatility, which helps him force his way to the basket where he is able to produce at a decent clip. He’s also a solid passer – shows intriguing vision and creativity, mostly as a PnR ball handler or slashing to the basket and kicking the ball to his teammates.

Article written by Michal Slysz.