Impact College Players at FIBA U19 World Championships

The United States’ U19 National Team successfully defended their title at the FIBA U19 World Championships. The event concluded on Sunday after the Americans defeated Croatia 79-71 in a contest that spilled in to overtime before determining a winner. Turkey, who defeated host country Greece in the third place game, left the event with a bronze medal.

In college basketball circles, the tournament has developed a reputation of being a valuable litmus test for incoming freshman and rising sophomores that are chosen to participate. This year saw a spike in participation from players that will be based at American schools in the fall.

PG – Jalen Brunson (USA), Villanova

Jalen Brunson, the McDonald’s All-American and son of NBA journeyman Rick Brunson was the tournament’s best point guard and the engine that led the U.S. team’s gold medal-winning attack. Brunson not only tied for the team lead with 14.0 points per game; he also dished out a team leading 5.6 assists per contest. It was clear that he could have scored more if he wasn’t committed to his role of facilitating for the dynamic wing players that flanked him throughout the tournament. Brunson will be a dynamic addition to the Villanova backcourt this fall. His play in this tournament shows that he will be a capable scoring guard alongside returning floor general Ryan Arcidiacono.

PF – Harry Giles (USA), Uncommitted HS Sr.

Harry Giles offered the world plenty of reasons as to why numerous recruiting services have named him the top player in the Class of 2016. Giles’ combination of athleticism and skill generated a fair amount of buzz throughout the tournament as he faced a variety of well-regarded international big men. Giles finished the tournament averaging a double-double, tying for the team lead in points (14.0 ppg) and leading the squad with 10.6 rebounds per game. Giles projects as a one-and-done prospect, but he has the looks of a player that can make a team an instant contender when he arrives on campus.

SG/SF – Jayson Tatum (USA), Uncommitted HS Sr.

Nobody in this tournament was more fun to watch than Jayson Tatum. He kept crowds on the edge of their seats whenever he touched the ball. Tatum takes the idea of attacking the rim to another level. He jumps with a refreshing disregard for those around him. It’s a skill that leads to breathtaking dunks…

and the occasional humbling rejection.

In my opinion, Tatum is the best prospect in the Class of 2016, and the best NBA prospect from that class as well. His fierce aggressiveness has plenty to do with the assessment. Tatum penetrates at full throttle, yet maintains a high level of poise and grace with his movement. Here’s to hoping that he never changes.

SF – Josh Jackson (USA), Uncommitted HS Sr.

Another member of the loaded Class of 2016, Josh Jackson was the afterthought among the quartet of players that carried the team’s scoring load. Despite averaging 12.1 points per game, Jackson didn’t garner many accolades or headlines with his play. He started the tournament with back to back double-doubles (20 and 10 against Iran followed by a 17 and 10 showing during their first meeting with Croatia). His unassuming play isn’t lost on those that monitor his game closely. He is a prototype small forward that can do a variety of things well. Most notably, his seven boards per contest was a standout contribution from his small forward position

SF – Jack McVeigh (Australia), Nebraska

The Cornhuskers have hailed Jack McVeigh as a secret weapon of sorts. He’s been presented as key component to a vaunted recruiting class in Lincoln. The class is partially vaunted based on the unknown assertion that McVeigh is an impact prospect. In Greece, McVeigh had titillating moments, but didn’t do enough to change the narrative that paints him as a mysterious prospect that may or may not be the Huskers’ missing piece. McVeigh did average double-digits for the tournament, but it’s unclear whether his dud against Canada in the opener (four points, five boards) or his double-double against Serbia (18 points and 12 boards) is the most accurate interpretation of his skill level. Regardless, his 0 for 9 shooting display from the outside is a definite cause for concern.

SG/SF – Dillon Brooks (Canada), Oregon

In terms of breakout players, no one made more of an impact than rising sophomore Dillon Brooks. While playing for a Canada team that included no shortage of talent, Brooks stood out among his peers, leading his team to their best ever finish at the event (5th place). His play overseas further indicates the likelihood of him making a jump towards being the number one option at Oregon next year. Last season, Brooks scored 11.5 points per game as a freshman while deferring a great deal of his offensive opportunities to the eventual Pac-12 Player of the Year, Joseph Young. Now it is Brooks who looks to be in line for many of the touches that Young left behind, and based on his 18.8 point scoring average during this tournament, Brooks seems ready to answer the challenge of being a team leader and a volume scorer.

SF – Justin Jackson (Canada), Committed to UNLV

Justin Jackson had a very interesting week in Greece, the future Runnin’ Rebel was outshined by the aforementioned Brooks, but Jackson was quietly dominate throughout the tournament. He produced consistent stat lines and never played a bad game during the tournament. His only game in single digits was a route versus Italy in their closing game, and at no point was he ever “shut down” by an opposing player. While he did force shots at times, it was in an effort to carry his team, which deferred to him at times during the latter stretches of games. Regardless, his 14.8 points and eight rebounds per game were fair indicators of his high level of play. Jackson will play his senior year of high school at Findlay Prep in Henderson before making the short trip to play in Vegas with his Canadian U19 teammate Jalen Poyser (who also was a key contributor during this tournament.

SG – Tyler Dorsey (Greece), Oregon

Dana Altman had a second Duck playing good ball overseas at the World Championships. Incoming freshman and four-star recruit Tyler Dorsey completed a whirlwind of a transition from being unaware of his Greek heritage to starting for the Greek team in front of raucous partisan crowds in Crete. Dorsey took full advantage of the opportunity, he showed those in attendance why Oregon could still be a factor in the Pac-12 this year even without Joseph Young. Dorsey is by no means a player of the year candidate, but he is a capable scorer and a knowledgeable player. Dorsey did more than just join the team, he garnered major minutes and finished the tournament as the event’s seventh leading scorer at 15.9 points per game (the only future/current college player who averaged more was his Oregon teammate Brooks). Being able to fit in with a Greek national team, where ball movement and precision are held sacred, proves that Dorsey has the skills to contribute in a big way once he suits in Eugene. I would consider him a freshman worth keeping a watchful eye on.

C – Georgios Papagiannis (Greece), Uncommitted

Of all the future and current players playing in the World Championships, Georgios Papagiannis was the only uncommited prospect eligible to be on campus for this upcoming season. This Greek Goliath is considered to be a potential first round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, and he did show glimpses of that potential at various points in play. What intrigues most people about Papagiannis is his svelte mobility, a trait that is very uncommon for a man his size. While many American post players are inch shorter than their listing (and sometimes 20 pounds lighter), Papagiannis is a legitimately seven-foot mountain of a man, and unlike many European big men, he relishes using his body as a bullish post player. While his per game averages were modest and his minutes were limited, Papagiannis did more than enough to justify his status as the best remaining unsigned prospect in the class of 2015.

PF/C – Konstantinos Mitoglou (Greece), Wake Forest

Greek import Konstantinos Mitoglou established himself as a crucial cog in the rebuilding project that Danny Manning is attempting to engineer at Wake Forest. Mitoglou proved serviceable as a stretch forward for the Demon Deacons during his first year, but didn’t contribute much in other facets of the game. After a freshman season that saw Mitoglou snag less than five rebounds per game, he made a noticeable improvement during the U19’s, averaging a respectable seven boards per contest. If Mitoglou can continue to trend upward and turn into a double-double threat for the Deacs, he could retroactively be considered one of the major beneficiaries of this dabbling of international competition.

PF/C – Yankuba Sima (Spain), St. John’s

The rise of Yankuba Sima continues at a blistering pace after a strong performance from the lanky big man while representing his adopted country of Spain. Sima has gone from being a relative unknown at the beginning of his senior year to being fought over by the likes of Louisville and Maryland late in his recruiting process. Although his Spanish team suffered a disappointing finish to the tournament, Sima played well against tough competition throughout the week. While his offensive game revealed itself to be a work in progress throughout the week, his activity and mobility make up for many deficiencies. His most notable performance was a 22-point outburst in a loss against Greece, a particularly impressive accomplishment considering that the Greek front line was likely the tournament’s best. After the dismissal of shot-blocker Chris Obekpa, the general consensus is that Sima now immediately figures heavily into new head coach Chris Mullin‘s plans. However, Sima’s performance during the World Championships deem him worthy of him being on the court.

Next: Greek Prospect Georgios Papagiannis Close to Deciding Future

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College Players Make Major Impact at FIBA U19 World Championships

By Chris Godfrey | Jul 7, 2015