2025 Draft Watch: Analyzing Michael Ruzic, Aleksandar Gavalyugov, and Joson Sanon in a 2024 Adidas Eurocamp Game

August 8th, 2024

This time around, I decided to watch a 2024 Adidas Eurocamp game that took place between Team Next Gen and Team USA Select on June 1st, as I was able to see this with thanks to YouTube via Adidas. 6-9 Croatian forward Michael Ruzic is considered to be a first round prospect for the 2025 draft, and he played for Team Next Gen to help them get the win over Team USA Select. As for Team USA Select, it was difficult to watch them play, because the jersey numbers were hard to read, as they didn’t stand out and blended in too much into the background, so it was tough to tell who people were. Here are my thoughts on how he and other top performers fared in this game. Also, for those that are interested in the box score of this game, here is the link, courtesy of Adidas Eurocamp.

Michael Ruzic is an offensively skilled Croatian forward that could end up being a first round pick in the 2025 draft. (Photo: Joventut, via Sport)

Michael Ruzic had a solid showing to help lead Team Next Gen to a win over Team USA Select. He is a 6-9, mobile, skilled forward that plays with a very good motor, and he is a tall, skilled forward that has versatile scoring skills. Ruzic showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays. He was able to score on rolls, in transition, and on cuts, and he also was able to throw down a dunk off of a roll to the rim. He used a crafty pump fake to score off of a cut. He almost scored on a tip-in after swooping to go get the offensive rebound, but it didn’t count because his teammate drew a foul earlier.

He also shot the ball well from the outside. Ruzic was able to make an open, spot-up three smoothly off the catch to show his range and shooting prowess. Also, Ruzic attempted a one-legged, Dirk-style fadeaway jumper from the post, but he missed that time. He also showcased satisfactory playmaking skills. Ruzic is an unselfish player that can make passes on the move, and he can make quick reads and the extra pass to consistently get his teammates the basketball. He also can pass and handle the basketball. On the downside, sometimes he would throw hasty, inaccurate passes that would lead to turnovers.

Though he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, Ruzic was able to get a defensive board. Also, Ruzic defended well. He showed a decent ability to stay in front of ball handlers out on the perimeter, and he would use his length to contest outside shots to force misses. When guarding out on the perimeter once, he was able to use his long arms to poke a ball away to get a steal, and he also jumped on a loose ball that was deflected to him to get another. In general, Michael Ruzic is a fairly athletic, skilled combo forward that has the skills to be a first round pick in the 2025 draft. He could project into a 3 and D role at the NBA level, and he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Villanova’s 6-1 Bulgarian freshman point guard, Aleksandar Gavalyugov played really well for Team Next Gen to help them get the win. He is a smart, crafty playmaker that can really pass the basketball, and he is a very skilled offensive player that consistently made very solid plays to getters Next Gen the victory.

Gavalyugov shot the ball really well from the outside. He showed a knack for making pull-up threes, and he also was able to make an open corner three off the catch. He showed good footwork to make dribble, mid-range jumpers. He also is a crafty guard that can maneuver his way around defenders to score on layups and runners.

He also showcased very good playmaking skills. He is a passing wizard that has great court vision, and he would consistently anticipate where his teammates would be on the court and find them on the move, and he excelled at making passes off the dribble and in transition to notch assists. Gavalyugov showed great timing to get his teammates the basketball, and he showed a knack for finding them in stride. Every once in a while though, he would over-dribble, which would lead to an occasional ball-handling turnover.

Also, he showed a solid ability to rebound the basketball. He was able to get a handful of defensive boards, and sometimes Gavalyugov would push the pace afterwards. He also defended well. He would contest shots to force some misses, and he was able to stay in front of an opposing ball handler to indirectly force a ball handling turnover. On one play though, he got beat off the dribble, and it led his team to allow an opponent to score on a floater.

In summary, Aleksandar Gavalyugov is a skilled, crafty point guard that could end up making an immediate impact at Villanova for the upcoming season. He is a high IQ basketball player that has solid offensive skills, and he could end up going in the late first to the second round range for the 2025 draft.

Arizona State’s 6-5 incoming freshman guard, Joson Sanon had his ups and downs for Team USA Select in their double-digit loss to Team Next Gen. He is a strong, mobile combo guard that can handle the basketball, and he is an offensively skilled playmaker that can make plays with the ball in his hands.

He showed a decent ability to knock down outside shots in this game. Sanon showed that he can ably make open, spot-up threes off the catch, and he also showed a knack for making long two-pointers both off the catch and dribble. Also, he did a did a decent job of scoring off the dribble. He did a tremendous job of driving to the hoop to draw free throws, but he also tended to miss shots when he wouldn’t get foul calls.

He also showcased satisfactory playmaking skills. Sanon is an unselfish player that has solid footwork and court vision, and he can make passes off the dribble and in transition to set up numerous scoring chances for his teammates. On one play though, he didn’t wait for his teammate to get set when dribbling off of a screen, which led his teammate to be called for setting a moving screen.

Also, Sanon was able to get his fair share of boards, as he was able to get rebounds on both sides of the ball. He also played decent defense in this game. Sanon showed that he can intercept passes to get steals, and he would contest shots both out on the perimeter and in the paint to force misses. On one play though, he played too far off his man and then closed out too hard by biting on a pump fake, which led him to be out of position and to give up a three-point basket.

Overall, Sanon is an energetic playmaker that can operate as a downhill driver, spot-up shooter, or facilitator on the court. He’ll need to improve his ability to finish plays in traffic when he doesn’t get foul calls, but he is a talented prospect that could be a first round pick in a future NBA draft.

6-6 Serbian swingman, Andrej Kostic also played very well for Team Next Gen in this game.
Kostic is an athletic, skilled swingman that can really shoot and score the basketball. He did a great job of knocking down threes to provide floor spacing for his team on offense. Kostic really excelled at making threes both off the catch and dribble, and he especially showed that he can make pull-up threes. He also excelled at scoring on quick, aggressive drives to the hoop, and he also managed to run the floor and catch a lob to score on the break.

Also, he showed off decent playmaking skills. Kostic is an unselfish player that can throw accurate interior passes off the dribble to set up scoring chances for his teammates. However, he also was quite turnover prone. Sometimes, he would tend to throw hasty, inaccurate passes that would go astray, and he also would sometimes play too loosely and out of control that would lead to other turnovers.

He also did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball, and Kostic was able to get boards on both ends of the floor. He also defended well. Kostic was able to run in to intercept a pass to get a steal, and he also poked a ball away to get another. He also was able to contest a three to force a miss. One time though, he was defending an opposing ball handler, but he didn’t contest a mid-range shot, which led his team to give up the basket.

Overall, Andrej Kostic had a strong showing to help get his team the win in this game. He is an athletic sharpshooter that can score the basketball in a variety of ways, and he could end up being a first round pick in a future NBA draft.

6-3 combo guard, Jamarion Batemon had a decent showing for Team USA Select in his team’s loss in this game. He is a very athletic guard that shot the ball very well, as he especially excelled at making pull-up threes. He also showed that he can score on quick drives to the hoop. He also rebounded the ball well. He’ll need to improve his playmaking skills and show that he can reliably run the point in games, but his athleticism, scoring skills, and upside could enable him to be a first round pick in a future NBA draft.

6-10 Senegalese center, Moustapha Diop also played well for Team USA Select in his team’s loss in this game. He is an athletic, skinny big man that excelled at making hustle plays. He showed that he can score in transition, off rolls, and tip-ins, and he also drew free throws on a fadeaway jump hook out of the post once.

He also was able to handle the ball and push the pace off of a steal to show some handles. Also, Diop was able to intercept a pass to get a steal. On the downside, he was a bit foul prone at times, and he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game. Overall, Diop is an athletic, energetic big man that has shown some handles on offense, and while he will need to add a reliable jump shot to his arsenal, he is a talented prospect that could be a first round pick in a future NBA draft.

6-4 German point guard, Jack Kayil had a decent showing to help Team Next Gen get the win in this game. He is a quick, fleet-footed point guard that showed off strong playmaking skills, and he has good passing skills and court vision. He also rebounded the ball very well, and he generally defended well, as he will make plays on the ball, and would actively contest threes to force misses. He didn’t shoot the ball very well, as he especially struggled to knock down threes, but Kayil is an athletic, cerebral playmaker that could end up being a second round pick in a future NBA draft.

6-8 forward, Latrell Allmond is an athletic, energetic combo guard that excelled at making hustle plays. He showed a knack for scoring on the move and on hustle plays, particularly on fast breaks. He is a good athlete and he also was able to use a spin move to score in transition. He also showed that he can rebound and defend, and Allmond was able to rotate to block a shot hard to send it out of bounds once. However, he’ll need to expand upon his skill set offensively, and he was quite foul prone, as he tended to foul opponents when defending off the dribble.

Overall, he’ll need to be a more skilled offensive player and disciplined defender in games, but Allmond is a strong, athletic forward that could end up being a second round pick in a future NBA draft.

6-8 forward, Davion Adkins had some good moments for Team USA Select in his team’s loss to Team Next Gen. Adkins is an athletic, energetic big man that can draw free throws on aggressive drives to the hoop. He also defended fairly well. He was able to poke a ball away to get a steal, and he also blocked a shot in the post hard out of bounds. On another play though, he was late to defend a cutter and bit on a pump fake, which led him to commit a foul. He also did not grab a rebound in this game.

Overall, Adkins is an athletic big man that can score and defend, but he will need to expand upon his offensive skills and improve his rebounding, but he is a prospect that has some skills and could be a player to watch in the future.

6-8 Greek point forward, Neoklis Avdalas had his ups and downs for Team Next Gen in his team’s win in this game. He is a solid playmaker that excels at making drive and kick passes and pushing the pace, but sometimes he would throw hasty passes that would go astray. Avdalas also rebounded the ball well, and he played fairly solid defense. He did a good job of consistently contesting shots both out on the perimeter and in the paint to force misses, but sometimes he wouldn’t contest shots in time, which would lead his team to allow scores.

He also didn’t shoot well overall, as he struggled with his three-point shot, but Avdalas was able to make a step-back three once to show his shooting and scoring potential. Overall, Avdalas is a cerebral playmaker that has above average athletic gifts, but he will need to improve his jump shot. He has the talent to be selected in the second round of a future NBA draft, but he will need to improve his jump shot significantly moving forward.

6-5 Slovenian point guard, Urban Kroflic had his ups and downs for Team Next Gen in his team’s win in this game. He is a playmaker that can make solid passes to consistently find the open man. He also generally excelled at scoring on speed drives in transition. However, he didn’t shoot well from the outside, and sometimes he would miss on tough, contested shots around the basket.

Also, he did a good job of rebounding the basketball. He also played adequate defense. Kroflic was able to jump on a loose ball to help his team get a steal. He also contested a long two to force a miss. However, he also fouled a three-point shooter another time.

Overall, Kroflic is an athletic, skilled point guard that can make plays with the ball in his hands, but he will need to improve his outside shot and be a more consistent defender in games. He is a talented prospect that could end up being a second round pick in a future NBA draft.

6-9 Croatian big man, Abdramane Siby is an athletic, energetic big man that excelled at making hustle plays. He has very good foot speed, and he excelled as a scorer on rolls and in transition. He can throw down powerful dunks on the move, and he is a strong finisher around the basket.

He also rebounded the ball well. He also played decent defense. Siby is a rim protector that would rotate to block and contest shots to help his team protect the paint, and he also deflected a pass to a teammate to help his team get a steal. However, sometimes he would have lapses, which would lead his team to commit fouls in the paint.

Overall, Siby is an athletic big man that can make solid plays to help his team shore up the interior, but he will need to expand his skill set offensively and be a more disciplined defender in games. Still, he is a high-motor player that could end up being a second round pick in a future NBA draft.

6-6 swingman, Manny Green quietly played well for Team USA Select in his team’s loss to Team Next Gen. Green was able to make a smooth three off the catch. He also used a spin move to score on a turnaround, mid-range jumper.

Also, Green showed some passing and rebounding skills, and he was able to deflect a pass out of bounds. Overall, Green is a skilled prospect that can shoot and is an above average athlete, and he could be a prospect to keep tabs on in the future.

6-8 Romanian forward, Denis Badalau quietly played well for Team Next Gen to help them get the win in this game. He shot the ball well, especially from beyond the arc. He made a pair of open threes off the catch, and he moves fairly well off the ball to get open on offense. He also was able to make a fadeaway mid-range jumper. Also, he was able to grab some rebounds, as he was quite active at crashing the offensive glass to get offensive rebounds. Overall, he may only be an average athlete, but Badalau’s jump shot and feel for the game could enable him to make it to the NBA one day.

6-8 German forward, Hannes Steinbach quietly played well for Team Next Gen to help them get the win in this game. Though he’s not very athletic or overly skilled, he is a fundamentally sound player that showed a knack for making sound plays in this game. He is a strong finisher around the basket, and he excelled at scoring on hustle plays, especially as a player on the move. Steinbach also set an on-ball screen to help his teammate dribble to get a three-point shot to set up a score for his teammate.

Though he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, he was able to get boards on both ends of the floor. Steinbach also is well-schooled defensively, and he would stay in front of opponents on drives and contest shots to force misses. Overall, Steinbach played well, and while he may have limited upside, he could end up having a long career in professional basketball. He’ll still need to add a reliable jump shot moving forward, but he is a fundamentally sound player that would likely project well as a role player in pro ball.

San Francisco’s 6-6 incoming freshman forward, Veniamin Abosi from Greece had his ups and downs for Team Next Gen in their win in this game. He didn’t shoot well, but he is an athletic, energetic player that will look to make hustle plays.

He showed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble. He was able to score on a strong, right-handed drive while getting fouled once, and Abosi showed a knack for drawing free throws to frequently get to the foul line. However, he missed all of his threes that he took from beyond the arc.

He also showcased decent playmaking skills. Abosi can make drive and kick passes and can push the pace, and he is an athletic playmaker that handles the ball well. However, there was one play where he threw a hasty interior pass that got intercepted.

Abosi showed a solid ability to rebound the basketball, and he would sometimes look to push the pace off of defensive boards. However, he didn’t seem to defend well in this game. He is an active defender, but he can sometimes play too undisciplined, as he would tend to commit touch fouls. Other times, he would not always contest shots, which would lead his tema to give up baskets.

Abosi is an athletic, energetic forward, but he will need to improve his jump shot and defense. He may be a long-term project player for the San Francisco Dons, but with continued improvement, he could be a prospect to watch in the future.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Michael Ruzic and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.