Evaluating Bassala Bagayoko and Thijs De Ridder in a Spanish ACB League Game

May 11th, 2025

By Alan Lu

With the 2025 NBA Draft approaching fairly soon, I wanted to watch some more film of some of the international players that are currently in the draft.  Bassala Bagayoko is a very athletic, prodigious big man that has produced in the ACB at a very young age, and there were other draft prospects that project into NBA roles.  I decided to watch Bagayoko and Thijs de Ridder play in an April 2nd game for Bilbao Basket against JDA Dijon Basket, as I was able to see this with thanks to YouTube via FIBA Basketball.  Here are my thoughts on how they fared, as well as how their games may translate to the NBA.

Bassala Bagayoko is a very athletic, skinny big man that had a solid showing to help Bilbao Basket get a double-digit win in this game.  He is a high-motor player that thrives at making hustle plays, and he is a very effective rim runner on offense that also has shown promising rim protection and defensive skills.

Bagayoko showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays and finishing plays above the rim.  He was able to run in to score on an athletic tip slam.  He also ran the floor and caught a lob pass to score on a high-flying, alley-oop dunk to showcase his strong athletic gifts.  Plus, he also sprinted down court to get the ball and used a crafty pump fake to score on a patient, turnaround layup.  He did once miss a rushed tip-in, but Bagayoko was very effective at scoring on the move around the basket when the opportunities presented themselves.

He also did a good job of moving the basketball.  He would get the ball to open shooters on dribble handoff plays.  Bagayoko also was able to get the ball on a short roll, which enabled him to kick it out to a corner shooter to notch an assist.  He didn’t look to dribble the basketball and he didn’t take many risks on offense.  Therefore, he made sound decisions within the role he played, so he did not commit any turnovers in this game.

Plus, he did a fairly good job of rebounding the basketball.  He was very active at crashing the glass to get offensive boards, and he also ran in and leapt up to get a couple of defensive boards as well.

Also, Bagayoko defended well.  He did a terrific job of blocking shots, as he would rotate quickly to swat three point shots as well as shots off the dribble due to possessing very good length, athleticism, and timing.  He would sometimes swat shots to teammates, and he also was able to force a shot clock violation when swatting a three-point shot in the first half.   Plus, he also used his length, quickness, and instincts to pick off a pass to get a steal, and he also would stay in front of his man and contest shots to force misses.  However, sometimes he would get outmuscled when defending stronger opponents in the post, which would lead him to allow scores.  Other times, he would play too aggressively when defending out on the perimeter, which would lead him to commit touch fouls.

Overall, Bassala Bagayoko played well to help Bilbao Basket to get a big win in this game, and he is a very athletic, energetic big man that has played well in his role this season.  Strangely, he hasn’t been able to draw as much draft buzz as expected, so he’s flown under the radar.  Still, he could be a very good pick for an NBA team, especially if he’s available in the second round of the 2025 draft, if he stays in, or he could opt to withdraw and explore other options, whether if that were to be if he stays overseas or explores the option of playing in college basketball.  Still, Bagayoko has shown that he could project well into a rotational big man role at the NBA level, and he could end up being a similar player to Indiana Pacers’ forward, Isaiah Jackson in the NBA.

Bilbao Basket’s 6-8 forward, Thijs de Ridder played very well to help his team get a sizable win over JDA Dijon Basket.  De Ridder is a mobile, skilled forward that excelled as a shooter and scorer on offense, and he had a smart, strong all-around game.

He is a bouncy, energetic forward that has versatile scoring skills, and he especially excelled as a finisher around the basket. De Ridder showed a knack for slipping past defenders to get the ball, which enabled him to score on an emphatic dunk, as well as on a layup.  He also ran the floor to score on a jump hook. In this game, he showed a good touch to score at the rim.  Plus, he also shot the ball fairly well from the outside.  De Ridder was able to make a smooth three-pointer off of a pick-and-pop play, and he also managed to score on a pull-up jumper.

He also showcased adequate playmaking skills.  De Ridder is an unselfish player that will keep the ball moving and find the open man.  On one play, he tried to drive to the rim, but he had the ball poked off of himself that led him to commit a turnover.

Plus, he also rebounded and defended well.  He was able to get multiple boards on both ends of the floor.  De Ridder was also able to close out on a mid-range shooter to block a shot to a teammate due to possessing fairly solid length, athleticism, and timing.  He also would stay with his man to cut off penetration, and he would contest shots and close out on shooters to force misses.  On the downside, he would sometimes play too aggressively, which would lead him to be out of position.

Overall, De Ridder had a strong showing to help his team get a double-digit win in this game.  He is a skilled, versatile forward that tended to make good decisions when he was on the court, and he may be a significantly underrated prospect in the 2025 draft.  Currently, De Ridder is a second round prospect, and he could end up being an effective role player similar to Cleveland Cavaliers’ forward, Dean Wade in the NBA.

Ruben Dominguez is an agile, skilled swingman that had his ups and downs in Bilbao Basket’s win in this game.  He showed off some spot-up shooting and passing skills, and he largely would project into a 3 and D role in the NBA.  He was able to make outside shots from the corners, and he also is an unselfish player that can swing the ball and make drive and kick passes to find open shooters.  On the downside, he was also quite streaky with his three-point shot, and he also missed on a mid-range runner, and he may struggle to create his own shot at the NBA level.

He didn’t grab many rebounds, but he was able to leap up to get a defensive rebound, as he then brought the ball up the floor afterwards.  He also defended fairly well.  He’s an active defender that was able to defend a passing lane to indirectly force a passing turnover, and he showed that he’s also willing to contest shots.

Overall, Ruben Dominguez didn’t have his best game, but he is an agile, skilled swingman that is a second round prospect for the 2025 draft, and his jump shot and above average athletic gifts could enable him to make it to the NBA someday.

JDA Dijon Basket’s 6-4 point guard, Ilias Kamardine had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to Bilbao Basket.  He is an agile, skilled combo guard that struggled to make outside shots, but he was able to score on a smooth, scoop layup off the dribble, and he also ran the floor to score another time.  On the other hand, he would tend to be careless with the ball, which would lead him to commit turnovers.

He also did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball.  He also defended fairly well.  He was able to deflect a pass once, and he would also contest shots to force misses.  Sometimes though, he wouldn’t move his feet very well when rotating to defend opposing ball handlers, which would lead his team to commit fouls.

Overall, Kamardine didn’t have his best game, but he is an aggressive scorer that has shown some promise as a combo guard for the NBA.  Currently, he is  borderline seond round candidate for this year’s draft.  He’ll need to show NBA teams that he can consistently knock down outside shots and reliably run the point, but he is an aggressive, downhill driver with some defensive skills, which could enable him to be a game-managing, backup point guard in the NBA someday.

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