18-Year-Old Danish Forward Marqus Marion Is Worth A Look
Usually, I spend my week checking in on the NBA rookie class to see if anything excited has happened.
As usual, there's a lot of report, as this class looks like the real deal, to the point where I'm outright considering if Paolo Banchero is incapable of scoring less than 20 points in a game.
However, today my attention is elsewhere. It's a bit more local, in fact.
There's a Danish forward I need to tell you about. Some of you may already be aware of him, but for those who aren't, an introduction is in order.
Marqus Mitrovic Marion. 18 years old. He plays in the best Danish basketball league, Basketligaen, for BMS Herlev, also known as Wolfpack.
Now, let me be perfectly clear before we continue that the level of quality in said league isn't exactly among the best in Europe. Denmark really only have one team that routinely makes it to European tournaments (Bakken Bears), but fortunately for Marion, his game stands on its own merit.
At 6-foot-8 with long arms, and a nose for rebounding the heck out of the ball, Marion is a clear-cut, no-nonsense power forward who is currently going up against adult men while getting the best of them.
On Oct. 26, the Wolfpack went up against the aforementioned Bakken Bears in a game that should have been an absolute blow-out loss on their part.
Spoiler alert: That didn't happen.
Against the nation's powerhouse, Marion - a teenager - dropped 21 points and 13 rebounds, laying the foundation for what will unquestionably be the win of the year for the Wolfpack.
In just over 35 minutes, Marion was 8-of-11 from the floor, including 1-of-3 from downtown and 4-of-6 from the line. He drew seven fouls, committing just one himself, and picked up two steals.
On the young season, Marion is averaging 20.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.6 steals.
The youngster is active around the rim, cuts effortlessly through the paint despite a slender frame, and routinely rebounds outside of his own area.
He plans on attending college next season, and has received several offers. Schools include George Washington, Montana State, Dayton, San Jose State, and Iona. More offers are expected to roll in as the season progresses.
At 18, you're obviously not a finished product, and Marion does have room to get better. He's still getting used to contact when going up against players almost twice his age, and he has yet to realize the advantage he would give his team if he sped up the floor hard after rebounds, instead of spending time handing it off to his point guards.
In fairness, some of that could be a coaching decision. Regardless, seeing him take the ball off the backboard and immediately initiate the offense on his own more frequently would be a big addition to his game, and would accelerate his development by forcing him to make more and more decisions on the fly.
It's also worth noting that there are games when some of his teammates are aggressively looking for their own shot, where he stands wide open on either the perimeter, or in the dunker's spot, and is ignored. In those situations, it can be tough for an 18-year-old to get upset.
I sat near courtside for Marion’s game against BK Amager last week, where he finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. I lost count of the times he'd stand wide open from behind the arc or had the step on a defender as he cut to the basket, only for lead guards to not recognize it. Instead of raising his voice, he'd accept the situation and not make a fuss.
In time, you'd much prefer to see him take more control and let his guards know he's open, and it's time to move the ball. Marion is unquestionably the most talented player on the team, so this is something to track for the rest of the season, as he grows more comfortable in that role.
Obviously, this is a learning process, and it's frankly good for him that he has to deal with those types of situations early, especially as he wants to make it in the US where trigger-happy guards are well represented.
It'll be interesting to see how he fares in college, after having played with, and against, adult men for two seasons. It'll be a different experience to play with players his own age. That could have its advantages, as Marion's emotional maturity is fairly advanced, likely making him a coaching staff favorite and a guy teammates feel comfortable being around.
As for NBA potential, let's cross that bridge when we get there. Finding the right program is first on the list. How Marion performs in the college ranks will be our next clue.
For now, I'll keep an eye out on the Danish prospect, and keep you in the loop.
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