Overseas Round Up: Recent Developments with NBA Prospects

James Nnaji and Nikola Djurisic put on display new sides to their games over the last week.

In the previous edition of Overseas Round-Up, I provided a rather bleak update on some of the top international prospects ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft, in a class that, besides Victor Wembanyama, is not looking like the deepest in recent years. This week, for a change of pace, we take a look at recent positive developments for two of the top prospects in the class.

James Nnaji, Being More Than Just a Big

After two straight DNPs in Spanish League play, James Nnaji came back this past weekend and had one of his best games of the season. In an extremely efficient outing, Nnaji went 5-for-6 from the field for 12 points, two rebounds, a steal and a block. Nnaji’s efficiency has carried throughout the season, as he’s currently shooting 62.2% from the field.

When it comes to Nnaji’s draft profile, the most interesting aspect of this particular game against Breogan was his ability to put the ball on the floor and to self-create both in the post and beyond the three-point line.

Really impressive game from James Nnaji 🇳🇬 yesterday. Efficient and productive outing (12pts on 5/6 FG, 1blk, 0tov in 16min), where he also showed the full repertoire offensively, putting the ball on the floor, using his footwork on the block and his touch on tough shots. pic.twitter.com/omsP2olV1l

— Ignacio Rissotto (@eyreball) December 12, 2022

His first field goal of the game had Nnaji catching the ball at the top of the key, for him to then drive through contact for a layup. While he’s not tremendously explosive or shifty, he showed the ability to put the ball on the floor with above average fluidity for his size. A couple of possessions later, Nnaji caught the ball on the post and was able to beat a triple team with a beautiful spin move out of a pump fake, which had his opponent reaching in for a foul.

It’s clear that Nnaji’s ability to finish plays on the interior and his strong defensive presence as a rebounder and shot blocker will be his calling cards at the NBA level, but the flashes he showed in this game are definitely interesting and could be indicators of his potential to develop his ball-handling to a level that allows him to dribble his way out of tough situations both in the paint and in the perimeter.

Nikola Djurisic, Being Better Than What the Numbers Suggest

Let’s start with the bad news. Nikola Djurisic is currently shooting 8.3% from 3 point range, having converted on just two of his twenty four attempts in the current season. His latest game against Split was no exception, as he went 0-for-4 from beyond the arc.

The film for this particular game, however, shows Djurisic’s flashes of shooting versatility and how he seems to be getting more comfortable with his jumper as the season goes by.

Djurisic converted on three different jumpers that were ruled as 2 pointers, but were definitely close to 3 point range. The most impressive aspect of these attempts was the level of difficulty: from jumpers off the bounce where he was able to create space against opponents with dribble moves, to catch-and-shoot jumpers off screens with little time and space to prepare the shot.

Nikola Djurisic 🇷🇸 had 14pts, 2ast & 3stl on 7/14 from the field over the weekend. While the 3pt% is concerningly low, he showed some shooting versatility in this game with long midrange pull-ups. He was also effective as a point of attack defender and getting in passing lanes. pic.twitter.com/Mk7TrLDoi3

— Ignacio Rissotto (@eyreball) December 13, 2022

Going into the 2023 draft, I expect Djurisic’s shooting to be one of the biggest topics discussed in relation to international prospects. While the ability to hit jumpers with versatility suggests that he is a better shooter than what his current percentages suggest, the remainder of the season might provide more clarity on exactly how much.

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