The best international prospects in next year's NBA draft: Scouting the top 10

1 week ago 12

Jonathan Givony, ESPNNov 26, 2024, 06:30 AM ET
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With international leagues temporarily paused as national teams compete in FIBA qualifying windows, now is a perfect moment to take stock of what we've learned so far in the important realm of non-collegiate draft prospects ahead of the 2025 NBA draft.

As teams scour Europe, Australia, South America, Africa and Asia for NBA quality talent, the consistent feedback we've received is this is not only a stacked 2025 draft class with U.S.-based players (especially a loaded freshman class), but there are also at least 10 international players aiming to be first-round picks, with another dozen or so vying for second-round consideration.

It's important to note the 2026 draft seems to be tracking as one of the weakest we've seen from an international standpoint in years, which could result in some 2025-draft-eligible players putting their NBA dreams on hold for a year.

With that context in mind, here's who we consider the 10 best prospects in the international class, including one American who is competing in Mexico City via the G League:

1. Nolan Traore, PG, Saint-Quentin (Pro A/BCL), France

Age: 18.4 | Height: 6-5 | Weight: 184
Projected draft range: 4-10

Traore has taken his lumps through a brutal early-season schedule, with spectacular play mixed in with difficult moments. He has struggled with scoring efficiency, turnovers, porous defense, and playing with the physicality of elite-level European competition.

He's shooting just 42% on 2-pointers and 30% for 3s with an 18% turnover percentage, contributing to a poor 99.6 offensive rating, well below what NBA scouts would hope from an elite prospect. The level of competition he's facing as an 18-year-old point guard explains some of these struggles, but his minus-11.6 net rating is going to raise some eyebrows if that figure doesn't improve as the season moves on.

Nevertheless, Traore's talent has been on display with his ability to get to spots on the floor with outstanding ballhandling, playmaking creativity, and difficult shot-making prowess, giving him a high ceiling for his height. He is being held accountable by a demanding coaching staff for blown defensive assignments and casual play that at times characterizes him.

Looking forward, Traore's Saint-Quentin team (6-3) looks poised for a postseason run in France and a play-in berth in the next round of the FIBA Champions League, a three-game series in January. Having a chance to catch his breath, get some much-needed practice time and revert back to an easier one-game-per-week schedule will surely benefit him over the second half of the season. Then, scouts are hoping to see him ramp up his intensity, make strides with his frame and find more consistency on both ends of the floor.

Traore's combination of size, speed, court vision, scoring instincts, and youth gives him considerable upside to grow into long-term, as he's posting a top-10 assist percentage in both Pro A and the BCL while knocking down 14 pull-up 3s in 13 games thus far. Every lottery team in need of a point guard to build around will be studying him all season.

2. Hugo Gonzalez, SG/SF, Real Madrid (ACB/Euroleague), Spain

Age: 18.8 | Height: 6-7 | Weight: 190
Projected draft range: 8-20

Gonzalez is in perhaps the least favorable situation of any international prospect as far as having a NBA platform at his disposal. He's competing for minutes on a stacked Real Madrid team solely focused on winning the Spanish ACB Championship and returning to the Euroleague Final Four, where they've been each of the past three seasons.

He's averaging just 7 minutes per game, and will be held accountable with any questionable decision or defensive mishap resulting in a one-way ticket to the bench; strong play won't always result in additional opportunities, either.

Nevertheless, NBA teams have studied Gonzalez since his impressive duel with the then 15-year-old Cooper Flagg in the championship game of the FIBA U17 World Cup in the summer of 2022. A 16-year-old Gonzalez showed zero fear attacking the Americans off the dribble while playing a highly intelligent but physical, energetic and intense style that screamed NBA lottery pick.

Gonzalez has continued to grow in stature, frame explosiveness and ability with his shot-making prowess, defensive versatility and playmaking ability on both ends of the floor, standing out in many club and national team events over the past three years. He has room for improvement with his perimeter shooting in particular, as he has converted 3-for-17 of his 3-pointers this season, making it difficult for him to play the 3-and-D role that's expected of him at the highest level of European basketball, where perfection is demanded on every possession.

We'll see how his role evolves, but being surpassed by better-performing college and international players as the season moves on could be in the cards. It will be difficult for NBA decision-makers to get eyes on him in the pre-draft process as Real Madrid's season likely will extend deep into June.

3. Ben Saraf, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm (BBL/BCL), Israel

Age: 18.6 | Height: 6-6 | Weight: 202
Projected draft range: 8-20

Saraf is starting at point guard for Ratiopharm Ulm, currently in first place in the German BBL and 4-4 in the EuroCup. He had an outstanding showing as the MVP of the FIBA U18 Eurobasket this summer, which catapulted him into NBA conversations.

Saraf brings an elite combination of scoring instincts, feel for the game, aggressiveness and playmaking creativity, authoring outstanding performances already across different competitions. He's an unorthodox prospect who is left-hand dominant, shoots with unconventional mechanics and is relentless to make plays happen, helping him post gaudy scoring and assist totals, while also turning the ball over at a high rate.

Saraf won't be every NBA scouts' cup of tea due to question marks around his perimeter shooting consistency (35% from 3 through 15 games), finishing prowess, defense and physical tools. Some evaluators wonder whether he is a good enough shot creator to shoulder primary ballhandling responsibility for a NBA team or space the floor adequately and hold his own defensively.

Luckily for Saraf -- and NBA talent evaluators -- a large volume of games are yet to come in both the EuroCup and German BBL which will shed significant insight into his long-term projection. Regardless of how he fares, there's little doubt Saraf has improved his standing and captivated the attention of onlookers on both sides of the ocean with his unique style of play.

4. Noa Essengue, PF, Ratiopharm Ulm (BBL/BCL), France

Age: 17.9 | Height: 6-10 | Weight: 198
Projected draft range: 10-25

Saraf's teammate, Essengue, has been highly productive as a 17-year-old in the EuroCup while authoring a strong 20-point, 8-rebound, 3-assist performance in a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers in mid-October.

Essengue has had no shortage of highlights, showcasing his mobility and explosiveness as well as his ability to draw fouls in bunches, and as a passer, cutter, and defensive playmaker with notable improvement as a shooter.

With most of his best performances coming in the lower-level intensity EuroCup competition, scouts will want to see if his shooting improvement is real and how much growth he can make with his decision-making and intensity matching up with older, stronger players on the interior.

Essengue has a huge platform to show off his talent and should make strides as he doesn't turn 18 until Dec. 18, making him the second-youngest prospect in this class after Flagg.

5. Michael Ruzic, PF, Joventut Badalona (ACB/EuroCup), Croatia

Age: 18.1 | Height: 6-10 | Weight: 223
Projected draft range: 20-35

Ruzic emerged almost out of nowhere last season, wowing scouts as a 17-year-old starter in the best domestic league in the world outside the NBA, hitting 39% of his 3-pointers and showcasing an exceptional feel for the game.

This season got off to a much rockier start; his shots weren't falling with as much consistency, and then he suffered a serious thumb ligament injury in October, which will likely shut him down for three-to-four months.

That time away might put Ruzic in a difficult situation depending on when he returns, as NBA decision-makers haven't had as much opportunity to study him.

Every NBA team is looking for 6-10 power forwards who can stretch the floor, pass, handle and cut, and bring strong instincts defensively. Ruzic, as the fourth youngest prospect in ESPN's Top 100 at 18 years old, offers considerable room for growth physically, and is already on a late-blooming trajectory. The second half of the season will be crucial, as well as how quickly he can arrive for the pre-draft process in the U.S. to give teams an up-close look at how he projects long-term.

6. Joan Beringer, C, Cedevita Olimpija (ABA/EuroCup), France

Age: 18.0 | Height: 6-11 | Weight: 231
Projected draft range: 20-35

Beringer is carving out an increasingly important role in the Adriatic League and EuroCup for Cedevita, seeing 27 minutes per game over his past three contests going into the FIBA break, while dropping glimpses of upside that are raising NBA eyebrows.

The third-youngest prospect in ESPN's Top 100 turned 18 on Nov. 11 and has only been playing basketball seriously for around three years, giving him considerable room to grow.

No other big man in this class offers this type of fluidity and mobility as a rim-runner and pick-and-roll finisher, with the ability to cover ground and get off his feet for blocks and dunks. He also plays exceptionally hard.

He's thin, raw, inexperienced and somewhat mistake-prone on both ends of the floor, but is starting to figure things out over the past few weeks. It appears he'll have a great platform to showcase himself the rest of the season in Slovenia, potentially providing him a runway to solidify himself as a first-round caliber prospect if he continues to make strides.

7. Rocco Zikarsky, C, Brisbane (NBL), Australia

Age: 18.3 | Height: 7-3 | Weight: 227
Projected draft range: 20-40

Zikarsky came into the season with considerable fanfare after his play helped Australia win gold at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany last spring, where he won MVP honors by posting 18.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in 26 minutes per game.

The 18-year-old hasn't looked nearly as impactful for Brisbane in his second season in the Australian NBL, struggling to make an impact offensively, being a significant liability guarding pick-and-roll, and not offering much rim-protection (his block percentage has fallen from 12.8% last season to 3.4%). The game often appears to be moving too fast for Zikarsky, who has had disappointing moments missing good looks around the basket, standing and watching rebounds carom off the rim and allowing smaller players to push him around with a distinct lack of physicality, along with some real aircraft-carrier moments stepping outside of the paint defensively.

Brisbane has 19 games to get to playoff contention before the regular season ends in February, allowing Zikarsky an extended pre-draft process where he will get the opportunity to showcase his skills in a better light.

8. Dink Pate, SG, Mexico City Capitanes (G League), USA

Age: 18.3 | Height: 6-8 | Weight: 210
Stats: 6-8, SG
Projected draft range: 25-45

Pate is different from most players on this list, as he was born in Dallas and started his pro career with G League Ignite (which was dissolved last season), causing him to transfer to Mexico City this summer, a team with different goals based on what we've seen thus far.

He's coming off the bench averaging 16 minutes through seven games, largely struggling until breaking out last week in the final game of a six-games in 10-day road stretch, posting 18 points in 24 minutes in a loss to Austin.

The 18-year-old has dropped impressive glimpses of talent with highlight-reel dunks or acrobatic finishes in the lane, and has converted 36% of his 3-pointers in a limited sample.

Still, it's been hard for him to make a more convincing case for playing time as he has struggled to take care of the ball (28% turnover rate), hasn't offered much defensive presence and has looked theoretical as a shot-creator playing a casual style with his thin frame and lack of physicality.

It's difficult to tell what Pate would be able to hang his hat on at the NBA level early in his career, as his frame and feel for the game are still at a very early development stage, and it's unclear just how good a shooter he is to compensate, either.

Pate is being held accountable by coaches for mistakes, which should help him grow if he can break through with a considerable number of games still left to be played between now and late March.

9. Johann Grunloh, C, Rasta Vechta (BBL/BCL), Germany

Age: 19.2 | Height: 6-11 | Weight: 234
Projected draft range: 25-45

Grunloh is playing a significant 25-minute-per-game role in the German BBL and FIBA Champions League, allowing him to show notable improvement on both ends of the floor.

He's the second-best shot-blocker in Germany while knocking down 8-for-17 attempts from beyond the arc through 12 games, an intriguing combination for a 19-year-old who also brings outstanding energy running the floor, crashing the glass and switching on the perimeter with intensity and timing.

He's not the strongest, most skilled or explosive big man, but plays a disciplined, team-oriented, no-frills style that could lend itself well to a backup role in the NBA if his frame continues to evolve.

Coming off a grueling stretch playing 10 games in 30 days with significant travel, Grunloh will be able to catch his breath soon as his team's BCL campaign comes to a close. The second half of the season should allow him to up his intensity and give NBA teams a better sense for just how significant his long-term upside is.

10. Sergio De Larrea, PG/SG, Valencia (ACB/EuroCup), Spain

Age: 18.9 | Height: 6-7 | Weight: 189
Projected draft range: 25-45

De Larrea is making the most of his situation playing for a stacked Valencia squad that is in first place in the EuroCup (7-0) and fourth in the ACB (5-2); a team that goes 12-deep on any given night, allowing him only 11 minutes per game on average.

When De Larrea has played, he's been outstanding, making shots at a strong clip (39% from 3), playing excellent defense, and showcasing impressive court vision, whipping the ball all over the floor with creativity and feel from his unique vantage point as a 6-7 point guard.

Considering he doesn't turn 19 until next month, there's a lot to like with the size, frame, versatility, and productivity he's bringing on a per-minute basis. He's showing he can play winning basketball against elite-level competition and enters games looking to make plays.

NBA teams are hoping De Larrea can find more opportunities as the year moves on, as it's not easy to evaluate him in the 7-to-18 minute increments he's playing. We'll have to see if he can continue to make shots consistently, but there's certainly a market for versatile NBA guards in his mold who can do a little bit of everything in various roles.