The Chicago Bulls have signed forward Henri Drell to a training camp deal.
According to the team, the Chicago Bulls have signed 23-year-old forward Henri Drell to a training camp contract. Drell played in Summer League for the Bulls this offseason and spent last year with the Windy City Bulls. Now, Chicago will bring him into training camp to get a closer look and keep him around the organization.
The youngster made 30 appearances for the Windy City Bulls, starting 26 of them and playing 31.2 minutes per contest. He averaged 11.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 47.2% from the field and 33.3% from behind the three-point line. Drell struggled with his shot a bit in Summer League but still played in all five games in Las Vegas.
He will join Quenton Jackson and Max Heidegger among Bulls currently on Exhibit 10 deals heading into training camp. In all likelihood, the Bulls will look to keep all three in their G League system once the season begins.
Chicago doesn’t have any two-way spots available, as those are taken by Onrulap Bitim, Adama Sanogo, and Justin Lewis, but Drell will likely have another chance to prove himself in the G League next year.
The 23-year-old could choose to leave the Bulls’ organization, but them signing him to a training camp deal gives him an incentive to stick around with the Windy City Bulls for another season.
The Bulls have 15 players on their main roster, leaving no room for more signings, but both Carlik Jones and Terry Taylor are on non-guaranteed deals. So, while it’s highly unlikely, if Drell seriously impresses during training camp, there is technically a pathway for him, or Jackson or Heidegger, to make the main roster.
While college basketball players may capture more fame domestically, international prospects are fundamentally essential to the NBA Draft.
While college basketball players may capture more fame domestically, international prospects are fundamentally essential to the NBA draft.
Based on research conducted by HoopsHype, the average NBA draft over the past four years has featured 9.3 players who played basketball overseas the season prior to their selection. As such, we looked at the top international prospects (plus others worth considering) most likely to hear their names called in the 2020 NBA Draft.
For the sake of consistency in evaluation, American-born prospects who participated in the Australian NBL’s Next Stars program (e.g. LaMelo Ball, RJ Hampton and Terry Armstrong) were not included in this exercise.
Especially with so much uncertainty surrounding the 2020 NBA draft due to the coronavirus, the international class will be fascinating to watch. While it may be harder to evaluate them without a traditional NBA draft combine, some teams may prefer to “punt” on this year and opt for more of a “draft-and-stash” route.
Especially for teams (e.g. New Orleans Pelicans and Philadelphia 76ers) with surplus picks, it would make sense to select a player to own their draft rights with the intention of them playing abroad and continuing to develop.
1. KILLIAN HAYES, RATIOPHARM ULM (GERMANY)
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Killian Hayes is a 6-foot-5 guard who can play on or off the ball and has made a legitimate case for himself as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. The French prospect led the German League in transition scoring (3.3 points per game) at just 18 years old, connecting on more than 84 percent of these attempts. Hayes ranked fifth-best for isolation scoring (2.3 ppg) in the EuroCup, shooting well off the dribble. Meanwhile, his distribution (5.1 assists per game) finished as the third-best during those games. The guard won MVP at the U16 Euro Championship in 2017 and All-Tournament Team at the 2018 U17 World Cup in 2018.
Prediction: Lottery
2. DENI AVDIJA, MACCABI TEL AVIV (ISRAEL)
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Deni Avdija is a 6-foot-8 forward who can be a secondary ball-handler and cutter for an NBA team. His draft stock has been up and down as his minutes were limited in Euroleague and his jump shot was fairly ineffective. But he scored 21 points with eight rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal while also shooting 3-for-6 from beyond the arc at the 2020 Eurobasket qualifiers. The prospect took home MVP honors at the U20 European Championship in 2019.
Prediction: Lottery / First round
3. ABDOULAYE N’DOYE, CHOLET BASKET (FRANCE)
Abdoulaye N’Doye is a 6-foot-7 guard who also boasts an enormous 7-foot-2 wingspan. He has a similar physical profile as NBA forwards like Robert Covington and Trevor Ariza, except he has experience playing on-ball for Cholet. N’Doye shot 44.1 percent from three-point range in the French League last season and 40.0 percent from long distance during the U20 Euro Championships in 2018. N’Doye, who previously tested the waters for the NBA last summer, is a bit older than other prospects on this list as he was automatically eligible this year rather than early entry.
Prediction: Late first / Early second
4. ALEKSEJ POKUSEVSKI, OLYMPIACOS (GREECE)
Aleksej Pokusevski is a 7-foot playmaker who has a similar physical profile to Thon Maker, Kostas Antetokounmpo and Bol Bol. There is less film to study for Pokusevski than other top international prospects because he plays in a low-level Greek league, though he has proven himself to be a solid transition finisher. The prospect put up splits of 14.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 5.8 blocks and two three-pointers per 36 minutes at the U18 European Championships in 2019. His wiry frame is the biggest concern on his way to the NBA, but if he adds size, he is someone who has the potential to be the ultimate sleeper of this class.
Prediction: Late first / Early second
5. LEANDRO BOLMARO, FC BARCELONA (SPAIN)
(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
Leandro Bolmaro is a 6-foot-7 forward who has been skyrocketing on draft boards lately. With a unique blend of size and court vision, he is capable of serving as a secondary playmaker with experience as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets or occasionally when pushing the break in transition. He has played well when the ball is not in his hands, too, shooting efficiently when coming off screens.
Prediction: Late first / Early second
6. THEO MALEDON, ASVEL (FRANCE)
(LUCAS BARIOULET/AFP via Getty Images)
Theo Maledon is a long, skinny point guard who was very solid in the pick-and-roll for ASVEL. The 6-foot-4 prospect has been accurate when shooting jumpers off the dribble, showing that he is able to create his own offense. His most notable accolade thus far was averaging 14.6 points and 3.1 assists per game in the U16 Euro Championships in 2017, leading France to gold.
Prediction: First round
Prediction: Late first / Early second
7. MARKO SIMONOVIC, MEGA (SERBIA)
Marko Simonovic is a 6-foot-10 prospect who was one of the top scorers in the Adriatic League, averaging 16.8 points per game. The 20-year-old prospect added 8.0 rebounds with 1.2 blocks per game in 2019-20. He also averaged 17.3 points while shooting 41.7 percent from three-point range, also adding 3.0 rebounds per game at the U20 European Championship in 2019. He has been especially productive when operating as the roll man out of pick-and-roll sets.
Prediction: Second round / Undrafted
8. YAM MADAR, HAPOEL TEL AVIV (ISRAEL)
Yam Madar is a 6-foot-3 point guard who averaged 13.7 points and 5.3 assists per 36 minutes in the Israeli BSL. He played extraordinarily well for Israel in the U20 European Championship in 2019, securing a gold medal behind 15.9 points and 7.7 assists per game. He looked especially comfortable running a fast-paced offense when pushing the break, recording the most transition assists per game among all participants at the tournament.
Prediction: Second round / Undrafted
9. GEORGIOS KALAITZAKIS, NEVEZIS (LITHUANIA)
Georgios Kalaitzakis was the overall leading scorer at the U20 European Championship in 2019. The 6-foot-8 prospect finished most of his opportunities as the ball-handler in pick-and-roll possessions, ranking among the leaders for assists in a set offense during the tournament.
Prediction: Second round / Undrafted
10. ROKAS JOKUBAITIS, ZALGIRIS (LITHUANIA)
Rokas Jokubaitis has thrived on unguarded catch-and-shoot attempts but has also been able to connect fairly well when shooting off the dribble as well. The 6-foot-4 guard was accurate when finishing possessions as the ball-handler in transition. He is most often used in pick-and-roll sets and when looking only at possessions in a set offense, his distribution also ranked near the best among all participants at the U19 World Cup in 2019.
Prediction: Second / Undrafted
HONORABLE MENTIONS
11. Borisa Simanic, Crvena Zvezda (Serbia)
He is a 6-foot-11 prospect with a 7-foot-3 wingspan who has been incredibly effective on unguarded jump shots off the catch. He has not been as sharp off the bounce but with his length and shooting ability, he projects as a potentially viable spot-up option in the NBA.
12. Paul Eboua, Victoria Libertas Pesaro (Italia)
A versatile scorer who can produce on spot-up and transition opportunities and as the roll man in pick-and-roll sets, he has struggled with efficiency. His frame (6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan) makes him a compelling NBA prospect.
13. Arturs Kurucs, Vig Riga (Latvia)
The younger brother of Brooklyn Nets forward Rodions Kurucs is a 6-foot-3 guard who has been accurate when shooting off the dribble. He ranked among the leaders in total scoring during the U19 World Cup in 2019, averaging 15.6 points per game.
14. Aleksa Radanov, FMP Belgrade (Serbia)
Aleksa Radanov is a 6-foot-7 forward who has operated as the ball-handler in pick-and-roll sets. He has impressed when finishing possessions as the ball handler in a transition offense as well. Radanov is 22 years old and automatically eligible for the 2020 NBA draft.
15) Gytis Masiulis, Neptunas Klaipeda (Lithuania)
A 6-foot-9 forward from Lithuania who has produced well in pick-and-roll actions as the roll man and on pick-and-pop opportunities. He was one of the most efficient high-volume scorers when he competed in the U20 Euro Championship in 2018, averaging 18.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
Somehow already past the midpoint of the college basketball season, the 2020 NBA Draft is starting to shape up with far more clear rankings.
Somehow already past the midpoint of the college basketball season, the 2020 NBA draft is starting to shape up with far more clear rankings.
As always, we examine the most trusted analysts to give us the best idea of a consensus for what the upcoming draft class will look like in June. The latest 2020 NBA mock drafts from experts at ESPN, CBS Sports, SI.com, Bleacher Report, NBADraft.net, The Athletic and USA Today Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire were used for these rankings.
The top four players (Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman and Cole Anthony) have remained the exact same despite none of the latter three players being active for various different reasons.
Meanwhile, Iowa State sophomore point guard Tyrese Haliburton entered the Top 5 and replaced 19-year-old Israeli prospect Deni Avdija – who has not seen much playing time in the Euroleague.
Included below are brief scouting reports for senior guards who have improved their draft stock the most since our last update. These players listed are all four-year NCAA players who could be ready to make the jump to the NBA like Josh Hart and Malcolm Brogdon did in their respective classes.
MARKUS HOWARD, MARQUETTE
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Aggregate Mock Draft Rank: 46
One of the most important things to know about Marquette senior Markus Howard is that despite the fact he has four years of collegiate experience, he is just 20 years old. Few teams operate their offense through one player quite like Golden Eagles do with Howard, who has taken 42.5 percent of their total field goal attempts. Fortunately, the guard brags one of the most efficient and prolific jump shots among all NCAA players. Howard operates well when he is shooting off the catch and off the dribble, which will make him a good fit for almost any offense in the NBA. He is currently averaging 28.4 points per game while shooting 42.5 percent on three-pointers. Similarly, no guard in college has been fouled more often than Howard has thus far. He should be a lock win Big East Player of the Year and should be a strong contender for the National Player of the Year, too. As a pro, he can likely become a spark-plug scoring option off the bench. His draft stock has improved from No. 68 up to No. 46 month-over-month.
PAYTON PRITCHARD, OREGON
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Aggregate Mock Draft Rank: 47
Oregon senior guard Payton Pritchard was a Top-50 recruit coming into the Pac-12 back in 2016. He attended West Linn High School, where he was able to lead his squad to four consecutive state titles. That accomplishment was an especially impressive feat considering the program had only won the OSAA Boys Basketball Championship once before and it was way back in 1997. He has since played for the Ducks in the Final Four (2017) and also won MVP of the Pac-12 Tournament last season. He is currently averaging 19.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists with 1.7 steals per game. His assist rate (32.7 percent) is Top 20 among seniors and he has connected on 40.7 percent of his three-pointers. Now more than halfway through the season, he is the heavy favorite to win Pac-12 Player of the Year and could be a sleeper for National Player of the Year as well. He has leaped from No. 96 in December all the way to No. 47 now in January.
SKYLAR MAYS, LSU
Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Aggregate Mock Draft Rank: 57
During his senior year of high school, Skylar Mays was actually teammates with Howard at Findlay Prep. Also on the roster was 2019 first-rounder PJ Washington and Toronto Raptors two-way wing Oshae Brissett. For what it is worth, their roster also had current college basketball standouts Tristan Clark (Baylor) and Lamine Diane (CSUN). Their team has already sent tons of prospects into the NBA and Mays could very well be the next in line. He is a potential 3-and-D threat, averaging 1.4 three-pointers and 2.1 steals per game for the LSU Tigers as an NCAA senior. Meanwhile, LSU’s adjusted offensive rating (116.6) ranks Top 5 in college basketball. Along with Reggie Perry (Mississippi State) as well as Kerry Blackshear Jr. (Florida), Mays has a strong candidacy to win SEC Player of the Year. He has jumped from No. 90 last month to No. 57 this month.
