Part One: U-18 European Championships Prospects: Point Guards
Part Two: U-18 European Championships Prospects: The Wings
Continuing with our player-by-player recap of the European Junior Championships, the power forwards demand our attention. Vladimir Dasic leads this crop, perhaps not utterly intriguing, nor too much prolific in outstanding players, but featuring some interesting potential that might pay off in the long run.
Vladimir Dasic
Serbia and Montenegro, PF, 6-9, 13/05/1988; 19.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.6 apg
An athletic, versatile and skilled power forward, in this championship Dasic was the go-to scorer of the Serbian team, realizing some of the great potential he had shown the previous summer in Belgrade. From a complementary guy that looked capable of doing a lot of things but hardly found consistency displaying them, he successfully assumed his leading role as a talented, veteran and experienced junior.
Last year we wondered about the eventual position on the court of this forward, but after a complete season in Buducnost and this tournament playing power forward, and actually looking like one, he seems headed there.
Anyway, Dasic still displays the same impressive physical and athletic set. Hes long, strong, fluid, quick, coordinated and a good leaper. His body is extremely well built, with excellent shoulders, a strong and balanced upper and lower body, but keeping a certainly slender figure and his flexibility. All in all, an excellent basketball weapon that, standing somewhere between 6-9 and 6-10, has nice but not great size.
Skill-wise, Dasic is a versatile threat in the ways he puts the ball in the net. Hes more of a face-up forward, a guy who likes to attack the basket from the perimeter, although he can also evolve effectively near the basket. He enjoys remarkable ball-handling skills for a guy his size, which allows him to create advantages from the perimeter, as hes capable of regularly beating his power forward matchups. Showing nice footwork, he can do fairly complicated stuff for a big such as change directions, or eventually even with a reverse move off penetrations. He can attack his rival, as well as finish around the basket, using either hand, while he is quite physical with the way he slashes, using his body pretty well to create space.
A solid shooter, he enjoys three-point range and has the ability to release mid-range jumpers off the dribble or coming off a screen, always delivering very good mechanics. Hes quite a fluid guy playing the game. Not really a virtuous of the low post, he has quickness, some length and especially strength to be effective. With some turnaround jumpers or semi-hook shots, he regularly cashed in on that superior strength. His physical set is as good for defense as it is for offense, if not better. He shows excellent lateral quickness, never got outmuscled in this tournament and he can be a pretty intense guy.
Dasic is a very interesting prospect, perhaps not top-class NBA-wise, especially if he sticks to the power forward spot (which seems likely but not 100% certain), but a guy with the tools to play in any kind of league he wants, providing he continues to improve.
Last year we wondered about the eventual position on the court of this forward, but after a complete season in Buducnost and this tournament playing power forward, and actually looking like one, he seems headed there.
Anyway, Dasic still displays the same impressive physical and athletic set. Hes long, strong, fluid, quick, coordinated and a good leaper. His body is extremely well built, with excellent shoulders, a strong and balanced upper and lower body, but keeping a certainly slender figure and his flexibility. All in all, an excellent basketball weapon that, standing somewhere between 6-9 and 6-10, has nice but not great size.
Skill-wise, Dasic is a versatile threat in the ways he puts the ball in the net. Hes more of a face-up forward, a guy who likes to attack the basket from the perimeter, although he can also evolve effectively near the basket. He enjoys remarkable ball-handling skills for a guy his size, which allows him to create advantages from the perimeter, as hes capable of regularly beating his power forward matchups. Showing nice footwork, he can do fairly complicated stuff for a big such as change directions, or eventually even with a reverse move off penetrations. He can attack his rival, as well as finish around the basket, using either hand, while he is quite physical with the way he slashes, using his body pretty well to create space.
A solid shooter, he enjoys three-point range and has the ability to release mid-range jumpers off the dribble or coming off a screen, always delivering very good mechanics. Hes quite a fluid guy playing the game. Not really a virtuous of the low post, he has quickness, some length and especially strength to be effective. With some turnaround jumpers or semi-hook shots, he regularly cashed in on that superior strength. His physical set is as good for defense as it is for offense, if not better. He shows excellent lateral quickness, never got outmuscled in this tournament and he can be a pretty intense guy.
Dasic is a very interesting prospect, perhaps not top-class NBA-wise, especially if he sticks to the power forward spot (which seems likely but not 100% certain), but a guy with the tools to play in any kind of league he wants, providing he continues to improve.