ANGT Zadar: Players to Watch | Adidas Next Generation Tournament

The Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament series continues this week with the first ever qualifying tournament in Zadar, Croatia. Action begins on Friday at Kresimir Cosic Hall. The event features seven clubs from six different countries plus the specially assembled Next Generation Zadar team, so there will be players from across Europe and beyond putting their talents on display in a true international basketball celebration. Here's a primer on some of the top talents to keep an eye on in Zadar.

Ori Cohen, U18 Maccabi Tel Aviv

Cohen will be competing in his second ANGT after he collected 5.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks last season at the ANGT Finals. The forward is averaging 10 points on 38% three-point shooting and 5.5 rebounds in the Israeli U18 league. Cohen played in the FIBA U16 European Challengers 2021 where he averaged 8.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.2 steals. He is a long player at 2.00 meters and likes to play face-up on the perimeter. He can shoot the three-pointer very well and attack close-outs, but can also pass nicely. Cohen is very versatile and explosive with his size. On defense, he can defend both guard spots and both forward positions. He still needs to improve his toughness around the rim.

Lucas Langarita, U18 Casademont Zaragoza

Langarita will be playing in his third ANGT after he tallied 4.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals last season in Varese. The 1.92-meter guard is averaging 15.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists this season for Zaragoza's affiliated team in the EBA league and he is also practicing with the pro team. Langarita has played two Spanish League games in which he's compiled 3 points and 1 assist in 8 minutes. Last summer he helped Spain take second place at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 with 11.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals. Langarita is a strong finisher with excellent one-on-one skills. On defense, he can help with his good size.

Lon Lican, U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

Lican will appear in his second ANGT after going for 11.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.5 steals last season. The guard collected 10.9 points with 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals for Slovenia at the 2022 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup. He also had 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals in two U19 ABA league games this season and is averaging 13 points and 5 assists on Cedevita’s second team. Lican is a good all-around player who can pass, penetrate and shoot as well as rebound. He plays mainly as a combo guard.

Jerome Ntsourou, U18 Stellazzurra Rome

Ntsourou will be playing in his second ANGT after he appeared in two games at ANGT Patras last season. The 2006-born forward collected 6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks in a combined 15 minutes in those games. Ntsourou’s biggest strength is his athleticism but he also excels in rebounding and blocking shots. Ntsourou is a good passer, too. The big man still needs to work on his ball handling as well as playing more with his left hand.

Michael Ruzic, U18 Zadar

Ruzic will be making his debut in the ANGT this season as the club returns to the competition. The 2.06-meter forward is the son of Tomislav Ruzic, who played four seasons in the EuroLeague and four more in the EuroCup. Michael played for Croatia at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2022 and averaged 7.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He is averaging 10.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in the Croatian second division this season. Ruzic is a big man who can both shoot and dunk in traffic. He is very athletic and excels in the transition game.

Dame Sarr, U18 FC Barcelona

Sarr returns for his second ANGT after he collected 13.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals playing last season at ANGT Ljubljana for Orange1 Basket Bassano. The Italian also played last summer at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2022 and averaged 14.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.6 blocks. Sarr already made his Spanish League debut against Bilbao Basket at the end of January. He is predominantly playing in the fourth division EBA where he's been worth 15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals. Sarr is a versatile wing who can put the ball on the floor to easily get past his defenders, run the pick-and-roll with intention or be a threat off screens. He is a sharpshooter, not only on the catch-and-shoot but also on midrange pull-ups. Sarr has good size and leaping ability that helps him contest shots and shrink the floor, helping the team defense.

Fynn Schott, U18 NGT Zadar

Schott will be making his debut in the ANGT for the selection team. The Austrian big man is already playing a major role in the Austrian first division with 5.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.3 blocks for Furstenfeld. Schott last summer averaged 14.7 points, 14.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 5.2 blocks at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2022 Division B; he led the tournament in rebounds and blocks. Schott is a very good rebounder and plays with a lot of energy. He can dribble to the basket and has good footwork. He still needs to work on his shooting and is not overly athletic.

Olavi Suutela, U18 Helsinki Basketball Academy

Suutela will be playing his second ANGT after he had 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds last season. He is playing in Finland’s second division and averaging 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists this season. Last summer, he helped Finland take second place at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2022 Division B to get the country back to Division A. He contributed 16.8 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Suutela is an old-school big man who is very dangerous around the basket and has a high basketball IQ. The next steps in his development will be to strengthen the skills required to play on the perimeter at both ends of the court.