Here are eight top talents to keep an eye on at the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Munich
NextGen Munich players to watch
The second event in the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague 2024-25 season tips off in Munich this weekend.
The tournament features reigning continental champion U18 Real Madrid, host U18 FC Bayern Munich, U18 Aris Midea Thessaloniki, U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, U18 Next Gen Team Munich, U18 SC Derby Podgorica, U18 Valencia Basket and U18 Virtus Segafredo Bologna.
They will play over three days at BMW Park in Munich from January 17 to 19 with the goal of reaching the NextGen EuroLeague Finals, which will be played at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in May.
Here are some of the names to watch out for from the teams in Munich.
Matteo Accorsi, U18 Virtus Segafredo Bologna
Matteo Accorsi is playing in his second NextGen tournament after he collected 16.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals at last season’s event in Dubai.
The Bologna native has played the last two summers for Italy, winning silver at both the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2023 and FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024, averaging 5.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists on the global stage.
This season he is producing 16 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in the Italian U19 championship. He is an excellent offensive player with a great three-point shot, but he has to improve defense and playmaking.
Gildas Gimenez, U18 Real Madrid
Gildas Gimenez is a NextGen EuroLeague champion as he helped Real win the title last season, picking up 2.4 points and 1.9 rebounds over seven games in 2023-24.
The small forward is also a continental champion at the national team level, having helped Spain win the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2023 crown with 14.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.9 steals. And last summer he collected 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024.
Gimenez made his Spanish League debut in November against Murcia and is averaging 9.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in the Spanish fourth division. He is a great athlete with great physical capabilities. He is a very good defender, both on the ball and in passing lanes and recovering. Gimenez can help in rebounding at both ends of the court.
Offensively, he is a good one-on-one player who finishes with strength – also against contact – or can stop and hit jumpers. He also is a good three-point shooter after a pass. He can play multiple offensive positions and can defend both guard positions and the small forward spot.
Mark Morano Mahmutovic, U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana
Mark Morano Mahmutovic will be competing in the NextGen for the third consecutive season. After averaging 7.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals in his debut season, he averaged 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in his second campaign.
In the Slovenian third and U20 leagues, he is averaging 17.2 and 22 points, respectively. Morano was a key member of the Slovenian U18 national team, which secured a third-place finish at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024, picking up 8.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals.
Morano is a multi-level threat when catching the ball in the perimeter. With the height of 1.97m and fluid ball-handling ability, he is able to position himself well and is hard to contain by opposing defenders. His shooting ability, however, might be his biggest selling point, as he shows tremendous efficiency in tough shots off the dribble.
Danilo Nikezic, U18 SC Derby Podgorica
Danilo Nikezic will be competing in his second NextGen tournament after picking up 4.2 points and 1.2 rebounds in Podgorica last season. The forward has appeared in four games in the Montenegro league with 2.0 points per game.
He played two summers for Montenegro, averaging 3.6 points and 1.4 rebounds at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024, Division B. Nikezic has a stable mentality and understands and knows the game, playing quite maturely.
He is creative, solid on the ball, accepts advice and works on himself with individual dedication and is unselfish. He has improved his shooting mechanics but he still needs to work more on that and also becoming more decisive and aggressive defensively – especially on rebounds.
Vasileios Kazamias, U18 Aris Midea Thessaloniki
Vasileios Kazamias will make his second NextGen appearance with Aris as the 1.97-meter point guard averaged 11.8 points, 4.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals with 16.5 PIR in last year’s tournament in Dubai. Kazamias has also played five games in the BKT EuroCup and three times in the Greek League.
This season with the U18 team he is averaging 14.8 points, 6 assists and 4.5 rebounds in three games, and he plays for APS Navarchos Votsis in the Greek fourth division where he tallies 17.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds. Kazamias participated in the Basketball Without Borders European camp.
One of his biggest strengths is his great game understanding, which makes him ideal for handling the ball and setting up the team’s offense. Kazamias is also a fantastic one-on-one finisher and lockdown defender in one-on-one situations – besides being a great team defender, too. He has also improved this year his shooting after the dribble. His main weaknesses are the right-hand ball handling and spot up shooting – things that he is working on daily to improve.
Javier Viguer, U18 Valencia Basket
Javier Viguer will participate for the first time in the NextGen. He starred for the Spanish team that finished second at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2024 with 12.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals. He is averaging 10.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals in the fourth division.
Viguer is a complete player on offense, contributing in every aspect, from shooting to rebounding. He stands out with his wingspan and long arms, allowing him to make shots that are difficult to block. On defense, he can guard both perimeter positions and can also hold his own inside thanks to his physical attributes.
His versatility and basketball IQ make him a player to watch, capable of adapting to various roles and playing styles. His leadership on the court and ability to perform in clutch moments show his potential to make a strong impact at the next level.
Nikolas Sermpezis, U18 FC Bayern Munich
Nikolas Sermpezis collected 8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.8 steals at last season’s NextGen Podgorica. The guard collected 12.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.1 steals for Greece at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2023.
Sermpezis is one of the leaders of Bayern’s second team with 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.9 steals. Sermpezis is typical of many Greek guards: very aggressive on offense, attacking the basket. He is improving his shot as well.
His main strength is the defense and his aggressiveness, which allowed him to have a very good impact last year in the third division. He still has to improve his ball handling and his decision-making.
Guillermo del Pino, U18 Next Gen Team Munich
Guillermo del Pino will be playing his first NextGen tournament. The guard helped Spain win the title at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2023 with 14.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.9 steals to win the MVP trophy.
Last summer he had 11.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup. He is currently playing in Spain’s third division and collecting 8.0 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals for Coto Cordoba.
The point guard has great three-level scoring skills and playmaking upside. He has a high basketball IQ, is tough as nails and can handle and pass the ball.