SB Nation is posting scouting reports of each prospect in the 2013 NBA Draft. Learn more about Giannis Adetokunbo, a Greek citizen whose parents left Nigeria when they were younger.
NAME: Giannis Adetokunbo
PRO TEAM: Zaragoza (Spain)
AGE ON DRAFT NIGHT: 18 years, six months
POSITION: Power forward
MEASUREMENTS: 6'9, 196 pounds, 7'3 wingspan
STATS (for Filathlitikos AO, a second-division Greek team): 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 46.4 percent from the field, 31 percent from three-point range
SB NATION BIG BOARD POSITION: No. 11
NBA CEILING: Scottie Pippen (Please take this with a grain of salt. There's no way to know right now.)
NBA FLOOR: Thabo Sefolosha
JONATHAN TJARKS' ANALYSIS
Giannis Adetokunbo is an 18-year old from Greece (his family is originally from Nigeria) on a second-division team. He hasn't competed for his national team and he didn't go to the Hoop Summit or the Combine.
There isn't all that much to evaluate him on, which may be part of the plan. All signs point to a team trying to sneak him through the draft, and he has reportedly received at least one first-round promise.
The son of Nigerian refugees who never became Greek citizens, Adetokunbo was discovered when a club team coach spotted him at a local park.
SB Nation's Big Board
Jonathan Tjarks' ranking of the top prospects in the 2013 NBA Draft
An athletic 6'9, 200-pound forward with a 7'3 wingspan, he will be one of the longest perimeter players in the NBA. He will need to add some weight, but given his youth and relatively undeveloped frame, that shouldn't be much of an issue.
Adetokunbo is a wing, but he moonlights as a point guard on the club's U-18 team. While the level of competition isn't great, his ability to pass the bass and control the tempo of the game is stunning. There aren't many players with a 7'3 wingspan who can have offense run through them.
He is more of a role player on the senior team, but the playmaking is still there. He is third on the team in assists and he has shooting percentages of 62 from two-point range, 31 from three-point range and 72 from the free-throw line, impressive considering the age gap.
Realistically, he's at least two years away from coming over. He will play in Spain next season. If Greece is A or AA ball, Spain is AAA. At that point, when he is a 20- or 21-year old with years of competition against high-level talent under his best, gauging his ceiling will be easier.
He may top out as a secondary ball-handler and an extremely long 3+D wing, but that's still worth a high pick for a team that can wait.
DRAFT EXPRESS SCOUTING REPORT
OTHER SB NATION SCOUTING REPORTS:
Adetokunbo likes to finish around the rim and hasn't quite settled into a solid outside shot. He was just 31-for-99 from the three-point line this past season, but still shot 62.1 percent for two-point field-goals. He is one of the more raw international prospects in the draft but has his fundamentals firmly in place for the NBA. Scouts are impressed by his speed and his ability to seemingly play every position on the floor. Whether or not Adetokunbo is able to still perform like that against the top talent in the world is the big question in taking a gamble on him.
Adetokunbo plays small forward for the fourth division in Greece, so the talent level doesn't translate to the pros, but as stated before, the tools are there. Adetokoubo is capable of playing any position on the floor; with his big hands he can bring up the ball, or take it down to the post and let his long arms get past his defender. Adetokunbo has grown a little more than three inches after recently turning 18, per DraftExpress.com, so he may continue to grow. With youth and potential, Adetokunbo could be a part of the Nets future, with his skillset, but is he worth the risk when roles need to be filled now? That is the burning question with him.
Adetokunbo is all about the "what if." His physical measurements are off the charts, with monster hands and great size. Adetokunbo recently grew several inches to his current height, so he's spent most of his time playing as a guard. He's got good ballhandling and passing skills, and a high basketball IQ. He's not an explosive leaper, but he's got good body control and finishes around the basket at a high rate. His outside shot is a work in progress.
Adetokunbo has a lot of potential on the defensive side of the ball. He isn't a shut-down defender yet, but he has the tools to one day be, and good instincts on that end. He's also an excellent rebounder.
Editor's Note: An original version of this profile said Adetokunbo was originally from Nigeria. His parents were Nigerian and left before he was born. We regret the error.
For more coverage, visit SB Nation's NBA Draft 2013 section.