European NBA Prospect Rankings: Winter 2016

4. Dzanan Musa, SF, Cedevita

2018 Draft prospect

2016-2017 Stats: 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game

Along with Sedekerskis and Bonga, Musa will help strengthen the depth of talent in the class of 2018’s international crop. And while versatility is the name of the game for the other two young wings, Musa has one elite skill: scoring. Musa is averaging 19.9 points per 40 minutes, and is perhaps the best shot creator among the young prospects in Europe, despite being just 17-years old.

Musa has been doing most of his damage in the Croatian domestic league, where he’s averaging 13.8 points per game. But while he’s done a lot of his scoring against lower competition, he’s had a few good games at the Adriatic League level, including a 26-point performance against Union Olimpija Ljubljana a few weeks ago:

As you can see from the video, there’s a lot to like about Musa’s ability to score in simple situations at this point. He’s athletic and smart enough to be a strong transition weapon, and his footwork attacking off the pick-and-roll is strong at this point. His shot mechanics need some continued development, but that is likely to continue as he receives continued focus as a Croatian league number one option.

Musa isn’t a perfect prospect, as he will likely struggle defensively at the NBA level and there are questions about his attitude when his shot isn’t falling. But over the next year, the hope is that he will continue to branch out as a scorer. If so, he might be one of the best pure scoring prospects in the 2018 draft pool, and his potential to become a top NBA option is high if he can diversify his overall skill set.