OKC Thunder draft prospect profile: Aleksej Pokusevski
Aleksej Pokusevski strengths and weaknesses
Strengths:
As is typical for international players less is known about them but in the case of Pokusevski, he plays on tier two Olympiacos squad which is like the G-League team in the NBA.
His potential is what teams are focused on more than his actual production. What is most compelling is despite his seven-foot plus height he’s got the skills of a point guard and moves like a wing. If Pokusevski continues to develop those playmaking abilities he could be the next Jokic type player in the association. He’s also very young (he won’t turn 19 until next month).
David Blatt who coached him said in practice facing veterans there were moments of — WOW— and while he cautions the need for his drafting team to be patient in his development he believes Pokusevski could be a future Antetokounmpo. This comment based on the raw skills of the Serbian forward.
A knee injury sidelined him for three months this season but in the 11 games, he appeared in for Olympiacos B he averaged 10.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.8 blocks. He produced similar stats with 10.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks per game in the 2019 U18 European Championships.
His perimeter shot is still underwhelming (32.1 percent) but his free throw shooting is above average (78.3 percent) which bodes well for him being able to score from everywhere on the court. He’s also already showcasing strong defensive instincts and has a high IQ with the ability to read plays quickly on both sides of the hardwood.
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Weaknesses:
At this point, everything Pokusevski does is considered a bonus since he’s so young. Clearly, he’ll need to add bulk both in terms of weight and muscle. His lack of size leads to the issues he has scoring in the paint or facing up against players of greater size.
And, while his read of the game is exceptional he still displays his youth at times by trying to force shots or rush instead of slowing down and looking for the right move to pass out of trouble.
Needs to learn how to add a level of grit to his offense instead of relying solely on finesse.
Although there is nothing he can do about his bone structure his frame may end up making it impossible for him to build his body to an ideal NBA level. The dilemma will be adding bulk so he can score through contact and defend against players of similar size but not so much that he loses his current ability to play with speed and be nimble in his movements.