STRENGTHS

Highly skilled 7 footer
Agile, fluid, coordinated and good footwork for his size
Good ball handler and can make plays off the dribble
Point center is his natural position
High level passing instincts for a big
Rebound and Run threat
Good touch around the rim
Potential to be an effective post scorer and passer
Moves well off the ball and can score off pin down actions
Defensive potential as a shot blocker

AREAS TO IMPROVE

Very skinny and needs to bulk up
Lacks toughness
Disappears in games
Tendency to settle for 3's
Scoring in traffic
Can be turnover prone

SUMMARY

I had the opportunity to scout Aleksej Pokusevski live at the 2019 FIBA Under 18 games in Greece last summer. The first thing that stood out to me was his skill set. It's not everyday that you see a 7 footer that can dribble, shoot and pass with the coordination of a small forward. Pokusevski is such a natural with the ball in his hands he has the potential to play a role similar to fellow Serbian point center Nikola Jokic. I'm a really big fan of his ceiling but there are a lot of red flags. At best, he'll be a big that a team can run their offense through and he'll make everyone around him better with his passing while also being able to stretch the floor. Defensively he has the coordination and agility to defend multiple positions while also protecting the rim.

His lack of strength is a major issue at this point, but he's only 18 years old so there's plenty of time for him to put on weight and get stronger. The biggest question mark is his toughness and motor. There were games that I watch where he was by far the most dominant player on the court, other games you did not really notice him on the floor.

Rafael Barlowe - January 31, 2020