IZAN ALMANSA SCOUTING REPORT | Perth Wildcats | Spain

Spanish standout Izan Almansa joined the #NBA G League Ignite from #Overtime Elite ahead of the 2024 #NBADraft. Here's why he is this year's international big man worth tracking.
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Credit:
- "Benz" - Yung Kartz
- "Warzone" - Anno Domini Beats
- ESPN
- NBA TV
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:15 Play finishing
1:50 Post-ups
2:25 Catch and finish, athleticism
3:35 Rebounding
5:20 Athletic and finishing concerns
7:18 Shooting
8:32 Passing and ballhandling upside
10:55 Defense
13:26 NBA Draft projection and Takeaway

[@mbwell]

Very active player, he’s like the energy rabbit bunny on the court.

[@FloorandCeiling]

I really like his engagement level. Thanks for watching!

[@spxce766]

I think part of the problem defensively is also the Ignite not necessarily putting him in the best position to succeed on that end. I don't think he'll ever be a good defender, but I think he could at least become a net-neutral on that end.

[@FloorandCeiling]

I agree that Ignite did not put Almansa in the best positions on defense. To be fair, the same can be said for any of their prospects too. I'm not sure Almansa will truly be a plus defender, but he has the motor, instincts, and smarts to at least be solid down the line.

[@begonacachero5910]

Another great vid!

[@FloorandCeiling]

Thanks!

[@licenciadobrubaker]

I have a suspicion that Almansa, who has lost positions in the mocks, is finally going to forgo the 2024 draft and will go to play in Australia (NBL) next season to apply for the 205 draft. It should be remembered that Almansa and Alex Sarr were teammates at Real Madrid (Spain) and Overtime, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Australian team chosen is the same as Sarr's: the Perth Wildcats.

[@FloorandCeiling]

Let's see. There's still a lot of time before the draft.

[@titonosfe]

Izan in any case will come back to Europe. Australian league Will be a an odd choice for an Spanish player in my point of view.

[@licenciadobrubaker]

He has decided to withdraw from the 2024 draft and he´s looking to continue his career for a team in Australia or Europe for 2024/25.

[@FloorandCeiling]

@@licenciadobrubaker Good decision imo. Needs to go to a team that will feed him in the pick-and-roll.

[@alvaromartinez-cachero1231]

🎯

[@santiagoromerocampillo2521]

All MVPs awards in European and World Champs could not be lucky, this player could be a great chance for Dallas, could be best couple for Donci pick and roll, and both came from Spain. Even he is only 18, could be taller in a cople of years

[@FloorandCeiling]

I'm also wondering if Almansa will continue growing. This happened with Alperen Sengun once he got into the NBA, which has really helped him out, and Almansa only turns 19 a month before the draft. Looking at the MVPs in the U-19 World Championship, it's true that there's a pattern of NBA success. Recently, only Reggie Perry (2019) has really struggled to carve out an NBA career. Otherwise, even someone like Jalen Brunson who was the MVP in 2016 and a second round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft is now an all-star. Before that, you'd have to go to 2009 with Mario Delas and 2007 with Milan Macvan, but that's a completely different era of basketball. The U-18 Euros MVP award also has a solid track record of success, with guys like Nico Batum, Kosta Koufos, Donatas Motiejūnas, Enes Kanter, Jonas Valanciunas, Alex Abrines, Dario Saric, Frank Ntilkina, and Santi Aldama.

[@rep227]

He seems like skilld big without range, with good sense of basic and old school plays. He seems like a player that would picked by Miami on 2nd round but Miami doesn't have that pick this season.

[@FloorandCeiling]

With the predicted draft order right now, I think he'd be a pretty good fit in Miami (#15), Orlando (#16), Toronto (#17), and even OKC (#26). Almansa's play finishing and playmaking could give those teams continuity, since I think his overall skillset has some similarities to Bam Adebayo, Goga Bitadze, Jaylin Williams...

[@alvaromartinez-cachero1231]

I think he could fit in OKC.

[@licenciadobrubaker]

After his last two fantastic summers (MVP U17 World Cup; MVP U18 European Championship & MVP U19 World Cup) I had high hopes for Almansa, but I think he has not progressed properly this season in the Ignite. Almansa has the body, mentality and moves, but he needed to improve his defense and get more offensive resources and he hasn't been able to do it. Offensively, he only smashes and scores from the hook near the rim, but at 2 or 3 meters he releases the ball instead of shooting. And further away he is inoperative. On defense it was difficult to improve in a team like the Ignite where they don't know what that is. The result is that he has gone from being a top-10 pick to being at the end of the first round. Still I think he's an interesting player with skills that need improvement.

[@FloorandCeiling]

I think his scoring is kept relatively simple right now, but he has not had the chance to play with freedom on the G League Ignite. Ron Holland and Matas Buzelis (not that this is their fault) get to experiment a lot, while Almansa has to sacrifice his role and simply catch and finish in the pick-and-roll. This is his most effective scoring method, but it's not the only thing he can do on offense. I think he can pass and handle the ball to a higher level than what he's been instructed to do, maybe even being able to rebound and bring his team up the floor, and distributing more out of the post. We saw some of this with Overtime Elite and with Spain at youth levels. Almansa's defense is a bigger issue for me. He does not truly have the tools to be an NBA 5, but he is much closer to that than a 4. With some additional teaching and the right personnel/system, I think he can be ultimately be okay on this end since he's a smart player.

[@nicolasmenendezsarries6786]

You have a Sengun/Sabonis caliber player in Almansa but "analysts" seem unable to see It. He produces EVERY MINUTE he's on the floor. He's a proven winner. He has to improve at outside shooting. So WHAT? He'll be an all-star.

[@JKJK-lw8rm]

The whole G League ignite defense is terrible. Most of the time in PnR defense their bigs are having to cover the roller and the baller handler because Ignite does have no one that can guard and crowd the PnR. I think the defensive issues are over blown. Seems like a decent soft drop coverage big that can finish plays at the rim.

[@FloorandCeiling]

I agree with your point about the Ignite's defense. It's hard for any defender, especially Almansa (or the big) in the back line, to make up for a bunch of mistakes or lapses that come before him. In fact, I think every Ignite prospect's defense is better than what they've been able to show this season. It doesn't help that the team's vets cannot defend at all, either. With that in mind, Almansa's play finishing, and his flashes of handling and passing that I see, I still feel very comfortable taking him in the first round.

[@m_dilbiliminotlar]

Will you share Berke Büyüktuncel about?

[@FloorandCeiling]

If he declares for the draft, I'll have a video on Berke but it seems like another year in college would do him well right now.

[@rep227]

@@FloorandCeiling He'll be a glue type role player and I think role players shouldn't act like one and done, spend another year in college instead. The only legit reason for him to declare for draft would be is because this years draft class is weak and lacks competition.

[@m_dilbiliminotlar]

​@@FloorandCeiling Peki Adem Bona hakkında bir kayıt olacak mı? İngilizce konuşmayı sevmem aslında zaten ingilizce' ye çevriliyordur bu sözlerim.

[@FloorandCeiling]

@@m_dilbiliminotlar Yes, there will most likely be an update on Adem Bona, though I think my 2023 scouting report video on him covers a lot of his NBA fit. Check that out!

[@davidbattrick3690]

His defense will be his down fall, and prevent him from being a starter...He will be traded at least 3 times in his career before either finding a niche or out of the league.

[@FloorandCeiling]

The defense is what needs the most work, but let’s see. I think going to a team with the right context, which believes in fleshing out his ball skills and can afford to protect him on defense, will be big for Almansa. I like Orlando for him.

[@dkarmusic5424]

Sounds like a worse version of Marvin Bagley

[@FloorandCeiling]

Less athletic but higher feel and more willingness (coming into the NBA at least) to buy into a lesser role. I definitely think Almansa and Bagley definitely have parallels though. I had him as “Euro Bagley” in my personal notes last month.