The best long-term prospect at the tournament outside of the U.S., Brazilian Lucas Nogueira (full name: Lucas Riva Amarante Nogueira or just Lucas in short) was probably the biggest revelation to emerge from this FIBA Americas tournament considering how little was known about him going in.
A legit 7-footer with a fantastic wingspan, Lucas is a very skinny center who reminds you a bit of Hassan Whiteside on first glance. Lucas has a narrow frame, particularly in the lower body, that he must work on substantially to reach his full potential. He is extremely athletic for his size, though, and has the ability and the propensity to finish everything above the rim.
Offensively, Lucas is a pretty raw player. He shows little to no back-to-the-basket scoring ability and mainly gets his points in transition, off offensive rebounds and drop-off passes around the rim. He takes great pleasure in finishing with emphatic dunks. Lucas will knock down an occasional mid-range jumper but shows average touch for the most part. He must continue to work on his feel for the game, which appears to be just average at the moment.
Defensively, Lucas is really intriguing. His size, length and athleticism allow him to touch every ball in his vicinity, and he displays terrific timing rotating from the weak side to block shots. His fundamentals are not exceptional. He is prone to leave his feet while wildly chasing blocks and his lack of strength makes him a clear target for post-up plays, rendering him somewhat foul prone.
Lucas' energy level and overall focus fluctuate pretty dramatically. At times he is a game-changing presence on both ends of the floor, but on other occasions he appears apathetic, particularly on the defensive glass. He's not the most mature guy you'll find, hanging on the rim after every big play and getting into minor off-the-ball tussles when he feels his opponents are being too physical with him.
Considering his physical tools and the flashes he showed on both ends of the floor, Lucas looks like an extremely intriguing long-term prospect, particularly as he continues to fill out and improve his fundamentals. His rights are already owned by Estudiantes in Madrid, a team known for its excellent development. He'll really have a chance to grow there as a prospect.
Lucas saw minor playing time on the junior team this season in the Spanish EBA. He's clearly a player to keep an eye on for the future, especially considering that he doesn't turn 18 until late July. His performance in the gold medal game against Team USA (22 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks) was particularly eye-opening.
From DraftExpress.com
http://www.draftexpress.com/article...p-International-Prospects-3528/#ixzz0ts7JFlAU
