MIP 99: International Update

International players are rarely covered and coveted like the collegiate players the public is seeing every day. After a massive uptick in all-star level international players, who could be the next MVP of the league?

If you are interested in taking a deeper dive into individual prospects, take a look at our scouting section here!

International players have continued to make an impact in the league. For two straight years the top two MVP finalists have come from a country abroad. As the game continues to develop outside of the United States, players will begin to emerge with NBA skillsets, even if you haven’t heard of them. While we expect an array of international players to be selected this year, we highlighted a few below that could hear their name called either this year or the next. The word stash player usually comes to mind when discussing international prospects but the old adage that they will never come over has been a broken trend in recent years. Just because they may not be ready for the NBA the development overseas is similar, if not better, to the G-League. Brace yourself for an international breakout. 

Players to Watch:

#17 Ousmane Dieng: Dieng has been a first round pick since the start of MIP 99. Originally ranked #30, Dieng has continued to show NBA promise and climbed into the top 20 prospects on our board. An international player with substantial upside he has already shown the tools to be a future point forward in the league. A budding ball-handler, playmaker (for himself and his teammates) and the athletic ability to go along with it, he has an NBA level future. One of the biggest skills to monitor is going to be his shooting. He has struggled from outside even though he is willing to take it and was only shooting 67% from the free throw line overseas. If he is able to find his touch he will drastically elevate his ceiling along with it. Original Rank: #30 (+13)

#72 Karlo Matkovic: Matkovic is new to the board and should be considered a stash player. The 21 year old forward plays in the Croatian league and has continue to show NBA level promise as he grows. A team looking to take a player but not roster them could look in the direction of Matkovic in the second round. Based on our MIP mock, Matkovic should go undrafted and be eligible again next year. He has a solid motor, can cut to the rim and does most of his work inside of the paint. He will need to continue to develop some type of outside shot if he wants to carve out real minutes but even as a stash player his NBA debut would be years away, plenty of time to work on his form. A “true” forward/center he gives you enough on the defensive end around the rim to value him however isn’t going to be able to guard smaller quicker guards. He has room to improve on both ends but isn’t ruled out from the draft. Original Rank: N/A (+27) 

Leaving the List:

#55 Carlos Alocen: Alocen suffered an ACL tear in February but remained on the board as a stash player because of his offensive and playmaking ability. With the rise of other players in the class, both collegiate and international, Alocen doesn’t seem to have the same buzz as he would if he was actually playing. Even though he still could have an NBA future it is more than likely it would come from a draft selection next year or signed as an undrafted FA thereafter. Generally, Alocen has the potential to be a solid second unit floor general if he can continue to improve on taking care of the ball, expand his range and continue to use his mid-range game at the highest level. I have no dobut that Alocen will be an NBA player eventually it just doesn’t seem like it will be this year. Original Rank: 62 (-37)

#78 Michael Caicedo: Caicedo is an extremely high upside stash pick that was always hovering on MIP 99 but never made real ground up the draft board. At only 18 years old the young Spanish forward has plenty of time to continue to grow and develop. While he isn’t currently getting the playing time that would help his draft stock rise, his physical attributes all point to a future NBA wing. Developing internationally will help him round out his game and make sure he has a place in a rotation when he comes over. Caicedo falls off our board this year but will certainly be back next year with a presumed second round potential. Original Rank 73 (-26)