Introducing the Future of International Basketball: F.C. Barcelona & Real Madrid U16s - Tier 1 Prospects
Breaking down potential draft candidates representing the two Spanish powerhouses.
El Clásico is the greatest sports rivalry in existence. Barcelona and Madrid. The feud dates back to fútbol games in the early 1900s. Today, the match-up ignites passions around the world and sweeps across every sport in which these two clubs compete. Basketball is no exception. Nor is it any different for their youth academies.
Here at Draftstack, we were inspired to write this article precisely because of the rivalry. Last month, we witnessed a fierce duel between the two clubs’ u16 teams in the prestigious La Orotava tournament. They fought tooth-and-nail for the Championship, with Barcelona ultimately taking home the victory.
The essence of El Clásico was on full display. The biggest takeaway, however, was the fact that both teams have an especially attractive talent pool of players born between 2009-2011. Our mission, therefore, is to introduce you to this new crop of talented international prospects. We will do so in two parts. The first will focus on what we call Tier 1 prospects — players who have the tools and potential to become likely draft picks when the time comes.
Mohamed Dabone (F.C. Barcelona, 2011)
The 6’11’’, 13 year-old big man from Burkina Faso is arguably the hottest name in all of youth basketball, already dominating opponents at the u16 and u18 levels. While much of the discourse surrounding Dabone relates to his age, I want to come at it from a different angle. If one were to work under the assumption that he's, say, 16 years old, the outlook wouldn’t really change all that much.
Dabone’s wholesale physical package is one-of-one. His combination of size, length, coordination, and mobility allows him to consistently outplay other older, physical bigs. The appeal doesn’t end there. Dabone plays with an unrelenting motor to match his athleticism, a blend that underpins his tremendous two-way impact. Beyond the persistent lob threat, Dabone’s solid touch around the basket and nimble footwork make him an effective post scorer.
His offense outside the paint is a project, as of now. Despite some impressive sequences, his live-dribble decision-making is subpar, largely a product of his underdeveloped handle and out-of-control playstyle – part of the growing pains that come with a physical profile of Dabone’s caliber. While limited with Barcelona’s u18s, he enjoys more freedom to face-up and take opponents off the dribble with the u16s, producing mixed results but encouraging flashes nonetheless. His contributions as a playmaker are few and far between. Dabone will have to grow comfortable with distributing from the high post, a staple of Barcelona’s system.
While not completely off the cards for the future, his shot is not yet there. Dabone has shown the willingness to spot up – hitting mid-range or three-point shots on occasion – but there are serious mechanical issues to iron out. Defensively, the rising star is a special rim protector. Dabone already boasts quick feet and great hip fluidity to go along with his impressive shot-blocking instincts and reported 7’4’’ wingspan. His reaction speed can be a double-edged sword, at times, as his inexperience shows with overzealous block attempts at the rim that result in fouls or completely open looks.
I have had the fortune of watching Mohamed Dabone live several times. What stands out most is his maturity on the court and how natural the game comes to him. The argument for Dabone can be, and has been, made without appealing to his age. He has the physical tools, flashes, and competitiveness that point to a generational talent.
- EWV
Toni Garma (Real Madrid, 2010)
Still flying under the radar in NBA draft circles as a 2010-born prospect, Toni Garma is nonetheless one of the best prospects in the world right now. In the midst of a growth spurt, already listed at 6’4 and expected to grow until about 6’7, Toni Garma is simply a generational shooter with the ability to create looks at all three levels, a perfectly functional passing vision and ability and, especially, the rare virtue of simply being capable of outrageous scoring explosions. With his quick and compact release and simply an incredible ability to make shots, Garma blew up in the semifinals of the prestigious Slovenia Ball U14 playing for his National Team in August, scoring 22 points in merely 5 minutes against some of the top National Teams in Europe in his generation. Two months later, in the final of the U16 No Borders Europe Cup in Trieste, playing a year up against one of the best teams in Europe in Orange Bassano, he put up 17 points in 5 minutes in the first half and finished with 25 points with 7/9 from deep in only 14 minutes.
It’s still early for Garma, whose first possible NBA Draft would be June 2029, but given his shooting prowess, scoring instincts and expected size, he has to be considered an NBA-caliber prospect and a potential lottery pick. He will be in the spotlight in a system like Real Madrid, and should absolutely be a part of Croatia’s U16 roster for this summer’s FIBA Euro as well given their dearth of talent and his proven ability to score even while playing a year up at the highest level.
- RZ
Fabian Kayser (Real Madrid, 2009)
Probably the highest-touted prospect in an intriguing European 2009 generation, Fabian Kayser has had an eventful summer, participating in both the U17 World Cup (playing two years up) and the U16 FIBA Euro (playing only one year up) while dealing with a well-publicised transfer from Paderborn Baskets in his native Germany to powerhouse Real Madrid in Spain. Kayser’s inclusion here is a bit iffy: he’s technically a U16 player but is not –and apparently will not be– a part of the Real Madrid U16 system as he’s playing exclusively on the Real Madrid U18 squad this season.
We have already written about Kayser recently in Draftstack so we will not dwell on him here: he very much fits the profile of a jumbo generator, standing at 6’6 or even 6’7 while being able to fulfill the role of a primary offensive engine. He’s sneakily putting up some interesting 3 point shooting numbers: he was one of the best shooters in the prestigious Torrent U18 tournament a month ago, balancing volume and accuracy better than almost any other prospect in attendance despite playing up two years, although obviously this is on a very small sample. Still, despite his somewhat meek numbers so far, Kayser’s ability to stay on the floor and contribute at the very highest levels in European youth basketball while playing two years up is extremely impressive and has traditionally been a very reliable upside marker for potential NBA first round draft picks; there’s no reason to believe it won’t turn out that way for Fabian Kayser too.
- RZ
Rhys Robinson (Real Madrid, 2010)
Listed at 6’5 but possibly already 6’6 and with a skillset tailor-made to fit his profile as a high-level connector on a winning team, British-American G Rhys Robinson is in probably the best possible spot to highlight his strengths and minimise his weaknesses. With a frame and body that is already excellent for a guard, Robinson’s calling card from an NBA perspective is his versatility, as there’s quite a variety of things he can do at a high-level on both ends. He’s a great three-point shooter with a versatile jumpshot, so he can play off-the-ball next to other on-ball threats; yet he’s also a good enough ball-handler than he can be used as a table-setter next to an off-ball scorer. On defense, he has the athleticism to smother ball-handlers and also the agility to stay in front of speedier guards, while his strength and size could allow him to play in switchier lineups if he grows another inch or two, which is not out of the question since he isn’t even 15 years old.
Recently named MVP at the U16 Trieste No Borders Europe Cup while playing a year up, Robinson will most likely be an integral part of Real Madrid’s U16 squad this year. His development as an on-ball threat will likely be a swing-skill for him in terms of his draft projections, given that both his shooting and his defense seem to be coming along about as well as could be expected.
- RZ
Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje (F.C. Barcelona, 2009)
Son of former Portland Trail Blazer Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje, Joaquim is a mobile 6’10’’ jumbo forward with a promising skill set. The American-Cameroonian prospect is capable of attacking close-outs off the dribble, using his rugged frame and counters alike to generate good looks at the basket. Boumtje-Boumtje likes to stretch the floor. While his touch warrants optimism about the long-term reliability of his shooting, output does not yet match potential. Joaquim has also shown some passing upside, hitting cutters from the high post or finding corner shooters on the move.
Splitting time between three of Barcelona’s youth teams, Boumtje-Boumtje has averaged a combined 11.3 PPG through 10 games. Short-term, the 16 year-old must clean up his shot selection and improve his ability to play under control, within the flow of the offense. Boumtje-Boumtje’s physical progression will play a leading role in his development. Added strength, explosiveness, leaping ability, and lateral quickness would position Boumtje-Boumtje as a more-than-viable draft selection in 2028. The progress he can make with his perimeter shooting and playmaking on top of that would be what moves the needle.
- EWV
Jan Cerdán (F.C. Barcelona, 2010)
Heralded as the best 2010-born prospect from Spain, Cerdán is already leading Barcelona’s u16s in scoring with 18 points per game and logging minutes at the u18 level. Listed at 6’8’’, Cerdán is a skilled forward with advanced footwork, solid ball-handling, and a projectable jumper. The young Spaniard has proven to be a crafty finisher around the basket.
Barcelona rotates their personnel a lot at the youth level. When the u16 squad is at full strength, Cerdán has mostly contributed in a connective role, leveraging his feel for the game to pick his spots — one would like to see him play more aggressively on a more consistent basis.
Cerdán becomes draft-eligible in 2029. While he looks the part of a budding NBA prospect, he must continue to develop his jumper and fill out his frame. Given Cerdán’s profile, explosiveness will be a swing skill for him moving forward, both on the vertical and horizontal planes. Stagnation would complicate Cerdán’s ability to compete at the next level. Improvement, however, would open up the possibility for Cerdán to create off the dribble and become a greater slashing threat.
- EWV
Scouts would be ill-advised not to do their homework early on this group. While development is difficult to predict at these ages, these guys warrant close attention as potential future NBA draft picks. Stay tuned for Part two, releasing at the same time tommorow!
Great breakdown of these guys! Dabone is definitely the most interesting guy, especially on the off chance he is under 16