FanPost

International Scouting: Blaz Mesicek

Three weeks ago while in Ljubljana, Slovenia visiting my friend Luka Bassin (Asst. Coach for Union Olimpija) and doing some scouting, I got to view Blaz Mesicek up close and for the first time in a practice and live setting. For those of you who don't know or have never heard of Blaz Mesicek: He is one of the top U20 guard prospects in Europe right now. Mesicek is listed at 6'6, has a slender build with long arms and Ginobili type athleticism, when Manu was 18 yrs old for those who remember what Manu was like back in the day.

Mesicek recently added some impressive accolades to his player resume. He was the top scorer of the Slovenian second division in 2014/2015 season with an average of 21.1 points,­ 4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He also had a great season in the U19 Slovenian League with an average of 20 points per game. He was selected into the All-Tournament starting 5 at the Final 8 Tournament of the Slovenian U19 and U17 League. Mesiček ­also played at the Euro-league's qualifications tournament for young players in ­ L'Hospitalet, where he was named MVP by leading his team to a third place finish.

Mesicek, like Ginobili is very hard to guard and stop in pick-and-roll situations anywhere on the floor, but especially the middle third of the floor. Like Ginobili, Mesicek he is a lefty with tremendous foot speed and can change direction on a dime with or without the ball. Also like Ginobili, he is not a great shooter off the dribble or in general, but can hit open looks from time to time. He does have a good finishing skill set with floaters etc and like Ginobili is a willing passer. Defensively, with his quickness and athleticism, Mesicek can create problems for opposing teams and players. However, he's a gambler on defense and makes some poor decisions from time to time that shows his youth and need for more development both mentally and physically.

Blaz Mesicek Highlights

Mesicek recently signed a 5 year deal with Union Olimpija, which is a decision that will benefit him greatly in terms of skill and basketball IQ development. Mesicek has a lot of potential, but needs more time to develop, down size his weaknesses and become a more mature and smarter player. Union Olimpija has the resources and staff to turn Mesicek into a legit NBA prospect.


This FanPost was made by a member of the Orlando Pinstriped Post community, and is to be treated as the opinions and views of its author, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.