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Luka Samanic | Modern forward | Age: 18.0
6-foot-10 | 205 pounds | 6-10 wingspan (at age 16.4)
Country: Croatia | Club: Barcelona
Where he has been scouted by the NBA: 2016 and 2017 ANGT, 2016 Adidas Eurocamp, 2016 FIBA under-16 European Championships, 2017 FIBA under-18 European Championships, 2017-18 LEB Gold (Spanish second division), 2018 Adidas ANGT
Draft eligible: 2019
One year after a so-so performance at the 2016 ANGT, Samanic exploded this time around, winning MVP honors by posting a 37.0 PER over the course of four games. The Croatian forward averaged 23.3 points, 14.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.8 blocks in just 27 minutes of play. Struggling a bit with toughness and body language in the past, Samanic appears to be turning the corner, playing with much more aggression and grit. He has had an excellent six-month stretch, as he was also named MVP of the 2017 FIBA under-18 European Championships B Division this past summer. He has been tremendous at the under-18 level with Barcelona and is playing a solid role for Barcelona's second team as well.
As a player, Samanic has excellent size for a modern forward with outstanding agility. A good athlete who can play above the rim off of one leg in space, the Zagreb native is able to use his footwork effectively in the post against switches and as a perimeter defender. He continues to mature physically and get more confident in his body, which has allowed him to become more of a force on the glass (he averaged 21.7 rebounds per 40 minutes in L'Hosppitalet). A capable spot-up 3-point shooter who can also straight-line drive, operate out of the post and facilitate, Samanic brings a combination of size, agility and skills that intrigues NBA scouts.
Samanic can continue to become a more consistent shooter and finisher in traffic -- 23.5 percent from 3 and 44.1 percent from 2 in L'Hospitalet. The fact that he doesn't have elite length also limits his defensive upside a bit. But the progress Samanic has made with his approach has been noticeable to NBA scouts, and he looks every bit a potential lottery pick in next year's draft. Samanic's amateur deal with Barcelona is up after this season. It remains to be seen if he will remain with the club or look elsewhere before likely entering the 2019 draft.
