Lionel Mandrake strikes again:
Portugal made history during the Group Phase of the FIBA U20 European Championship by winning their first-ever game in Division A in an overtime nail-biter against Israel, with the likes of Andre Cruz and Ruben Prey excelling for their national team.
The latter's performance has caught the eye of scouts and fans alike, as Prey is the youngest player in the 2022 tournament and has firmly established himself as one of the best prospects in his age group with his performances in Podgorica.
FIBA contributor Marius Flachenecker used this opportunity to break down Prey's game.
OFFENSE - A VERSATILE BIG MAN WITH A SILKY TOUCH
Ruben Prey's versatility as an interior scorer sticks out immediately. For one, he shows impressive fluidity as a driver at 2.08m (6ft 10 in). He's regularly able to attack slower bigs out of faceups or from the perimeter and can effectively attack closeouts as well. While he'll need to tighten his handle in the next couple of years to remain effective against higher levels of competition, his potential as a driver is high, especially because of his soft touch around the rim. In the past few games, he's proven he can efficiently finish with either hand, even against contests.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1549661376465059845
OUTLOOK
Ruben Prey is widely considered one of the top prospects in the competition, and it's easy to see why. Despite his youth, Prey combines a versatile offensive skill set with good size and fluidity. Even though he's already good enough to be effective against Europe's elite at the U20 level, he still has many areas to improve in, which means his potential is incredibly high. With his talent, he can be a leader for the Portuguese senior national team for the next 15 years, building a dangerous frontcourt pairing with Neemias Queta. Prey also has a shot at making the NBA, if he consistently puts the work in, improves further and gets the - always necessary - stroke of luck.
https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u20/2022/news/player-spotlight-ruben-prey-portugal-s-next-big-thing
