BORISA SIMANIC
BIRTHDATE: 3/20/98
POSITION: Power Forward
HEIGHT: 6'11"
WEIGHT: 205 lbs
SCHOOL/ TEAM: Crvena Zvezda (Serbia)
NATIONALITY: Serbia
STRENGTHS
Shooting Ability - Lights out shooter from 3 also has soft touch around the rim
Positional Size - Ideal height for a PF
Defined Role - Plug and play type player. His role will be to stretch the floor and knockdown 3's; Understands spacing
Athleticism - Solid athlete moves well enough to steal minutes at SF and can come off screens like a guard; Quick jump on off ebounds
Ball handling - Far from a creator, but good handle for his size at 6'11; Likes to use hesitation pull up from 3
Transition - Has the ability to run the floor and finish but is more dangerous as a trailer
Potential - Excellent foundation of tools to build from.
WEAKNESSES
Strength - Rail thing, must bulk up and get stronger to play through contact
One dimensional - Does not really offer much if he's having an off shooting night
Attacking basket - Has the tools to become better at attacking closeouts, still gets in trouble after a couple dribbles
Rebounding - Average rebounder
Borisa Simanic is one of my favorite European prospects for the 2018 draft class. While far from a finished product, I love his skill set and the fact he already has a defined role as a floor spacer. Simanic is Brandon Ingram thin and only listed at 205 lbs, so he'll need to bulk up a ton to be effective, but he has the potential to carve out a long NBA career in my opinion.
Simanic is blessed with a quick trigger and is a dead eye shooter from deep. While he doesn't set the best screens, he understands spacing and always seems to get a clean look to get his shot off. What really has me intrigued about his long term potential is the glimpses he shows of being able to put the ball on the floor and attack close outs. Every once in a while he'll make a couple nice dribble moves or hit his defenders with a hesitation pull up from 3.
He's also a pretty good athlete (not explosive by any means) and has good fluidity with the footwork to come off pin downs. If he can get stronger I think he can play some minutes at the 5 and be a matchup nightmare for opposing centers to chase around the perimeter. Simanic could also be a pick & pop threat and has the soft touch to make floaters on a short roll.
At this stage in his career he's too skinny to post up, but he has the tools and shooting touch to be effective on the block. He's not as tall or as talented as Kristaps Porzingis, but he could be a poor man's version with the right situation. While his numbers on paper will never wow you, he passes the eye test and is worth a shot at trying to develop a shot blocking floor spacer who can put the ball on the floor..
RAFAEL BARLOWE - OCTOBER 15, 2017