Somewhat overshadowed at this tournament by the excellent crop of point guards on display, Slovenian playmaker Luka Rupnik nevertheless looks like an interesting prospect for European basketball.
Not overwhelmingly impressive from a physical standpoint at this stage, Rupnik stands around 6-1, with a skinny frame, a short wingspan, and average athleticism.
What he lacks in great tools Rupnik more than makes up for at this level with his skill-level and feel for the game. Very creative, with nice body control and no shortage of confidence, Rupnik is a player who brings nice flair and clearly has some character to him. He likes to push the ball in transition, shows good court vision finding teammates with nifty bounce passes, and can finish around the basket with a soft floater.
Somewhat inconsistent as a shooter at this stage, even if he shows good long-term potential in this area, Rupnik can make shots with his feet set or off the dribble, but often looks very off-balance with his attempts at times.
Very much capable of creating for others, Rupnik looks a bit wild at times trying to force the issue excessively and averaged five turnovers per game at this tournament. His lack of experience showed at times, particularly in late-game situations where his decision making skills looked somewhat suspect.
Defensively is where Rupnik may struggle the most making the conversion to the pro level, as he doesn't have great tools with his below average size, frame and length. He made a major impact getting in the passing lanes, but will need to improve considerably on this end if he's to reach his full potential as a prospect.
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