Porzingis shines, Hezonja quiet in battle of top international draft prospects
While most scouting eyes have remained firmly on an NCAA tournament that has 26 top-100 prospects playing in the Elite Eight, there was some must-see action internationally on Saturday, too.
The consensus top two international prospects in the 2015 NBA Draft went head-to-head in the Spanish ACB league, with Kristaps Porzingis and Baloncesto Sevilla losing to Mario Hezonja and FC Barcelona Regal 99-83. The game was attended by a number of NBA general managers and scouts, according to Chad Ford, ESPN's draft guru.
While Hezonja's team walked away with the win, the Croatian was quiet, getting held scoreless in 6:25 of action. He shot 0-of-1, missing a three and dishing one assist.
Porzingis was featured far more heavily for Sevilla, scoring 18 points on 8-of-18 shooting, hitting 2-of-4 from outside and grabbing five rebounds with two steals and a block. The overall shooting mark isn't spectacular, but that the Latvian was his team's featured offensive weapon against a tough opposition is a positive sign for his NBA readiness.
This game more or less tells the story of the season for each.
Hezonja, a small forward believed to be in the mix as the top wing off the board in June, has averaged 4.7 points, two rebounds and 1.2 assists in 26 games, playing just 14.8 minutes per game. The 20-year-old doesn't quite have the offensive refinement or defensive acumen required for heavy minutes on a good ACB team, based on information from Ford's scouting report, but his length, athleticism and jump shot make him an intriguing longer-term prospect.
Porzingis, meanwhile, could be in the NBA right now, having reportedly received a promise at No. 21 last year but opting for the 2015 draft, instead, when he could go as high as No. 5. He's averaging 10.9 points and 4.5 rebounds, shooting 49.4 percent from the floor in 21.5 minutes and hitting 38 percent of his threes.
The 6-foot-11 power forward is intriguing for both his inside-outside offensive game and his potential on the defensive end, where he's a strong shot-blocker and can guard multiple positions.
It's only one game, but the 19-year-old Porzingis seemed a far better bet for an immediate NBA impact than Hezonja on Saturday.