Tap here to get an in-depth look at the top prospects in this year's draft class leading up to the NBA draft, which takes place on June 25 in Brooklyn.
Note: George Lucas de Paula withdrew from the 2015 NBA Draft on Monday. So keep this filed away for 2016.
Not to be a reductionist, but you're not catching us napping again this year, Masai Ujiri.
The Toronto Raptors went way off-board at No. 20 last season to select little-known Brazilian prospect Bruno Caboclo, a teenager with next to no basketball experience but one with length for days. It may be a little unfair to shoehorn George Lucas de Paula into the same description, but there are definitely similarities: de Paula is a 19-year-old Brazilian, he's played seven professional games, and his upside is predicated a great deal on some insane measurements. Someone at the end of the first round - or even the Raptors at No. 20 again - might be down to get crazy.
Relevant Background
| Position | DraftExpress Rank | ESPN Rank | Height w/ Shoes | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | 29 | 59 | 6' 5.5" | 194 |
| Wingspan | Standing Reach | Max Vertical (in.) | Hand Length (in.) | Body Fat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7' | 8' 8" | 34.0 | 9.5 | 6.7% |
| Brazil Stats | PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3FG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 50.0% | 3/4 |
Scouting Report
Strengths: Look at those measurement tables again. This is a 6-foot-5 point guard with a 7-foot wingspan and the second largest hands of any player - not guard, player, period - at the NBA Draft Combine. If he can actually stick at the point, he'd stand to be the biggest one in the league, and the defensive potential is patently obvious with such a frame. In terms of performance, he's been up-and-down at international showcases but played well in the U-18 FIBA Americas last summer. A team taking a flier on his development won't be drafting him for what he's done, they'll be drafting him based on the belief they can eventually turn his exceptional length, strength, and handle into something resembling an NBA player.
Weaknesses: Caboclo played 23 garbage minutes this season and probably should have been developing somewhere outside of the NBA. That's what de Paula will need, too, whether that's a season abroad or in the D-League. Scouts are said to believe he's far, far away from being an NBA-relevant prospect, and his lack of English could make his on-court development more difficult. He's really, very raw, as could be expected, and despite his ridiculous measurements, he's not a terrific athlete. This is a project, and a long-term one at that.
Highlight Reel
What to Expect on Draft Day
The fact that ESPN's Chad Ford barely ranks de Paula as a draft pick speaks volumes, but DraftExpress' evaluations are trustworthy. He's probably a player only a handful of teams would consider based on their team context, timeline, and development team, and it's funny to picture the reaction if the Raptors make another pick like this at No. 20. Realistically, there's a chance a team with a late-20s pick - perhaps one with two multiple picks in the draft - selects him as a draft-and-stash piece, but he's probably more of an early-second round consideration.
