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Olympic NBA Prospect Power Rankings: Knockout Stage

By Matthew Medley

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 07: Dario Saric
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 07: Dario Saric /
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Aug 12, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Australia point guard Matthew Dellavedova (8) battles for the ball with China center Qi Zhou (15) and China center Zhelin Wang (31) during the men’s team preliminary in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 12, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Australia point guard Matthew Dellavedova (8) battles for the ball with China center Qi Zhou (15) and China center Zhelin Wang (31) during the men’s team preliminary in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Eliminated

Wang Zhelin: The 7-footer got out to a great start for China, scoring 16 points in his first two games on 7-of-11 shooting, but practically disappeared in the next three contests.

The results were mixed for the Memphis Grizzlies prospect, who was selected with the No. 57 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He finished the tournament averaging 4.0 points and 2.6 rebounds, playing roughly 16 minutes per game.

It’s far too early to judge one way or the other on how the 22-year-old’s game will translate to the NBA when he eventually arrives, but in this small sample size, our verdict is that Wang’s play was inconsistent.

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    • Zhou Qi: Unlike his teammate and fellow NBA draftee, Zhou’s play improved throughout the tournament.

    The 7-foot-2 center came to life after two quiet games and started to make his presence felt through the final three matches of the tournament.

    The Houston Rockets prospect, selected No. 43 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, averaged 5.6 points per game and shot 56 percent from the field.

    The 20-year-old played his best game against Venezuela, scoring 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting and was one of the main reasons why China actually had a chance to win. China finished 0-5 in Rio, but its fans have reason to be encouraged by the play of the two prospects, especially Zhou.

    Aug 15, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nigeria guard Michael Gbinije (12) looks to drive against Brazil in a men's preliminary round Group B basketball game at Carioca Arena 1 during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
    Aug 15, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nigeria guard Michael Gbinije (12) looks to drive against Brazil in a men’s preliminary round Group B basketball game at Carioca Arena 1 during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /

    Michael Gbinije: One of the best stories of the preliminary round was the way Nigeria was able to challenge four of its five opponents, pushing Lithuania, Spain, Brazil, and pulling off an improbable upset over Croatia, which went on to win the top seed in Group B.

    Gbinije was an important part of Nigeria’s run in Rio, averaging roughly 21 minutes per game over four games.

    The Detroit Pistons prospect missed one game due to illness, but when the 24-year-old was on the court, he made an impact, averaging 5.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists.

    The No. 49 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft shot 56 percent from the field, knocking down 9-of-16 field goal attempts.

    Nigeria’s run will be remembered most for its amazing win over Croatia and is another step in the right direction for a country whose basketball program is on the rise.

    Gbinije was a key player in that surprise victory, scoring eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, his best performance of the tournament.

    Next: Still Standing