Portland Trail Blazers: 3 2019 NBA Draft prospects to keep an eye on
By Erris Brown
2. Sekou Doumbouya, SF, France
International stars are all the rave right now considering the success of potential 2018-19 NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as rookie sensation and star in the making, Luka Doncic. In comes another international player many are intrigued to see to what he can do at the highest level in the game.
Coming out of France, Sekou Doumbouya stands at 6’9” with a 6’11” wingspan. This the definition of an NBA body and a premier athlete. Doumbouya broke out onto the scene in 2016 where he got his first mainstream attention in the FIBA U-18 World Championships. Competing for France, Doumbouya was the youngest player competing in the entire tournament, a factor that didn’t limit his performance in the slightest.
He would average 17.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game on the way to a gold medal with France. Although attention was also focused on New York Knicks point guard, Frank Ntilikina, Doumbouya made a name for himself, elevating to new heights and becoming one of the most sought-after prospects projected in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Doumbouya’s stock took a fall in the last six months, however. He’s has descended from the top-five pick he was once slated as, with mock drafts projecting him to be selected anywhere from the top 10 all the way down to 20th. He’s a very raw athlete who still needs some refining to his game, especially at such a young age. His shooting is going to have to improve if he wants to be an elite weapon at this level. Consistency will have to be maintained, and his recent injury last month that is expected to sideline him for another 1-3 weeks was troubling.
When it comes to his size, length, superior athletic ability, scoring potential and terrific on-ball defense, Doumbouya could be one of the steals of the draft, especially if he can fall into the hands of the Trail Blazers.