Izan Almansa

Almansa didn't take the college route to enter the 2024 NBA Draft and he was part of the G League Ignite in 2023-24. He logged 16 games, averaging 26.8 minutes per contest as well as 8.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. Almansa also participated in the Rising Stars Challenge during the 2024 NBA All-Star weekend. Before playing with the Ignite, he spent time with the youth academies of Real Madrid, even suiting up in three games for Real Madrid in Liga EBA, and he also had stints with the Overtime Elite (2021-22) and YNG Dreamerz (2022-23). Almansa has also represented Spain at youth levels, winning the silver medal in the 2022 U17 World Cup and gold in the 2022 U19 EuroBasket and the 2023 U19 World Cup. Almansa is not the most flashy player out there, but he's extremely efficient and can leave his mark on both ends of the court, though he's at his best when playing near the rim. Almansa has above-average hands and excellent off-the-ball movements on offense, though his mid-range jumper hasn't developed as expected over the last 12 months. Almansa also has a good feel for cutting and getting himself into position for layups and near-the-rim finishes, as well as evidencing above-average instincts as a rebounder. He possesses the skill set of an old-school big who does most of his damage in the paint. Despite his age, he shows a natural feel for the game and above-average awareness. He's more advanced on offense than defense, as he can be caught looking on defense far too often. Almansa moves very well up and down the court and is an overall plus athlete with above-average agility for his size and build. But he must expand his shooting range to adjust to the NBA. There's no question Almansa will be a regular in an NBA rotation at some point in his career. It's not a question of "if" rather than "when", though chances are he won't crack an NBA rotation regularly in the first or second year of his career. Given his age, he might start his career in the G League as a two-way player, though he should eventually develop to become a reliable role player - and possibly more. He's one of the younger players with a higher floor in the upcoming Draft. It wouldn't be surprising if his career follows the path of other international players who had to adjust to life stateside before becoming regulars in their respective teams. Deni Avdija of the Washington Wizards is a fair comparison in that regard.