Aleksej Pokusevski

Olympiacos Piraeus | PF/C | 2001

Height: 7'0"
Weight: 200 lbs
Wingspan: 7'3"

Shades of: Josh McRoberts, Dragan Bender
Projected Role: Stretch Big/Secondary Playmaker/Switchable Defender

Mock Draft Position: #20 to the Miami Heat
Big Board Ranking: #22




Selling Points:

Size and Coordination - Aleksej Pokusevski possesses impressive agility for a 7-footer as shown by his ability to gracefully run the floor in transition. His quickness and coordination make him an intriguing prospect athletically especially considering the high-pace perimeter-based direction the league is headed. Pokusevski moves very well laterally with great footwork and has the potential to contain drives by perimeter players on defense.

Passing and Ball Handling - In addition to his quickness and fluidity, Pokusevski has shown an atypical knack for handling the ball in transition. Pokusevski is able to go coast-to-coast and finish at the rim with long strides. In the halfcourt, Pokusevski is comfortable handling the ball on the perimeter and uses crossovers and hesitations when attacking his man one-on-one to get to the rim. Pokusevski has a flair for the creative with his passing and is capable of executing flashy passes and ball fakes to mislead the defense. Glamour aside, Pokusevski is an accurate and willing passer who is proficient in his ability to set teammates up for easy looks whether that be from the high post, off of a drive or in transition.

Shooting Potential - Despite his percentages (32% for Olympiacos and 26% at the Euro U18 Championship Tournament), Pokusevski is a promising and confident shooter from behind the arc. Pokusevski has excellent footwork on catch and shoot jumpers whether that be while spotting up or coming off of a screen. With a quick-trigger release and a ton of confidence, Pokusevski is comfortable shooting over the defense with a hand in his face.

Shot Blocking - Pokusevski is a mobile and lengthy shot-blocking presence. His timing coupled with his aforementioned agility gives him potential as a pick and roll defender at the next level. Pokusevski has a talent for staying vertical and avoiding fouling while rejecting shots around the rim. In 25 MPG at the Euro U18 Championship Tournament, Pokusevski rejected 4.1 attempts per game and in 23 MPG for Olympiacos B he swatted 1.8 shots per game.

Defensive Rebounding - Despite his slim build, Pokusevski is an aggressive rebounder. Pokusevski uses his length (7’3” wingspan) to secure loose balls and makes the extra effort to rebound the ball outside of his area. Pokusevski stands out on the defensive end when it comes to rebounding as he had the highest defensive rebounding percentage (34.9%) in the Greek A2 League among consistent rotational players.


Turnoffs: 

Strength & Finishing in Traffic - At a mere 200 lbs wet, Pokusevski is not physically ready to bang with the pros stateside as acknowledged by Olympiacos coach Giorgos Bartzokas. Pokusevski struggles to finish at the rim through contact and is susceptible to being thrown off course due to a lack of upper body strength. Defensively, Pokusevski gets pushed around in the post by smaller players and is a questionable man-to-man isolation defender moving forth due to his thin frame.

Defensive Effort - While Pokusevski has the tools to become a versatile defender, his effort on the defensive end says otherwise. Despite being a strong communicator on defense, Pokusevski does occasionally find himself lost and scrambling to find his own defender. He also has a tendency to allow quick guards to easily score on him on blow-bys as he doesn’t make an effort to contest their shot nor to recover with his otherwise intimidating length.

Decision Making & Discipline - Pokusevski can appear to be highlight-oriented and pass up on an easy play for a flashier one. Due to this, he is prone to wasting possessions in ways such as throwing flashy dimes out of bounds, attempting overly contested off-dribble jumpers and dribbling right into the hands of smaller guards in transition. While a minor detail, Pokusevski very rarely holds his follow through on his jumpshot. Becoming more fundamentally disciplined in this aspect may help increase his shooting efficiency moving forwards.


Swing Skills: 

Three-Point Efficiency - Pokusevski's potential as a shooter is notable, but in terms of results, Pokusevski has historically been inefficient from deep. Making major improvements in his efficiency from deep will be essential towards fulfilling his potential within his archetype. 

Strength - Defensively, Pokusevski currently posseses limitations man-to-man due to his slight frame. By bulking up and developing his strength, Pokusevski will be able to expand on his defensive potential and maximise his strengths on that end.