Tristan Vukčević scouting report
Tristan Vukčević is one of the many promising prospects of the 2003 class. The seven-footer has a unique blend of skill and athletic tools that match the needs of today's NBA stretch four.
Player Profile
Tristan Vukčević is one of the many promising prospects of the 2003 class. The seven-footer has a unique blend of skill and athletic tools that match the needs of today's NBA stretch four.
While shooting 37.3% on 59 three-pointers this season, the catch-and-shoot jumper is something Vukčević can hang his hat on. The numbers match the eye test as he's already shown flashes of using his size to his advantage via his high-arcing release. What makes him unique is his ability to create his looks as a face-up scorer with his solid ball-handling skills.
The ability to dribble, pass and shoot while showing reliable decision-making is the main ingredient for a long NBA career, and Vukčević checks these boxes. Playing under Coach Obradović, a nine-time Euroleague champion, has benefitted his development this season at Partizan.
However, his limited positional versatility limits the role of NBA teams. Vukčević doesn't have the strength to match against most centers on the NBA level. Although it's likely he won't be asked to play as a five, he'll still be able to contribute as a five in a smaller line-up due to his reliable passing ability. While using his size to his advantage, Vukčević sees over defenses. His quick decision-making with the ball stood out on film. He's also able to keep the game flowing as a ball-mover, fitting most schemes drawn for a higher-paced team that likes to keep the ball moving.
An area of development in this category is the lack of a reliable handoff, which is usually a dump-off that doesn't lead to advantages for the receiving ball handler. When encountering a pick-and-roll set, the screen set leads to the ball handler being forced to take a decision, rather than creating separation. Although we see Vukčević being patient with the ball in his hands, he didn't show the same patience when serving the big-man duties mentioned above. I don't see a long-term concern on this end, especially since he's looking better in the latter stages of the season compared to a year ago.
An advantage in most European youth setups is that bad shot selection is something coaches pay attention to. Compared to twelve months ago, Vukčević plays more maturely on the offensive end, not forcing the issue and thriving on a role as a play finisher. Depending on the level of competition, he's gained the trust to create his offense, leading to much better decisions and he's looking a lot more confident.
The lack of consistency in the halfcourt is something I expect will hurt Vukčević's draft stock. However, the flashes and improvements he has shown give me the confidence to say that it's likely to continue at the next level. What does concern me is his development so far on defense.
Being a presence vocally is something I value a lot. Despite his young age, he's not afraid to actively coach teammates. He's also very coachable and looks to accept most feedback he'll receive from more experienced teammates. The feel for the game in recognizing schemes and court awareness stands out. However, Vukčević is still discovering how to use his athleticism to his advantage on the psychical side. He's struggling to fight through screens and is often seen struggling in the post.
Gaining strength is something I believe will benefit Vukčević, eventually leading to expanding his positional versatility. When projecting his future role, I believe he can eventually play both as a four and a five, mainly due to this solid rebounding ability. His court awareness helps him to position himself well for the defensive box-out. As a rim protector, Vukčević often struggles to meet the strength levels of most centers he's facing. However, his long wingspan and vertical pop lead to meeting bigs at the rim, which is potentially promising when improving his strength within the next few years.
Another area of improvement is his help defense. While Vukčević does show the ability to make good reads on this end, he's often overcommitting help, leading to the defense collapsing. Important context to add is that due to the three-second rule not existing in Europe, the paint is usually guarded by the center, which leaves Vukčević less room to operate in. On a better-spaced NBA floor, I expect Vukčević to be an above-average help defender compared to his peers. In the long run, this is something he can earn a reputation with, but in the early stages of his career, I expect this to be one of the main focuses for his development.
NBA Draft Projection
The combination of offensive versatility and psychical tools will impress a few NBA decision-makers. Banking on the continuation of his recent developments could be ignited more by his successful showing at the NBA Draft Combine. His off-court maturity will help him on this end. While there are some challenges on the defensive end and lack of strength limits the positional versatility early on in his career, Vukčević has the potential to be a solid role player in the long run. Based on the above, I expect him to be selected in the early stages of the second round.