Serbian forward Aleksej Pokusevski has submitted paperwork to the league office to make himself eligible for the 2020 NBA draft, his agent Alexander Raskovic told ESPN.
Pokusevski, the No. 27 prospect in the ESPN Top 100, had a productive season in the Greek second division with Olympiacos, averaging 10.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 blocks in 23 minutes per game. He led the U18 European Championship in blocks this summer with 4 per game, while finishing in the top 10 in rebounds, steals and assists.
He is currently the youngest player eligible for the draft, not turning 19 until Dec. 26. Had he been born six days later, he would not be eligible until 2021.
Standing over 7 foot with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Pokusevski has unusual dimensions for a player who spends much of his time on the perimeter. He is a highly adept ball-handler, passer and shooter, giving him significant potential to grow into as his lanky frame continues to fill out. He also shows intriguing versatility defensively, often tasked with guarding smaller players on the perimeter. His narrow frame is a sticking point for some NBA teams, as he missed nearly three months of action with a knee injury that prevented him from being scouted extensively by talent evaluators.
Pokusevksi made his Euroleague debut in March of 2019 as a 17-year-old, but saw much of his time in the second division this past season after Olympiacos was relegated due to an ongoing conflict with the Greek league officials revolving around referees and the treatment of archrivals Panathinaikos, then coached by Rick Pitino.