The Portal is an original discussion of players in top competitions worldwide that explores the style of play, statistical contributions, and impact on team success, with a data-driven comparison to players competing at the same high level with similar attributes and tendencies.
During the recent FIBA U19 World Cup in Hungary, two players had impressive showings throughout, made the all-tournament team, and are expected to compete in the US later this year, but with different approaches to the next level.
Izan Almansa
Murcia, Spain
Berke Buyuktuncel
Bursa, Turkey
The 6´10 forward led an undefeated Spanish team to gold in the World Cup, is a projected 1st rounder in the 2024 NBA draft, and will play for G-League Ignite this Fall.
The 6´9 lefty forward, already playing for Tofas in the Basketbol Süper Ligi, led his team to bronze and will potentially join UCLA next year, to be confirmed.
Numbers Story
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- Per Game: 16.9 PTs, 7.1 REBs, 1.6 ASTs
- A Bucket: 6th in PTs/game at the U19 WC
- Force Inside: Shot 62% on 2-pointers
- Defensive Impact: 1.7 steals & 1.1 blocks
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- Per Game: 11.4 PTs, 8.3 REBs, 3.7 ASTs
- Great Rebounder: 7th at the U19 WC
- Stretch Potential: 1.1 made 3s per game
- Passing Big: 3.7 Ast (impressive for 6´9)
Team Impact
Almanza led Spain per game in minutes, points, offensive rebounds, rebounds, and blocks, as the cornerstone of the title-winning team and earning tournament MVP.
Buyuktuncel led Turkey per game in minutes played and efficiency while ranking at the top in multiple categories for a very balanced squad: 2nd in rebounds, 2nd in assists & 2nd in scoring.
On-Court Contrasts
- Efficiency around the rim: During the WC, Izan took 11.3 2pt attempts, making 62%, while Berke attempted only 5.3, shooting just 40%
- 3-Point Shooting: Berke is more of a stretch big, shooting 8-23 and making 34.8% from beyond the arc, while Izan shot 1-3 for Spain from downtown
- Passing –> TOs: Izan is a capable passer but averaged just 1.6 assists per game, while Berke averaged 3.7, including multiple games with 5+ dimes, resulting in more turnovers, 2.9 compared to Ivan’s 0.9 per game
