European competitions fit prospects | ’99, ’00, ’01 | #1: Leon Bulic
I’m Kuzey, 19. I’ve been writing about basketball since I was 9. I have been working in Eurosport Turkey for the last 1,5 years. I have written on various sites and magazines before. I’ve been working as a freelance scout for three years. I worked as a consultant. I have interviewed dozens of prospects such as Theo Maledon, Deni Avdija, Henri Drell, Aleksej Pokusevski, Arturs Kurucs, Yves Pons, and dozens of notable basketball people such as Luis Scola, Xavi Pascual, Jonathan Givony, Dimitris Itoudis, Sasa Obradovic, Joan Plaza, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Derrick Williams. I write an article every day. I live in Turkey, I go to all the Euroleague and Youth League games. My main areas are all of age group in Africa and from U12 to U20 European and NCAA. MY BIGGEST GOAL IS SCOUTING! Anyway, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and feel free to DM!
I started a new series. As well as my other reports, I will write every week about a European player born in 1999, 2000 and 2001. One thing I will be careful about when choosing these players is that the NBA projection is low but they fit perfectly into certain roles for the Basketball Champions League, EuroCup, and even the EuroLeague.
Name: Leon Bulic
Height: 6-foot-11
Weight: 225 lbs
Primary position: Center
Secondary position: Power forward
Projection: Basketball Champions League and EuroCup
Roles: 7 to 10 rotation
Brief reason: Can stretch the floor.
Why he cannot make the NBA in my opinion? Lack of elite scoring potential, athleticism, and defensive consistency.
Leon Bulic was born on Jul 21, 2001, in Vienna. However, 19 years old Bulic plays for Croatia National Team because of his family history. Leon Bulic was a member of Croatia NTJ’s Under 18 team at the Euro Championship last year. He played for seven games and averaged 4.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists. After that tournament, LB played for Baunach Young Pikes at G Pro B level in 17 games. He averaged 8.8 points, 2.8 rebounds while shooting 38% from the 3-point line, and 45% from the court. He plays for BBC Coburg this season and does a lot of off the charts jobs.
Physical & Athleticism
Standing 6-foot-111 with a well-developed strong 225-pound frame and plus 3–4 wingspan, Leon Bulic has adequate size for his age and position in my opinion. He was not too strong last year, pushed under the basket on the defensive end many times, but improve in this room through the summer. Long but not too long arms where he also has pretty nice biceps, stiff core muscles, a little bit hollow chests, average width on shoulders. Despite hip and feet quickness in his lower body, Leon Bulic has room on his legs, especially in terms of vertical pop and strength, Has almost no extra vertical pop and this lack hurt his around the basket finishing ability negatively. Quick eye-hand coordination, when he plays one-on-one on the defensive end, Bulic coordinates his hands with eye and burst reacts very well. Good laterally too on the defensive end. Offensively almost has not any pure athleticism ability. He is not someone who can make dunks, finish in tight spaces, or go to the basket smoothly. So, I really would like to see him more aggressive, active on the offensive glass physically.
Offense
Leon Bulic makes his money on the offensive end with his shooting ability. Pure, very pure shooter. I really think that he has the potential to be high-level shooting big with deep range. And I have a very simple reason, pick-and-pop games. Bulic hit a lot of threes last season in the pick-and-pop situations Has beautiful smooth shooting mechanics: consistent and solid elbow points, nice set in the upper and lower body, he can give the momentum to the ball by using his shoulders, some slow load from the catch in the shooting but not big. Feet are shoulder-width, staggered stance, flex knees, strong grip, and quick out. His balance hand gives a beautiful through to the ball.
My biggest concerns about his shooting ability are his lack of self-creating. I mean, Bulic is a great shooter in the pick-and-pop situations and as a catch-and-shooter. However, he is not a shooter who can create his shoots. But also I do not think this is a big issue, a big stretch problem. Because last year, he showed that he can hit threes in sets like flex warrior, ram red, and box floppy gate (four versions). I mean, yes, he is a just spot-up shooter but also a team shooter. He can do great screens on off the ball motions, creates a lot of spaces for others and if his team’s offense struggles, he can hit the three, he can be an “emergency” guy. It is a huge plus but I would like to see him as a creator around the mid-range at least. Last note, great FT shooter. (especially last year)
On the finishing side, Bulic is not great but not too bad. The right-hander finisher cannot make anything in tight spaces, also, gives some early and wrong decisions under the basket. However, he has very soft right-hand touch, knows to use the glass, can shifty his body to the defender, and creates his angle, uses his hips mobility very well. He rarely uses his left hand, mostly uses right or both hands. He goes to the basket without footwork tricks, very quick but it is both good and bad. Good, because quickness hurt nobody. Bad, because he has some Shaqtin A’Fool Flashes. Missed some easy buckets. I would like to see him more balanced on the finishing side. So he is not a finisher who has a good sense of timing but quick knows to use his weight, good backdoor, L, and deep cutter off-ball with the quickness.
Leon Bulic is not a player who can make something on the post up. As I mentioned, he has quick hips and can shift his weight to the defender, however, he is not someone who has drop sets, bites to defender ability, and elite up-and-under move. Showed some flashes on backpedal and quick turnaround abilities but not consistent. Has room to improve here. Also, as well as his lack of scoring ability on the post-up, he is not a good passer as a post-up player.
Pick-and-roll situations his secondary weapon on the offensive end in my opinion. As well as he does on pick-and-pop, he turns to the paint (yeah, in PnP, he turns to behind the line) quickly, has pretty strong hop and the first step, can push handler’s defender to take physical advantage (mismatch) and can finish these mismatch positions as a roller. He is not a particularly pick-and-roll scorer but despite has not any burst and elite athleticism abilities, he can make something in this game thanks to the his BBIQ, hip mobility and hop.
Leon Bulic is a decent passer, handler and driver for his position in my opinion. He is not a player who can make advanced reads behind the 3-points line or around the baseline, but he is really comfortable with DHO’s and showed some drive-and-dish flashes last season. On the handling side, just a traditional protective handler. Can protect the ball but that’s it. Also, this is the reason of why he is a traditional driver. I mean, lack of advanced handling ability hurt his dribbling ability. But this is not necessary, because I do not wait for him elite slashing ability or consistent grab-and-go flashes.
Defense
Leon Bulic does his majority of jobs defensively in the one-on-one situations inside the 3-points line. Bulic sometimes can be pushed by handlers when they get their shoulders or chest into him or players who have freakish athleticism ability, but overall, Bulic does a good job of covering back-to-the-basket and face-up situations inside the 3-points line against centers and power forwards.
One hand always in the air and one hand always close to the ground to avoid foul. His stance lower than attack to avoid foul.
Although he is not elite laterally, Bulic can move well linearly against live drive situations, react correctly to his opponent’s pump fakes, show mobility in his hips on the defensive end, and has good against the offense’s go-stop-go technique. Can protect his island by giving acceptable space.
Almost an excellent team defender. High BBIQ, and not a player who gives up on rotations. Talks with his teammates, head is always active, just does not watch the ball, also his man to avoid open-man situations, does a pretty good job helping on cutters, can tag cutters well but lack of elite athleticism hurt him here a little bit.
Limited rim protector. He is not a player who can block the shots or contest the shots or can cover a lot of ground quickly, but, he sees things and reacts well. Uses his both hands (always up) and his body very controlled. Good job on baseline sliding, can cover some quick games inside like UCLA, two inside, etc. But he is absolutely not a great rim protector, just a secondary.
Good job in post-up situations. Can push the offense smartly (European style, uses his quadriceps and biceps very well, really). But if the offense has any explosive athleticism ability, Bulic’s chance to avoid point getting low.
Needs a little work on closeouts. Not too bad but not elite. Just sees, runs and hands up. However, when the closeout attacker uses his burst, pump fakes, etc. Bulic’s back to the island ability does not work. Needs work on athleticism again.
My biggest disappointment about his defensive package is his rebounding ability. Almos no fight for the rebound. Knows how to use his length but that’s it. And it is not enough in my opinion. Has serious rooms to grow here.
Questions
Will he able to add some athleticism tricks on his package?
Will he able to rim protection ability, at least, average?
Will he able to create his drive space?
Overall
Leon Bulic is one of the best shooters among the born in 2001 bigs in my opinion. Not elite or the best but very good. Also, comes to the defensive table with consistent things. However, his limited offensive package and lack of athleticism ability hurt his stock. But I think he is a really good fit for the EuroCup thanks to his stretch the floor ability.