2020 NBA draft profile: Leandro Bolmaro is a dazzling playmaker with room to grow

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Leandro Bolmaro

Position: G/F
Height: 6-7
Weight: 185
Team: FC Barcelona

Like many other international players before him, Leandro Bolmaro began playing professional basketball at a very young age. By the time he was 16, he was suiting up for Weber Bahia in his native Argentina. His strong showing at the 2017 FIBA U17 South American Championships is part of what led to an opportunity with FC Barcelona.

Bolmaro has mostly bided his time with their second team since. At just 19 this past season, Bolmaro flashed during his time with the big club and showed an ability to be a primary ball handler in a professional setting. It's gotten him serious draft buzz.

Strengths

The playmaking ability at his size and age is unreal. You can see why FC Barcelona used him in a ball-dominant role. He takes risks but also threads in some of the prettiest passes you’ll see. His court vision is special. He comes across a little flashier than your typical international prospect.

For a player standing 6-foot-7, he has an impressive handle. He doesn’t have elite quickness, but he changes speeds well. He should be able to create for himself and others, especially against taller defenders. He has potential to be an elite pick-and-roll player if he get his jumper right. 

He has decent size and is a decent athlete — both should be good enough to hang with NBA athletes. Defensively, his effort level is extremely high. He moves his feet well and isn’t afraid to fight through screens. 

While Bolmaro already has a decent amount of pro experience, he’s still just 19. There's plenty of room to grow.

Weaknesses

While Bolmaro will make dazzling plays, he can also be bit a reckless, which can lead to turnovers. This is expected at such a young age. 

The biggest concern may be with his shot. He hit just 27.1 percent of his threes in 23 games this season. The free throw percentage also isn’t very good for a perimeter player at 69.4 percent. The shot doesn’t look completely broken, but it will need serious retooling.

Though the game is increasingly going in a positionless direction, it’s still a little bit of a concern that I’m not sure what Bolmaro will play and guard at the next level. He has point guard-type skills, but likely lacks the agility to defend NBA ones. He has the height to play on the wing but will need to add strength. You’d also have to worry about his shooting if you have him in an off-ball role.

While he has professional experience, it's not extensive and not at the highest levels of the EuroLeague. He’ll likely need more seasoning overseas or in the G League.

Fit

The shot would be my biggest concern but Bolmaro would be an intriguing secondary ball handler on the floor with Ben Simmons. I'd like him as an overseas stash. While bringing him over to play in Delaware could be beneficial so he has the ball in his hands and learns your system, he'd also tie up a roster spot.

Bolmaro is getting buzz as a possible late first-rounder. In that case, the Sixers would likely either need to trade back from 22 or leverage 34 and 36 to get back into the first round. While there are lots of things to like about Bolmaro, there's still plenty of risk there.

He's not likely to help you right away and will need development time — but the risk could be worth it to get such a special playmaker.

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