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Džanan Musa – 6’9” Small Forward, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 19 Years Old
Džanan Musa enters the NBA Draft as a potential first-round pick. Joining Croatian side Cedevita Zagreb in 2015, Musa has been raising eyebrows ever since. Musa is a winner, plain and simple. Winning the FIBA Europe Under-16’s Championship with Bosnia in 2015, Musa’s rise has been a consistent one. The skinny forward went on to win three Croatian cups and two Croatian league titles. Named EuroCup Rising Star this year, Musa may not be the biggest European name in this years draft, but he’s definitely one to watch.
Musa averaged 10.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.9 assists, whilst shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range. Known as a sharpshooter, Musa is used to winning and scoring. A confident shooter, whoever drafts the Bosnian will be getting a player who is used to seeing his shot fall on a regular basis.
Strengths
Shooting is the key to Musa’s success. But it’s how he scores that makes him such a talented player. An ambidextrous dribbler, Musa can use either hand to help him create and find space to get his shot off. Along with excellent footwork, Musa has some burst on the court. Able to beat his defender running downhill, he’s a good ball handler, which can make a deadly combo when you shoot like he does.
A quality shooter in pick and roll situations, Musa isn’t just a spot-up shooter. The Bosnian finds many ways to punish his opposition, something NBA teams will learn soon enough. Despite his slim frame, he’s good at drawing fouls when driving or shooting. A good passer, his assists numbers don’t do that area of his game justice. Musa is more used to picking up hockey assists whilst on the court.
Originally a poor free throw shooter, Musa has been improving well in this area. In his second year with Zagreb, Musa averaged a disappointing 58 percent at the line. Not only does Musa go to the line more now, he also averaged an improved 75 percent at the line.
Weaknesses
Musa is severely undersized, weighing in at just 195 pounds. The 6’9” forward plays smaller than he actually is, due to his slightly hunched stance. This will cost Musa at both ends. Similar to Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram, Musa must add weight if he is to truly compete at the highest level. Otherwise, it’s easy to see him being bullied at the defensive end, and lacking in length at the other.
Musa can lose focus at the defensive end at times. He gets caught looking for the steal a little too often, that will cost him eventually. Shooting is a major strength for Musa but he must become more economical if he is to thrive in the NBA. Averaging 36 percent from beyond the arc, Musa could be accused of being trigger happy. His threes taken per game went from 1.9 in 2017 all the way to 3.4 per game in 2018. If he can find a way to take a few less bad shots, he’ll be fine at the next level.
NBA Potential
Seen as a one-way player, Musa’s career could go two ways. Either he will develop as expected and become an NBA starting wing, or his weaknesses will hold him back. Even so, his shooting talents make him an asset in today’s NBA.
It’s simple really if he can develop defensively, he should be fine. Musa has impressed so far and he will only improve. Expect this teenager to go on and have a productive career.
NBA Player Comparison
Capable of playing the two or three, Musa is comparable to two NBA players. Orlando Magic wing Evan Fournier comes to mind, with his mix of size and shooting. So to Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks. Considering his weaknesses, Musa could well end up playing a similar role as these two currently play. Finding a balance between offense and defense will be tough, but Musa does have time on his side. Most teams will consider Musa a project pick because he’s all potential. His huge upside should lead to a team taking a punt on him in the first-round.
Look for Džanan Musa to go in the middle of the first-round on draft night, and be sure to stay updated with our complete coverage of the 2018 NBA Draft!
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