NBA Comparison:

Strengths: He is one those big men who is on good terms with ball, great hands and touch which leads him to finish well around the basket … He is able to finish shooting over both shoulders, hook shots are a specialty of his, and he doesn’t hesitate to use them during post-up moves … He has a solid basketball knowledge when it comes to pivotal moves, has various footwork techniques which you can’t see in many players even at the NBA level … Has great balance and good agility to score from the post … Guven’s frame is great, his physical tools are still in their development, he could transform him into a real stand out if he’s given the right weight training program … Solid wingspan and overall length … As a big man, he can put the ball on floor when he gets the ball on the perimeter … Hands are good for grabbing boards and catching passes … He has few face-up moves that he employs since he can dribble … Although his release is a little problematic and slow, he has a midrange game … He’s a shot threat which features him not only PnRs but also PnPs … He is not the best rebounder that you will find, however he still has good rebounding instincts, can give you double-double performances in 25 min per a game … Another notable skill of Guven is his basketball IQ which is above average for a center … He likes to read the game and does it well, he knows he is not the last option on offense but the part of a fluid offense where he may be used a pass station in the painted area … That’s a great plus as a big man in modern basketball, you can criticize some of his skills, but the great hands and passing skill are the "bread and butter" of Guven …

Weaknesses: Defense as whole is problematic for now, mostly due to the fact that he is not able to cope with physically strong opponents, since he has not reached his physical potential yet … It is hard to be a good defensive player when you have the combination of lack of strength and athleticism … Although his defensive position knowledge doesn’t pose a problem in his game, physical aspect of defense is the biggest drawback for his potential … I also want to point out, he is lacking desire in playing with contact resulting from his softness both mentally and physically … He doesn’t like physical contact and his game and concentration bottoms out when he is dominated by tougher players … He needs to become stronger mentally as well as physically … He needs to find a way to overcome this issue immediately, if he is to find a high level of success … If he can’t improve his game defensively and physically, it will remain as a big question mark whether he is able to make a go at the NBA level …

Notes: MVP of 2014 U-18 European Championship, led Turkish NT to Championship with outstanding performance especially on offensive end … Skilled big man is one the most valuable European players in regard to his long-term potential … No matter the fact that he couldn’t have displayed his real potential in highly-respected Turkish club Karşıyaka, it is better to keep in mind that some big men need more time to present what they have in comparison to other players from various positions … Impressed scouts as a top kid in his age group in European championships at 18 but has seen his progression stall as he hasn’t receieved much PT or opportunities to shine … He may be a great "draft and stash" choice for a franchisee that can set a long-range plan up for this guy …

Merih Sorkut 5/13/17

Strengths: There are many things to like about Guven’s game that makes him so intriguing for the NBA … He really reminds a lot of people of a young Pau Gasol … Guven, like the Spanish PF, is a really skilled player, not a bully kind of player, he actually uses his skill to score in the post … He can finish on both blocks going over both shoulders, something rare to see at any level … His little hook is very soft and precise … He also has very good footwork, knows how to use his pivot feet and has the agility to work around bigger defenders and explode to the basket … Very long and tall, Guven isn’t an ultra athletic or strong player but really knows how to run the floor and around the basket he is better than what people think in dunking on drop offs even when contested … Another quality that I love about Guven is that he never brings the ball down to his waist on offensive rebounds or high passes … He has great balance and trust in his body to finish quickly at the rim … he’s a good passer out of the post, he likes to make assists, but has also the IQ to just kick the ball out when nothing is there … He can shoot FTs without problem and has a nice shot from the elbows. He doesn’t really have a face up game but could develop it in the future … Defensively he is not really a rim protector, but has good instincts for rebounds and has underrated lateral movements … On P&Rs he does a good job in showing and hedging hard, sometimes even switching where he uses his long arms to contest smaller players shots. Overall some of the qualities he has are so rare in a 6’11’’ player with upside left to develop; Guven has to be considered one of the top, if not the top prospect of 1996 class in Europe …

Weaknesses: The major weakness that jumps out is his lack of strength … Stronger and more athletic players do not intimidate him but he does struggle a lot to finish and take position against them … Like many skilled players, he prefers the game when the game is cleaner, and more closely officiated …  He doesn’t thrive when defenders get into him and push him around … He is not a great athlete, something that at the highest level could limit his efficiency on the boards … The shot right now is efficient, but a little slow, and overall his game is very slow once he catches the ball … He is more efficent when he doesn’t get sped up, and he will have to learn how to do speed up his moves … Defensively as well, he struggles against tougher guys who get under his hips … He also settles too much behind them in the post. He can’t afford to do that in the NBA or he will get killed by bigger players … He lacks a face up game, something he should work on to be able to play 4 in the NBA … The big concern is that he will never be able to put on enough muscle and strength to compete with the best players in the world. And if he does that he will somehow lose some of the skills that make him unique … He needs to take advantage of the upside he has, working hard on his upper body, and keep building on his skillset, if he does that I’m confident in 5 years he could become a very dangerous matchup at any level …

Notes: One of the most impressive players at the recent Euro U18 in Konya, Turkey … Guven led Turkey to the gold medal, performing at high level night after night … He ended up averaging 14 ppg and 7 rpg though his stats are diminished due to the fact that he played only 9 minutes vs. Serbia in the game when Turkey rested most of their key players … Against Spain he had 21 and 18 with a very impressive game against one of the rising players in Europe, Sima …

Rick Fois 8/7/14