An auto-eligible guard, Giordano Bortolani broke out in Italy in 2022 winning the Basketball Champions League Best Young Player award. On the year, Bortolani averaged 12.7 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.4 SPG, and 1.3 TOPG on shooting splits of 45.5/44/87. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Giordano Bortolani
Height/Weight: 6’5/200
Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’8/ N/A
Hand size: N/A
Position: G
Pre-Draft team: Treviso
Tools: Shooting, handles
Pros:
- Elite jump shooter
- Lightning fast release with quick footwork
- Can hit shots at any movement
- Reliable scoop shot over bigs
- Adequate footspeed defensively
- Good open-floor athlete
- Good handles that have dropped defenders
- Good vision and can get teammates open jumpers
- Good speed and can beat his man with a head of steam to the basket
- Projectable runner that should become more consistent
- Good frame for a combo guard
Cons:
- Limited defender; few defensive stats production
- Subpar reaction time
- Must become more efficient scoring at the rim
- Needs to add strength
Summary:
Giordano Bortolani is a sharpshooter with craftiness in scoring inside the arc, with capable footspeed to be passable on defense.
As a shooter, Bortolani does things no other player in this draft, let alone only a few players currently in the NBA, can do. One example is this elite quickness of a fake, dribble, and shot for a make:
Bortolani is a special shooter as a prospect, shooting 47% from 3 on spot-up 3s (97th percentile in international leagues) and 40% from 3 off the dribble (94th percentile). With a quick handle to set up his shots, good speed to run off-ball through screens, and a lightning fast release top-to-bottom on his jumper, Bortolani is almost impossible to stop on the perimeter. With all of these elite traits paired with elite production, Bortolani ranks as an elite shooting prospect that is flying under the radar.
In addition to shooting, Bortolani projects to improve and translate as a 2 point scorer. With a good runner, ability to pull-up for jumpers, and finish quickly at the rim, he should float near average at the rim. Regardless of his finishing percentages, as long as he isn’t a bad finisher, he should still hold his own as a scorer.
Bortolani can also pass well and see the floor well. While there are times he can play too quickly and miss an open teammate, he also makes advanced reads and finds shooters with ease. If Bortolani can become a 3 level scorer with consistent playmaking ability, he should become a reliable offensive threat with a positive impact regardless of his defensive abilities.
As a defender, Bortolani has quick feet with good effort to stay in front of his man. However, with his size, subpar reaction time, and struggles against pick & rolls make him difficult to project as much of a positive defender. As long as Bortolani doesn’t make bad decisions consistently on the defensive end, like unnecessary steal attempts, he should be a positive player regardless of his defensive impact.
Giordano Bortolani is going to have an interesting and unconventional path to the NBA. He hasn’t had many NBA draft workouts, and is recovering from facial surgery while still overseas. However, many European players have had this similar story, including Maxi Kleber. As Bortolani continues to thrive in Europe, he will catch the eyes of more and more NBA scouts. All Bortolani needs is a spotlight, but for a young European guard that plays almost identically to Stephen Curry, it will be hard to keep hiding in plain sight. Look for Bortolani to eventually come over to the NBA and bring a “Wow Factor” as a scorer.
Similar to: Landry Shamet, Gary Neal, Buddy Hield
Projected draft range: Undrafted
Expected role: Elite shooter with playmaking and 3 level scoring upside.
Unplayable if: Playmaking doesn’t translate, and interior finishing doesn’t improve.
Exceeds expectations if: Shooting translates cleanly, finishing ability improves, and he can run an offense as a primary guard.
Videos:
Shot chart:
