TREVISO, Italy -- Now in its 19th year, the Adidas Eurocamp has evolved into one of the premier showcases of international talent. Attended by nearly every team in the NBA, the event began as a showcase for strictly European talent. Now it has grown into a global camp, with the 70 players in attendance representing more than 25 countries and six continents.
This year, CBS Sports was on hand for the first time and spent three days soaking up the talent and atmosphere at La Ghirada Città dello Sport.
Eurocamp was founded by Maurizio Gherardini in 1999 and has attracted the likes of Bogdan Bogdanović, Jaylen Brown, Lu Dort, Clint Capela, Goran Dragić, VJ Edgecombe, Rudy Gobert, Brandon Ingram, Jusuf Nurkic, Zion Williamson, and so many others through the years.
"The main idea was probably trying to somehow connect all of the stakeholders of the basketball ecosystem at the international level," Gherardini told CBS Sports. "We are talking about a long time ago when the opportunities that there are today were not available. So, we thought about an event or something, although we couldn't yet define it, that brought together players, coaches, agents, media and scouts that at the end of the day could give the opportunity to everyone to see where everyone else was. Comparing skills, techniques and players had a chance to measure their value against the top players of the same age, which is one of the key things for a player to appreciate in order to develop."
This year's event is more relevant than ever in the United States because players from the camp are starting to make their way over to play college basketball, and because American players are now being sent over to compete in the event.
CBS Sports' Eurocamp cream of the crop
Stefan Joksimovic: This year's MVP, the talented 17-year-old guard from Slovenia who plays club basketball for Baskonia in Spain. Emerging as a potential lottery-level pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, it's easy to see why some schools are trying to lure him over to play college basketball. A 6-foot-8 combo guard with plus athleticism, the southpaw is incredibly creative off the dribble and is equally dangerous as either a scorer or creator for others. Think recent BYU star Egor Demin, but with more wiggle and natural scoring ability.
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje: With a dozen or so campers are committed to play the 2026-27 season for NCAA teams, Boumtje Boumtje stood out above the rest. Profiled earlier this week by CBS Sports, the Duke-bound 7-footer is another southpaw with an off-the-charts skill level. He shoots the ball effortlessly with range out to the NBA 3-point line, has an already strong 245-pound frame to build on and is the type of talent who would have competed for the No. 1 spot in the 2026 rankings if he had attended high school in the United States. Because he won't turn 19 until the year of the 2028 draft, Duke coach Jon Scheyer could even have the five-star talent for two years.
Malique Lewis: An older player with considerable professional experience in the NBA G League and Australia's NBL, the 21-year-old is being pursued by the likes of Arizona, Oregon and others. A strong and athletic 6-foot-8 forward from Trinidad and Tobago, Lewis can play either small forward or power forward and would be among the upper tier of defenders nationally if he decides to play college basketball.
Young stars
Adidas sent over a team made up of star high school players from its 3SSB grassroots league in the United States. While the team was much younger than the others, it held its own, with Javon Bardwell and Josiah Rose among the very best prospects at the camp.
A five-star prospect in the Class of 2027 who has already committed to Kansas, the 6-foot-6 Bardwell backed up his No. 13 national ranking on 247Sports. A true high-flyer with length, the elite athlete was too much for anybody to stop off the dribble, and he made a living playing above the rim while mixing in jumpers. Notably, he took the fight to the camp MVP and showed significant potential while holding Joksimovic in check.
The No. 44 in the Class of 2028, Rose is on the path toward a significant boost in the rankings and may be the best point guard in the rising junior class. The Eurocamp Rising Star Award winner showed no fear despite being one of the four youngest players in attendance. A strong and athletic 6-foot-4, 205-pound floor general who recently turned 16, Rose looked at times like a young Stephon Castle and already holds offers from Baylor, Houston, Indiana, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and UCLA, among many others.
Opening the event to college coaches?
With more and more overseas players competing in college basketball, a natural question is whether the camp might ever open its doors to college coaches as scouts. Asking around at camp, opinions on the subject were mixed. On one hand, it seemed many overseas agents would prefer schools to rely on their evaluations and film when making decisions. It also appears that club teams would be hesitant to send players, fearing they might be poached by college programs.
On the other hand, many NBA scouts told CBS Sports they would love to see international prospects compete against players from the United States, and naturally, college coaches are almost unanimously in favor of attending the camp.
The general manager of Adidas Basketball, Max Staiger, said his first priority is ensuring the camp remains a major platform capable of producing NBA talent.
"I think as a brand we have the obligation to try our best to provide a platform where the next generation of players can not only be seen by a broad audience, but also gain exposure to the highest level of competition and mentorship," Staiger said. "If we continue to focus on that, then I am sure one of the next superstars of basketball will be a name on one of the teams that are at Eurocamp."
However, Staiger is also open to working with the NCAA so college coaches can attend and evaluate prospects.
"I think right now it depends on how the NCAA regulations evolve regarding international players, but it would be a huge win if it did. Again, the more exposure we can provide out of the platform for these players the better. If that exposure is European-based, NBA-based, or for the American collegiate system, it's a big win for everyone and would raise the impact even more."
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