Nets select Dzanzan Musa, Rodions Kurucs in NBA Draft

Sean Marks went for an all European draft Thursday night as he selected Dzanzan Musa at 29 and Rodions Kurucs at 40.

Musa, a 19-year-old Bosnian wing, is known for his scoring ability. At 6'9", the newest Net has ability to score in a variety of ways. He can shoot the ball from all levels of the floor and uses a tight handle to create his own shot.

Several scouts have compared Musa to another Bosnian wing who also played for the Nets, Bojan Bogdanovich.

Musa's offensive abilities had him slotted in the early 20s in most mock drafts. He may have been picked higher had he not insisted on coming straight to the NBA next season, per ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony.

“Most teams wanted me to stay in Europe, but as I said, if you want to chase your dreams, you have to just listen to yourself. My heart told me that place is here,” Musa said, per Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily.

The Nets reportedly had Musa much higher than 29 on their board.

The drawback with Musa is his defensive limitations. He has a short wingspan at 6'8.5", does not have impressive leaping ability, and is not quick laterally. These limitations may make it difficult for him to cover quick wings at the NBA level.

Despite these defensive shortcomings, Marks thought the 19-year-old's natural offensive ability was worth his first-round choice.

Rodions Kurucs, the Nets second-round pick, is a 6'10" foward from Latvia. Marks has been scouting Kurucs dating back to last year's draft, where he was said to be a potential first-round pick.

Kurucs is a shooter who can take the ball to the basket at times. His size allows him to get shots off from all of points on the floor.

Similar to Musa, Kurucs' lack of lateral quickness and explosive athleticism could give him trouble on the defensive end. Kurucs will likely need some more time to develop, but could eventually be a stretch four coming off the bench for Brooklyn.

Both Musa and Kurucs will benefit from training with the Nets strength and conditioning coach, something most European prospects have not done.

When asked what his biggest takeaway in talking to the two was, Marks replied, “Their willingness to learn, get better, develop and their competitive fire.”

Marks expects both picks to be with the team in Brooklyn next season. The pair, particularly Kurucs, will likely spend some time in the G League to develop during their rookie seasons.