Overview
Michael Ružić comes from an athletic family with deep roots in high-level basketball and volleyball. Ružić was successful on junior Croatian teams, plus U16 and U18 Euro Championship teams, before leaving to play for Joventut Badalona in Spain in 2023. He made his senior team debut in October of 2023 and then remained with the first team. Last season, Ružić averaged 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 12.3 minutes. However, his numbers were worse than expected due to a thumb injury. The prior season, he averaged 6.0 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.7 minutes, notably shooting 40.6% from 3 on 2.0 attempts per game.
Analysis
Ružić is tall with a high release point on his jumper, which is smooth and the highlight of his game. He can use that shooting threat as an advantage to cut as well, finishing around the basket with relative ease due to his length. That length also gives him defensive upside as a shot-blocker.
Projection
Ružić mostly projects as a stretch five at the NBA level, though he’s young and may need to add weight to make a physical impact in the post. Regardless, this is a skill set that most teams desire and may take a chance on with a second-round pick. With his length, shooting and shot-blocking potential, Ružić could share broad comparisons to NBA players like Jabari Smith Jr. and Ersan Ilyasova.
— Profile by RotoWire.com