Croatian teenager
Michael Ruzic
and former
G-Leaguer
Malique Lewis
are the latest international players to enter the
2025 NBA draft
. Will Ruzic and Lewis be drafted, and what is their NBA prospective?
According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Ruzic and Lewis entered the
NBA draft
on Tuesday evening. Both players played in professional leagues this past season and are ranked in the top 100 of Givony’s top
NBA prospects
.
Analyzing Recent European 2025 NBA Draft Entrants Prospects, Malique Lewis and Michael Ruzic
Ruzic is a 6-8 power forward who played for Joventut Baldona in Spain’s top league this season. The 18-year-old averaged 3.4 points and 1.5 rebounds while shooting 50/25/31.6 in 13 minutes over 22 appearances.
While Ruzic’s numbers are modest at best, he did display his potential when he received regular minutes. Ruzic scored in double figures in three of the five games that he saw around 20 minutes. Overall, he produced 46 points along with 16 boards and three blocks in those five games. He connected on 19 of his 32 (59.3%) field goal attempts in this five-game period, including going 5 of 13 (38.4%) from deep.
After playing for Mexico City in the G-League in 2023-24, Lewis moved to South East Melbourne of Australia’s National Basketball League this season. Lewis, the NBL Blitz’s No. 7 prospect, averaged 6.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 21 minutes over 37 appearances.
Lewis struggled shooting, accumulating a slash line of 42.9/ 31.1/66.7. The 20-year-old, a 6-8 forward, scored in double figures 11 times this past season.
Who Is Michael Ruzic?
Ruzic is part of a huge sports family. He was born in 2006 in France to
Tomislav Ruzic
and Barbara Jelic-Ruzic, while his father played for ASVEL. Tomislav Ruzic played
nine seasons overseas
, while Jelic-Ruzic is considered one of Croatia’s best volleyball players. His grandfather, Ivica Jelic, played volleyball for Croatia in the 1980 Summer Olympics. Meanwhile, his aunt, Vesna Jelic, competed in the 2000 summer Olympics as part of Croatia’s volleyball team, and his uncle,
Jura Ruzic
, played for Crotaia’s national squad and six pro international seasons.
Ruzic started his basketball career at 14 with Croatia’s KK Zadar. He moved on to the professional ranks in 2023 with Joventut Baldona, starting his career with their junior team, CB Prat, but was quickly promoted. He is under contract with CJB until 2029.
Besides playing for Joventut Baldona, Ruzic participated in Adidas Eurocamp in 2023 and 2024. Ruzic was selected as one of the event’s “Rising Stars” after averaging 17.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in three games. He also played with the Croatian national under-16 team at the 2022 FIBA U16 European Championship.
What The Film Says About Ruzic
Strengths
- Agile: Moves well without ball and finds open spots in the defense.
- Finishes Around Rim
- Footwork/ Body Control
- Size/Length
- High-Basketball IQ
Weaknesses/Areas Of Improvements
- Setting Screens
- Defense
- Shooting
- Rebounding
Ruzic is lengthy and skinny, so he could use to put on weight and muscle. He likes to play on the perimeter and has a nice shooting stroke. While not a traditional post player, he does know how to position himself to accept passes off of cuts, as he moves well and finds holes in the defense. He finishes well around the rim and has shown the capability to play pick-n-roll.
Ruzic has tons of upside and lots to work on. He is a good offensive rebounder, but he has to be better on the defensive backboard. He shows promise as a spot-up shooter, although there is still improvement, especially with his efficiency.
Ruzic is not a great screen setter despite being efficient in pick-n-roll situations. His shooting range makes him a legitimate threat in pick-n-pop actions. Defense is also a concern, though he has shown an ability to protect the rim.
Who Is Malique Lewis?
Lewis was born in Trenidad and Tobago. He is a big bloomer in basketball, having grown up playing soccer. Still, he appeared in three games for Fuenlabrada of the ACB as a 16-year-old. He saw increased playing time and production as a 17-year-old with Fuenlabrada.
Lewis moved to the G-League for the 2023-24 campaign and was the top pick in the league’s international draft. Lewis, a 3-and-D prospect, compiled 8.3 points and 5.5 caroms in 50 contests. He knocked down 1.0 treys and produced four double-doubles with shooting splits of 48.8/34.4/67.4. Additionally, Lewis participated in the G-League Elite camp last year as he declared for the 2024 draft before ultimately opting out.
What The Film says About Lewis?
Strengths
- Defense
- Great body with good base and strength
- Plays with pace going downhill and finishes well at rim
- Length
- Good Feel
- Good shooting mechanics, gets feet under him and has quick release
- Moves well without ball
- Athleticism
Area of Improvement/Weaknesses
- Creating Own Shot
- Passing
- Scoring
Lewis is a very intriguing prospect due to his length, shooting prospects, and defensive aptitude. While Lewis can put the ball in the basket, that is not his game. He does a nice job getting downhill on his drives and has a smooth-looking 3-point shot. Additionally, he finishes well at the hoop.
However, Lewis is not great at creating his own offense. He has a good feel for the game—knowing angles and a nose for the ball—but he needs to improve his ball handling and passing. He also needs to develop some semblance of a mid-range game.
Lewis has potential as a 3-and-D prospect, though right now, he is a low-volume 3-point shooter – despite over 45% of his shots the last two years being from beyond the arc. Defense is definitely where Lewis thrives, though he is also a good yet inconsistent rebounder. He gets down into a good stance and moves well laterally while having enough quickness to recover if he gets beat.
Last Word
Ruzic and Lewis are both potential second round draft picks according to draftknits. Ruzic is rated as the 46th prospect by Givony, No. 48 by Tankathon and No. 57 by NBA Draft Net. Meanwhile, Lewis is only on Givony’s big board at No. 69.
Ruzic’s upside is very intriguing, and if an NBA team likes his potential, I can see someone take a flyer late in the second round on the Croatian (No. 50-58). However, Ruzic is far from a polished product, so expect him to remain overseas as a draft and stash prospect for a few more years. So, it will likely be in Ruzic’s best interest to withdraw from the 2025 NBA draft unless he hears things he likes in interviews and workouts.
Meanwhile, Lewis likely won’t get drafted. Saying that, I wouldn’t be surprised if he remains in the 2025 draft. With his physical tools along with his 3-and-D potential, Lewis could earn a two-way deal.
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