
Virginia Tech Hokies wing Neoklis Avdalas is one of the most intriguing ball-handlers and wing prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft, considering his size at six-foot-nine. With his excellent start to the college season, it is time to get familiar with the freshman out of Greece. Let’s dive into a prospect overview of the 2026 NBA Draft prospect, Neoklis Avdalas.
The clearest positive of Avdalas’ game is his abilities as a ball-handler and playmaker. He possesses an excellent combination of ball-handling, footwork, and pacing that allows him to break down defenses at a high level. He can use his handle to find his own shot, but he is equally as likely to find excellent shots for his teammates. Avdalas is an excellent processor out on the court, using his vision and passing skills to quickly make reads against opposing defenses. Speaking of his court vision and passing ability, Avdalas has demonstrated that he can find open teammates wherever they are on the court. Whether they are open in the corner or broken free in the pick-and-roll, Avdalas can find them.
To go alongside his playmaking, Avdalas has flashed plenty of potential as a scorer. While he isn’t necessarily a strong finisher at the rim, Avdalas does a good job of getting into the lane. Furthermore, he can get to his preferred spots on the court and knock down shots in the mid-range and from three. His improving jump shot has made him even more dangerous as a player. It helps with his driving game as it opens up the floor for him.
Avdalas has also shown flashes on the defensive end as well. He has the size and length to be a versatile defensive piece who can cover multiple positions. Avdalas uses his length and basketball IQ well as a team defender. Specifically, he knows where he needs to be on defense when defending off the ball. In terms of his length, Avdalas utilize it well to be disruptive in the passing lanes. Furthermore, Avdalas also uses his length to be a solid weakside shot blocker for his position.
Avdalas has great size and length for his position. However, he isn’t the quickest or most athletic player in the world. Avdalas lacks vertical burst and lateral quickness, which impacts both ends of the floor for him. His lack of athleticism is highly noticeable on the defensive end, as he can struggle to defend quicker guards.
One notable weakness of Avdalas in terms of his scoring is his struggles finishing at the rim. He can struggle to handle contact when attacking the rim. Not only that, but his lack of athleticism and quickness also plays a part in his poor finishing. Specifically, Avdalas isn’t the type of player to finish above the rim. Adding weight and strength has positively impacted his rim finishing, but Avdalas must continue to refine that area of his game.
While Avdalas has demonstrated impressive shooting flashes early this season, his consistency as a shooter is still something to watch for. In particular, Avdalas can settle for contested jumpers, which has an impact on his efficiency as a shooter. Furthermore, he isn’t the most consistent shooter overall, despite his functional shooting form. Nevertheless, Avdalas still has confidence in taking perimeter shots and has shown improvement in that area. Unquestionably, he must continue to refine his shot to fully maximize his potential.
Overall, Avdalas is a jumbo-sized ball-handler who knows how to weaponize his passing to pick apart opposing defenses. Furthermore, he has shown upside as a three-level scorer. In particular, Avdalas has demonstrated proficiency as a driver and improvement as a shooter. Combined with his defensive tools, Avdalas can truly be a high-level prospect in this draft. As long as he continues his development, Avdalas will certainly have the chance to jump into the top ten.
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