[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2024 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Pacome Dadiet
Frame: 6’7’’, 210 lbs
Position: Forward
Team: Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
2024 Draft Age: 18
Stats via RealGM

Offense

Dadiet has an intriguing offensive upside with his size and ball skills. He is a bucket-getter as a big athletic forward who can put the ball on the floor and score one-on-one or off-ball with spot-up shooting and cutting.

Dadiet is an inconsistent shooter now, but he has shown flashes of scoring at all three levels. His overall points-per-possession score is 1.15, and he is 1.10 on dribble jumpers, averaging six points in 15 minutes of action. He shows good shot selection in a more narrow role as a spot-up shooter. But he was also used to a balanced shot diet in a more prominent role he played at the youth level.

Dadiet’s optimal usage is a little over 20 percent, and he’s well accustomed to being a second/third option on the ball rather than orchestrating the offense. At the same time, he is a willing scorer who can take over games. He has smooth handles, clean shooting form, a confident pull-up game and the size to shoot over defenders. His release off the dribble is quick and compact, and it helps him surprise defenders. Dadiet is 34 percent from three this season, but you can buy his shot long-term as he’s very consistent with his release.

Dadiet is dangerous off the catch, but he can sometimes be careless with the ball in his hands and make silly mistakes. His awareness and decision-making need to be polished, but it’s his first professional season, so they look acceptable at the current stage. 

He’s a crafty finisher at the rim who can score with either hand and converts on 68.8 percent of his attempts. Dadiet sprints and stretches the floor well, running wide and deep and providing a passing target in transition. He loves to get out in a fast break and throw it down athletically after cuts.  He cleans up misses on the offensive glass for second-chance points. Dadiet doesn’t dominate the game in one way, but he can consistently put points on the board.

Defense

Dadiet is often unaware and a second slow on defense, sometimes looking lackadaisical and not locked in—but that’s a common sin for score-first guys, especially at his age. 

Dadiet has the physical tools but has yet to figure out how to use them on the defensive end. He has a solid frame but lacks toughness. Partly because of inexperience, he struggles to make defensive stops and tends to play soft, often getting cooked by the more aggressive and mature offensive players. 

Currently, Dadiet is a weak link in Ulm’s defensive schemes as he is often behind the play. He can not make up for it on the other side of the ball when he’s cold on offense. The main question is whether it’s a sluggish approach or a matter of transitioning to the senior level. Dadiet doesn’t look like the guy who can become a defensive anchor, but he has the physical tools to get by.

Looking ahead

Dadiet may have shades of Michael Beasley in his game. He can put points on the board, but it’s unclear if he’ll become a net-positive player.

Dadiet is raw compared to other European prospects in this draft class, but he has shown some promising flashes throughout the season. Interestingly, his best two games were matchups against higher-rated Frenchman prospect Zaccharie Risacher, where Dadiet scored 14 and 15 points. He went right at Risacher to show he belongs to this level. If he finishes the season on this note and becomes more consistent, he has a strong bid to become a first-round pick. 

However, what separates Dadiet from Risacher is his laid-back personality. You can tell there’s a lot of talent, but the commitment level is unclear. Nonetheless, it seems Dadiet would rather find success in free-flowing NBA basketball than a tactically complex European style of play, so it looks like a good year for him to test the draft waters.