HERAKLION (Greece) - Israel's 3-0 start at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket is yet another piece of evidence for something we've come to realize over the past few years: Israel is a powerhouse in this competition. The team has reached the Final in four of the last six editions, including back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019.
Those impressive runs were key milestones in the early careers of players like Yovel Zoosman, Deni Avdija, Yam Madar, and Daniel Wolf, all of whom have gone on to make an impact at the college level, in Europe or even the NBA.
This year, Omer Mayer is well on his way to adding his name to a growing list of Israeli standouts.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the Purdue commit made a strong impression at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup; averaging 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists, and he has carried that momentum into Heraklion, leading Israel to a perfect record in the Group Phase.
As his team prepares to face Romania in the Round of 16, we take a closer look at Mayer's standout play so far, and what it could mean for his future: with Israel, at Purdue, and possibly even at the NBA level.
Offense
If there's one word to describe Mayer's offensive game, it's creativity.
Mayer is a gifted ball-handler who utilizes a combination of fluidity, footwork, strength, and body control to navigate through crowded spaces, get to the rim, and create separation for his pull-up jumpers.
While he doesn't have an extremely quick first step from a standstill, he excels at changing directions and speeds off the live dribble, utilizing quick crossovers to blow by opposing defenders, and an array of fakes and counter moves to escape pressure, navigate traffic and get to his preferred spots on the floor.
That same creativity that allows Mayer to get to the rim also makes him a threat as a shooter. The Israeli guard is a confident shotmaker who uses his ball-handling and footwork to generate space for jumpers off-the-dribble, which he converts at a high rate.
That same creativity that allows Mayer to get to the rim also makes him a threat as a shooter. The Israeli guard is a confident shotmaker who uses his ball-handling and footwork to generate space for jumpers off-the-dribble, which he converts at a high rate.
Mayer shot 45.5 percent from three-point range during the Group Phase, showcasing not only his touch, quick footwork and compact, repeatable mechanics, but also a rare ability to decelerate quickly and rise into pull-up jumpers, which he can hit from deep range with a level of consistency that few players his age can match.
With his ability to both keep control of the ball in traffic and punish defenders with jumpshots when they give him space, Mayer generates a tremendous level of gravity, something he consistently capitalizes on by finding open teammates.
Here's where his creativity also shines. He's quick to react to collapsing defenses, finding teammates on the move with simple drive-and-kicks or flashier behind-the-back and no-look passes when the situation calls for it. Mayer is especially masterful at utilizing screens, he's nearly automatic at finding teammates once he gets trapped in pick-and-rolls, reading defenders quickly and being able to find both the roll man, or the open shooters in the perimeter with timing and accuracy.
Despite his elite creativity, Mayer's decision-making still needs refinement, and that's been evident during stretches of the tournament: he's averaging 4 turnovers per game, one of the three highest marks in the competition. Those lapses in decision making at times have him force passes directly into traffic, making it easy for opposing defenders to pick them off.
Similarly, Mayer shows a tendency to settle for tough, contested jumpers which, to be fair, he does make at an impressive rate. However, as he advances to higher levels of competition, he'll need to attack the rim more consistently and get to the free throw line more often in order to become a true multi-level offensive threat.
The good news is that when Mayer does get downhill, the results are impressive. The Israeli guard might not possess elite vertical explosiveness, but he more than makes up for it with a versatile finishing arsenal, being able to convert floaters, scoop layups and other finishes around the basket that require either an elite level of touch and hangtime.
Defense
At his 1.93m (6ft 4in) size, Mayer has spent most of his minutes defending opposing guards. Given the offensive load he carries as both a primary scorer and lead playmaker, it's understandable that he's often tasked with defending off the ball.
In those situations, Mayer contributes with his vision and timing, whether it's by taking smart and timely digs at the ball as a help defender on drives, or by reading the lanes to intercept passes. His instinctive off-ball defense has helped him average 1.7 steals per game during the Group Phase.
When defending opposing ball-handlers, his size can be a limitation, but Mayer has been able to hold his own by staying in front of his assignment, showcasing a level of lateral mobility and strength that makes it difficult for opponents to create separation against him.
Overall, while the perimeter defense won't be his calling card at the next level, he has shown enough on the defensive end of the floor to project him as a potential positive contributor down the line.
Outlook
Mayer first appeared in a FIBA competition at the U16 European Challengers in 2021, at just 14 years old. Since then, he has shown tremendous improvement, developing into a versatile scorer who can create instant offense for his team with his creative ball-handling and his tough shotmaking ability.
When you also consider his quickness to read an opposing defense and his creativity as a passer, Mayer has all the makings of a high-level offensive engine, both for Israel and, starting next season, for Purdue. If the shot continues to fall at this rate, and if he can iron out some of the decision-making lapses, he could be next in line in the recent influx of Israeli players making the leap to the NBA.
In the meantime, Mayer remains a key piece for an Israeli team that, in Heraklion, has a real shot at claiming its third U20 title in the last six editions of the competition.
FIBA