PLAYER VITALS
| Hometown | Zaragoza, Spain |
| Date of Birth | 12.30. 2000 |
| Measurements | 6’4 – 185lb |
| 24-25 Stat-line | 5.7pts, 2.8ast, 2.1rbs, 0.9stl – 1.85 A: TO – Splits 39/25/78 |
| FIBA Qualifiers Stat-line | 8.0pts, 6.0ast, 6.0rbs – 3.0 A: TO ratio – Splits 50/50/0 |
| Role + Bankable Skill | Floor General + Ball Screen Game: speed and vision |
| Swing Skill | Consistent Shooting Range |
| Defensive Matchup | 1-2 matchups |
#EuroBasket Carlos Alocen running the the floor hard and going behind-the-back for a terrific transition bucket might be my favorite sight of this FIBA window… pic.twitter.com/6ZI1I431d6
He’s finally back at full speed, and with a purpose #LaFamilia #FibaYouthBball ??
— MaceoBaller (@MaceoBaller16) November 26, 2024
Watching Carlos Alocén running up the court with ease and finishing off the glass with a behind-the-back move feels nothing short of a celebration after his lengthy injury woes. Good news at last for one of the most talented Spanish playmakers of late who has been balling among pros since he was 16. A product of the well-known Zaragoza academy, Carlos Alocén was once the poster-boy of a loaded generation that included the likes of Jaime Pradilla, Vit Krejci or Jaime Fernandez. He made a name for himself in Liga Endesa long before moving to Real Madrid in 2020 and had a solid first season with the Spanish giants just before injuries took their toll in his second year.
Following an unfortunate 20-month layoff, Alocen was eased into Real Madrid’s rotation midway last season, but it was always going to be a long shot to enjoy meaningful minutes with the EuroLeague powerhouse in such scenario. Last summer he decided to join the former EuroCup champs Gran Canaria in a bid to build back his fitness and confidence on the court and to work under head coach Jaka Lakovic. The move has paid handsomely for Alocén. He has brought back his high-energy approach of old coming off the bench, trusting his instincts to take turns at the point with French international Andrew Albicy.
? Carlos Alocén refuerza la dirección de juego del Dreamland Gran Canaria.
▪ El base maño, procedente del Real Madrid, se suma al proyecto del próximo curso.
? https://t.co/D1HLFfF1bu pic.twitter.com/RPEJZ6iAuS
— Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) June 18, 2024
Carlos Alocén’s offense still revolves around ball screens these days. Particularly high picks. The thick of his production comes that way creating up to 7 points/game for himself or others in limited minutes (1.16PPP) and ranking in the 93rd percentile per Synergy. It’s about Pick-and-Roll execution, automatisms and his distinctive ability to make decisions at full speed. Alocén is long and light at 6’4, and pacey and aggressive getting downhill too. You can expect Alocén to be ready to shift gears after the screen is set and break through defensive cracks all the way to the hoop (2.4pts per game and 66.7% at the rim), but also find his teammates whether they are open for a three or rolling/cutting to the cup.
It goes without saying Alocén still needs to work on his shooting motion so he can challenge defenders from deep and mismatches in the mid-range. For all his qualities and talents as a pure ballhandler, Alocén 3pt-ball form hasn’t evolved that much since his days at Zaragoza, and this is undoubtedly the weapon that moves the needle even if he only manages to go closer to a mid-30% clip. Shooting consistency doesn’t only add a new goody to the package but would open even more the lane for his floater and runner game. His 50% true-shooting percentage (powered from the free-throw line) shows there is real hope for this future upgrade.
Besides being a natural playmaker in transition (51st percentile per Synergy) who can turn defense into offense in a hurry, Carlos Alocén possesses an exciting combination of frame, footwork and motor that helps him to stay in front, put pressure on the ball or play the passing lanes. There is certainly room to grow in terms of muscle and strength when navigating screens or switching onto big men, but Alocén does the job defensively in ball screens (allows 0.70PPP there) and has a knack for deflections, steals and two-way plays that can change the nature of a game in seconds.
Spain suffered more than expected to defeat Slovakia and seal their place in the upcoming EuroBasket in the last FIBA qualifiers. There was some luck involved and plenty of ugly basketball to avoid a famous upset in Bratislava. For a program that has won almost everything under Sergio Scariolo, there is an evident lack of self-creation in this pool of Spanish players. And that’s where Carlos Alocén comes to play. In the second game against Slovakia, he controlled the tempo, cut the turnovers and added shooting efficiency to his usual offensive spark and court vision. A much-needed performance for a team still under construction and trying to integrate a bunch of promising young guns.
Carlos Alocén has undoubtedly helped himself and fits into Scariolo’s needs (especially if naturalized Lorenzo Brown is out of the picture). There is no rush for the Gran Canaria floor general, though. Easy to forget he’s only a 23-year-old baller going from strength to strength and leaving behind a serious knee surgery. There will be some bumps on the road and plenty of tough battles ahead in Liga Endesa and EuroCup to up his levels of physicality. A trip to the EuroBasket would be an absolute triumph for Alocén after all the adversities he’s been through, and a testimony to the trust the process motto. At the Backdoorpodcast we will be rooting for Carlos Alocén every step of the way.
