By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The final countdown until the Final Four in London started and Eurohoops chooses its own MVP, All Euroleague team and the best defender. The fans voted having in mind their club preferences (Panathinaikos’ and Olympiacos’ players are on the top of the list) and not the value of the players and their Euroleague season.
The ten nominees for the All Euroleague team will be announced soon, the fans’ votes will count only as 25% of the final count and before that Eurohoops announces its own awards. Leave your comments if you agree or disagree.
Euroleague’s regular season MVP
Viktor Khryapa
He’s the real meaning of the all around player. The guy who can play like Kirilenko in such level that nobody in Moscow misses Andrei. He scores in the perimeneter or in the paint, passes like a guard, defends almost every position and changes CSKA’s game for the better every minute that he’s in the court. The MVP of the season will be announced on 11th of May after the semifinals, so if CSKA beats Olympiacos, he will get the award.
Season stats: 10 points (85% FTs, 58% 2ps, 45% 3ps), 7.5 reb., 3.8 ass., 1.6 st., 28 min per game
The other nine nominees
Point Guards
In most of the games he was more mature and concentrated than ever. He was the floor general of CSKA and he’s ready to be member of the All Euroleague team for the third time in his career.
Season stats: 13.2 points (84% FTs, 60% 2ps, 38% 3ps), 2.7 reb., 5 ass., 1 st., 30 min per game
He spent all the season without getting equal help (Ukic was the only other high quality guard in Panathinaikos’ roster) and he missed the trip to London after Game 5 against Barcelona. He kept the Greens alive twice in the series.
Season stats: 8.1 points (71% FTs, 50% 2ps, 31.5% 3ps), 3.4 reb., 5.8 ass., 1.4 st., 32 min per game
Shooting Guards/Small Forwards
He was six times during the last seven seasons in the All Euroleague team (he missed it only during his NBA year). This time he was excellent in the play offs against Panathinaikos proving again that he’s born for those kind of games.
Season stats: 13.2 points (85% FTs, 47% 2ps, 43% 3ps), 1.8 reb., 2.3 ass., 0.3 st., 25 min per game
He was the last season’s Final Four MVP and for second season in row he is the second leading scorer (behind Bobby Brown). He continued to be the leader of a young team which qualified in the Final Four. In the do-or-die game against Efes he was great again.
Season stats: 14.7 points (79% FTs, 47% 2ps, 32% 3ps), 2.1 reb., 5.6 ass., 0.9 st., 30 min per game
He was great in his first full Euroleasue season after 2006-07. His all around game helped Real to dominate and to reach the Final Four with 3-0 wins for the first time in its history.
Season stats: 13.6 points (80% FTs, 57.5% 2ps, 33.6% 3ps), 3.8 reb., 3.1 ass., 1.4 st., 27 min per game
The real MVP of Barcelona in the regular season, until the blood clot stopped suddenly his contribution on the court. He played in 20 games, he was great and he deserves such an award for first time. His place in the All Euroleague Team could belong to Kostas Papanikolaou, the MVP of the last season’s final who was this season the best three point shooter but Mickeal was the winner in both of their battles this season.
Season stats: 11.3 points (86% FTs, 59% 2ps, 20% 3ps), 3.9 reb., 0.9 ass., 1.1 st., 26 min per game
Power Forwards/Centers
In his first season in Barcelona he proved that he’s an elegant center who can score, pass and help in rebounding. He had excellent Top 16 and play offs games and was the steadiest player of Barcelona.
Season stats: 11.5 points (59% FTs, 63% 2ps), 6.3 reb., 1.7 ass., 0.7 st., 23 min per game
The kid grew up and continues to impress everybody! The Euroleague’s Rising star of the last two seasons is 22 years old and not eligible any more for that award. Βut he was good enough and steady enough to have a seat among the best ten.
Season stats: 11.7 points (85% FTs, 56.5% 2ps, 32% 3ps), 5.5 reb., 1 ass., 0.7 st., 25 min per game
He has the best ranking this season in Euroleague and was for one more year the most dominating post up center. He was more than efficient in the four play offs games against Caja Laboral.
Season stats: 13.6 points (76.3% FTs, 63% 2ps), 4.6 reb., 1 ass., 0.3 st., 24 min per game
Euroleague’s best defender
Stephane Lasme
Viktor Khryapa is great but CSKA’s defence doesn’t depend only on him. Dimitris Diamantidis has won this award six times and his “best defensive” years belong to the past. But the player who changes the game of his team with defensive performance and he’s the first blocker in the competition is Stephane Lasme (1.9 per game). He makes Panathinaikos’ paint look like a minefield and he can also defend guards in the perimeter (like Navarro).