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By Stathis Trapezanlidis/ info@eurohoops.net
No matter how impressive a defense, an interception, a steal, or an assist can be, those that get all the glory, attract everyone’s attention and captivate people’s imagination are the great scorers! Eurohoops presents the greatest scorers of all time in the Eurobasket, players-artistes whose way of putting the ball in the opponent’s basket, no matter how many years go by, will be forever engraved in our memory. The only criterion for this list is their contribution in the Eurobasket competition and ONLY that.
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[lptitle title=”10. Giorgos Kolokithas“]
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Giorgos Kolokithas was one of the biggest scorers that ever played on European courts and the first Greek to emerge as a Top scorer in a Eurobasket. Indeed, he managed that two years in a row, in 1967 in Finland (26.7 point on average) and in 1969 in Italy (23.5 points). This achievement of his constitutes a tremendous feat if one takes under consideration the conditions of that era. He retired early due to knee problems. In 1991 FIBA recognized him as one of the best 50 players in history.
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[lptitle title=”9. Doron Jamchi“]
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Doron Jamchi was the man that succeeded and filled the void left by Miki Berkovich in Israeli basketball. He was the top scorer in 1985 with 28.1 points on average, while in 1987 in Athens he was the second best scorer in the tournament behind Nikos Galis with 31.9 points per game. Overall, he played in 5 Eurobasket competitions, and in most of those he was among the top scorers of the tournament and a permanent source of danger for opposing defenses.
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[lptitle title=”8. Juan Antonio San Epifanio“]
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The onetime great Barcelona forward played with the national team of Spain in 8 Eurobasket competitions having scored 894 points in 54 games (he’s at sixth place of the relevant table of greatest scorers). He led his country to the final in 1983 in France, while he got the bronze medal in 1991 in Italy. “Epi” left his mark on European basketball and in the years he was active the Spanish team was in the elite not only of Europe but on an international level as well. A big scorer and a great leader!
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[lptitle title=”7. Miki Berkovich“]
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Miki Berkovich is featured at fourth place of the top scorers in the history of the tournament with 935 points in 51 games. The Israeli guard led Israel to one of its biggest moments in 1979 when they won silver medal in the Eurobasket that took place in Italy. In the final, despite the defeat from the Soviets, Miki Berkovich emerged as the MVP of the tournament. Since 1991 he too belongs in the 50 best players in FIBA’s history.
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[lptitle title=”6. Drazen Petrovic“]
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The tragically lost Drazen Petrovic played in four Eurobasket competitions leaving us with some magical moments, unbelievably aggressive nights and a very big question mark in regards to what more we would have witnessed from him if he hadn’t passed away so prematurely. In 1987 in Athens he won the bronze medal while two years later he led his country to the top of Europe. He emerged as the MVP of the tournament with 30 points per game. He was the leader of an excellent team with truly many great players that dominated until it was disbanded and this really does say a lot about his caliber. Unfortunately, he never got to play in the Eurobasket with the colors of his beloved Croatia.
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[lptitle title=”5. Radivoj Korac“]
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Radivoj Korac is part of a very short list of players who have been more than twice top scorers in the Eurobasket. Three times and, in fact, consecutive! In 1959 with 28.1 points, in 1961 with 24 points and in 1963 with 26.6 points on average. He never managed to win the Eurobasket but he led Yugoslavia to the podium for the first time, winning two silvers (1961, 1965) and one bronze (1963). In 1961, actually, he emerged as the MVP of the tournament. Unfortunately for fans of basketball, he too – like Drazen Petrovic – passed away prematurely in a car crash. For many years the third largest European tournament bore his name.
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[lptitle title=”4. Pau Gasol“]
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The third player on the list of the 10 greatest scorers of the tournament who is still active. Pau Gasol is at eighth place of the scorers in total points with 814 in 42 games and if Spain makes good progress in the tournament he might even reach fourth or third. He has been the top scorer in the Eurobasket two times (in 2003 with 25.8 points and 2009 with 18.7 points on average), once MVP (in 2009 in Poland) and he has 5 medals in his collection (2 gold in 2009 and 2011, 2 silver in 2003 and 2007 and a bronze in 2001).
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[lptitle title=”3. Tony Parker“]
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The San Antonio Spurs superstar is one of the best playmakers not just in Europe but worldwide. A great scorer and leader, in 2013 in Slovenia he led France to the conquest of the Eurobasket for the first time in their history, while he has also won a silver medal in 2011 in Lithuania and a bronze in 2005 in Serbia. He’s the second best scorer of all time in the tournament with 996 points in 59 games (he’s 8 points behind Nikos Galis) and his rise to first place is threatened only by Dirk Nowitzki who is third. In 2011 he was the top scorer of the tournament with 22.1 points on average, while in 2013 he was the tournament’s MVP.
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[lptitle title=”2. Dirk Nowitzki“]
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For many he’s the best European player of all time. He’s definitely one of the greatest scorers that we’ve ever seen play. A huge personality and a great leader. The German Mavericks star has been the top scorer of the tournament 3 times (in 2001 with 28.7 points, in 2005 with 26.1 points and in 2007 with 24 points on average), in 2005 he led Germany to the final while he emerged as that tournament’s MVP. He’s the third best scorer of all time in this tournament in total points (983 points in 44 games) and Tony Parker’s sole contender for the first place at this point in time.
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[lptitle title=”1. Nikos Galis“]
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The Greek legend is the greatest scorer in the history of the Eurobasket and perhaps the greatest scorer who has ever played in Europe. He’s first to this day in total points (1030 in 33 games) as well as averages (31.3 points). The onetime player of Aris and Panathinaikos was the top scorer in four of the five tournaments in which he competed, having inconceivable numbers (33.6 points in 1983, 37 points in 1987, 35.6 points in 1989, 32.4 points in 1991 and was third in 1981 with 19.9 points) and leading the Greek team to great achievements. In 1987 he won the Eurobasket in Athens and he was voted the MVP of the tournament, while in 1989 he led the Greek team to the final, where they were defeated by Drazen Petrovic’s Yugoslavians. A player who was capable of destroying any defensive system in his own masterful way.
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