By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With the playoffs just around the corner, it’s a good time to look at the best young rookies of the 2019-20 7DAYS EuroCup season. The selected players are establishing themselves early in their careers. Some of them will finish strong runs with the conclusion of the Top 16 stage, but others are set for the next round.
Here is the breakdown:
Rashawn Thomas (Partizan NIS)
Age: 25
Height: 2.03m
Stats: 9.6 PTS, 5 REB, 11.2 PIR
Moving through his second European campaign, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi alumni is proving his case. Thomas paid his dues in G League before his overseas jump, joined Dinamo Sassari for the 2018-19 season, and signed a two-year contract with Partizan last summer.
Thomas introduced himself to the EuroCup stage with a very strong regular-season run, averaging 13 points per outing. Has been held to 4.8 points per match in the Top 16, but helped the Serbian club clinch first place in its group.
Devin Williams (Tofas Bursa)
Age: 25
Height: 2.06m
Stats: 14.6 PTS, 8.3 REB, 1.5 AST, 17.1 PIR
He notched six Turkish Airlines EuroLeague appearances last year with Buducnost VOLI, but Devin Williams is having a breakout season in his first 7DAYS EuroCup run. Tofas will be in the playoffs with the former West Virginia standout making a substantial contribution.
He competed in the G League and Australia before moving his talents to Europe. Now, he’s cementing himself at the top level of European basketball in his second campaign here by nearly averaging 15 points per EuroCup game.
Bonzie Colson (Darussafaka Tekfen)
Age: 24
Height: 1.98m
Stats: 10.5 PTS, 5.1 REB, 10.6 PIR
Another American rookie, Bonzie Colson, played in eight NBA games with the Milwaukee Bucks and also put up impressive averages in the G League. His strong EuroCup outings add to his evolving resume.
Coming out of Notre Dame, he went undrafted in 2018 but signed a two-way contract with the Bucks. After being waived, he inked a contract with Darussafaka Tekfen for the 2019-20 season. He’s been delivering points and rebounds since.
Nenad Dimitrijevic (Joventut Badalona)
Age: 22
Height: 1.87m
Stats: 11.9 PTS, 3.9 AST, 1.6 REB, 12.9 PIR
Joventut Badalona will not continue in the playoffs, but Nenad Dimitrijevic certainly turned some heads during the 2019-20 season. The 22-year-old point guard’s 7DAYS EuroCup debut has included double-digit scoring shows in all his four of his Top 16 appearances so far.
Despite his young age, this is his fourth campaign in Spain. He’s steadily gaining more playing time and demonstrating his scoring and creative talents in the EuroCup. With one game left, Dimitrijevic is nearing 12 points and 4 assists per contest.
Rashard Kelly (Dolomiti Energia Trento)
Age: 24
Height: 2.03m
Stats: 8.6 PTS, 4.5 REB, 1.8 AST, 1.5 STL, 0.7 BLK, 9.3 PIR
The Wichita State alumni made his way to Parma Perm for the 2018-19 season before joining Dolomiti Energia Trento for this one. His limited experience was an issue, but he jumped to a fast 7DAYS EuroCup start to overcome any initiation issues.
Trento is 0-5 in Top 16 in spite of his 7.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Kelly’s solid inside presence was noted from the regular season and went a long way toward helping the Italian team make it through to the Top 16.
Volodymyr Gerun (Unicaja Malaga)
Age: 25
Height: 2.08m
Stats: 8.1 PTS, 3.3 REB, 10.7 PIR
He made his way back to Europe via Spain following his NCAA stints with West Virginia and Portland. His fifth season back finds Volodymyr Gerun in 7DAYS EuroCup as a member of the Unicaja Malaga squad.
His 5.8 points and 3.0 boards per appearance contributed to the team’s 4-1 run so far in the Top 16, good enough for a playoffs berth. The Ukrainian center is not done just yet.
Anthony Clemmons (AS Monaco)
Age: 25
Height: 1.88m
Stats: 10.6 PTS, 2.5 REB, 2.3 AST, 1.8 STL, 10.1 PIR
He tipped off his professional career in Austria and gained Kazakhstan citizenship while with Astana. Now, Anthony Clemmons’s debut 7DAYS EuroCup season is following in accomplished fashion.
The former Iowa standout is averaging over 10 points per Top 16 appearance and 10.7 overall, and still has time for rebounds, assists, and steals. Monaco is gunning for the playoffs and Clemmons looks ready.
Alex Poythress (Galatasaray Doga Sigorta)
Age: 26
Height: 2.06m
Stats: 13.6 PTS, 7.1 REB, 1.6 AST, 14.3 PIR
A veteran of 52 NBA games between the Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks, Alex Poythress signed with Galatasaray Doga Sigorta in December and since had made a more than perfect 7DAYS EuroCup fit.
The former Kentucky standout is pouring in more than 14 points per Top 16 contest so far and averaging 13.6 overall. That’s not to mention his 14-rebound outing against UNICS Kazan in Top 16 Round 3. However, the Turkish side needs some help to advance.