By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
Most may not have made it to the end of the journey – in fact, only two out of these 10 were crowned EuroLeague Champions – however, everything they did then has a special place in the annals of the competition.
#10 BRANDON DAVIES
2017-18
Olympiacos Piraeus-Zalgiris Kaunas 1-3
17 pts | 4 reb | 1 ast | 1.3 stl | 1.3 blk | 2.3 tov | 25:54 min | 19.8 PIR
Nineteen. That’s how many years Zalgiris Kaunas had to wait to get back to the Final Four after winning the trophy in Munich in 1999. Brandon Davies didn’t do any waiting at all. His performances in the series against Olympiacos Piraeus in 2018 – starting with the break in Game 1, which he dominated (season-high 21 points @ 78-87 OT) – were enough to flip the home court and get the historic qualification in 1-3 and finish in third place in Belgrade, all in his very first season in the EuroLeague.
#9 JAKA LAKOVIC
2004-05
Panathinaikos Athens-Efes Pilsen 2-1
22.7 pts | 2.3 reb | 2.3 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 3.7 tov | 32:50 min | 18 PIR
The journey may not have ended with winning the trophy in Moscow, however Jaka Lakovic has a lot to remember from his course with Panathinaikos Athens that led to third place in 2005. His 22.7 points in the playoffs still place him among the best in history in a postseason (11th highest scoring average or third in a series of three or more games). They were more than enough to overcome the hurdle of Efes Pilsen (2-1).