By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
Entering the last part of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, Eurohoops presents the fifth edition of the MVP Ladder.
We rated the players on a scale of 1 to 10 in five different areas to reveal the competitive value of each so far this season.
Honorable mentions: Vasilije Micic (Anadolu Efes Istanbul), Will Clyburn (CSKA Moscow), Lorenzo Brown (UNICS Kazan)
#5 SHANE LARKIN (previous rank: tied 2nd)
Anadolu Efes Istanbul| Guard | October 2, 1992 | USA
14.3 pts | 3.1 reb | 5.3 ast | 1.3 stl | 0 blk | 2.5 tov | 30:36 min | 18.8 PIR | 27 G
Player performance: 8
Team’s course: 7
Role of the player: 9
Consistency: 7
Leadership: 9
Total: 40
Ups-and-downs have been a theme for both Anadolu Efes and Shane Larkin individually. Similar to the defending champions, he seeks consistency. The PIR of -6 in the recent loss to AS Monaco was a down-point.
Even under these circumstances, rival teams would prefer to avoid Efes in the Playoffs.
Larkin has the seventh-most points in the 2021-22 EuroLeague season, backed by the fourth-best free-throw percentage, 93.5%. Fourth in assists and third in PIR as well. And he is far from being at his best.
#3 MIKE JAMES (previous rank: re-entry)
AS Monaco | Guard | August 18, 1990 | USA
16.3 pts | 2.9 reb | 5.9 ast | 1.3 stl | 0.1 blk | 2.7 tov | 30:43 min | 17.4 PIR | 29 G
Player performance: 9
Team’s course: 7
Role of the player: 9
Consistency: 7
Leadership: 9
Total: 41
In the crunch time of its debut EuroLeague season, AS Monaco keeps collecting big wins. Credit goes most to Mike James.
The 2019 Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy winner has been in the zone for a while. His side has become a contender for a playoffs berth. It is not entirely up to Monaco, which is certainly not a favorable playoff opponent for any other team.
Everlasting James ranks third in points, second in assists, eighth in steals, and fifth in PIR.