By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
Both the All-EuroLeague First Team and Second Team for this season were announced today, with several deserving names missing on both best lineups of the year.
Shane Larkin, for example, who had an outstanding run with Anadolu Efes at 16.8 points and 5.1 assists per game, bringing his team to the Play-In Showdown, didn’t make it on either of those teams. He reacted with a laughing emoji on X.
Chima Moneke also didn’t make it there despite being considered one of the most enjoyable and effective players to watch in only his second-ever season in the EuroLeague, putting up 13.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game with Baskonia. EuroLeague leading scorer Markus Howard didn’t make it either.
Reacting to the news on his Instagram stories, he was furious. “Whoever made these All-EuroLeague teams should be ashamed of themselves”, the former BAXI Manresa forward, injured in the last part of the season and missing the series against Real Madrid, said.
👀 Chima Moneke in his Instagram stories after the first and second All Euroleague teams were announced. pic.twitter.com/0WLqF7Z29f
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) May 13, 2024
Antonius Cleveland also made a comment about one of his teammate making the Second Team instead of the First one. “No Wade [Baldwin IV] on first team is crazzyyyyyy”, Maccabi Tel Aviv‘s defensive specialist addressed. His teammate Jake Cohen also shared the same sentiment, posting a doubtful GIF with comedian Kevin Hart to quote the tweet by the EuroLeague on the First-Team.
Jaron Blossomgame, who said “crazy snub” on his X profile, and Isaiah Canaan, who commented with a self-explanatory “Aaayyyoooo” followed by laughing emojis, also criticized the selections.
Moreover, one of the candidates for MVP of the Season Mike James, the only player out of a non-Final Four team making it to the All-EuroLeague First Team, hardly criticized the way of voting for the Awards.
“I’m sorry, fans shouldn’t have a vote in EuroLeague teams. Fans will vote for their teams and favorite players. It’s not their job to be unbiased. They’re supposed to be biased. So I think them voting has made some teams confusing in my opinion. But whatever real ones know”, he shared on X.
Later on, when Malcolm Delaney asked for clarification, Monaco’s leader added the following: “Lol. Shane [Larkin], [Alec] Peters, Chima [Moneke], [Jan] Vesely. People who had good claims to make it. Nothing!!!!”.
I’m sorry, fans shouldn’t have a vote in EuroLeague teams. Fans will vote for their teams and favorite players. It’s not their job to be unbiased. They’re supposed to be biased. So i think them voting has made some teams confusing in my opinion. But whatever real ones know
— Mike James (@TheNatural_05) May 13, 2024
Following a road win for Panathinaikos Aktor in Greece’s Stoiximan Basket League, head coach Ergin Ataman shared his opinion on the snub of his former player at Anadolu Efes, Larkin. “It was very surprising to see the best player this season so far, Shane Larkin, not being in the first or second All-EuroLeague Team. A very strange situation,” he mentioned, “For me, he was the MVP of the season.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague