By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The EuroLeague Experts Round Table for gamedays 8 and 9 involves topics such as the players who have proven to be the top summer signings for their respective teams, the most difficult mismatch plus the two coaching changes in Baskonia and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Per EuroLeague.net:
1. What player has been the best summer signing so far by any EuroLeague team?
Theo Papaloukas
The question concerns only the first seven rounds and would be interesting to ask again towards the end of the season. Right now, I have to go with Mike James. I’m not going to focus so much on his stats. After all, it looks like he has the absolute freedom to take as many shots as he deems necessary. What I’ve learned to look at is a team’s course. AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan has put James at the wheel. He’s the player with the most playing time so far in the league (almost 35 minutes on average), and with him as the leader Milan has a 6-2 record. Based on his role and Milan’s results, James is, the signing with the greatest impact so far.
Luca Chiabotti
Among the top 10 scorers of the Euroleague now, only three players changed jerseys last summer. The best one is Mike James of Milan. He is changing the destiny of his new team, which has moved from the bottom of the standing to the playoffs race. He is among the league’s best players in both points and assists, and he is playing like a franchise player more than in Panathinaikos, where he was the last two seasons. Another big summer signing is Nate Wolters of Zalgiris, but until now his team’s results are not as brilliant as those of Milan. I vote James.
Gokhan German
We can say a few players: Roderick Beaubois and Adrian Moerman for Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Chris Singleton and Kyle Kuric of Barcelona. But I think that I prefer again Mike James of Milan. He averages almost 35 minutes, 19 points and 7 asists per game. And he had critical shots in several of Milan’s victories.
Bugra Uzar
Mike James. After several bad seasons in recent years, AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan needed this kind of player. James knows how to win games, he’s a great leader and has many skills on offense. He changed Milan’s image immediately, and now they are way better than they have been in the last couple of years. They have started the season with a 6-2 record and James ranks second in both scoring and assists. Their only losses have been against Real Madrid and CSKA Moscow and in those games they came really close to winning. If things continue like this, his name will be mentioned quite a lot in discussions of MVP candidates.
Javier Gancedo
Adrien Moerman of Anadolu Efes Istanbul. To begin with, Efes is 6-2 since he arrived and the club needed 21 games to reach six wins last season. And Moerman is playing arguably the best basketball of his career. He is leading Efes in scoring (12.5), ranks ninth in the EuroLeague in rebounds (6.0) and is fourth in steals (1.50). His performance index rating average has almost doubled to 14.8 since last season with FC Barcelona Lassa. Moerman is 30, right in the prime of his career, and Efes made a sensational move by bringing him in.