[lptitle title="Begin the countdown"] [lpcontent] By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net Who are the Top 10 Americans in this year’s Euroleague so far? A very tough question, if you want to be fair! Numbers are an important indicator, but not the only one that we have to take under serious consideration. Because statistics are a comparison measure that is not perfectly balanced. Each player has a different role in their team, some play a lot, other considerably less, there are those that do everything and others that impress but who don’t have the same level of quality in Teamwork. Eurohoops chose 10 with difficulty and with the following clear criteria: individual performance and productivity though in direct correlation to their team’s course and the Status Quo of the club for which they play in the league. That is, their team’s potential to go a long way in the institution but also whether certain clubs have already surpassed themselves, with the players that we’ve selected having had a hand in this! In our own European approach what counts a lot is collective success and this is why the selections are only from those present in the Top 16. [/lpcontent] [lptitle title="10. Jaycee Carroll (Real Madrid)"] [lpcontent] He is quietly having his best season in the league. Not only because he is shooting 47,3% in threes, but because he is more mature than ever, coming off the bench in a team full of talent and being always a factor. Simply put, when the offense of Madrid is not clicking, he is the instant solution and his condition after his injury in Madrid's Final Four will be more than crucial for Madrid. 2014-2015 STATISTICS Rebounds Blocks Fouls G GS Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR Totals 28 6 498:41 264 50/87 45/95 29/33 14 43 57 22 15 17 0 5 37 42 250 Averages 28 6 17:48 9.4 57.5% 47.4% 87,9% 0.5 1.5 2 0.8 0.5 0.6 0 0.2 1.3 1.5 8.9 [/lpcontent] [lptitle title="9. Matt Lojeski (Olympiacos)"] [lpcontent] He was definitely on our list with the best shooters but he made us give him a place in the best overall. Why? Because he’s consistent in rebounds, he improved his defensive game compared to last year and has achieved something very difficult. He’s productive in a team that is of a very high level, being economical in shooting and with contribution in all areas. He has shown that he’s an instrument for any top-level team. 2014-2015 STATISTICS Rebounds Blocks Fouls G GS Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR Totals 23 7 562:32 218 49/93 35/80 15/24 12 78 90 39 24 23 8 5 42 33 244 Averages 23 7 24:27 9.5 52.7% 43.8% 62.5% 0.5 3.4 3.9 1.7 1 1 0.3 0.2 1.8 1.4 10.6 [/lpcontent] [lptitle title="8. Marcus Williams (Crvena Zvezda)"] [lpcontent] With his own unique style, no one can question his quality. He scores, he’s always a threat from the three-point line and he has consolidated his creativity at a very high standard. The only element that he’s missing so he can raise his stock in the Euroleague even more is stability and consistency. 2014-2015 STATISTICS Rebounds Blocks Fouls G GS Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR Totals 24 23 618:20 232 39/113 38/130 40/53 16 61 77 146 19 69 1 5 30 65 257 Averages 24 23 25:45 9.7 34.5% 29.2% 75.5% 0.7 2.5 3.2 6.1 0.8 2.9 0 0.2 1.3 2.7 10.7 [/lpcontent] [lptitle title="7. Jeremy Pargo (Maccabi)"] [lpcontent] He plays a lot of minutes but he can manage to distribute his energy and most times he’s among the best of the champions. His athleticism is not such a big asset anymore, since the league has collectively raised the bar in this department, but he remains an enduring value in a very important team. His style suits Maccabi’s DNA. 2014-2015 STATISTICS Rebounds Blocks Fouls G GS Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR Totals 27 24 863:33 369 99/209 35/124 66/87 9 77 86 146 6 79 2 18 59 117 350 Averages 27 24 31:59 13.7 47.4% 28.2% 75.9% 0.3 2.9 3.2 5.4 0.2 2.9 0.1 0.7 2.2 4.3 13 [/lpcontent] [lptitle title="6. Jamel McLean (Alba)"] [lpcontent] He belongs to the category of Americans that can carry their teams on their shoulders and those are few and far between in this year’s Euroleague. Productive in all aspects of the game, a high basketball IQ and the most important? In his 1st season in the league he is impressively consistent in quality performances. 2014-2015 STATISTICS Rebounds Blocks Fouls G GS Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR Totals 21 14 534:04 274 90/158 0/3 94/122 44 73 117 33 21 42 5 14 62 122 355 Averages 21 14 25:25 13 57% 0% 77% 2.1 3.5 5.6 1.6 1 2 0.2 0.7 3 5.8 16.9 [/lpcontent] [lptitle title="5. James Anderson (Zalgiris)"] [lpcontent] In the same league as McLean but with a more centralized and leadership role. He knows well all the basketball basics, he has a good decision making ability and this is why we believe that he can respond to a wildcard role in the Top teams in the league. 2014-2015 STATISTICS Rebounds Blocks Fouls G GS Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR Totals 24 24 682:06 349 80/178 46/140 51/65 18 105 123 60 21 50 13 14 58 80 318 Averages 24 24 28:25 14.5 44.9% 32.9% 78.5% 0.8 4.4 5.1 2.5 0.9 2.1 0.5 0.6 2.4 3.3 13.3 [/lpcontent] [lptitle title="4. Devin Smith (Maccabi)"] [lpcontent] One of the most important multi tools in this tournament with many dimensions to his game. His numbers are prolific and he usually fulfills the statistic. And yet, this is not the reason he’s so high on our list. What is magical about him is that he can be the MVP even in games where he will not score at all. The Diamantidis of Maccabi! 2014-2015 STATISTICS Rebounds Blocks Fouls G GS Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR Totals 25 25 796:11 376 74/135 56/149 60/72 25 128 153 62 25 45 16 8 77 67 403 Averages 25 25 31:50 15 54.8% 37.6% 83.3% 1 5.1 6.1 2.5 1 1.8 0.6 0.3 3.1 2.7 16.1 [/lpcontent] [lptitle title="3. Taylor Rochestie (Nizhny Νovgorod)"] [lpcontent] Amazing season of vindication and duration at a very high level. One of the top scorers and passers in the league, the brain of a team that has already achieved a lot of damage and many triumphs. The most important? He exudes pure leadership. 2014-2015 STATISTICS Rebounds Blocks Fouls G GS Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR Totals 21 17 630:54 397 82/158 53/106 74/80 10 23 33 120 13 47 0 6 39 106 442 Averages 21 17 30:02 18.9 51.9% 50% 92.5% 0.5 1.1 1.6 5.7 0.6 2.2 0 0.3 1.9 5 21 [/lpcontent] [lptitle title="2. Andrew Goudelock (Fenerbahce)"] [lpcontent] He had proven while still in UNICS that he’s a scoring machine and he continues to do so at the highest level of the Euroleague. Perhaps the hardest player for a defender to mark in the entire league, he has a thousand ways of scoring. He’s a great shooting guard in a mini size. 2014-2015 STATISTICS Rebounds Blocks Fouls G GS Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR Totals 27 18 802:17 443 107/203 65/143 34/44 8 48 56 54 18 39 2 12 45 78 371 Averages 27 18 29:42 16.4 52.7% 45.5% 77.3% 0.3 1.8 2.1 2 0.7 1.4 0.1 0.4 1.7 2.9 13.7 [/lpcontent] [lptitle title="1. Sonny Weems (CSKA)"] [lpcontent] His team’s level, his individual quality and both of these basic criteria in combination with his numbers this year, led us to select Sonny Weems as the top player. One of the best in the tournament in 1 vs 1, very athletic, he can “eliminate” you as a spot up shooter as well. He supports the unit as a reliable rebounder, while he can now rightly be considered an excellent creator as well. A premium and complete forward. What he’s missing? Winning the Euroleague. 2014-2015 STATISTICS Rebounds Blocks Fouls G GS Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR Totals 24 20 657:20 325 75/162 46/120 37/46 14 85 99 84 23 56 4 7 59 56 299 Averages 24 20 27:23 13.5 46.3% 38.3% 80.4% 0.6 3.5 4.1 3.5 1 2.3 0.2 0.3 2.5 2.3 12.5 [/lpcontent]