By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
The season gets under way in a few days and the time has come for the top 100 Euroleague Rankings. A difficult concept, subjective, one that – by nature – creates differing opinions and disagreements!
Eurohoops begins the presentation from the bottom up and the main thing that has to be made clear is that our Rankings are not made based on those that are published about NBA players in the USA. It’s true that the individual element is very important, but we equally evaluate the team’s dynamics and potential.
Criteria
1. PLAYER’S VALUE: The overall competitive evaluation of players. The characteristics of their game, their worth, their leadership skills, their quality as a unit independent of the team they play for.
2. PLAYER’S ROLE: The importance of a player for their team as we evaluate and predict it for the new season.
3. TEAM’S WORTH: The team the player we choose plays for, its apparent value in the league in the long term and the potential it has. How far the player’s team that is chosen for the new Euroleague season can go.
4. INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL: The individual potential of the player, exclusively. The extent to which they can grow and improve, how high they can go based on their value, talent and age.
5. THE NUMBERS: The statistics we speculate the player can tally on average, when their team’s run in the Euroleague is completed. This is definitely an important criterion but the last priority for our choices, since it depends directly on the quality of the team they play for and their role in the team.
These are the 5 criteria that we factor in in order to reach an overall assessment of every player individually and from that point to draw the Top 100 Ranks. If you consider that around 240 players are registered on the rosters of the Euroleague, you will comprehend how hard and tortuous it was to make these selections!
So many players of value that we respect infinitely for whom there was not enough space and, really, from a total of 150 players, the list of the 100 was drawn up with great difficulty. Especially in the bottom 20 slots, there could be any name from the 50 that were necessarily not included and we ask for your understanding for this in advance.
If you missed it, here’s our 100 to 91 rankings the 90 to 81, 80 to 71, 70-61, 60-51 50-41 and 40-31 as well.
So let’s continue to countdown.
#30 Adam Hanga 1989 1m.99 F Baskonia
He’s well worth the big upgrade on Eurohoops’ list of the Top 100 players! The Hungarian had a great season, proved many things and begins the new season as one of the leaders of his team, but most importantly, as one of the best and most prolific all around players in the league. The defense he played last year was so good it could be taught in a seminar, both in terms of team play as well as individual play. The energy he produces is inexhaustible, he’s actively involved in offensive plays, he can help out in creation and now scores more. If he continues to present such an impact on the game and he further improves his shot from the perimeter, then we’ll be talking about a top-class player.
#29 Bradley Wanamaker 1989 1m.93 G Darussafaka
His first season in the tournament was excellent and this is why he was upgraded on our list. A dynamite guard with a lot of room to evolve his game. He scores satisfactorily relying on his athletic qualities and his explosiveness, but last year he proved that he can threaten from the three-point line as well, although he can definitely improve his technique and percentage even more. A great rebounder for his position, with a flair for steals and an increasingly effective creator. One of the most interesting combo guards in the league and it’s worth seeing what will come out of his collaboration with David Blatt and how great of an impact he’s going to have on the course of the ambitious Dogus.
#28 Felipe Reyes 1980 2m.04 F/C Real Madrid
In his 12th season with Real, nobody doubts that he’s going to be one of his team’s barometers once again. Tremendously useful, very experienced, of great quality! He scores in high percentages from inside the key, last year got to the point where he was shooting in… 41.4% from the three-point line, has good free-throws for a big man and always gives 100% in defense. He’s the king of offensive rebounds and he’s made a science out of converting contacts to… won fouls. A constant value with great duration in his career, absolutely resilient through the years so far. The presence of Randolph, who can also play in both positions in the key, might “steal” some minutes from him, but it’s a given that, for yet another season, he’s going to be one of the basic solutions in the queen’s key.