By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
It’s common ground for any player, after winning an individual honor to praise his team. That happened also with Derrick Brown after winning Euroleague’s November MVP award.
The former NBAer talked to his team’s official website: “Honestly, I am not a fan of individual honors, I can’t even remember which was the biggest so far in my career. Of course it’s great to be this month’s Euroleague MVP, but honestly what I want to say is that it’s a team achievement. I am part of a very, very good team with everyone doing his job and everything working smoothly. We have talented players and very smart and experienced coaching stuff, that includes some of the best doctors, trainers and specialists in individual improvement that I have met. The front office orchestrates all that to perfection. I am proud that I am a member of this family. I have been given this award, because we have won almost every one of our Euroleague games. However, the league has to pick one guy who personifies this success. If they believe that this is me, then I am very happy”.
Still, Brown has a point. In his second year in Europe, he is playing exclusively as a power forward, despite trying in the past to fit in the NBA in the “3” position. In Lokomotiv he produces his best basketball yet as the team is having the best ever run for newcomer in Euroleague.
Last season’s Eurocup winners, despite losing Nick Calathes to the NBA, have already qualified to the Top16 and with a 6-1 record are the leaders in their group after seven games, something no other team have achieved before in the history of the league in its current form. At this point Lokomotiv with a win in Tel Aviv can lock the top spot in Group D, conclude the regular season as a group leader while having a monthly MVP in its roster and setting the bar really high for future newcomers to Euroleague, specially if they have financial stability and a vision for the future.