By Giorgos Orfanakis / info@eurohoops.net
The EuroLeague is Europe’s top basketball competition, and fans have enjoyed dozens of great teams and even more legendary players on its courts.
Names that won team titles and individual distinctions but who, above all, left their mark and will always be remembered by the fans.
Eurohoops presents the first 10 candidates for the Hall of Fame, taking into account everything we have enjoyed in the 21st century.
Let us remind you that in order to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, a player has to have retired from action. This is the reason that top athlete such as Vassilis Spanoulis, Juan Carlos Navarro, Victor Khryapa, Milos Teodosic and others are not included in the list that follows. Their appointment with history is temporary… postponed.
J.R. Holden
Teams: AEK, CSKA Moscow
Appearances: 209 games
Stats: 11.4 points, 2.9 assists, 2.4 rebounds
Trophies: 2006, 2008
J.R. Holden was one of the most characteristic figures of the previous decade in the EuroLeague! The American combo guard made his debut with AEK in the 2001-2002 season but spent the greatest part of his career at CSKA Moscow (2002-2011).
In that period, he played in 8 Final Fours and reached the top of Europe two times, in 2006 and 2008, against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Holden has played in 16 Final Four games and, as a result, he’s in 3rd place of the relevant list, but he can boast that his 560 minutes of playing time are the most compared to any other teammate or opponent.
An excellent player and an even better character, remembered by everyone in the best possible way.
Matjaz Smodis
Teams: Virtus Bologna, Fortitudo Bologna, CSKA Moscow
Appearances: 170 games
Stats: 10.7 points, 4 rebounds
Trophies: 2001, 2006, 2008
When it comes to Matjaz Smodis, there’s no need for any special introduction. He’s rightly considered one of the best power forwards in the history of the EuroLeague, something that is confirmed by his three European titles (2001, 2006, 2008) but also his performance on the court (10.7 points, 4 rebounds).
The Slovenian combined moves close to the basket with a very good shooting ability from any range and, as a result, he was consistently on the rosters of the best teams. In the beginning, it was Virtus Bologna (2000-2003), then Fortitudo Bologna (2003-2005) and finally CSKA Moscow (2005-2011), where he played the best basketball of his career.
Smodis took part in 7 Final Fours and 14 games, these numbers being indicative of the rare quality and longevity he had as a player.
Nikola Vujcic
Teams: Villeurbanne, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiacos, Anadolu Efes
Appearances: 192 games
Stats: 12.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Trophies: 2004, 2005
Nikola Vujcic was part of the golden Maccabi Tel Aviv team that celebrated the EuroLeague title two seasons in a row (2004, 2005), while he took part in a total of six Final Fours.
Besides, the Croatian center’s individual distinctions are many, as he was selected to the All-EuroLeague First Team for three seasons in a row (2003-2005) and he was also in the EuroLeague All-Decade Team (2001-2010). Vujcic was a player with the mind of a point guard, high technique moves and the body of a center, elements one comes across very rarely in European basketball.
It’s telling that the former player of Villeurbanne, Maccabi, Olympiacos and Efes achieved a triple-double twice! A special case in history, in every respect…
Dejan Bodiroga
Teams: Panathinaikos, Barcelona, Lottomatica Roma
Appearances: 100 games
Stats: 16.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2 assists
Trophies: 2002, 2003, (2000)
Few players in Panathinaikos‘s history were loved as much as Dejan Bodiroga, and few players in the sport’s history combined talent, perception and leadership skills to such a degree.
The Serb’s career took off in the colors of Panathinaikos, with whom he got to the top of Europe in 2000 and 2002, before continuing his career in Barcelona and repeating the triumph in 2003. In fact, he was the absolute MVP of the Final Four in Bologna (2002) and that of Barcelona (2003).
Bodiroga’s case is one of the most unique on this list since he links the eras before and after the benchmark season of 2000-2001. In every competition he played, he left a huge mark and a place in the Hall of Fame is rightfully his.
Ramunas Siskauskas
Teams: Benetton, Panathinaikos, CSKA Moscow
Appearances: 143 games
Stats: 11.6 points, 3 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Trophies: 2007, 2008
Ramunas Siskauskas has been honored with the EuroLeague Basketball Legend award and that is no coincidence. His course in the competition was excellent in every team he played (Benetton, Panathinaikos, CSKA Moscow), while he can boast of winning twice a title that others try a whole lifetime to win.
The Lithuanian played in 143 games, reached the Final Four 5 times and emerged as the MVP of 2008 Final Four with an average of 14.5 points. This particular development, in fact, fully vindicated CSKA’s people, who, in the summer of 2007, made one of the most impressive transfer moves by “snatching” the player away from Panathinaikos.
People remember “Siska” with great respect, not only for his amazing presence on the court but also his excellent character.
Anthony Parker
Teams: Maccabi Tel Aviv
Appearances: 90 games
Stats: 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists
Trophies: 2004, 2005
Is Anthony Parker the best American player who has competed in the EuroLeague in the 21st century? YES! No other player had that kind of killer instinct and all-around game, with his 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists confirming that.
The American forward played in the colors of Maccabi in two different terms (2000-2002, 2003-2006) and in those 5 years he managed to lead the Israelis to as many Final Fours! He won the SuproLeague once (2001) and the EuroLeague twice (2004, 2005), while, on an individual level, his distinctions were just as impressive.
He emerged as the MVP of 2004 Final Four, the MVP of the season in two consecutive seasons (2005, 2006) and he too is a member of the EuroLeague All-Decade Team (2001-2010). A real nightmare for rival defenses…