By George Orfanakis / info@eurohoops.net
The new EuroLeague season is shaping up to be extremely competitive since the 16 teams have made some strong moves in the transfer market and, as a result, they have created some powerful rosters.
Several clubs, in fact, chose to invest in players from the other side of the Atlantic who are returning to Europe or trying their luck outside the USA for the first time.
Eurohoops looked for and presents here all those EuroLeague players who have at least one game in the NBA under their belts. They are more than what you might imagine…
Anadolu Efes (5 players, 868 games)
Shane Larkin: He is without a doubt the name that stands out in Anadolu Efes. The 25-year-old point guard is getting ready for his second stint in the EuroLeague, but at the same time, he has played in a total of 256 games in the NBA, averaging 5.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists (Nets, Knicks, Celtics, Mavericks).
Derrick Brown: The American power forward’s future in Efes is considered uncertain but it’s a given that the player will not have any trouble finding a team if he has to. Besides, Brown belongs at the top level and, in the past, he has played in the NBA in 171 games, in which he averaged 5.2 points and 2.4 rebounds (Hornets, Knicks).
Rodrigue Beaubois: The French guard is getting ready to get back with Shane Larkin again, as the two of them were teammates in Baskonia in the 2016-2017 season. Beaubois also has experience in the NBA as he played in the colors of the Mavericks in 182 games with decent averages of 7.1 points and 2.1 assists.
James Anderson: The 29-year-old scorer is one of Anadolu Efes’s most important additions this summer. He has proven what he can offer on the court, both in the EuroLeague and the NBA, where he counted 247 appearances with the Spurs, the Sixers, the Kings and the Rockets. The standout season was with Philadelphia when he averaged 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 80 appearances.
Tibor Pleiss: The German center made the decision to play on the other side of the Atlantic but his stint is not considered successful since he played in the colors of the Jazz for just 12 games and averaged 2 points and 1.2 rebounds. Now, he returns to Turkey and it’s certain that he will provide important solutions for Efes.
AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan (3 players, 129 games)
Mike James: The American guard will continue his career in Italy and will undoubtedly be one of Armani Milan’s key players. Besides, Mike James proved with the Suns that he’s a player who can shine even at the top level. In a total of 36 appearances in Phoenix and New Orleans, he averaged 9.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Nemanja Nedovic: Yet another rocket-propelled guard in Milan! Nedovic decided to leave Malaga and continue in Italy while, in the past, he has played with the Warriors in 24 games, without being especially productive. In Europe, however, he belongs on the top-shelf and is ready to make the difference.
Mindaugas Kuzminskas: The Lithuanian’s rookie season in New York was pretty good with 6.3 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1 assist on average. After just 69 games, however, Kuzminskas decided to leave the NBA and reinforce Armani Milan in their effort to return to successes outside of Italy.
Buducnost (2 players, 264 games)
Earl Clark: Buducnost are getting ready to make their debut in the EuroLeague and Earl Clark was one of the club’s strongest summer signings. The American has considerable experience on the courts of the NBA, with a total of 261 games and 4.4 points and 3.0 rebounds on average. He has played in the colors of the Magic, the Suns, the Lakers, the Cavaliers, the Nets and the Knicks.
Coty Clarke: Aside from the additional ‘e’ at the end of his name, what separates Coty from Earl is that the former only played in just 3 games in the NBA, and those were with the Boston Celtics.