By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
We evaluated the players – with 10 being the highest score – in five different areas that reveal the competitive value of each of them so far this season.
Honorable mentions: Vasilije Micic, Facundo Campazzo
#5 SCOTTIE WILBEKIN (previous rank: 4th)
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv | Guard | April 5, 1993 | USA
16.3 pts | 2.0 reb | 3.5 ast | 1.3 stl | 0.1 blk | 2.3 to | 26:43 min | 16.3 PIR | 20 G
Player’s performance: 8
Team’s course: 8
Player’s role: 10
Consistency: 8
Leadership: 10
Total: 44
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv has three defeats in its last six games and Scottie Wilbekin, unwittingly, bears a great deal of responsibility for that. It’s no coincidence that in most of those defeats he was far from his best and/or contained by the rival defenses. Because that’s how important he is to them.
Other than that, he’s the one who has stepped up in a season where one injury follows the other for his teammates. In his worst performance, he will still get close to a double-digit number of points, while also contributing significantly in creating for a team that may have the best defense in the EuroLeague (76.8), but which has always been known for its philosophy on offense.
He’s sixth in scoring in the competition and rounds out the Top 10 in PIR.
#4 NIKOLA MIROTIC (previous rank: tied 2nd)
FC Barcelona | Forward | February 11, 1991 | Montenegro
18.7 pts | 7.4 reb | 1.3 ast | 1.2 stl | 0.4 blk | 2.1 to | 27:58 min | 21.8 PIR | 21 G
Player’s performance: 9
Team’s course: 9
Player’s role: 9
Consistency: 9
Leadership: 9
Total: 45
Nikola Mirotic is still one of the most consistent players in the entire EuroLeague and he has managed to become a benchmark on an FC Barcelona team full of stars. Despite that, the recent three-game losing streak, aside from pulling the team further away from the top and risking their place in the top four, also hurt his image.
On an individual level, no one can ask more of him. Mirotic’s stats remain at the levels that put him in the No.1 spot for the month of December, while he has climbed up to third place in double-doubles (5). He’s the only player who is in the top five in three main categories: points, rebounds and PIR.
#3 NICK CALATHES (previous rank: tied 5th)
Panathinaikos OPAP Athens | Guard | February 7, 1989 | Greece
13.4 pts | 4.8 reb | 9.9 ast | 1 stl | 0.1 blk | 3.1 to | 33:06 min | 19 PIR | 21 G
Player’s performance: 9
Team’s course: 8
Player’s role: 10
Consistency: 9
Leadership: 10
Total: 46
Nick Calathes is still inconsistent in his scoring, he was always like that, but that is still the only blemish in his game. For anything else that Panathinaikos OPAP Athens needs, he’s there.
Obviously, his ability to create for others stands out more than anything else. Now, he’s on his way to breaking his own record for assists in yet another season (nine double-doubles in points-assists and another two in points-rebounds) and if he continues at this rate, he will possibly become the first player to complete a season with a double-digit average in that category. The fact that he’s first in the EuroLeague in terms of playing time and that almost everything goes through his hands to a certain degree excuses his 3.1 turnovers (second in the competition), while, at the same time, he’s second in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.14).
His performances – Calathes is ranked fifth in PIR – have stabilized Panathinaikos in the top six in the standings.