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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.
Here You can check the 80-71 top Euroleague Rankings
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 360 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.
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[lptitle title=”70 Anthony Randolph “]
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#70 Anthony Randolph
1989 2m.11 F/C
Lokomotiv Kuban
A quality big man, with a gift for scoring and putting the ball through the hoop in multiple ways. His goal is to return to the NBA in the summer as a free agent and this motivation combined with his role, suggest that he will get us used to big numbers this year.
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[lptitle title=”69 Brad Oleson “]
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#69 Brad Oleson
1983 1m.91 G
Barcelona
He does specific things well on the court, things that are very important for the rotation of a top team. He’s a committed defender, he can pass well, he’s a coldblooded shooter from the perimeter and he can shoot the ball splendidly after a dribble, something that is rare in the Euroleague. A quality role player in a big team.
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[lptitle title=”68 D. J. Strawberry “]
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#68 D. J. Strawberry
1985 1m.96 G
Olympiacos
It’s never too late! At 30 years of age and after the magical season with Karsiyaka, he found himself at the top level. A master of defense in every situation, a tough and strong player, one of those players that coaches love. If he finds himself in an ensemble with good chemistry and he feels good, he can offer effective solutions in scoring as well, without any shortage of perception and creativity.
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[lptitle title=”67 Sasha Pavlovic “]
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#67 Sasha Pavlovic
1983 2m.01 F
Panathinaikos
He has returned to Europe from 2013. Coach Djordjevic trusted him for a very important role: to assist in his teammates’ facilitating with on target shooting and punish the double-teaming on Raduljica. In a top team he has to be consistent in defense and rebounding in order to stay high in the rotation ladder.
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[lptitle title=”66 Emir Preldzic “]
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#66 Emir Preldzic
1987 2m.06
F Darussafaka
Nothing but talent and quality characteristics. But it seems like he hasn’t worked as much as he should have. He will shoulder a leadership role in Mahmuti’s team. He has to score, facilitate, be good at rebounding and organizing. Above all? His good nights, the ones when he makes the difference, have to be more than the ones when he goes unnoticed.
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[lptitle title=”65 Samardo Samuels “]
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#65 Samardo Samuels
1989 2m.06 F/C
Barcelona
He had a noteworthy season in Milano as a point of reference in offense and he proved that he has ways of scoring beyond finishing pick and roll situations. A good rebounder, with weaknesses in defense. He has to fight for his playing time in a team in which Tomic and Lawal play in the same position and in which there are other quality solutions for the ‘4’ position.
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[lptitle title=” 64 Trevor Mbakwe “]
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#64 Trevor Mbakwe
1989 2m.07 C
Maccabi
He has some handsome moves in the post and some very good finishes close to the basket. He’s an excellent rebounder and just as good a blocker. Furthermore, he’s a consistent free-throw shooter for his position. He dominates in the ‘5’ position for Maccabi and he has a big opportunity for a breakout season. He has to improve his perception of the game and work on his passing.
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[lptitle title=”63 Semih Erden “]
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#63 Semih Erden
1986 2m.10 C
Darussafaka
An athletic center with very strong finishes close to the basket. Good at rebounding as well as blocking. He’s a big man of dominant and quality characteristics. His biggest problem is his great instability and inconsistency, which have cost him dearly in his career so far.
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