By M. Bahadır Akgün, Stefan Djordjevic / info@eurohoops.net
Another Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season is in the books, and as the domestic leagues are also coming to an end in the coming weeks, the fun begins for the supporters of the competition and it’s none other than the free agency!
Teams will roll up their sleeves to prepare for the new season with more hope and will try to sign the best possible players for their respective teams.
Just like every year, Eurohoops is bringing its readers a series of the Top 10 free agents in every position, and the shooting guards are up next. You can check the Top 10 point guards in the free agency here.
Note 1: Players who have an option in their current contracts are not included on the list.
Note 2: The list has been formed in random order.
Note 3: Players who have fled Russian clubs and signed with non-Euroleague clubs are included.
OJ Mayo (UNICS Kazan)
Age/ Country: 34 / USA
EuroLeague Career: 1 season – 20 games
2021-22 Stats: 20 games| 5.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 2.6 PIR
Best Game: 20 points, 2 rebounds, 14 PIR vs Olimpia Milano (Round 10)
OJ Mayo’s career seemed to be over and it was unlikely for him to perform at the Euroleague level.
However, he managed to make remarkable performances from time to time with UNICS Kazan for which he was suiting up since the fifth week of the EuroLeague. The veteran guard has shown that he can still be a good scoring threat, although there are big questions about his efficiency overall.
After trying himself in the EuroLeague after the Chinese League, can OJ Mayo find a contract at this level again at 34 years of age, having had a EuroLeague season full of question marks? It is not easy to answer this question.
However, the fact that he averaged 2.5 shots from deep, and was making them with 45.1% precision, will increase the interest in him.
Billy Baron (Zenit St. Petersburg)
Age / Country: 31 / USA
EuroLeague Career: 3 seasons – 88 games
2021-22 Stats: 23 games| 11.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 9.9 PIR
Best Game: 25 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 30 PIR vs Crvena Zvezda (Round 18)
Billy Baron, one of the players affected by the scenario where the Russian teams were left out of the EuroLeague, nevertheless continued the season at Zenit St. Petersburg and remained with the team until the end of his contract.
The US guard proved himself as a EuroLeague-level player throughout his career, as he climbed step by step. He has been showing it for three seasons, providing great scoring and production.
This past year, Baron put on an even better run compared to the previous season and showed more consistency, especially with his responsibilities increasing as the competition went on.
Elie Okobo (LDLC ASVEL)
Age / Country: 24 / France
EuroLeague Career: 1 season- 27 games
2021-22 Stats: 27 games| 14.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 13.5 PIR
Best Game: 35 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 37 PIR vs Panathinaikos (Round 7)
Let’s face it, things didn’t go well for Elie Okobo in the NBA, and the young Frenchman badly needed a change of air.
Okobo was aware of it as well and he decided to return to his country, opening a new page for himself at Tony Parker’s LDLC ASVEL. Considering his age, Okobo, who is probably also motivated to return to the NBA, started off the season strong and became one of the notable guards of the EuroLeague.
The motivation was, of course, an important resource for Okobo, but it must be said that he successfully coped with the pressure of being a rookie in the EuroLeague after years in the USA, where expectations were crushed.
In this sense, the fact that LDLC ASVEL is a young team that does not pursue big goals in the EuroLeague and prioritizes stability and being a competitive team has been one of the biggest advantages for Okobo.
Still, it may be a little early to say that Okobo has “proven himself and is ready for the next level”, but at least he reminded everybody once again why people have been waiting for his breakthrough over the years. If the 24-year-old player takes his next step correctly, he can hope for an even brighter future.