by M. Bahadır Akgün, Antigoni Zachari / 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, Top 10 shooting guards, Top 10 small forwards and Top 10 power forwards in the free agency.
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.
Arturas Gudaitis (Zenit St. Petersburg)
Age / Country: 29 / Lithuania
EuroLeague Career: 7 seasons – 144 games
2021-22 EuroLeague stats: 17 games | 6.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 8.6 PIR
Best Game: 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 23 PIR vs AS Monaco (Round 16)
Alex Poythress was among the players to depart from Zenit upon Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine and finished the season in Naples, Italy.
It’s obvious that the “demand” for Gudaitis has dropped considerably due to the injuries he suffered, though this past season, he reminded everyone that he can be an efficient player in Xavi Pascual’s system.
Gudaitis made a difference with his experience and rebounding in Zenit, though his lack of three-pointers could be a disadvantage given the evolution of the game.
Donatas Motiejunas (AS Monaco)
Age / Country: 31 / Lithuania
EuroLeague Career: 3 seasons – 51 games
2021-22 EuroLeague stats: 38 games | 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 10.8 PIR
Best Game: 22 points, 4 rebounds, 22 PIR vs LDLC ASVEL (Round 19)
It’s been a long road for Donatas Motiejunas before his return to Europe. From the NBA to the Chinese League, with several injuries in between, his signing with Monaco raised many questions.
However, Motiejunas didn’t miss a single game this season in Euroleague and was productive from the field in the majority of the regular season games. He struggled a bit in the playoffs series against Olympiacos, which could be attributed to the fatigue factor. Nonetheless, it’s a fact that the Lithuanian big man showed that he belongs to the EuroLeague and can expect several offers this summer.
Othello Hunter (Bayern Munich)
Age / Country: 36 / USA
EuroLeague Career: 9 seasons – 251 games
2021-22 EuroLeague stats: 35 games | 7.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 10.2 PIR
Best Game: 17 points, 8 rebounds, 22 PIR vs Baskonia (Round 22)
A EuroLeague veteran by now, the expectations for Othello Hunter in Bayern were kept low, though he turned out to be a core piece of Andrea Trinchieri’s rotation.
Hunter was incorporated perfectly into Bayern’s system, providing consistent performances in the regular season, while he was also a major contributor in the playoffs series against Barcelona, where the German side forced Game 5.
The experienced American big posted 18 points and 4 rebounds in that game, although Bayern fell short, to remind us that he still has plenty of fuel left in the tank.
Tonye Jekiri (UNICS Kazan)
Age / Country: 27 / Nigeria
EuroLeague Career: 3 seasons – 81 games
2021-22 EuroLeague Stats: 24 games | 7.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 12.2 PIR
Best Game: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 21 PIR vs LDLC ASVEL (Round 8)
Tonye Jekiri’s physique and rebounding abilities are the perfect cut for European basketball and the EuroLeague and this was proven once again during his stint with UNICS Kazan in the 2021-22 campaign.
Although he didn’t use the ball much in the Russian team, he was a big contributor on the defensive end and now he enters free agency after the end of his one-year contract with the club.
Donta Hall (AS Monaco)
Age / Country: 25 / USA
EuroLeague Career: 1 season – 35 games
2021-22 EuroLeague stats: 35 games | 8.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 12.6 PIR
Best Game: 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, 29 PIR vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Round 10)
AS Monaco’s inaugural EuroLeague season left an impact, and Donta Hall played a critical part in the team’s successful run. Despite his rookie status and his young age, he quickly turned into a big contributor to the club.
Hall, who is an important weapon in defense and also contributes to rebounds (despite not being a threat from the three-point line), had big-time performances against Olympiacos in the playoffs.
Hall played a key role in his team’s victory with 14 points and 10 rebounds in Game 4 and reminded us that he is a candidate to continue in the EuroLeague next season.
Kyle Hines (Olimpia Milano)
Age / Country: 35 / USA
EuroLeague Career: 12 seasons – 357 games
2021-22 EuroLeague Season: 36 games | 8.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 11.8 PIR
Best Game: 6 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 22 PIR vs Zalgiris Kaunas (Round 22)
There’s so much to be said about this EuroLeague legend that words can fall short at this point. Hines celebrated with 35th birthday this season, competed in the playoffs against Efes, and tried to keep his team alive in Game 4 of the series with 10 points and 12 rebounds, although his efforts fell short.
Even though his future with Milano is uncertain at this point, Hines undoubtedly remains a top pick in the free agency, bringing experience and leadership.
Ante Zizic (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
Age / Country: 25 / Croatia
EuroLeague Career: 3 seasons – 85 games
2021-22 EuroLeague stats: 31 games | 12.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, 15.5 PIR
Best Game: 23 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 33 PIR vs Olympiacos (Round 22)
The future is bright for Ante Zizic. His return to Europe after a tough time in the NBA was surprisingly strong and even though Maccabi got swept in the playoffs against Real Madrid, Zizic stepped up every night to be a major contributor to the team alongside Scottie Wilbekin.
It’s certain that Zizic’s performances this past season have put him on many teams’ radars, though Maccabi will sure make a push to keep him with a new deal for the next season.
Jan Vesely (Fenerbahçe Beko)
Age / Country: 32 / Czech Republic
EuroLeague Career: 11 seasons – 276 games
2021-22 EuroLeague stats: 22 games | 13.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 18.2 PIR
Best Game: 32 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 35 PIR vs Zenit St. Petersburg (Round 14)
Jan Vesely finished his eighth season with Fenerbahce and it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that his name is synonymous with the Turkish club by now.
The Czech star turned into one of Fenerbahce‘s leaders with his gradually increasing role through the years, competing in the playoffs, in the Final Four, and in the EuroLeague championship game.
His Fener days may be coming to an end, as Eurohoops sources confirm that he is headed to Barcelona as a replacement for Brandon Davies, yet there’s no official statement from the club yet.
Brandon Davies (Barcelona)
Age / Country: 30 / USA
EuroLeague Career: 5 seasons – 169 games
2021-22 EuroLeague stats: 36 games | 9.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 10.3 PIR
Best Game: 27 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 38 PIR vs AS Monaco (Round 4)
Speaking of Davies, Vesely‘s upcoming signing with the Spanish club leaves a question mark for the American big’s future.
After a disappointing performance in the Final Four, Barcelona is looking to reform and Davies is among the names with the highest probability to exit the club, though for sure he won’t remain a free agent for too long if that happens.
Despite a significant drop in his performance compared to last season, Davies is one of Europe’s standout bigs and will play a key role in any team he eventually goes to.
Alex Poythress (Zenit St. Petersburg)
Age / Country: 28 / USA
EuroLeague Career: 2 seasons – 55 games
2021-22 EuroLeague stats: 23 games | 7.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 9.8 PIR
Best Game: 21 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 27 PIR vs Anadolu Efes (Round 23)
Alex Poythress keeps climbing up the EuroLeague ladder to make a name for himself and this past season he’s been used mainly at the 5 position in Zenit.
A major contributor on all ends of the court, Poythress shot 64% from the field in the 2021-22 campaign and has his best performance against back-to-back champions Anadolu Efes in Round 23.
It’s certain that this summer Poythress can expect several options coming his way.