By Melikşah Bayrav / info@eurohoops.net
You can argue that EuroLeague is a guard’s league – that’s why we started with the point guard and the shooting guard positions- however, you can’t have a top team with a top small forward.
And here are the top players who are playing mainly in this position and are going to be free agents this summer.
Some of the names whose contracts with their teams will expire this summer are already on the radar of other clubs. Eurohoops brings to you the Top 10 EuroLeague small forwards whose contracts expire this summer.
Elijah Bryant – Anadolu Efes
Age: 28
Stats 2022/23: 8,5 points, 4,1 rebounds, 1,5 assists, 9,9 PIR in 22:41′ (34 games)
Elijah Bryant, who ended his NBA adventure in the middle of the 2021-22 season and returned to the EuroLeague again for Anadolu Efes, is currently spending his second year in Turkey.
The US guard had a large share in Efes ‘ EuroLeague championship last season and also had a solid contribution this year.
Elijah Bryant’s contract with Anadolu Efes expires this summer. Bryant, who has a complete profile as an all-around player with a good three-pointer, offensive skills, and rebounding ability, will be on the radar of many EuroLeague teams if he does not renew his contract with Efes.
Shavon Shields – Olimpia Milano
Age: 28
Stats 2022/23: 8,2 points, 2,4 rebounds, 2,2 assists, 8,4 PIR in 21:54′ (10 games)
Shavon Shields, who has been one of the most valuable small forward in EuroLeague basketball for a while, had a bad season injury-wise, missing most of the regular season.
Despite his current injury problems, the 28-year-old star, who is an irreplaceable name for the Milan squad, when healthy is a top-level player.
Shields, who can easily create his own score on the field, attack the rim, and create for his teammates, is the kind of talent that every coach would want to see in his team.
His contract with Olimpia Milano expires this summer and will be on the radar of EuroLeague giants if he leaves the team, although he struggled with serious injury problems.
Kostas Papanikolaou – Olympiacos
Age: 33
Stats 2022/23: 8,7 points, 3,8 rebounds, 1,9 assists, 10,3 PIR in 25:20′ (38 games)
Kostas Papanikolaou, the team captain in Olympiakos, is much more than just the glue guy of the team.
Heis one of the most experienced names in European basketball and makes invaluable contributions to his team on both sides of the court.
In defense, Papanikolaou stands out with his toughness, his ability to defend multiple positions, and his aggressiveness in helping defense, is a fan favorite in Pireaus due to his combative nature.
Putting all these factors together, it would be a huge surprise if Kostas Papanikolaou did not renew his contract with Olympiakos. However, in case of a possible conflict, he is a name that can fit pretty much any top-level team.