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.
James Nunnally – Partizan
Age: 33
Stats 2022/23: 9,2 points, 2,1 rebound, 1,8 assts, 8,8 PIR in 22:21′ (37 hame)
US wingman James Nunnally transferred to Partizan last summer after one season in Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.
Nunnally, who worked with his former coach Zeljko Obradovic again, became one of the indispensables pieces of the squad as expected.
The US forward, who is among the top four Partizan players in minutes per game with an average of 23, is the designated sharp-shooter, however his game has more dimensions, specially on the offensive end.
He can also defend multiple positions and has addapted well to the switch defense strategy that his coach constantly applies.
Putting all these factors together, it would come as no surprise that James Nunnally would renew his contract with Partizan. However, in the opposite scenario, Nunnally would continue his career on the top EuroLeague level.
Ognjen Dobric – Red Star
Age: 29
Stats 2022/23: 9,9 points, 2,5 rebound, 1,6 assists, 8,1 PIR in 23:42′ (31 games)
Ognjen Dobric, who has been wearing the Red Star jersey since 2013 and is regularly playing in the first team since 2016, is currently one of the most important parts of the Serbian squad.
This season, the 28-year-old foward is still one of the key factors in the offensive end, together with proven stars such as Luca Vildoza, Nemanja Nedovic, and Facu Campazzo.
The contract of Ognjen Dobric, who also is also a regular member of the Serbian national tteam, expires this summer. In a scenario where he will surprisingly leave the team after failing to renew his contract, Dobric would most likely continue his career at the EuroLeague level.
Rokas Giedraitis – Baskonia
Age: 30
Stats 2022/23: 10,4 points, 5,9 rebounds, 1,6 assists, 13,5 PIR in 26:37′ (34 games)
Rokas Giedraitis, who first proved himself on the EuroLeague stage with the ALBA Berlin jersey, has been with Baskonia since the summer of 2020. The Lithuanian forward, who is currently in his third season in the Basque team, has emerged as one of the most valuable parts of his team.
First of all, Giedraitis, who has a terrific outside shot as a forward, can quickly get the ball out of his hands when he receives the pass, thanks to his very fast shooting mechanics.
In addition, Giedraitis, who has a high level of basketball IQ and off-the-ball moves, complements the team’s two main guards, Darius Thompson and Markus Howard, with his game fitting to their abilities.
If he leaves the team, he will be on the radar of most EuroLeague teams, thanks to his ability to play both the “3” and the “4” position and his outside shooting ability.
Adam Hanga – Real Madrid
Age: 34
Stats 2022/23: 4,2 points, 1,8 rebounds, 1,7 assists, 4,1 PIR in 13:22′ (27 games)
Adam Hanga recently became the first Hungarian player in history to win the Euroleague.
Having spent many years at the highest level of European basketball, the 34-year-old is preparing to re-enter the market.
His numbers have been more limited this year at Real Madrd, but he was always there when he was needed and he has the mentality of a winner.
His experience and multi-dimensional game are major pluses in his case.
Age: 35
Stats 2022/23: 3,7 points, 0,8 rebounds, 1,7 PIR in 9:21′ (6 games)
Gigi Datome remains a household name in the EuroLeague, still loved in Istanbul due to his Fenerbahce days. Since 2020 he returned to Italy for Olimpia Milano.
However, the veteran player, who had a very valuable contributions to his team in his first two years in Milan, is struggling with injury problems.
Despite his advanced age and injury woes, the Italian forward had the experience to contribute to most teams with his shooting and his experience, if he is fit to stay on the court.