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By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
The Turkish Airlines Euroleague is the top basketball competition in Europe at the club level and it makes perfect sense that top scorers from every part of the world have played and are still playing in it! The style of game that is played, though, is such that it pushes even the most offensively charismatic players to adapt to their teams’ systems and to place the common interest above their ego, to absorb the unwritten rules of teamwork and to use their talent for the benefit of the clubs they represent.
This is the secret for players to become established scorers in top-class teams and to enjoy longevity in their careers and achievements. Eurohoops.net searched and classified the 10 players with the highest scoring average in Euroleague history. The criterion we set is designed to reward consistency and longevity; accordingly we selected only players who have competed in over 100 Euroleague games, which practically means that all of them have played at least five seasons – and three of them have exceeded 10 seasons on the Euroleague hardwoods.
The result is six Europeans, three Americans and one Argentinian on our list. They are all players who are charismatic at putting the ball through the hoop and have written their own history and five of them, aside from their individual achievements in scoring, have been crowned Euroleague champions!
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[lptitle title=”10. Juan Carlos Navarro“]
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Teams: FC Barcelona Lassa
POINT AVERAGE: 13.11
POINT TOTAL: 3723
GAME TOTAL: 284
He is the player with the most points in the history of the Euroleague! Now in his 15th season in the competition, Navarro has only played for his beloved boyhood club, FC Barcelona, with a break of only one season, when he played for Memphis in the NBA. A high-caliber scorer, gifted with a killer shot from the perimeter and his trademark move, known to basketball fans as La Bomba. An emblematic figure for European and Spanish basketball, Navarro is a two-time Euroleague champion (2003 and 2010). He has made 49.4% of his two-point shots, 38.1% of threes and 85.6% of his free throws. His personal best in was 32 points against Zalgiris Kaunas in February 2006.
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[lptitle title=”9. Bo McCalebb“]
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Teams: Partizan NIS Belgrade, Montepaschi Siena, Fenerbahce Istanbul, FC Bayern Munich
POINT AVERAGE: 13.11
POINT TOTAL: 1390
GAME TOTAL: 106
McCalebb has played for six Euroleague seasons with four different clubs. His most productive years were his first with Partizan, when he reached the 2010 Final Four, and his second with Siena, 2011-12. His trademark is his lightning-quick first step and his finishing at the basket. McCalebb is a classic case of a combo-guard who relies on speed and explosiveness. For his career he made 57.4% of two-point shots, 33.6% of threes and 79.8% from the free throw line. McCalebb set his career high in January 2012 as a Siena player with 25 points against Real Madrid.
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[lptitle title=”8. Rudy Fernandez“]
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Teams: DKV Joventut Badalona, Real Madrid
POINT AVERAGE: 13.32
POINT TOTAL: 1558
GAME TOTAL: 117
He’s currently in his sixth season in the Euroleague and fifth with Madrid . Rudy, who is currently sidelined due to a back injury, is one of the most-talented and complete offensive small forwards we’ve seen in the competition, a natural talent and multiple threat from all distances for rival defenses. He won his first Euroleague ring last season with Madrid. He has made 52.6% of his two-point shots over his Euroleague career, 36.2% of threes and 85.1% of his free throws. His career best of 28 points came against CSKA Moscow, in March 2014. Rudy surely has many seasons ahead of him to raise his numbers even higher as well as his status in the league, and to win more titles.
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[lptitle title=”7. Vassilis Spanoulis“]
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Teams: Panathinaikos Athens, Olympiacos Piraeus
POINT AVERAGE: 13.67
POINT TOTAL: 2816
GAME TOTAL: 206
He’s not big and he’s not the highest jumper, but he’s one of the best scorers and winners in competition history. Spanoulis is a three-time European champion and been his team’s MVP in each one. He’s currently in his tenth season: four as a Panathinaikos player and now plays his sixth for Olympiacos. Spanoulis is a player who threatens in many ways, creates just as well and consistently draws complicated defenses. He has made 50.5% of his two-point attempts in his Euroleague career, 33.6% of threes and 79.4% of his free throws. Spanoulis career best scoring night was 34 points against Neptunas Klaipeda in October 2014.
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[lptitle title=”6. Milos Vujanic“]
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Teams: Partizan Belgrade, Beguelli Bologna, FC Barcelona, Panathinaikos Athens, Anadolu Efes Istanbul
POINT AVERAGE: 13.97
POINT TOTAL: 1411
GAME TOTAL: 101
He was considered, with good reason, one of the greatest talents produced by Serbian basketball. Vujanic had an amazing start to his career, but his many serious injuries cost him and halted his course to a large extent. However, he was crowned European champion in 2007 with Panathinaikos. It’s no accident that his best numbers came in his first few seasons from the total of eight seasons in the Euroleague with five teams. He shot 52.2% over his career on two-point shots, 37% of three-pointers and 81% of his free throws. His trademark was his shooting ability and his crossover dribble. Vujanic established his career high at 36 points in October 2002 as a Partizan player against Virtus Bologna.
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[lptitle title=”5. Louis Bullock“]
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Teams: Verona, Unicaja Malaga, Real Madrid
POINT AVERAGE: 14.10
POINT TOTAL: 1932
GAME TOTAL: 137
Bullock played eight Euroleague seasons for three different teams including a five-year stretch with Madrid. Despite being short and lacking rich athletic qualities, Bullock was very effective in his ability to score from long distance and excelled at creating shots for himself. His career shooting percentage was 48.3% on two-pointers, 40% on three-pointers and 87.2% on free throws. Bullock reached his career best of 33 points with Verona on October 2000 against PAOK Thessaloniki.
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