By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Can there be a definite Top100 or even Top50 list of EuroLeague players? We decided once more to answer this question; as usual, it wasn’t easy at all.
That’s why, as it happened last year, we used last season’s PIR (Performance Index Rating) as a starting indicator, next to our usual criteria, adding a bit of totally biased opinions on a quick debate between the main editors of the English, Turkish, Greek and Spanish editions.
As usual, being part of the top teams, or having a legacy of success with them helps your chances of being selected. And of course, making it to the Final Four or winning the title is obviously a huge plus.
So our main criteria remain the following:
1) The individual quality of each player in combination with the prospect he carries for the 2024-2025 season, plus the role and playing time we anticipate he will get with his team.
2) The strength and the potential of the club the player belongs to and what he has already achieved in the league.
3) Stats. We also strongly took into consideration a team’s success whether each player registered their numbers as a member of a winning or losing side.
It wasn’t easy but somehow we made it work and here’s the result.
50. Elijah Bryant (Anadolu Efes)
2023-24 numbers: 9.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists in 21:40 with Efes
How did his team do: 9th in the regular season – eliminated in the first round of the Play-In tournament by Virtus Bologna
Entering his fourth season with Efes, Elijah Bryant carries experience and significant contribution that extends on both ends of the floor. His pedigree includes being a member of the team that won the championship in 2022.
49. Marko Guduric (Fenerbahce Beko)
2023-24 numbers: 9.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists in 21:28 with Fenerbahce
How did his team do: Fourth in the EuroLeague Final Four
Marko Guduric was a solid contributor for one more season with Fenerbahce, albeit not a very steady one. He shot the ball splendidly in the playoffs (10.2 points on 9 – 16 triples) to help his team reach the Final Four.
48. Jordan Loyd (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
2023-24 numbers: 10.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists in 22:30 with Monaco
How did his team do: 3rd in the regular season and eliminated 2-3 in the playoffs by Fenerbahce Beko
After two seasons with Monaco, Jordan Loyd moved to Maccabi Tel Aviv this summer. With the Israeli side losing several of its stars last summer, he should be one of the leaders in the team’s effort to be as competitive as possible in the EuroLeague.
47. Isaia Cordinier (Virtus Bologna)
2023-24 numbers: 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists in 22:18 with Virtus
How did his team do: 10th in the regular season, eliminated in the second round of the Play-In tournament by Baskonia
Isaia Cordinier saw his name on a couple of headlines this summer as he helped France win the silver medal in the Olympics. He hopes to carry that momentum at Virtus to help the team reach the playoffs this season.
46. Willy Hernangomez (Barcelona)
2023-24 numbers: 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds in 16:14 with Barcelona
How did his team do: 4th in the regular season, eliminated 2-3 in the playoffs by Olympiacos Piraeus
While he showed his quality in several games for Barcelona in his EuroLeague return, Willy Hernangomez didn’t manage to make a difference for his team in the crucial stretch of the playoffs.
45. Nemanja Nedovic (Crvena Zvezda)
2023-24 numbers: 14.3 points, 2.6 assists, 1.9 rebounds in 21:49 with Zvezda
How did his team do: 16th in the regular season
While Nemanja Nedovic often put up big numbers and shot the ball fine, Crvena Zvezda‘s EuroLeague season was a failure, to put it simply. The team’s losing record inevitably affected the Serbian guard’s ranking which could’ve been way higher based on his capabilities.
44. Moustapha Fall (Olympiacos Piraeus)
2023-24 numbers: 7.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists in 22:33
How did his team do: 3rd in the Final Four
Olympiacos will have to do without injured starting center Moustapha Fall for at least a month, maybe more, something that dropped him a couple of spots. One of the top passing big men in the EuroLeague, he’ll have plenty of options to send assists to when he comes back.
43. Carlik Jones (Partizan Belgrade)
2023-24 numbers: 16.5 points, 4.8 assists, 4.1 rebounds in 22:40 minutes with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls in China
How did his team do: 6th in the Chinese League, eliminated 1-3 by the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in the semifinals
The first EuroLeague rookie on the list. Carlik Jones has been a superstar with South Sudan in international competitions and it remains to be seen if he can provide Partizan with a similar impact.
42. Alpha Diallo (AS Monaco)
2023-24 numbers: 10.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists in 26:56 with Monaco
How did his team do: 3rd in the regular season and eliminated 2-3 in the playoffs by Fenerbahce Beko
Alpha Diallo is the kind of player whose numbers don’t really do justice to how helpful he is for his team One of the most versatile swingmen in the continent, it’s no coincidence that while players come and go at Monaco, he remains an irreplaceable member of the core of the squad.
41. Nikola Milutinov (Olympiacos Piraeus)
2023-24 numbers: 7.8 points, 5.6 rebounds in 18:06 minutes with Olympiacos
How did his team do: 3rd in the Final Four
One of the top rebounders in the EuroLeague, Nikola Milutinov was troubled by injuries in one of his least productive runs in the competition last year – a reason he fell kinda low in the ranking. When healthy, he sometimes was a force to be reckoned with as you can see above.
40. Marius Grigonis (Panathinaikos Athens)
2023-24 numbers: 9.1 points, 2.7 rebounds in 24:42 with Panathinaikos
How did his team do: EuroLeague champions
The first representative from the reigning EuroLeague champions. Numbers don’t exactly reflect Marius Grigonis’ quality and have to do a lot with how many big-time contributors Panathinaikos had. His role may get smaller in the upcoming season with the addition of Cedi Osman and also another guard in Lorenzo Brown.
39. Gabriel Deck (Real Madrid)
2023-24 numbers: 9.0 points, 3.2 rebounds in 21:13 with Real Madrid
How did his team do: EuroLeague finalists
One of the best defensive forwards in the EuroLeague, Gabriel Deck will likely get increased responsibilities at least in the start of the season since Real Madrid is a bit undermanned in his position.
38. Elie Okobo (AS Monaco)
2023-24 numbers: 11.0 points, 3.1 assists, 2.6 rebounds in 24:50
How did his team do: 3rd in the regular season and eliminated 2-3 in the playoffs by Fenerbahce
Carrying the talent of an elite scorer, the question for Elie Okobo is if he can increase the consistency of his performances (and his shooting), especially in crucial games, to help Monaco trace its path back to the Final Four.
37. Codi Miller-McIntyre (Crvena Zvezda)
2023-24 numbers: 9.6 points, 7.3 assists 4.4 rebounds
How did his team do: 3rd in the regular season and eliminated 2-3 in the playoffs by Fenerbahce
Fresh of a splendid debut EuroLeague season and a member of the very exclusive triple-double club in the EuroLeague, Codi Miller McIntyre is called to push Crvena Zvezda to the path that leads to the playoffs.
36. Scottie Wilbekin (Fenerbahce Beko)
2023-24 numbers: 13.3 points, 3.3 assists, 2.2 rebounds in 24:40 with Fenerbahce
How did his team do: 4th in the Final Four
Scottie Wilbekin had some exceptional games during the previous season and a couple of solid shooting in the playoffs as Fenerbahce returned to the Final Four. Yet he overall didn’t display the leadership that perhaps Fener fans expected of him and the last taste of the EuroLeague semifinal loss to Panathinaikos was a sour one (1 – 10 shots).
35. Serge Ibaka (Real Madrid)
2023-24 numbers: 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks in 24:41 with Bayern Munich
How did his team do: 13th in the regular season
In his return to the EuroLeague after 14 years in the NBA, Serge Ibaka emerged as the leading scorer and rebounder of Bayern Munich at 34 years of age. His performances earned him a contract with a powerhouse in Real Madrid and now the big man will look to add a EuroLeague championship next to the NBA ring from 2019 in his trophy case.
34. Jabari Parker (Barcelona)
2023-24 numbers: 10.6 points, 4.2 rebounds in 24:00 minutes with Barcelona
How did his team do: 4th in the regular season, eliminated 2-3 in the playoffs by Olympiacos Piraeus
It was a season for some notable and justified ups and a fair number of downs for Jabari Parker who got his first taste of EuroLeague Basketball. The former No. 2 pick had moments of brilliance, including some in the playoffs, while giving a feeling that he hasn’t even touched his potential in the competition.
33. Shavon Shields (Olimpia Milano)
2023-24 numbers: 15.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists in 30:26 with Olimpia Milano
How did his team do: 12th in the regular season
These are the kind of numbers that may even put a player on the All-EuroLeague Team but Milano wasn’t even near making the Play-In. Hence Shield’s spot on the list doesn’t reflect his talent but more the fact that his team had a quite disappointing run for yet another season.
32. Will Clyburn (Virtus Bologna)
2023-24 numbers: 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists in 28:19 with Efes
How did his team do: 9th in the regular season – eliminated in the first round of the Play-In tournament by Virtus Bologna
Will Clyburn at the 32nd spot may surprise some people since the former Final Four MVP remains one of the best forwards in the EuroLeague. The veteran player improved his performance in the second leg of 2024-25 and Efes did clinch a position in the Play-In but this didn’t change the fact that it was the second straight underwhelming season for the Turkish powerhouse.
31. Thomas Walkup (Olympiacos Piraeus)
2023-24 numbers: 7.8 points, 4.8 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 steals in 26:24 with Olympiacos
How did his team do: 3rd in the Final Four
“What does the reigning Defensive Player of the Year do in the 31st spot?” is a logical question and it was a tough call among our staff to push him out of the Top 30. One thing that played a part in the decision was his declining performances from the playoffs and through the Final Four. The other, is the many newcomers from the NBA.
PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague / ABA League / ACB