By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
The season gets under way in a few days and the time has come for the top 100 Euroleague Rankings. A difficult concept, subjective, one that – by nature – creates differing opinions and disagreements!
Eurohoops begins the presentation from the bottom up and the main thing that has to be made clear is that our Rankings are not made based on those that are published about NBA players in the USA. It’s true that the individual element is very important, but we equally evaluate the team’s dynamics and potential.
Criteria
1. PLAYER’S VALUE: The overall competitive evaluation of players. The characteristics of their game, their worth, their leadership skills, their quality as a unit independent of the team they play for.
2. PLAYER’S ROLE: The importance of a player for their team as we evaluate and predict it for the new season.
3. TEAM’S WORTH: The team the player we choose plays for, its apparent value in the league in the long term and the potential it has. How far the player’s team that is chosen for the new Euroleague season can go.
4. INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL: The individual potential of the player, exclusively. The extent to which they can grow and improve, how high they can go based on their value, talent and age.
5. THE NUMBERS: The statistics we speculate the player can tally on average, when their team’s run in the Euroleague is completed. This is definitely an important criterion but the last priority for our choices, since it depends directly on the quality of the team they play for and their role in the team.
These are the 5 criteria that we factor in in order to reach an overall assessment of every player individually and from that point to draw the Top 100 Ranks. If you consider that around 240 players are registered on the rosters of the Euroleague, you will comprehend how hard and tortuous it was to make these selections!
So many players of value that we respect infinitely for whom there was not enough space and, really, from a total of 150 players, the list of the 100 was drawn up with great difficulty. Especially in the bottom 20 slots, there could be any name from the 50 that were necessarily not included and we ask for your understanding for this in advance.
If you missed it, here’s our 100 to 91 rankings the 90 to 81, 80 to 71, 70-61, 60-51 and 50-41 as well.
So let’s continue to countdown.
#40 Erick Green 1990 1m.91 G Olympiacos
He has returned to the Euroleague after his term in Siena, this time to a traditional power of European basketball, with a bigger contract and more responsibilities. A scorer, with an explosive first step, a threat from any range. A big bet whether and how he will click with Spanoulis and whether he will turn out to be important for the Greek team returning to successes, after what was an unsuccessful season. Another challenge for Green will be the kind of contribution he will be able to make on nights when he’s off the target and whether, aside from scoring, he will be able to create for his teammates and make them better.
#39 James Augustine 1984 2m.08 C CSKA Moscow
He has a very good touch with the basket from close and mid-range and he has high percentages in two-point shooting. He was acquired by CSKA in order to provide extra support in the low post, and with creators such as Teodosic and De Colo, common sense says that he’ll be able to ease his way into scoring with effectiveness and an economy of attempts. His playing time, though, as well as his role are also going to be determined by his consistency in defense, since Dimitrios Itoudis demands a lot from all of his players on both ends of the court.
#38 Othello Hunter 1986 2m.03 C Real Madrid
He has been established in the list of top undersized big men in the league, at a time when they are in great demand and a must for every team that wants to be a championship team! A good defender and rebounder, in offense he functions as a backer and he can finish pick-and-roll creations with efficiency. If he’s confident, he can also shoot from mid-range as well. He changed teams and environments and it’s a big challenge for him to earn the respect of his teammates and become an essential gear in Real’s machine.
#37 Petteri Koponen 1988 1m.94 G Barcelona
He made the big step in his career with his move to Barcelona. A modern combo guard who can play in both backcourt positions. He’s an executioner first and a creator second, his trademark being his excellent shot from long- and mid-range. In Barcelona he’ll be called upon to prove whether he can make the difference at the top level and make his career take off. It’s definitely a plus that in his new team he’ll have Tyrese Rice as his partner in the backcourt, exactly like it was in Khimki.
#36 Mike James 1990 1m.85 G Panathinaikos
A dynamite guard, his main weapons are endless energy, speed and an explosive first step. He cashed in his “magical” season in Vitoria with a big contract and a transfer to Panathinaikos. He can play in the ‘1’ as well as the ‘2’ position, he’s virtually unbeatable in transition and is constantly improving his skills in set play as well. He’s quite committed in defense as well, with a flair for steals. One of the most up and coming combo guards in the league, provided he keeps working and making his game more and more prolific.
#35 Jaycee Carroll 1983 1m.88 G Real Madrid
One of the best shooters in the league, if not the best. A specialist from the three-point line, but at the same time he can score from mid- as well as close-range. He’s a great weapon in offense and when he’s on a good day, he’s not easily stopped by any defense in Europe. He now has great experience and he can do damage and make the difference without taking too many attempts. If we had to find a flaw that would be that, over the years he hasn’t been able to present a more multi-dimensional game and contribute much in other areas of the game as well.
#34 Miroslav Raduljica 1988 2m.13 C Armani Milano
Among the 3 or 4 top big men in Europe in terms of his effectiveness offensively in the low post. He has an excellent touch with the basket and he knows how to find the right position and finish plays. Able to score from inside the paint with both hands, but also with mid-range shots. He is, though, a heavy frame for the requirements of modern basketball and thus has many weaknesses in defense. The way he’s used in the national Serbian team in recent summers is probably the most suitable for a team to get 100% out of “Miro” and hide his weaknesses as much as possible.
#33 Alessandro Gentile 1992 1m.96 G Armani Milano
His talent and his individual ability are… overflowing from the Italian guard! A player with big credentials in offense, he has many ways of scoring and in the last 2 years he appears improved in his perception of the game as well, able to run pick-and-roll situations. He also has the skills to play high-level defense. The thing with Gentile is still the same and it now seems that there are… doubts from within his own team as well. As to the extent to which he can function successfully as a leader, to inspire his teammates and lead Milano to a European overreach. Good numbers don’t mean much when they are accompanied by team failures, especially in Europe.
#32 Bryant Dunston 1986 2m.03 C Anadolu Efes
One more undersized big man who has established himself for years, especially after the 2 best defender awards he won. A pick-and-roll player with strong finishes, a capable but in no case invincible defender, a player who can offer the maximum of his capabilities when the team is functioning perfectly as a whole. Two areas in which he still hasn’t shown the improvement he’s capable of are the rebounds and the game in the post with his back to the basket.