Βy Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
Let’s get started for another season! A concept established in Europe by Eurohoops.net regarding the top league and which is, by nature, subjective! It can generate disagreements, objections, agreements, and, above all… interest!
In recent seasons, the choices are becoming even harder and more torturous to make! Because all the good players are packed in 16 teams and the top clubs in Europe have greater depth in their rosters in order to manage the new format of the EuroLeague and the levels of energy it requires. Which makes the ranking very difficult and leaves out of the list of the EuroLeague’s Top 100 players, athletes that could have easily been among our choices.
As we wrote last season, there are at least 50 players who could have been objective and subjective choices, especially between 100 and 80, and we ask for your understanding because, unfortunately, there is not enough room for everyone.
However, we promise that after the first 15 rounds, when we will have a substantial sample by the end of the first phase, we will rank the Top 100 players based on their performance up to that point, and so, any possible mistake will be rectified! You are familiar with our criteria from previous seasons. The only footnote is that, some players who are coming back from a long absence due to injury (for example, Zoran Dragic) were not ranked and that this will happen during the season. With the exception of Sergio Lull, who is in a category of his own!
Criteria
1. The individual quality of the player IN COMBINATION with the role and playing time we anticipate he will get in his team.
2. The strength of the club he plays for. The players of the teams that are in the Top 8 and that are title contenders every season always have an edge because they combine individual quality with their club’s high aspirations.
3. What each player has achieved in his career in the EuroLeague combined with the prospects he has for the 2017-18 season.
Here are the 100-91 and the 90-81 picks.
#80 Rodrigue Beaubois (Baskonia)
Year of Birth: 1988
Height: 1.88m
Position: G
In his second season in the EuroLeague with Baskonia, he can become even more productive and consistent. A scoring guard with many attacking virtues, especially in transition situations. When he gets into a rhythm, he can do a lot of damage from the three-point line as well. What is going to take him up a notch is if he improves his creative ability and utilizes his teammates more.
#79 Leo Westermann (CSKA Moscow)
Year of birth: 1992
Height: 1.97m
Position: G
Yet another French guard, one who made the leap from Zalgiris to CSKA. A player who works for the whole, a consistent creator and a good rebounder for his position. He has room for improvement, especially in the part of execution, and it’s the first time at the club level that he will be tested under a lot of pressure in championship conditions.
#78 James Nunnally (Fenerbahce)
Year of birth: 1990
Height: 2.01m
Position: F
A modern forward with a reliable mid- and long-range shot, and excellent in open court situations. In Italy he proved that he can deliver even if he’s not the main scorer. His role, though, remains complementary in the European champions, who, with so many options in the backcourt, it’s a given that we will see Zeljko Obradovic using line-ups with three guards for long periods of time.
#77 DeAndre Kane (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
Year of birth: 1989
Height: 1.96m
Position: G
He’s making his debut in the top league and Maccabi’s style might help him produce good numbers. Strong, explosive, he attacks the rim very often and when he gets into a rhythm, he threatens from the perimeter as well. He’s better in the open court than the 5-on-5 and, at the top level, he’ll have to improve his decision-making in the game, especially when defenses are adjusted on him.
#76 Ognjen Kuzmic (Real Madrid)
Year of birth: 1990
Height: 2.13m
Position: C
Now he belongs to the elite as a member of Real Madrid. A long body, great wingspan, he’s more like old school big men. He has moves and is effective offensively in the post, he gets rebounds and, for his size, his speed is satisfactory. His game is all about rhythm, mentality and confidence, and the way Pablo Laso will manage him will define his effectiveness and contribution to a great extent.
#75 Lukas Lekavicius (Panathinaikos)
Year of birth: 1994
Height: 1.83m
Position: PG
He has an entire season ahead of him to meet Panathinaikos’s challenge. Without great size or athleticism, he survives at the top level with his prowess in execution, his perception of the game and his audacity! Last season (his 29 points against Bamberg was a record) established him at the top level and he will be tested in a championship team.
#74 Vangelis Mantzaris (Olympiacos)
Year of birth: 1990
Height: 1.94m
Position: G
One of the most experienced and controlled guards in the league. A good defender, he helps in creation and mainly scores through spot-up shooting. He commits few turnovers, but usually his passes are not risky. He’s trying to introduce the creation of rifts as well as drives into his game, which, if he manages to do with any duration, will raise his level. He often balances out his lack of athletic qualities with his cerebral game.
#73 Jordan McRae (Baskonia)
Year of birth: 1991
Height: 1.96m
Position: G
Another fresh ‘Player to Watch’ in the league! A born scorer, something he has shown at every level: in college (Tennessee), the D-League (a record of 61 points!), but also in the NBA, when he scored 36 points against the Pistons as a player for the Cavs. He can execute in many ways and from any distance, and he’s very fast. What remains to be seen is how he will adjust to the European style of basketball and especially in Baskonia, who had a tradition of creating new starring players in the EuroLeague. He starts out the season injured, but he’s expected to be back in action in a month.
#72 Krunoslav Simon (Anadolu Efes)
Year of birth: 1985
Height: 1.97m
Position: G/F
A useful player for any team, with experience, quality and knowledge of the basics of basketball at a very good level. He can score, organize, run pick-and-rolls, and he puts in the effort in defense and likes to take crucial shots. He managed to maintain a double-digit average in scoring (11 points) last season too, and also contributed in creation and rebounding. A useful tool in the hands of Velimir Perasovic.
#71 Paulius Jankunas (Zalgiris Kaunas)
Year of birth: 1984
Height: 2.05m
Position: F
In Zalgiris his whole life (entering his 15th season now) with only one season abroad, with Khimki! Last season he didn’t miss a single game, he had the highest point average in his career in the league (13 points) and he’s the definition of a fighter and an example for the young teams that Sarunas Jasikevicius is putting together in Kaunas! He scores, gets a lot of rebounds, plays defense, sacrifices his body for the team on the court, and he deserves all the credit he gets!