By 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
- The individual quality of the player IN COMBINATION with the role and playing time we anticipate he will get in his team.
- 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.
- 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 previous picks: 30-21, 40-31, 50-41, 60-51, 70-61, 80-71, 90-81, 100-91
#20 Will Clyburn (CSKA Moscow)
Year of Birth: 1990
Height: 2.01m
Position: F
CSKA Moscow was missing this kind of forward. He was impressive last season with Darussafaka and this season we’re expecting him to be even better. Extremely athletic with endless energy, he goes for every rebound and is very effective both in transition as well as in 1-on-1 situations. If he makes his threat and his percentage from the three-point line more consistent and at higher standards than last season, he can develop into a “nuclear weapon” for the Army Team.
#19 Τornike Shengelia (Baskonia)
Year of birth: 1991
Height: 2.06m
Position: F
Once again this season he will be a central component of Baskonia’s offense. A forward with many gifts in offense. Excellent in the 1-on-1, effective in the low post, capable of threatening mainly from mid-range but also from the three-point line on a good night. He has the athletic qualities and the feet to contribute more in rebounding but also in defense.