By Dionysis Aravantinos / info@eurohoops.net
One critical statistic in the NBA which shows how valuable the player is for his team is the Player Efficiency Rating (PER); a per-minute rating for each player in the NBA developed by John Hollinger of ESPN. In Hollinger’s words, “The PER sums up all a player’s positive accomplishments, subtracts the negative accomplishments, and returns a per-minute rating of a player’s performance.”
The PER is one of the most valuable stats in basketball as it calculates and shows the true value of each player for the time he is on the court. As November is coming to an end, and the European players are playing excellent, putting up impressive numbers and leading their team, Eurohoops presents you with the top five European players in PER rating so far, this season.
5. Enes Kanter / New York Knicks
– PER: 24.24
– Stats: 13.6 points, 10.2 rebounds
– Country: Turkey
– Age: 25
Enes Kanter ranks fifth in the Europeans with the best PER rating this season. The 25-year old has found a more stable role in New York than he had in Oklahoma, next to Kristaps Porzingis and has emerged as a double-double guy in the NBA. His sturdy frame, body, and length give him the ability to grab easy rebounds to post up and finish strong at the rim. Kanter is valuable to the New York Knicks as the PER points (24.24) put him in the 16th place in the entire association above Joel Embiid and DeMarcus Cousins.
The 2.11m (6’11’’) big man is averaging 13.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting an impressive 63.5% from the field. He is stepping up for his teammates (as he did with LeBron James), scoring tough points down low and helping the youngsters evolve, feel confident and comfortable in the team. What is also important to note is that the Knicks are 8th in the Eastern Conference with a 10-9 record.
4. Kristaps Porzingis / New York Knicks
– PER: 25.02
– Stats: 27.3 points, 7.2 rebounds
– Country: Latvia
– Age: 22
The 22-year old Kristaps Porzingis is emerging into a superstar in New York in just his third year in the NBA. The 2.23m (7’3’’) power forward is putting up MVP type of numbers as he is averaging 27.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Porzingis is also shooting a fair 46.7% from the field. In the PER, he is 12th in the NBA with 25.02 points. Together with Enes Kanter, Jeff Hornacek’s team has created a great frontcourt that many teams have problems facing.
The Latvian works hard every day to become better, improving his game and leading this team to the Eastern Conference playoffs. As mentioned, Kristaps is averaging 2.3 blocks per game leading the NBA, showing how vital he is on the defensive side of the court as well. His length and height help him get easy blocks and alternate shots while on the offensive side of the court he uses these advantages to shoot over defenders. The Knicks still have a long way to go, but with Porzingis as their leader and emerging as a star, Knicks fans should be happy.