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.
3. Nikola Jokic / Denver Nuggets
– PER: 25.23
– Stats: 16.3 points, 11.2 rebounds
– Country: Serbia
– Age: 22
The Denver Nuggets are sitting on the 6th place in the Western Conference with an 11-8 record and one big reason is Nikola Jokic and his impressive play over the last month. The 22-year old center is third in our European list with 25.23 points in the PER rating and 11th in the association. Jokic is averaging 16.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game leading this Nuggets team to a positive record.
The 2.08m (6’10’’) Serbian is also making 51.3% of his shots and even shoots an impressive 40% from beyond the arc. Despite his size and position, Jokic is the perfect all around center as he can handle the ball exceptionally well for his size, find open guys with great passes on the perimeter but also post up, hit the outside jumper and rebound the basketball. The future is bright for this young man who continues to impress.
2. Clint Capela / Houston Rockets
– PER: 26.04
– Stats: 12.9 points, 11.5 rebounds
– Country: Switzerland
– Age: 23
Alongside James Harden, Clint Capela is having a great and efficient season so far, as he is putting up double-double numbers almost every night. With 26.04 points on the PER system, he is 8th in the NBA in front of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. The 23-year old center is doing everything a great center in the league would do. He is scoring (12.9 points), rebounding (11.5), blocking shots (1.8 blocks), stealing the ball (0.7 steals) but also shooting an exceptionally well 67.1% from the field and 61.8% from the free-throw line.
Clint Capela has improved his game a lot over the summertime, and this has helped his team to a large extent. The Rockets have the second-best record in the NBA and currently sit first in the Western Conference with a 15-4 record. If he continues playing that good alongside James Harden and Chris Paul, the Rockets could be a contender this season.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo / Milwaukee Bucks
– PER: 30.35
– Stats: 29.5 points, 10.5 rebounds
– Country: Greece
– Age: 22
Number one on our list with 30.35 (!) points is none other the ‘Greek Freak.’ The 22-year old forward is second in PER rating in the whole association just behind LeBron James (30.58). Giannis Antetokounmpo is turning into a super-star this season as he is leading his team in multiple categories while is also in the running for the MVP award. He is putting up 29.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists 1.8 blocks and 1.5 steals per game showcasing his all-around game to perfection.
The 22-year old Greek is also shooting 55.2% from the field even though his shooting percentage from the three-point line is low (25.8%). Giannis is so valuable to this Milwaukee team as he pretty much does everything on the court for Jason Kidd’s squad. Hence, he is second in PER rating showing his actual value and importance to the team. The Bucks, however, are currently sitting 10th in the East with a 9-9 record, as they have had some great wins but some bad losses as well.
** It is important to note that the five players in the list are aged under 25 which means the Europeans in the NBA have a long future ahead of them.