By Dionysis Aravantinos/ info@eurohooops.net
Led by Luka Doncic in points and PIR, the under-25 list has been impressive this season, with a couple of players posting double-digit games in points, others in rebounding and assists, all while taking on essential roles in their respective teams.
Eurohoops presents the seven best players under the age of 25 who have already made a splash with their game this season in the competition.
Luka Doncic / Real Madrid
Age: 18
Position: G
Team Record: 5-6
Stats: 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists
Already a star, Doncic has been incredible for Real Madrid so far this season. Averaging almost 21 points per game, he leads this category in the EuroLeague and has been a crucial factor in Madrid’s six wins this season. He is also averaging 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, showcasing his ability to rebound the ball, run the court in transition and facilitate for his teammates. At just 18 years of age, Doncic is becoming a leader, guiding this historic club to wins in spite of Sergio Llull’s absence.
Doncic is shooting an amazing 49.2% from the field while also making 87.8% of his free throws. He can pretty much do everything on the court and, as he gains more experience, he finds more ways to break down a defense. He is already a very tough player to guard and he can be even better, which is scary…
Matthias Lessort / Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade
Age: 22
Position: F/C
Team Record: 4-7
Stats: 9.4 points, 6.0 rebounds
The 22-year-old wants to make a statement in Europe and become one of the best big men in the competition. After finishing the previous season in France with Nanterre 92, Matthias Lessort is learning something new every day in Serbia, as he told Eurohoops, and is enjoying the process.
So far, Lessort has started 10 of his team’s 11 games and has averaged 22:29 minutes of playing time. He has been able to put up 9.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient 54.9% from the field. His athleticism and strength down low are two of his best attributes but Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade wants to get more out of him. He is playing good but, as he also mentioned, he wants to be better and perfect his game in order to change his status in the competition.
Arturas Gudaitis / AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan
Age: 24
Position: C
Team Record: 3-8
Stats: 10.5 points, 5.8 rebounds
Even without a single start in the EuroLeague so far, he has been impressive for AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan. Coming off the bench, he is averaging 10.5 points and 5.8 rebounds while playing just 20 minutes per game. The 24-year-old Lithuanian is also shooting an exceptional 67.2% from the field and a decent 69.1% from the free throw line. His best game came against Madrid in the Spanish capital, where he scored 20 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.
If he continues to play like this, head coach Simone Pianigiani might want to make the 2.08-meter center a starter. Gudaitis uses his physicality to set good screens for his teammates but also to drive into the lane and finish through contact. His excellent touch and feel around the rim allow him to finish with tough layups, hooks, and dunks in the paint.
Nikola Milutinov / Olympiacos Piraeus
Age: 22
Position: C
Team Record: 9-2
Stats: 8.6 points, 5.4 rebounds
Playing in one of the best teams in Europe, Nikola Milutinov has been really good so far. Starting all 11 games, he has shown qualities of a great center. The 22-year-old Serb is averaging 8.3 points and 5.2 rebounds while also shooting 58.6% from the field. He affects the game down low on both ends of the court with his big and strong frame.
Furthermore, Milutinov has a key role in head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s rotation as he plays 22 minutes per game, proving he is one of the best big men in the competition. With Janis Strelnieks, Georgios Printezis and Milutinov leading the way, and despite Vassilis Spanoulis’s absence from the first 10 games, Olympiacos Piraeus have managed to win nine of the first 12 games and sit in second place in the standings. The Serb big man is already a star.
Vasilije Micic / Zalgiris Kaunas
Age: 23
Position: G
Team Record: 6-5
Stats: 6.9 points, 4.6 assists
Vasilije Micic is one of the best-kept secrets of Zalgiris Kaunas as he is averaging 6.9 points and 4.6 assists per game. He is currently ninth in assists in the competition, which is impressive, but the problem with the 23-year-old guard is consistency. Even though he has the talent and skills to help his team get victories, he had bad nights which prove that he still needs time.
The Serbian guard is shooting a low 20% behind the arc, but he is efficient from inside the three-point line, where he shoots 51.1%. He loves passing the ball to his teammates to get them going and, and with one of the best point guards ever in Sarunas Jasikevicius as his coach, he can only become better as he learns from him.