By Giorgos Orfanakis / info@eurohoops.net
The sample from this season is now large enough: 15 rounds, 120 clashes and thousands of minutes of basketball, with the big protagonists often outdoing themselves.
Eurohoops follows up on a tradition that began last season and presents the Top 3 players in every position for the first half of the season. The criteria that shaped the final selection are the following:
- Performance: A player’s performance and presence on the court in at least 10 games! His contribution in the different statistical categories and the degree to which he met the demands in terms of what was expected of him.
- Role: How important is this player in the overall picture of the whole? How crucial is his role for the team, and to what extent can it remain at the same level without him?
- Team’s course: It’s not enough for a player to have played well. He has to have guided his team on a decent course, according to the expectations that existed before the start of the season.
- Quality: There are some players who belong to the so-called “top shelf,” with their value and quality seriously taken into account.
Subjective view: As is always the case in such matters, the subjective element has the final say. Besides, what could be better than conversations and arguments about basketball?
It’s the small forwards’ turn, among whom one comes across important “multi-tools” who play a key role in their teams and contribute in different areas of the game.
1. Will Clyburn
Team: CSKA Moscow
Stats: 12.7 points, 6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 14.7 PIR
Age: 27
Will Clyburn was transferred to CSKA Moscow from Darussafaka and right away proved that he has all it takes to shine in a top club. His start was more than impressive and despite the fact there was a small slump in his performance, he remains the top forward in the EuroLeague!
Who else in this position can grab a rebound (6), run the court, create plays for himself and execute from the perimeter with such ease? The American has the body and athletic qualities that are a perfect match for modern basketball and at the same time provide Dimitris Itoudis with the opportunity to attack in different ways with him on the court.
Clyburn grabs rebounds like a center, scores 12.7 points per game (41.3% 3p), and with his long limbs makes the difference in offense and defense coming from the bench. Never in the past did CSKA have a player with this set of characteristics!
2. Luigi Datome
Team: Fenerbahce
Stats: 11.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 47.5% in 3p, 12.1 PIR
Age: 30
Luigi Datome is a genuine shooter and his performances in this first half of the season have created headaches for every rival defense! The Italian forward contributed greatly to Fenerbahce’s historic win last season and this season he’s even better.
The fact he has scored double digits in 11 of his team’s 15 games is telling, while he executes with the particularly high 47.5% from outside the three-point line. Datome has managed to raise his averages both in points (11.7) as well as rebounds (4.1), while he’s always ready to score when the ball is “hot”.
The Italian might not be as complete as other players in this position, but Zeljko Obradovic knows that in the department of execution he’s top notch! This is why he keeps him on the court for more than 27 minutes, as he is an integral part of the European champions.