By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
2017 is gone, the “European Player of the Year” is here. The only thing you have to do is vote for that player by picking him out of 20 candidates as chosen by Eurohoops’ editorial team.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (23 years old, 2.11m.)
Team: Milwaukee Bucks
Position: F
2016-17 NBA stats: 22.9 points | 8.8 rebounds | 5.4 assists | 1.6 steals | 1.9 blocks | 2.9 turnovers | 35.6 minutes
The Greek Freak gets better every year. After killing it last season as an All-Star for the first time in his career, NBA Most Improved Player and member of the All-NBA Second Team as well as NBA All-Defensive Second Team, he’s now moving along MVP of the season levels.
Nicolas Batum (29 years old, 2.03m.)
Team: Charlotte Hornets
Position: G/F
2016-17 NBA stats: 15.1 points | 6.2 rebounds | 5.9 assists | 1.1 steals | 0.4 blocks | 2.5 turnovers | 34.0 minutes
He completed last season with career-high averages in points and rebounds and helped the Hornets return to the playoffs. Even though his stats have dropped, they’re getting close to those levels again in the first half of the new season.
Bogdan Bogdanovic (25 years old, 1.98m.)
Team: Fenerbahce/Sacramento Kings – National team of Serbia
Position: G
2016-17 EuroLeague stats: 14.6 points | 3.8 rebounds | 3.6 assists | 1.1 steals | 0.3 blocks | 2.4 turnovers | 27.9 minutes
2017 EuroBasket stats: 20.4 points | 3.4 rebounds | 5.0 assists | 1.2 steals | 0.1 blocks | 1.7 turnovers | 31.8 minutes
A EuroLeague Champion and member of the All-EuroLeague First Team with Fenerbahce, runner-up with Serbia in Europe, member of the All-Tournament Team and fifth best scorer in the EuroBasket, and a contract in the NBA with the Kings. 2017 had a bit of everything for the “Leader of the Horde”.
Bojan Bogdanovic (29 years old, 2.03m.)
Team: Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers – National team of Croatia
Position: F
2016-17 NBA stats: 13.7 points | 3.4 rebounds | 1.4 assists | 0.4 steals | 0.1 blocks | 1.6 turnovers | 25.7 minutes
2017 EuroBasket stats: 22.5 points | 4.8 rebounds | 1.0 assists | 1.2 steals | 0.0 blocks | 2.7 turnovers | 32.1 minutes
He spent last season in three different teams, the last one being the Pacers, where he had already become a key player. His summer wasn’t very different and even though the national team of Croatia didn’t manage to stand out in the EuroBasket, he himself was able to do so as the fourth best scorer of the competition.
Nick Calathes (29 years old, 1.98m.)
Team: Panathinaikos – National team of Greece
Position: G
2016-17 EuroLeague stats: 9.8 points | 4.0 rebounds | 5.5 assists | 1.5 steals | 0.2 blocks | 2.1 turnovers | 27.2 minutes
2017 EuroBasket stats: 13.6 points | 3.4 rebounds | 5.0 assists | 1.3 steals | 0.0 blocks | 1.7 turnovers | 27.7 minutes
He completed last season with a career-high in points both at a club and international level, and with his stats always full. However, that wasn’t enough to take Panathinaikos beyond the EuroLeague playoffs and the Greek national team beyond the quarterfinals of the EuroBasket. The new season has already found him on course for a career-high assist average in the EuroLeague.
Nando De Colo (31 years old, 1.96m.)
Team: CSKA Moscow – National team of France
Position: G
2016-17 EuroLeague stats: 19.1 points | 2.9 rebounds | 3.9 assists | 1.0 steals | 0.1 blocks | 3.3 turnovers | 27.1 minutes
2017 EuroBasket stats: 13.8 points | 2.5 rebounds | 2.3 assists | 1.8 steals | 0.0 blocks | 1.7 turnovers | 27.1 minutes
He led CSKA Moscow all the way to the Final Four of the EuroLeague and made the repeat in terms of his presence on the All-EuroLeague First Team. He was also one of France’s best players in the EuroBasket but in what was, once again, an incomplete effort.
Luka Doncic (19 years old, 1.99m.)
Team: Real Madrid – National team of Slovenia
Position: G
2016-17 EuroLeague stats: 7.8 points | 4.5 rebounds | 4.2 assists | 0.9 steals | 0.2 blocks | 1.8 turnovers | 19.9 minutes
2017 EuroBasket stats: 14.3 points | 8.1 rebounds | 3.6 assists | 0.9 steals | 0.3 blocks | 1.3 turnovers | 29.1 minutes
The boy wonder of European basketball is already on the path to conquer the world. Despite still being a teenager, he already has a leading role in Real Madrid, just like he did in the Slovenian national team all the way to realizing the dream of winning the EuroBasket and, in fact, as a member of the All-Tournament Team. Next stop: NBA.
Goran Dragic (32 years old, 1.90m.)
Team: Miami Heat – National team of Slovenia
Position: G
2016-17 NBA stats: 20.3 points | 3.8 rebounds | 5.8 assists | 1.2 steals | 0.2 blocks | 2.9 turnovers | 33.7 minutes
2017 EuroBasket stats: 22.6 points | 4.4 rebounds | 5.1 assists | 1.6 steals | 0.0 blocks | 2.6 turnovers | 27.9 minutes
His best season in the NBA continued accordingly in the EuroBasket as well, where, as the MVP, he led the Slovenian national team to an unprecedented triumph. He doesn’t seem willing to slow down, as he’s also an All-Star for the first time in his career.