By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
#10 CURTIS JERRELLS – 1.85
The American guard is in his seventh season in the EuroLeague and his second stint with AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan (2013-14, 2017-today), his fifth team in the competition and the only one with which he has spent more than one season. His best EuroLeague campaign to date was with Besiktas Istanbul in 2013, when he averaged 14.2 points and almost the same performance index rating (14.1) in 17 games.
#9 DOGUS BALBAY – 1.85
The Anadolu Efes Istanbul team captain seems to get better every season, and now he has established himself as a key rotation piece for Efes, for which he has been playing since 2011. This season is on pace to be the best of his eight in the EuroLeague, though the sample so far is small. His game-winning three-pointer in the Round 3 victory against Khimki Moscow Region in the Russian capital is one reason alongside his career highs of 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
#8 DERRICK WALTON JR – 1.85
After a dreamlike season last year that culminated in its return to the Final Four, Zalgiris Kaunas is aiming high this season too and that is why they have made sure to man their roster accordingly. Their latest addition answers to the name of Derrick Walton Jr. The guard will play outside of his native United States for the first time and he’s hoping to have an experience that he’ll be able to recount for years to come.
#7 MIKE JAMES – 1.85
In his fifth season in the EuroLeague, Milan’s American guard doesn’t need an introduction. He has already appeared once in the Final Four (with KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2016) and is hoping he will have a similar run in his first season with the Italian champs. James’s averages are already better than ever before; he’s on pace to set career highs in scoring (18.7 ppg.), assists (5.7 apg.) and index rating (18.7).
#6 JOHN DIBARTOLOMEO – 1.83
His second season with Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv is also the second in the EuroLeague for DiBartolomeo, who was named team captain during last season. A former Israeli League MVP, DiBartolomeo provided a spark off the bench for Maccabi in his debut in which the team faltered down the stretch and missed the playoffs. This season he and his team are looking for more.
#5 SHANE LARKIN – 1.82
The American guard came back from his home country for his second season in the EuroLeague with the hope of helping Efes fulfill their goals. Larkin’s first EuroLeague campaign was in 2016-17 with Baskonia, when he averaged 13.1 points, 5.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Based on what he showed then, Efes fans have lots of reasons for optimism with Larkin.