By George Orfanakis/ info@eurohoops.net
The 16 teams of the competition give their own battles each week in order to climb as high as possible in the rankings and get a step closer to their goals.
Of course, everything will be decided by the big protagonists: the players themselves! Some shine more than others, they are the contenders for the MVP award on a weekly basis and they skyrocket their value.
Eurohoops presents the Top 3 players in every position with the main criteria being each player’s individual performance and his contribution to the team’s progress…
The following players were left out of the list at the last minute: Georgios Printezis, and Adrien Moerman.
1. Derrick Williams
Stats: 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 14.2 PIR
Derrick Williams’ transfer to Bayern caused a lot of noise and, as it turns out about three months later, it wasn’t just a move to impress but an essential addition. The second overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft came to Europe and the EuroLeague with a large appetite and his presence on the court fully vindicates the Germans’ management.
The American forward has managed to shine with performances that combine spectacle and great solutions for Bayern. After becoming familiar with the new style of play in the first few games, Williams skyrocketed his performance levels and, with 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and lots of energy on both ends of the court, he takes the team from Munich to a higher level.
Of course, he’s a characteristic value-for-money choice! Everyone at the German club describes him as an excellent professional who spends extra hours on the court every day and who influences all of his teammates with his mentality. It will be interesting to see in the future whether he will stay with Bayern or cash in his performances at a bigger club or return to the NBA!
2. Tornike Shengelia
Stats: 13 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 16.1 PIR
Tornike Shengelia is one of the best players in the EuroLeague in the 4 position and despite the fact that he’s not having the best season of his career, he’s still one of the top power forwards in Europe.
Just one look at the Georgian’s stats is enough to demonstrate his multifaceted contribution, while the 40% from behind the 6.75m line with 9-for-22 in three-point shooting deserves a special mention and is something that forces rival big men to follow him continuously on the court. Shengelia is the Basques’ natural leader, the soul of the team who will sacrifice himself in defense and, at the same time, be the first one to run on the counter.
There’s no doubt that the other clubs in the competition would love to have him on their roster, but for now they have to think of how to stop him. Besides, with his strength, sharpness and scoring from every range, that’s not easy. Based on the PIR (16.1), Shengelia is the best power forward in the EuroLeague, but he “lost out” on points to Derrick Williams.
3. Anthony Randolph
Stats: 13.1 points, 46.9% in three-point field goals, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 14.9 PIR
The last choice is always the toughest since you’re forced to narrow it down to one name and leave the rest off the list. The ones that marginally didn’t make the Top 3 are the always good Georgios Printezis, but also Adrien Moerman, who has been outdoing himself and contributing greatly to Efes’s amazing course so far.
On the contrary, Anthony Randolph is ranked No.3 on the list of best power forwards, since, rather quietly, he’s been putting up the best numbers of his European career in the colors of Real Madrid. And if you think that his points (13.1) and his rebounds (4.9) are at normal levels for a player who is 2.11m tall, the same cannot be said for his percentage in three-point field goals, which is close to 47% with a total of 30-for-64!
On a roster with great individual units, Randolph is able to “fill up” his stats without being on the court for more than 22 minutes. Those are fewer compared to the other candidates and when you’re the most important player (based on the rankings) of the European champions, you automatically gain an advantage.