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…
CSKA Moscow guard Nando De Colo was left out of the list the very last minute.
Alexey Shved
Stats: 25.3 points, 3 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 25.9 PIR
Alexey Shved is by far the best shooting guard in the EuroLeague but also one of the best players – regardless of positions – in the entire competition. A born scorer who transforms Khimki for the better and puts up stats that remind one of a different era or the NBA.
It’s also interesting how the Russian guard has been able to respond to those who, in previous years, accused him of not being altruistic enough. With 25.3 points and 7.4 assists, Shved stands out more than any other player in the areas of execution and creation, at the same time being Khimki’s spearhead and also their brain.
In just 8 appearances this season, Shved has as many games with a double-digit number of points, 7 of which with 20+. The only drawback in his stats are the 3.9 turnovers that come as a result of his increased responsibilities and the 33 minutes he’s on the court for. Any team would… beg to have the Russian on their roster, but his price is too expensive.
Cory Higgins
Stats: 15.6 points, 56.3% three-pointers, 2 assists, 14.9 PIR
Cory Higgins is a complete player, a byword for consistency, one of those players that every coach would like to have at his disposal. On a roster full of amazing athletes like CSKA Moscow’s, the American guard has managed to be considered one of the most valuable as a result of his contribution in offense and defense.
Dimitris Itoudis uses him for 24.36’ minutes per game and how could it be any different when Higgins scores an average of 15.9 points, dishes 2 assists and executes with the outrageously high 55.6% from the perimeter.
It will be interesting to see how Cory Higgins’ course will evolve in the coming weeks, since right now he’s the Russian team’s most efficient guard and one of the most valuable in the entire EuroLeague. This is the reason he was ranked so high in the recent MVP Ladder.