By Giorgos Orfanakis/ info@eurohoops.net
The EuroLeague is in full swing and every week the main protagonists give their best on the court in order to take their teams at the highest possible level.
Some are doing splendidly, some have outdone themselves and some others didn’t justify expectations and, as a result, were left out of the final selections.
Take a look back at the selections for the All-EuroLeague Second Team
With the main criteria being the player’s performance and his contribution to the team’s game, Eurohoops picked out and presents here this season’s All-EuroLeague First Team.
Alexey Shved is absent due to limited appearances
Kostas Sloukas
Stats: 11.4 points, 4.8 assists, 48.7% in three-point field goals, 15.6 PIR
How could he be missing? Kostas Sloukas has taken root in Turkey and is now clearly Fenerbahce Beko’s leader who enjoys the trust of Zeljko Obradovic and is impeccably guiding his team at the top of the standings and towards securing the home court advantage.
The Greek guard is having the best season of his career, which translates into 11.4 points and 4.8 assists, while he’s showing a great appetite in defense and is executing with a percentage that reaches 50% in three-point field goals. What makes Sloukas so special? His cool-headed decisions at crucial moments and his excellent collaboration with the team’s big men (mainly Jan Vesely) are what elevate his teammates and the entire team.
At 28 years of age, Sloukas is more mature than ever and is among the top point guards in the competition. His goal, of course, is to win his 4th (!) European title and, as the years go by, become the absolute record holder.
Cory Higgins
Stats: 15.6 points, 1.9 assists, 56.3% in three-point field goals, 15 PIR
Alexey Shved’s injury didn’t allow the EuroLeague’s big scorer to take part in more than 8 games and, as a result, he was left out of the First Team at the last minute.
His place was taken by a player who has just as much quality and is just as useful. We’re talking about Cory Higgins, who, for yet another season, is outdoing himself as he proves that he’s one of the biggest “killers” of European courts, with 15.6 points on average and the outrageously high 56.3% from outside the three-point line.
CSKA Moscow’s roster is well known. Among others, it includes Nando De Colo and Will Clyburn, but none of them is the team’s top scorer. This particular title belongs to Cory Higgins, who’s a pain in the neck for rival coaches every night and who gives basketball fans thrilling moments on the court.
Will Clyburn
Stats: 14.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 20.4 PIR
A player who had his place locked in from early on. Will Clyburn is without a doubt the best player in the EuroLeague in the 3 position and his selection to the All-EuroLeague First Team is the minimum recognition he deserves for his amazing improvement over the years.
The American forward does everything on the court. He scores, passes, plays defense, is the first to run on the counter, fights for every loose ball, plucks rebounds like… daisies and is a threat from any kind of range and in every way.
Of course, Dimitris Itoudis is well aware of all this and this is why he uses Clyburn more than any other player and rewards him for his contribution with 28.37 minutes in every game. Is there a greater badge of honor than being the most useful player on a team that is a championship contender?
Derrick Williams
Stats: 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 40% in three-point field goals, 14.6 PIR
The absolute MVP of this season’s FC Bayern Munich! He’s the reason the Germans can dream of a qualification for the playoffs and look square in the eyes top-class opponents through a combination of substance, energy and spectacle.
Of course, Derrick Williams doesn’t play alone but he has exceeded initial expectations by fully vindicating Bayern’s management, who brought him from the other side of the Atlantic. Averaging 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and the highly satisfactory 40% from behind the 6.75 line, the American provides solutions in every way and contributes greatly in every aspect of the game.
Let’s not forget that we’re talking about the 2nd overall pick of the 2011 draft and a resume that, among other things, includes 428 appearances in the NBA. Williams’ character and the appetite he has shown over these first months in Germany deserve a special mention. Bayern’s people describe him as an excellent professional who has elevated the entire team and, through his presence on and off the court, he’s the key player who boosts everyone else too.
Jan Vesely
Stats: 14.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 67.3% in two-point field goals, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 21.8 PIR
The most valuable player in this season’s EuroLeague based on the rating system. The most dominant center. One of the most important reasons Fenerbahce Beko are marching ahead of everyone else in the standings. The absolute favorite to win the MVP of the season award. We could write enthusiastic comments about Jan Vesely… all night but his performance speaks for itself.
The Czech center is having a magical season, by far the best of his career, with an average of 14.9 points and career highs in most statistical categories. The 67.3% in two-point field goals is considered impressive for the approximately 8 shots he takes on in every game, while his 85% in free throws, which is a result of hard work, also deserves a special mention. (Read Eurohoops’ relevant feature)
Vesely is a multi-tool with inexhaustible sources of energy in offense and defense, while he’s about to pull off an historic achievement: become the first center in the history of the EuroLeague to win the MVP of the season award!