By Giorgos Orfanakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Players available for EuroLeague clubs make an endless list. Some of them moved their talents to the Chinese CBA during the 2018-19 season. Eurohoops picked out ten talented players from the Chinese League that can easily fit in the roster of any EuroLeague side.
Lately, CBA has become a big wound for the European market, with a lot of players opting for the hefty contracts and the shorter season. However, many players are expected to make their EuroLeague comeback this summer. Europe’s premier competition is once again ready to entice many players who want to compete in a league that clearly has more quality and to experience real competition.
Eurohoops presents some interesting cases of players who shined on Chinese courts in the 2018-2019 season and who will be targeted by European clubs.
Malcolm Delaney
2018-19 Stats: 19.4 points, 5.6 assists, 6.1 rebounds, 41.6% in three-point field goals
He’s one of the most talked about names among basketball fans. His views, his honest answers on Twitter and his criticism regarding everything that is happening around us, make Malcolm Delaney a favorite topic of discussion.
The American guard is an amazing player with experience in the EuroLeague, China and the NBA. Last season he played in the colors of the Guangdong Southern Tigers in 37 games, averaging 19.4 points, 5.6 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 41.6% in three-point field goals.
He has proven he can act as a leader and hold his own at the highest level. For the past few months he has been taking his time, preparing his next move. The European team that will manage to persuade him will have automatically upped their level in the backcourt.
Aaron Jackson
2018-19 Stats: 25 points, 7.6 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 40.4% in three-point field goals
Aaron Jackson’s name is going to be heard a lot in the European market this summer. Besides, there aren’t too many players who have won the EuroLeague title, have the experience of 166 games in Europe’s premier competition and are free agents.
The American guard wants to return to Europe and, armed with specific competitive features, he’s expected to find a good contract. He’s a fast and athletic point guard, with great ability in scoring and creating, energy in offense and defense but also the willingness to adapt to the role he will be assigned.
Justin Hamilton
2018-19 Stats: 23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 38% in three-point field goals
Justin Hamilton is one of those big men who are rare in European basketball. With a height of 2.13m, he can provide great solutions close to the basket but at the same time he can move away from it and execute from the perimeter with great success.
It’s telling that in Valencia in 2015 he completed the season with 40% in three-point field goals, in the Brooklyn Nets a year later he executed with 31%, and since then he has been doing splendidly in China, averaging 23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 38% in three-point field goals.
Ioannis Bourousis
2018-19 Stats: 16.5 points, 3.7 assists, 8 rebounds
There’s no need for any special recommendations when it comes to Ioannis Bourousis. Basketball fans know the Greek center very well as he had a great career in the EuroLeague before making the decision to try something completely different with the Zhejiang Lions. These two years have gone very well for Bourousis, who, this season, appeared in 45 games and averaged 16.5 points, 3.7 assists and 8 rebounds in almost 28 minutes of playing time.
At 35 years of age Bourousis is still a very good option for any European club. Besides, the way he plays isn’t heavily affected by his age, while his experience and presence in the locker room can help the whole function of a team.
Joseph Young
2018-19 Stats: 36.1 points, 5.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds
One of the biggest names on this list, a player with talent to spare and a bright future. Joseph Young was selected with the 43rd pick in the 2015 NBA draft and in the three years that followed he appeared in 127 games with the Indiana Pacers, averaging 3.4 points and 1 assist.
In the summer of 2018 he decided to move to China for the Nanjing Monkey Kings, where he had a full season with 43 games and an average of 36.1 points. Young is a genuine scorer who graduated from Oregon with an average of 20.7 points and was one of the best players in the NCAA in 2014. A possible move to Europe would mean that a team would have to reach deep in their pockets but at the same time they would be adding to their roster an amazing 26-year-old player.