By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
Last summer was a transfer period in the EuroLeague that we’ll remember for a long time. Few summers in the past saw so many big names change teams. Even fewer saw those big names pick up exactly where they left off by leading the way for their new teams.
Here are the five most telling cases of such stars:
NANDO DE COLO
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | Guard | June 23, 1987 | France
Nando de Colo is used to being a protagonist in the EuroLeague. His countless individual distinctions, along with those he has helped his teams achieve, are more than enough proof. It couldn’t be any different on a team like Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, where there were plenty of big names even before his he joined them.
The two-time EuroLeague champion (2016, 2019), MVP of the season (2015-16) and Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy winner (2016) – all with CSKA Moscow (2014-19) – isn’t just Fenerbahce’s leader in certain statistical categories. The 32-year-old French point guard is, in fact, leading the entire EuroLeague in scoring and performance index rating.
2018-19 vs. 2019-20
14.7 PTS 20.9 (career-high)
55.2% 2FG 63.2% (career-high)
43.1% 3FG 50% (career-high)
94.6% FT 96.3% (career-high)
2.5 REB 3.4
3.4 AST 2.6
0.9 STL 0.6
0 BLK 0.1
2.1 TOV 2.7
24:14 MIN 30:38 (career-high)
16.4 PIR 22
CORY HIGGINS
FC Barcelona | Guard | June 14, 1989 | USA
Cory Higgins didn’t need much time at all to introduce himself to EuroLeague fans in 2015, but he needed a total of four years in CSKA for his signing with FC Barcelona to become one of the summer’s biggest. Within a short period of time he has become a barometer for the Spanish team, too.
The 30-year-old American shooting guard is coming off a career-high scoring performance (27 points) in a road win at Zalgiris Kaunas. He’s the second-best scorer on his new team, but his contribution extends to all statistical categories.
2018-19 vs. 2019-20
14.9 PTS 13.8
49.3% 2FG 35.5%
49% 3PT 66.7% (career-high)
89.7% FT 90.5% (career-high)
2.2 REB 2.2
1.8 AST 2.5 (career-high)
0.4 STL 0.8
0.3 BLK 0
1.3 TOV 1.5
25:25 MIN 26:53 (career-high)
14.4 PIR 13.7
MIKE JAMES
CSKA Moscow | Guard | August 18, 1990 | USA
Mike James is one of those players who enjoys a challenge. His transfer from AX Armani Exchange Milan (2018-19) to the reigning champions of CSKA after De Colo and Sergio Rodriguez departed definitely counts as a new challenge. The 29-year-old American point guard has immediately shown that he was ready to respond and to lead the effort to defend the title.
In the first seven games, the winner of last season’s Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy leads the Russian team in scoring and assists, while his overall PIR – he leads CSKA in this category, too – ranks him seventh in the competition.
2018-19 vs. 2019-20
19.8 PTS 18.4
47% 2FG 48.4%
32.6% 3FG 40% (career-high)
82.6% FT 75%
3.8 REB 2.9
6.4 AST 4.9
1.3 STL 0.9
0 BLK 0.1 (career-high)
2.6 TOV 3 (career-high)
33:56 MIN 27:02
20.2 PIR 18.7
SERGIO RODRIGUEZ
AX Armani Exchange Milan | Guard | June 12, 1986 | Spain
There’s no better time for an athlete to choose a new challenge than when they’re on top. Rodriguez, after first helping CSKA get back to the top of the EuroLeague, left for Italy, where Milan had already started making plans for its own resurgence.
Leading the Italian team in points, assists and the PIR, the 33-year-old Spanish point guard and former EuroLeague MVP (2013-14) is a catalyst in helping Milan move in the right direction. His new team is currently tied with Barcelona for first place with a 6-1 record.
2018-19 vs. 2019-20
10.2 PTS 15.7 (career-high)
45.8% 2FG 42.9%
39.2% 3FG 43.6%
87.8% FT 95.8% (career-high)
1.5 REB 2.3 (career-high)
4.5 AST 5
0.7 STL 1.1
0.1 BLK 0.3 (career-high)
2.2 TOV 2.6 (career-high)
21:51 MIN 27:26 (career-high)
9.1 PIR 16 (career-high)
DERRICK WILLIAMS
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | Forward | May 25, 1991 | USA
Derrick Williams is a sophomore in the EuroLeague, but his prior experience and his performances for FC Bayern Munich last season don’t really allow one to call him that. The 28-year-old American power forward has continued at the same high level in Fenerbahce, where the demands are even heavier.
He’s the only player on the Turkish team besides De Colo whose scoring average reaches double digits. At the same time, he leads Fenerbahce in rebounds and steals while boasting the team’s second-highest PIR.
2018-19 vs. 2019-20
13.4 PTS 10.4
54.2% 2FG 54.2% (career high)
33.3% 3FG 31.4%
78.4% FT 58.3%
4.2 REB 5 (career high)
0.6 AST 1.4 (career high)
0.6 STL 1.3 (career high)
0.5 BLK 0.3
1.5 TOV 0.9 (career low)
26:02 MIN 26:41 (career high)
14.2 PIR 11.4