By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Three polls. Three winners. Thousands of readers voted for their best of the best for this past decade and now it’s time to wrap up the results of the three major polls we set up in December 2019:
- Best European NBA player
- Best EuroLeague player
- Best EuroLeague coach
Scroll down and let’s begin with the results!
BEST EUROPEAN NBA PLAYER – DIRK NOWITZKI
Dirk Nowitzki received a compelling 46% of a total of 2,321 votes to be named the Best European NBA player of the Decade by Eurohoops’ readers!
The 2011 NBA champion and finals MVP hang up his shoes at the end of the 2018-19 season for the Mavericks, leaving behind a great legacy for the future generations. A 14-time NBA All-Star (2002–2012, 2014, 2015, 2019), 4-time All-NBA First Team (2005–2007, 2009), 5-time All-NBA Second Team (2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011) and 3-time All-NBA Third Team (2001, 2004, 2012), he is arguably one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Runner-up: Nikola Jokic (24%)
Third-place: Giannis Antetokounmpo (16%)
BEST EUROLEAGUE PLAYER – VASSILIS SPANOULIS
Vassilis Spanoulis received 35% of 3,131 votes and was named the best EuroLeague Player of this past Decade. ‘Kill Bill’ lifted two EuroLeague trophies with Olympiacos (2012, 2013) and completed the decade as the second-top scorer of the competition’s history behind Juan Carlos Navarro, a record he could break into his first game in 2020 (only 10 points away from taking over the top spot).
To add up to his decade collection, he was named 2012-13 season MVP, as well as Final Four MVP in 2012 and 2013.
Runner-up: Dimitris Diamantidis (21%)
Third-place: Bogdan Bogdanovic (13%)
BEST EUROLEAGUE COACH – ZELJKO OBRADOVIC
There is no doubt that Obradovic defined this past decade with his work in Panathinaikos and Fenerbahce. Our readers handed him nearly half of their votes (49%) to name him the best EuroLeague coach of the decade!
A two-time EuroLeague champion and coach of the year for this decade (2011, 2017), ‘Zoc’ has elevated both Panathinaikos and Fenerbahce to the elite of European basketball and earned 1,690 of a total 3,450 votes.
Runner-up: Xavi Pascual (16%)
Third-place: Pablo Laso (13%)
From all of us at Eurohoops, happy new year!