By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
The annual vote for the best young European player of the year is under way and Eurohoops selects its best five in 2014! Read our choices and tell us your opinion in the comments area. The results by FIBA Europe will be announced in late January.
This is the 10th year that FIBA Europe organizes a voting for the best young European player and the process is the same. The fans can vote until 16th of January and their choices will be combined with that of a panel of selected experts – Eurohoops’ own Aris Barkas is among them. The candidates have been selected based on their performances and/or special achievements at both club and international competitions in 2014.
Each fan can vote 3 players, but Eurohoops voted its best 5 explaining each choice. We must clarify that the voting for the best young European player is tougher than the one for the best European because we compare players who haven’t played in the top level for many years or are younger than their competitors. And everybody recognizes that two years of experience in these ages can be like decade. For example, Dragan Bender is a huge talent but the impact of Saric, Antetokounmpo or Osman in the basketball is already known. Only Ricky Rubio won this award when he was 17!
1. Dario Saric (Croatia, Cibona/Efes)
The last winner of this award is the favorite to win it again like Valanciunas did. Rubio is out of discussion with three wins in row. So, Dario Saric has more minutes than any other player of Efes, he is first rebounder and second scorer of his team in the Euroleague and he was the cornerstone of Croatia in the last World Cup. Europe is too small for the Croatian forward.
In the Eurocup (Cibona): 12,9 points, 7,9 rebounds, 2,6 assists per game
In the Euroleague (Efes): 11,8 points, 6,2 rebounds, 3 assistsper game
In the World Cup: 11,7 points, 6,7 rebounds, 2,3 assists per game
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece, Milwaukee Bucks)
One and a half year ago Giannis Antetokounmpo was just one more prospect. Now he’s the second scorer and rebounder of Milwaukee Bucks and his progress is huge every month. Please have in mind that he’s playing less than 20 months in the top level! During last summer he played with Greek National Team in the World Cup and had an important role in its rotation. He is a real threat to Saric and if he gets it, it will not be a surprise.
In the NBA: 6,8 points, 4,4 rebounds, 1,9 assists per game
In the World Cup: 6,3 points, 4,3 rebounds, 0,3 assists per game
3. Cedi Osman (Turkey, Efes)
The MVP of the U20 European Championship last summer stepped up this season with Efes and proved that we must consider him as a Euroleague player and not as a prospect any more. Osman plays more than 20 minutes in the top level of European basketball at his 19 years and he played also in his first big tournament with Turkey in the last World Cup.
In the Euroleague: 7,2 points, 4,1 rebounds, 1,1 assists per game
In the World Cup: 2,3 points, 1 rebound, 0,1 assists per game
In the U20 European Championship: 13,7 points, 4,1 rebounds, 2,5 assists per game
4. Jusuf Nurkic (Bosnia, Cedevita)
Jusuf Nurkic dominated in the youth championships during the last two years and this summer he made the jump to the NBA where he plays 11 minutes per game with Denver Nuggets. Not bad for a 20-year old kid… The Bosnian center was named the MVP of the U18 European Championship Division B.
In the NBA: 4,9 points, 4,9 rebounds, 0,5 assists per game
In the Eurocup: 8,9 points, 3,3 rebounds, 0,6 assists per game
In the U20 European Championship Division B: 21,4 points, 12 rebounds, 3,3 assists per game
5. Aleksandar Vezenkov (Bulgaria, Aris)
The best Bulgarian player in the last qualification round for the Eurobasket is still 20 years old. Aleksandar Vezenkov was also the leading scorer in the U20 European Championship. The Bulgarian forward is the best young player in the Greek league with Aris the last two seasons and in the current season he is third scorer and fourth rebounder in the league.
In the Greek League: 17 points, 8,3 rebounds, 1,7 assists per game
In the Eurobasket 2nd qualifying round: 17,3 points, 6,3 rebounds, 15, assists per game
In the U20 European Championship: 19,3 points, 11,2 rebounds, 2,6 assists per game
.Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania, Unicaja/Gonzaga)
He’s two years younger than the other favorites to win the award and it’s expected that he will end up higher in the next two annual votes. Domantas Sabonis started last season to play solid minutes with Unicaja in the Spanish League and in Euroleague but decided to continue his career in Gonzaga college. In the U18 European Championship he was the leading rebounder of the tournament.
In the NCAA: 10,9 points, 5,8 rebounds, 0,8 assists per game
In the Euroleague: 2,7 points, 2 rebounds, 0,3 assists per game
In the U18 European Championship: 15,9 points, 12 rebounds, 3,6 assists per game
The list with all the Winners of Young Men award
2013 Dario Saric
2012 Jonas Valanciunas
2011 Jonas Valanciunas
2010 Jan Vesely
2009 Ricky Rubio
2008 Ricky Rubio
2007 Ricky Rubio
2006 Rudy Fernandez
2005 Nikos Zisis
Which is your opinion? You can answer below in the comments area and vote here