By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
We rated the players on a scale of 1 to 10 in five different areas to reveal the competitive value of each so far this season.
Honorable mentions: Edy Tavares (Real Madrid), James Nunnally (Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv), Vasilije Micic (Anadolu Efes), Luke Sikma (ALBA Berlin).
#4 MIKE JAMES (previous rank: 2nd)
AS Monaco | Guard | 18 August 1990 | USA
14 pts | 3.3 reb | 5.1 ast | 1.9 stl | 0 blk | 2.9 tov | 29:34 min | 4 PIR | 9 G
Player performance: 8
Team’s course: 7
Role of the player: 9
Consistency: 7
Leadership: 9
Total: 40
It’s still early, but AS Monaco has already gone through some memorable situations in its EuroLeague debut. The 5-4 start, apart from being tied for eighth place, demonstrates the team’s high goals rather than succumbing to growing pains. Mike James has been a key part of that.
He unpredictably ranks 11th in points scored, but sits second in both assists and steals. Recent poor shooting showings failed to reduce his anticipated productivity, but have knocked him to 21st place in the PIR standings and out of second place in the first MVP Ladder. Despite that decline, he has established himself as a player capable of overcoming adversity.
#4 WILL CLYBURN (previous rank: new entry)
CSKA Moscow | Forward | 17 May 1990 | USA
16.7 pts | 5.6 reb | 1.2 ast | 0.8 stl | 0.4 blk | 2 tov | 29:09 min | 17.3 PIR | 9 G
Player performance: 8
Team course: 7
Role of the player: 9
Consistency: 8
Leadership: 8
Total: 40
Tornike Shengelia was firing on all cylinders before being forced to the injury list, ahead of the first MVP Ladder. Despite the ensuing rough patch and currently being tied for eighth place at 5-4, it would be a huge error to misjudge Will Clyburn and CSKA Moscow. Startlingly, the three-game losing streak was snapped with a 74-73 victory over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in Round 9 despite Clyburn being limited to one of his worst performances in the competition. CSKA had lost three games in a row only once before since the introduction of the new format in 2016-17.
Even so, he is CSKA’s go-to guy. Standing fourth in points, 13th in rebounds, and sixth in PIR and also carrying the team through the injury crisis, prove as much.