By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
We did it last year and we like to repeat our mistakes. So it’s time again for the EuroLeague quirky awards.
Mind you, this is not the basketball equivalent of the Golden Raspberry Awards. On the contrary, this distinction has real value and that’s why if there’s an addition worthy of mentioning before the end of the regular season, we will not hesitate to make it.
But so far, there are nine awards for things that need to be celebrated no matter what, from haircuts, shoes, and reactions, to celebrations, sharing content with fans, and more.
Most impressive haircut
Pink-haired Isaac Bonga (Bayern Munich)
Hair is not an easy topic and we have seen our share of elaborate or simply strange haircuts in the EuroLeague. But we have to go with the pink hair of Isaac Bonga this time, simply because of the Dennis Rodman vibe he brings to the league. And if you are too young to know who Dennis Rodman was, Google it, it’s worth your time.
Βest one-liner
“This is basketball not chess” – Andrea Trinchieri (Zalgiris Kaunas)
Coach Trinchieri: “If you are afraid to shoot the ball, you should play chess, the game is called basketball”#EuroLeague pic.twitter.com/3EqV7ce32S
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) January 4, 2024
This category should be renamed in the Trinchieri-Ataman Award and you can easily understand why. However, Trinchieri wins this time with his “this is basketball, not chess” one-liner, which oddly enough has created a minor controversy in the chess community.
Best shoes so far
Dzanan Musa (Real Madrid)
This is never an easy choice, but Musa has to win it. It’s not only about the choice of the shoes. Musa has a special edition of the Adidas D.O.N. issue four named after him, so this also must be celebrated.
Most disrespectful move
Larentzakis passes between Ibaka’s legs (Olympiacos)
Larentzakis nutmegging Ibaka in the closing seconds pic.twitter.com/XB7DMQaqUp
— Antonis Stroggylakis (@AStroggylakis) February 1, 2024
European basketball is all about efficiency and seeing crazy highlights is not our speciality. However, with the game on the line, Giannoulis Larentzakis of Olympiacos dared to pass between Serge Ibaka’s legs for a play that practically sealed the road win against Bayern in Munich. It doesn’t get much crazier than that.
Best social media presence
Chima Moneke (Baskonia)
Chima Moneke is always delivering when talking to the press. Plus he is very active on social media, making interesting remarks AND he has a brand new YouTube channel, in which he creates his own content. He is not the first to do it, but the effort and the quality of the content, paired with the demanding practice of Dusko Ivanovic, are a first.
Best celebration with the fans
Panathinaikos
Δείτε αυτή τη δημοσίευση στο Instagram.
It has become a tradition of sorts for Panathinaikos players to salute the ultras after each win and it never gets old. Add the presence of Mathias Lessort, last season’s winner of this category, in the mix with a packed OAKA and there’s no debate.
Best presentation
Partizan
Δείτε αυτή τη δημοσίευση στο Instagram.
This is a very close – and highly debated as always race – with Crvena Zvezda. Partizan wins by a hair and the true winner is basketball at Belgrade as a whole.
Best commentator reaction
Ali Traore’s cartwheel after ASVEL finally got a win
It’s one thing for a commentator to shout or say something smart, and it’s another to put on a real show after losing a bet. That’s what Ali Traore did on Skweek, when ASVEL finally got its first home win, performing a cartwheel on the court as he had promised to do.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram