Βy Aris Barkas and Stavros Barbarousis/ info@eurohoops.net
A Top 50 players ranking is always a challenge, and even if some things remain stable compared to last season, the initial idea was to present this season a Top 30 list.
This proved to be a very challenging task, since the really good players who were left out were simply too many. However, even starting from those considered top names and working the other way around didn’t help things much.
Εven with the list extension, somehow, Alec Peters just missed the cut despite shooting 52,3% in threes, which is crazy if you think about it. Injured big names like Mathias Lessort and Vincent Poirier were not included, and even legends of the competition couldn’t sneak in.
After all, nobody can have the same opinion, and raw numbers are not always telling the truth. It has to be noted, also, that Valencia doesn’t have a player in the list, while Bayern and Baskonia had almost the same fate. This is a testament to the level of talent the league has and also of the decision to include NBA newcomers in the list, contrary to previous years, even if this is always a risky move since the EuroLeague is a strange animal.
Once more, backcourt players are the majority of the list, not only because top-level centers are hard to find, but also because the game in Europe remains much more guard-oriented.
He is a legend, and his performance may be the key to his team exceeding expectations.
The only representative of LDLC ASVEL in the list without the help of Theo Maledon must make things happen at his 38 years of age.
Bayern was hit hard by injuries, and that left him as the only player of his club in the list, but nobody can deny his outstanding shooting ability.
Hot from a stellar Eurobasket, he moved to Istanbul and can have an impact on a contender.
46. Richaun Holmes (Panathinaikos)
The first NBA gamble of the list. Considering that Lessort will be out for a significant part of the season, Holmes is expected to have a key role for the Greeks.
45. Bonzie Colson (Fenerbahce)
In his first season in Fenerbahce, he was vital in the championship run, and this is not going to change anytime soon.
He had a great season in Crvena Zvezda, and in Dubai, he will have the chance to showcase his talent even more.
We still believe in Howard; he is the only Baskonia player in the list and maybe the only hope in the team to avoid being an afterthought in the league.
Much more than the glue guy of his team, he is the key to balancing the performance of the roster, doing what the team needs him to.
41. Jaylen Hoard (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
Strictly by his numbers, you can argue he could be ranked higher, but those numbers didn’t translate to wins.
40. Kostas Sloukas (Panathinaikos)
After his incredible Final Four in 2024, he was No. 2 on the list. The fact that he is now at no.40 proves how relative this kind of ranking is to recent success.
This might be the biggest gamble on the list, but we believe in Shake.
38. Codi Miller McIntyre (Crvena Zvezda)
He was one of the main reasons for Zvezda’s run last year, and he can do even better.
37. Nikola Milutinov (Olympiacos)
If he stays healthy, he can be the best center in the league.
He is representing Paris, and he is the main link to the previous, impressive era.
35. Sylvain Fransisco (Zalgiris)
He emerged as the leader of Zalgiris last season, but couldn’t get the team to the playoffs.
His numbers during the season were mediocre, but in the Final Four, he was more than crucial for Fenerbahce.
His addition to Monaco last season practically changed the whole outlook of the team.
32. Jerian Grant (Panathinaikos)
He is to Panathinaikos what Devon Hall is to Fenerbahce, and you can argue that as a defender, he is even better.
The newcomer of Real Madrid was in front of Sasha Vezenkov in Sacramento’s rotation, so you get the point.
He was one of the standouts of Bayern Munich, and he was rewarded with a deal in Milan as a projected starter over Josh Nebo.
29. Nigel Williams-Goss (Zalgiris)
He got the biggest contract ever in Zalgiris‘ history, he was the floor general of Olympiacos, and a EuroLeague champion with Real Madrid.
28. Chima Moneke (Crvena Zvezda)
By the numbers, he should have been ranked higher, but those numbers must translate to wins, and last season in Baskonia, that was not the case.
27. Juancho Hernangomez (Panathinaikos)
In light of the injury woes of PAO’s front line last season, Juancho had a hell of a year and must be rewarded.
His first EuroLeague season was good but not great, and now he can do even more damage.
Like Hall, he made some of the biggest shots of the Final Four for Fenerbahce, and this means he can really make a difference.
He stole the show in Bayern, but ended up in Bologna, so the jury remains undecided about his trajectory despite his obvious talent.
23. Mario Hezonja (Real Madrid)
There’s no doubt about his talent. The question is whether he can keep up with Real Madrid’s tradition of dominating, not just winning.
22. Cedi Osman (Panathinaikos)
After a slow start returning from the NBA, he found his rhythm and emerged as one of the best small forwards in Europe.
Considering his role in his new team, he might be a candidate for the top scorer award. He will be the most important player on the team, which was not the case in Madrid.
20. Lonnie Walker (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
After giving a sample of his abilities in the EuroLeague, he returned to the more American-friendly team of the league. So his numbers may end up being crazy.
19. Tornike Shengelia (Barcelona)
The years are passing by, and Toko is still the definition of a leader who must prove it by leading Barcelona back to the Final Four, which is not going to be easy.
He couldn’t lead Barcelona to the Final Four, and now he has the same challenge with Partizan’s jersey. Regardless, he is a great player who has found his happy place and regained the joy of the game in Europe.
17. Elijah Bryant (Hapoel Tel Aviv)
He steadily climbed the ladder and got to be part of the Top contracts list, which is an indication of his abilities. He was one of the standouts of Anadolu Efes last year and got rewarded for that.
In a way, he is the replacement for Bryant, being last season’s top defender in the league and a guy who brings only good things to the floor. The question he needs to answer is whether those qualities translate to a Final Four run.
15. Theo Maledon (Real Madrid)
He is the point guard of the future for Real Madrid, who can also be an asset in the present. He proved this beyond any doubt with ASVEL, and now the stakes are even higher because the demands are much, much bigger.
He had a season to remember with the Italian team, which, unfortunately for him and his club, was buried by the fact that they missed the postseason. However, LeDay has established himself as one of the best power forwards in the league in a spot with too much competition.
He was the player making all the decisions in Barcelona, and his performance might make or break the season. Simply put, he is the key, and if he gets better, then Barcelona’s chances for something big drastically improve. If not…
12. Talon Horton-Tucker (Fenerbahce)
The champions needed a big name to cover for losing Nigel Hayes-Davis and got exactly that, even if they don’t play in the same position. The former Laker can emerge as the best player in the league by the end of the season, but on the other hand, the competition is fierce, and he is a “EuroLeague rookie”.
11. Vasilje Micic (Hapoel Tel Aviv)
The former MVP and back-to-back champion with Efes returns to Europe with a record contract, and everyone is watching him. There have been many doubts about his conditioning, but if he is back to his old self sooner rather than later, then the sky is the limit for him and Hapoel.
10. Facundo Campazzo (Real Madrid)
He remains one of the top EuroLeague players, but after his return to Europe and especially to Real Madrid, something is missing. In theory, playing for the team he loves in the city he adores should be enough for winning the title, which didn’t happen with him on board, losing the final of 2024 and missing the Final Four in 2025. He can change that and get back near the top of the list.
Despite his age and injury woes, when he was back into rhythm last season, Anadolu Efes was scary on the court. If he can still play on the same level and be consistent throughout the season, then a return to the old glories of the back-to-back titles era can’t be excluded.
Ηe is turning into a paradox, having amazing numbers and not being able to translate them into winning the EuroLeague, despite being the MVP in 2022. So what can be done? The question can be answered only by him on the court, and also by Monaco, his new team, which aims for the top.
He returned to Europe to win the EuroLeague and made it to the Final Four, but despite his effort, his team collapsed in the semifinal. His numbers are not that flashy, but his aura on the court and the way he can take over a game instantly put him clearly among the Top 10 players of the league.
On paper, the return of a gifted guard like Campazzo should change the balance in Real Madrid. This was not the case with Tavares, being unique and the only center in the Top 20, since Mathias Lessort is still injured. It’s not only a matter of numbers; Tavares can change the game simply with his presence in the paint like very few in Europe can.
The defending champions should have a representative in the Top 5, and Wade Baldwin is the most obvious choice. It has to be noted that his last season’s numbers do not agree with him being that high; still, he was a very big part of a winning effort and remains one of the top offensive options of Fenerbahce. So that’s more than enough.
He was not part of the MVP discussion last year, even though his numbers and his on-court presence were near that level. James remains one of the top stars of the league, and making it to the next level clearly has to do with winning it all with Monaco. The EuroLeague trophy is pretty much the only thing missing in his career.
He was putting up MVP-caliber numbers, and his season with Paris basketball was an instant classic. Moving to a perennial contender puts the stakes even higher, and the bottom line remains simple. He must win it all and compete for the top against one of his teammates.
2. Sasha Vezenkov (Olympiacos)
He didn’t stay for a long time in the NBA, and he returned to pick up from where he left off. Like in James’ case, Vezenkov – and Olympiacos – need to get the EuroLeague trophy to get the monkey off their back, and that’s the only thing that keeps him away from the top.
1. Kendrick Nunn (Panathinaikos)
He is the defending MVP, he can take over any game, and he already has a EuroLeague title under his belt. If Nigel Hayes-Davis was still in Europe, then he would have a case for the top spot, but with him moving to the Suns, nobody can really have a case against Nunn, even if he hasn’t yet performed in the Final Four on the level he does in the regular season and the playoffs.