By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
One of the most important individual awards every season is the Most Valuable Player! It is an award that has been won by players who have great quality and consistency in their games, leaders who put up very big numbers throughout the season and have a tremendous impact on their team’s success in the marathon that is the regular season.
Criteria: The criteria are very simple. Only players who consistently have a leading role, are very productive and determine and influence to a very large extent their team’s performance through their presence, can be candidates. The second criterion, which for us is just as important as individual performances, is the form and record of the teams the candidates play for.
It’s not enough for a player to have a great season on an individual level. Through his performance, impact and leadership skills, he also needs to lead his team to wins and a high position in the standings, and to prove the club he leads is capable of going far in the competition.
So, let’s take a look at Eurohoops’ top five choices based on these criteria. To be precise, it’s five candidates plus one honorable mention! We present you the favorites for the 2017-18 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP award, with the clear footnote that the evaluations have been based on the first 19 rounds of the regular season. There is still time for things to change, but certainly, the sample is highly representative!
HONORABLE MENTION: Sergio Rodriguez!
Aside from the five candidates, we feel it’s necessary to make special mention of CSKA Moscow’s Spanish guard, Sergio Rodriguez. In his first season away from Spain in his European career, Rodriguez has been putting up great performances and is a barometer for his team. It’s no coincidence that when he’s having a good night, the Army Team wins. It’s just that he’s on the same team as Nando De Colo and we can only have one candidate from each team.
Rodriguez is averaging 14.7 points, 5 assists, 2.1 rebounds, 1 steal and has a PIR of 14.6, with 51.3% two-point shooting, 49.2% on three-pointers and 84.8% free throw shooting. He’s made the second most three-point shots in the EuroLeague so far (58), is sixth in passing and fifth in scoring. These numbers emphatically show that he’s one of the best facilitators and scorers in the competition, one of the most fun-to-watch players, who combines substance with loads of spectacle. It’s a given that for CSKA to return to the top, the Spaniard’s leadership skills and charismatic game will be needed in the spring.
Alexey Shved: Khimki Moscow Region (Record: 11-8)
No doubt, he’s been having a very productive season with impressive numbers. The Russian scorer is averaging 22.1 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 3.2 turnovers and a PIR of 19.8. He is shooting 47.5% on two-pointers, 33.9% on threes and 82.2% in free throws. He’s the top scorer in the league (420 points), has the most minutes of playing time and the most scoring attempts by any player. He’s first in field goals made with 136, but also first in turnovers.
It’s clear from these numbers that Khimki Moscow Region’s entire offensive game passes through his hands. The most characteristic stat of all is that, so far, he’s been taking on 28.5% of all of Khimki’s attempts in offense in every game! The point is that his numbers and performances are leading Khimki on a steady course with a degree of efficiency that is worthy of the roster they have, as was the case last week with the two wins over Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade and Olympiacos Piraeus! His numbers make him a candidate for the MVP award, as long as Khimki keeps on winning and qualifies for the playoffs.