By Giorgos Orfanakis/ info@eurohoops.net
The playoffs have gotten under way and the regular season of the EuroLeague is already in the past.
For yet another season, every week basketball fans had the opportunity to enjoy the best players competing on the courts of Europe. Some could have performed better, some played according to what was expected of them and some outdid themselves.
Eurohoops presents – in random order – the 10 candidates for the MVP award and asks the fans to vote for the most valuable player of the competition. And the winner is…
CORY HIGGINS
CSKA Moscow | Guard | June 14, 1989 | USA
14.9 pts | 2.1 reb | 1.8 ast | 0.5 stl | 53.2% 3FG | 1.4 tov | 24:39 min | 14.4 PIR
Cory Higgins is having the best season of his career in the EuroLeague and, in a roster full of top-class players, he managed to emerge as the top scorer! The American guard scored an average of 14.9 points, with the impressive 53.2% outside of the three-point line, while he has a unique ability to connect when the ball is hot. He’s a player of great quality that any coach would want to have at their disposal, since, among other things, he also plays amazing defense.
Fenerbahce Beko | Guard | January 15, 1990 | Greece
12 pts | 2 reb | 4.7 ast | 0.4 stl | 46% 3FG | 1.9 tov | 26:55 min | 15.5 PIR
Kostas Sloukas is having a magical season and contributed greatly in the departments of execution (12 points) and creation (4.7 assists). A special mention has to be made of the quite high 46% from the three-point line (career high), but also the Greek guard’s unique ability to score at crucial moments. His collaboration with Fenerbahce’s big men is flawless and his role in the proper functioning of the team is key. Very few players in the entire competition can combine quality, calmness, maturity, pluralism and leadership to such an extent.
ADRIEN MOERMAN
Anadolu Efes | Forward | August 7, 1988 | France
12.3 pts | 6.4 reb | 1.5 ast | 1.2 stl | 42.2% 3FG | 1.2 tov | 27:55 min | 15.7 PIR
Adrien Moerman’s amazing performances throughout the season rightfully secured him a place on this poll. The French forward showed amazing consistency, he played in 30 games out of 30 and got career highs in points (12.3), rebounds (6.4), assists (1.5), steals (1.2) and his average in three-point field goals (42.4%). The 31-year-old forward didn’t need a lot of time to adjust in Anadolu Efes and within a few months he fully vindicated those that trusted him.
BRANDON DAVIES
Zalgiris Kaunas | Center | July 25, 1991 | USA
14.4 pts | 5.7 reb | 2.1 ast | 1 stl | 1.9 tov | 24:27 min | 17.5 PIR
There’s no need for any special recommendations when it comes to Brandon Davies. One of the most dominant big men in the EuroLeague this season and the ultimate protagonist in yet another instance where Zalgiris Kaunas exceeded expectations. The American center scored an average of 14.4 points and can play facing the basket, post up and shoot from mid-range. He’s a complete player both in offense and defense, and he proved that, at crucial moments, he can step up and make the difference. His PIR of 17.5 places him among the best players of the competition. Who wouldn’t want him on their team?
ANTHONY RANDOLPH
Real Madrid | Forward | July 15, 1989 | USA
12.9 pts | 4.4 reb | 1 ast | 0.5 stl | 43.4% 3FG | 0.7 tov | 22:28 min | 14.6 PIR
Real Madrid is a team that relies on the whole and has many different protagonists. One of them is Anthony Randolph, who avoided getting injured (29 appearances) and, without making too much noise, had a very good season. This translates into an average of 12.9 points (first in Madrid), 4.4 rebounds and the excellent 43.4% in three-point field goals, while his 0.7 turnovers also deserve a special mention. The American forward is an outsider for the MVP award but his presence has been noteworthy.
WILL CLYBURN
CSKA Moscow | Forward | May 17, 1990 | USA
13.7 pts | 7.1 reb | 1.4 ast | 1 stl | 1.4 tov | 26:56 min | 18 PIR
One more representative of CSKA, one more main contender for the award. Cory Higgins may be the Russians’ top scorer with an average of 14.2 points, but Will Clyburn leads his team in the rating system (PIR 18) as a result of his multifaceted contribution. The American forward scores (13.7 points), gets rebounds (7.1 – third in the EuroLeague) and is amazing at covering spaces in defense and being the first who runs on the counter. He’s the very definition of a two-way player, who, at the age of 28, belongs in the elite of European basketball.
NIKOLA MILUTINOV
Olympiacos | Center | December 30, 1994 | Serbia
11.7 pts | 7.9 reb | 1.5 ast | 0.6 stl | 0.7 blk | 1.3 tov | 26:01 min | 20 PIR
Nikola Milutinov is the younger player on the list, which confirms the bright future he has ahead of him. The Serbian center was a benchmark for Olympiacos this season, as he covered the 5 position almost exclusively and dominated almost all the games he played in. His impressive averages (11.7 points, 7.9 rebounds), in combination with the quite high 66.1% in two-point field goals, make him a highly effective player who completed the season in second place in the rating system (PIR 20). The only downside was Olympiacos’s early elimination.
MIKE JAMES
AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan | Guard | August 18, 1990 | USA
19.8 pts | 3.8 reb | 6.4 ast | 1.3 stl | 0.7 blk | 2.6 tov | 33:56 min | 20.2 PIR
A mythical season, one of the best in many years! Mike James blew up the stats as, with 19.8 points (595 in 30 games) and a PIR of 20.2, he completed the season at the top in two of the most important statistical categories. At the same time, the American guard was very productive in the department of assists (6.4 – 2nd in the EuroLeague) but also in clutch moments, with 69 points in 60 possessions. The only dark spot was getting knocked out but also the poor performances in the last crucial games.
Fenerbahce Beko | Center | April 24, 1990 | Czech Republic
13 pts | 5.4 reb | 2.4 ast | 1.5 stl | 0.5 blk | 1.9 tov | 26:11 min | 19.3 PIR
The best player in the best team in the EuroLeague this season! Jan Vesely looks closer to the MVP award than any other player as he shined for the greatest part of the season. The Czech center is a joy to watch in offense (13 points, 66% in two-point field goals), indefatigable in defense, but also the player with the third highest average in the rating system (19.3). It’s telling that he’s also a candidate for the Best Defender award, while few can compare with him in the department of spectacle. He has everything it takes…
NICK CALATHES
Panathinaikos OPAP | Guard | February 7, 1989 | Greece
12.3 pts | 4.5 reb | 8.9 ast | 1.7 stl | 3.1 tov | 31:03 min | 16.7 PIR
Panathinaikos pulled off an impressive comeback, covered lost ground and will now compete for the qualification to the Final Four against Real Madrid. None of this would have been possible without Nick Calathes. The Greens’ leader proved he’s the best point guard in the EuroLeague, something that is reflected in the 8.9 assists he dished (new record in the EuroLeague), but also in the way he led the Greek team’s offense. Of course, he didn’t fail to contribute in a big way in scoring (12.3 points), play amazing defense, but also make history as the second player in the history of the competition to achieve a triple double! Rick Pitino said: “If he’s not this season’s EuroLeague MVP, I don’t know who is!”