By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
They have already made an impression, some of them are game-changers and all of them are turning heads all over Europe. Eurohoops presents some of the best rookies in the competition.
Here they are, starting from the youngest (24) to the oldest (34).
YOUSSOUPHA FALL
KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | Center | January 12, 1995 | Senegal
4.8 pts | 6.5 reb | 0.3 ast | 0.3 stl | 1.8 blk | 2 tov | 18:12 min | 7.5 PIR | 4 G
He spent the first year of his contract with KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz on loan to Strasbourg. There probably isn’t going to be another such season for Youssoupha Fall, who, as his playing time shows, has the confidence of Velimir Perasovic. His height of 2.21 meters makes his job under the basket easier and a bit harder from the free throw line, but there is definitely a lot of room for improvement for the 24-year-old Senegalese center.
TONYE JEKIRI
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | Center | July 23, 1994 | Nigeria
10.5 pts | 9.8 reb | 2 ast | 1 stl | 0 blk | 0.3 tov | 23:46 min | 19.8 PIR | 4 G
He had to wait for his fourth season in Europe and his first with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne to make his debut in the EuroLeague, but the wait was worth it for Tonye Jekiri. The 25-year-old Nigerian center was one of the key players in the consecutive wins over two legendary teams in the competition, Olympiacos Piraeus and Panathinaikos OPAP Athens, as ASVEL returned to the top European club competition after nine years. He continues with the same momentum on both ends of the court with performances that have placed him in the top positions in performance index rating.
LANDRY NNOKO
ALBA Berlin | Center | April 9, 1994 | Cameroon
13.3 pts | 6.5 reb | 0.8 ast | 0 stl | 1 blk | 2.3 tov | 21:50 min | 13.3 PIR | 4 G
The 25-year-old Cameroonian center is not very well known yet, but ALBA Berlin’s rivals have gotten to know him rather well in a short period of time. He scores on most of his attempts, he keeps alive many of his teammates’ attempts and blocks as many by his opponents, and his presence generally dominates the paint. One could say that he can only be stopped with a foul and they’d be right, since he’s high on the list of players with the most fouls drawn both on the German team as well as in the competition.
PEYTON SIVA
ALBA Berlin | Guard | October 24, 1990 | USA
9.7 pts | 2 reb | 7 ast | 1 stl | 0 blk | 2.3 tov | 25:32 min | 11 PIR | 3 G
Being on the team since 2016 and, above all, skilled as few are, Peyton Siva has developed into ALBA’s leader. Due to an injury, he didn’t play in the opening night’s win over Zenit St Petersburg in the German team’s return to the EuroLeague after four years, but he’s slowly finding his rhythm. What he lacks in execution he makes up for in creation and he always strives for the best, as his role requires.
GREG MONROE
FC Bayern Munich | Center | June 4, 1990 | USA
12.3 pts | 7.8 reb | 3.8 ast | 0.8 stl | 1.3 blk | 2.8 tov | 23:31 min | 17.3 PIR | 4 G
Since he’s known on the world stage, the expectations on Greg Monroe could only be great. He’s performing accordingly. The 29-year-old American center brings skill, quality and experience to FC Bayern Munich, which has started strong this season, with wins like the one over AX Armani Exchange Milan in the opening game. His stat sheet is full every time. His contribution starts on defense and continues on offense.
ANDREW ALBICY
Zenit St Petersburg | Guard | March 21, 1990 | France
5.8 pts | 2 reb | 2.8 ast | 1.5 stl | 0.3 blk | 0.8 tov | 19:06 min | 9.8 PIR | 4 G
As for his team, Zenit, this season is of historic importance for Andrew Albicy, who has become a rookie once again at 29 years of age. Better to join the EuroLeague late than never, though, as he’s having fun and doing everything in his power to help the Russian team have a decent run. The French point guard is one of Joan Plaza’s consistent choices in the starting lineup.
PIERRIA HENRY
KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | Guard | January 20, 1993 | USA
11.8 pts | 4 reb | 2.5 ast | 2 stl | 0 blk | 1.5 tov | 25:55 min | 13.8 PIR | 4 G
Four years in Europe – three of them in the 7DAYS EuroCup – were more than enough for Pierria Henry to convince a EuroLeague team to offer him the opportunity to play at the highest level. Baskonia made the offer and now he’s making sure to reciprocate that trust in every game. The 26-year-old American is not your run-of-the-mill point guard and the proof for that is the numbers on his stat sheet, with a contribution that extends throughout the whole court.
ROKAS GIEDRAITIS
ALBA Berlin | Forward | August 16, 1992 | Lithuania
14.3 pts | 4.3 reb | 2.3 ast | 1.3 stl | 0 blk | 1.5 tov | 28:14 min | 16.3 PIR | 4 G
The 27-year-old Lithuanian small forward has several reasons to remember this season. It’s his first in the EuroLeague and he’s putting up stats in the early rounds that even the most experienced player in the competition would envy. The fact that ALBA has been called upon to face many of the teams that have set their sights on the Final Four, one after the other, hasn’t allowed him to combine those performances with a commensurate number of wins, but no one can be disappointed in him.
JIMMER FREDETTE
Panathinaikos OPAP Athens | Guard | February 20, 1989 | USA
15 pts | 2 reb | 2.3 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 1.5 tov | 23:18 min | 13 PIR | 4 G
There aren’t many rookies in the EuroLeague that don’t need any introductions, but Jimmer Fredette is one of them. The fact that he is able to do what he does in spite of being targeted by rival defenses makes him even more unique. Panathinaikos can feel happy to have a scorer like the 30-year-old American shooting guard on its roster, but we can’t say the same about the player who has to guard him on any given game.
MOUHAMMAD FAYE
Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade | Forward | September 14, 1985 | Senegal
6.5 pts | 4.8 reb | 0 ast | 0.8 stl | 1.3 blk | 0.3 tov | 19:25 min | 8.5 PIR | 4 G
The fact that he had to wait for his ninth season in Europe and the 34th year of his life to make his debut in the EuroLeague may not have been fitting for Mouhammad Faye, but the fact that he did it in the colors of Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade really is. The energy of the Senegalese power forward’s game overflows like the fans’ energy does in the stands. At times his effectiveness also overflows, as it did in one of the biggest wins in the competition this season, over Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.