BasketNews EuroLeague players ranking: Top 10

2022-10-06 07:35

BasketNews concludes its very first EuroLeague players ranking, in which 33 players, head coaches, scouts, general managers, and media members from Europe ranked the best players in the competition.

Credit: Tolga Adanali, Luca Sgamellotti, Panagiotis Moschandreou - GettyImages | BasketNews illustration
Credit Tolga Adanali, Luca Sgamellotti, Panagiotis Moschandreou - GettyImages | BasketNews illustration

BasketNews concludes its very first EuroLeague players ranking, in which 33 players, head coaches, scouts, general managers, and media members from Europe ranked the best players in the competition.

Right before the start of the 2022-23 EuroLeague season, we present you the best 10 players in the competition.

You can find the previous editions here:

The survey participants were given a list of around 100 EuroLeague players, and after combining all the results, we present you the BasketNews Top 50 EuroLeague players ranking.

The respondents were given such ranking scale:

  • 10 points: MVP contender.
  • 7-9: All EuroLeague 1st and 2nd team contender.
  • 5-6: starting five member on a contender team.
  • 3-4: solid role player.
  • 1-2: best of the rest.

10. Kevin Pangos (241 points)

10-point votes: 1

Kevin Pangos left multi-million offers on the table to fulfill his dream of testing himself in the NBA. But even despite limited playing time in Cleveland last year (6 MPG), he remained one of the highest-valued point guards in Europe.

Top teams were fighting for Pangos' signature for a reason. The All-EuroLeague Team member returns to the competition with a 13.5 PPG and 6.7 APG average from his last EuroLeague campaign. 

His addition to Emporio Armani Milan's roster quickly put Ettore Messina's squad among the EuroLeague title contenders.

9. Kostas Sloukas (243 points)

10-point votes: 2

He might not be the most athletic, explosive, flashiest guard with the sexiest stat line. But Kostas Sloukas is the heart and soul of the Olympiacos team.

He set up the Top 5 offense in the league last year and showed up in clutch moments for his teammates, including the game-winner against EuroLeague champions or 18.3 points on average in the last three games of a playoff series vs. Monaco.

Such a floor general like Sloukas simply makes everyone around him better.

8. Guerschon Yabusele (254 points)

10-point votes: 2

Yabusele's impact on Real Madrid was so rapid and important that the Spanish powerhouse didn't wait long and extended Frenchman's contract in January.

He was a top scorer on the team, and only Walter Tavares had a bigger PIR throughout the season. Yabusele is coming off a successful EuroBasket campaign and enjoys a strong start in the Spanish ACB, averaging 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 17.0 EFF.

It seems that the 26-year-old will have another strong season.

6-7. Sasha Vezenkov (281 points)

10-point votes: 10

After having a career-best season last year, Vezenkov rose a bar high. The Bulgarian forward had a 5th-highest PIR among all EuroLeague players during the regular season and was a crucial part in Olympiacos' run to the Final Four.

Vezenkov was very close to making a move to the NBA, so we can expect that he'll face the new season with a chip on his shoulder, wanting to prove that he belongs among the best not only in Europe but the whole world.

6-7. Will Clyburn (281 points)

10-point votes: 9

Will Clyburn joined Efes as an insurance signing. But with Vasilije Micic and Shane Larkin surprisingly staying in Istanbul, Efes now has three members in the top 6 of the best EuroLeague players ranking. That's a solid case for the three-peat.

Clyburn dropped 29 over Monaco and logged 31+ minutes in at least five preseason and official games for Efes. 

He will take some offensive load from backcourt stars Larkin and Micic to add star power from the forward position. It might be the best Big 3 we've ever seen in the EuroLeague.

5. Walter Tavares (304 points)

10-point votes: 15

Is this time for Tavares to claim EuroLeague MVP award? One of the most dominant centers on both ends of the floor remains a horrible matchup for many players and teams.

His size allows him to dominate in the opponent's paint and secure his own at the same time. Tavares led EuroLeague in blocks for four straight seasons, while in last year's regular season, only Nikola Mirotic averaged a bigger PIR than Real Madrid's giant.

4. Shane Larkin (306 points)

10-point votes: 19

A man who needs no introduction. Larkin is one of the main reasons why Anadolu Efes won back-to-back titles, including a 21-point and 21 PIR performance against Olympiacos in this year's semifinal.

Larkin is currently doing rehab after a finger surgery and is expected to return towards the end of November. It will be interesting to see how Efes will cope without its star and how Larkin will look on his return.

3. Mike James (313 points)

10-point votes: 21

Out of 33 participants, 21 see James as an MVP contender, and it's not hard to understand why.

James will start his 8th season in the EuroLeague, cementing himself as one of the best scorers and playmakers in the league. He almost led Monaco to the Final Four in the club's debut season and was rewarded with a new deal.

On top of that, Monaco brought even more solid personnel that should help James to carry the load and make his chances of winning the MVP even higher.

2. Nikola Mirotic (315 points)

10-point votes: 22

Mirotic is coming off the best season in his career. He got the regular season MVP award for top-class basketball from October to May. He didn't choke in the playoffs, going for two 20+ PTS playoff performances for the first time in his career. 

He showed his best version in the semifinals, putting up 39 PIR, only 5 shy of the Final Four all-time high.

 Mirotic went off in Belgrade for a combined PIR of 66, only two shy of the Final Four all-time record.

He gave his all, but Barcelona failed to advance to the final, leaving Mirotic on a EuroLeague title drought. Only Achilles' injury stopped his dominance for now, but as soon as he returns to the floor, Barcelona will be a different beast.

1. Vasilije Micic (322 points)

10-point votes: 26

Only the 4th back-to-back EuroLeague Final Four MVP after Toni Kukoc, Dejan Bodiroga, and Vassilis Spanoulis. 

Only one of the two players named to the All-EuroLeague Team for the last three consecutive seasons. 

There is the reason why Micic was mentioned among the top 3 best players outside the league in the annual NBA GM survey.

Micic is coming off his career-high season in points (18.2 PPG). He led the EuroLeague in usage last season. But with the addition of Will Clyburn, who will take off a heavy load on the offense, his efficiency might hit career-high numbers as well.

You can find the previous editions here:

URBONUS podcast

Why the upcoming EuroLeague season is a must-watch



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