The 2023 FIBA World Cup tips off Friday (25/8) and a parade of stars is already present in Manila, Okinawa and Jakarta where the Group Phases of the competition will be held. From experienced World Championship veterans to first-timers in the competitions, NBA All-Stars and players who come off the best seasons of their careers, some serious talent will be in display on the World Championship floors.

Eurohoops picked the Top 10 players who are expected to deliver the finest performances, produce crazy numbers, get their viral moments with their feats and, in the end, be the ones who will lead their teams to the top.

The list is in alphabetical order

Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia)

The last time Bogdan Bogdanovic played for Serbia he was the leading scorer of the competition. Indeed, the Atlanta Hawks guard had a tournament-high 183 points (22.9 per game) in the 2019 World Championship to make the All-Star Five team, albeit with his national team finishing 5th and missing a podium spot.

Now, Bogdanovic returns to the world stage with Serbia as team captain with a lot more experience and some notable runs in the NBA. His quality and ability to lead and score in abundance for his national team have been undisputed.

Jalen Brunson (USA)

Fresh off the best season of his professional career so far, Jalen Brunson was selected to become the main playmaking driving force for Team USA while providing a strong scoring punch of his own. He showed plenty of how he can juggle both last season with the New York Knicks when he averaged career-highs 24.0 points and 6.2 assists to finish as the second-leading scorer (behind Julius Randle’s 25.1 points) and top passer.

Jordan Clarkson (Philippines)

Jordan Clarkson will want to deliver a spectacle to the local Philippines fans who flat-out adore him and if the rest of his teammates will be able to keep up then the Gilas might survive a difficult for them Group phase (vs. Italy, Dominican Republic and Angola), for a start. Clarkson himself has the tools to become a difference-maker for his squad and a problem for opponents, arriving at the World Cup in his prime, after finishing 2022-23 with career-highs 20.8 points, 4.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds.

Luka Doncic (Slovenia)

Last year Luka Doncic was part of the Holy Trinity of European NBA superstars in the EuroBasket, together with Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Now, he’s the only one from this group present in the World Championship, ready for another show with Slovenia and expected to bring some remarkable, if not record-breaking, performances. He will dominate and there’s no doubt about, but the big question mark is how far can he carry his national team in the tournament.

Anthony Edwards (USA)

Arguably the biggest star in this edition of USA Basketball, Anthony Edwards seems highly eager and extremely motivated to lead his national team back to places of glory after a disappointing all-time low finish in the 7th place at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Look no further than what he did during training camp (or “USA Basketball Showcase”, as the team called it) games: 18.8 points on 50 percent field goal shooting, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals over a 5-0 record. He capped all that with a 34-point game in a comeback win over Germany.

Josh Giddey (Australia)

Okinawa, Japan will be the entry point of two of the players most likely to register a triple-double in this World Cup. The first is, well, Luka Doncic and the other is Australia’s emerging superstar Josh Giddey. While the youngest player on this list at just 20 years of age, Giddey’s combination of high-IQ basketball and rich skillset makes up for his lack of experience at this level and in such a demanding competition. He had 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists last season with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Boomers will love to enjoy a similar kind of impact.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada)

Another Oklahoma City Thunder player on the list, and quite the heavy-hitter. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was an absolute monster last season, averaging 31.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists while becoming an All-Star for the first time in his career and earning a place on the All-NBA First Team. With Jamal Murray out of the picture for Canada, Gilgeous-Alexander, accompanied with several other NBAers, will be called to spearhead the efforts of the team towards winning a first-ever World Cup medal.

Rudy Gobert (France)

It was a tough choice between Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier, the usual mega-scorer for France. Apart from being a cornerstone for his national team on both ends, Gobert was picked because he actually played a lot more last season, his first with the Minnesota Timberwolves after spending nine years with the Utah Jazz.

France is aiming to win it all and Gobert, in his fourth straight appearance in a major summer event, will try to push Les Bleus with his fierce and towering defense, rebounding dominance and ability to finish plays with ease.

Lauri Markkanen (Finland)

Last season Lauri Markkanen catapulted his numbers from “very good” (14.6 points) to “star-caliber” (25.6 points) and fittingly made a personal leap himself toward becoming an All-Star for the first time in his career. It was quite the followup from a stunning EuroBasket run with Finland where he led the team to the quarterfinals and a big fight against a Spain side that went on to win the gold.

What can the ever-improving Markkanen do for Finland this summer? It will be difficult for them in a Group that also includes medal hopefuls Australia and Germany, apart from host Japan but the Utah Jazz forward has shown that he can become a miracle-maker for the “Susijengi”.

Karl-Anthony Towns (Dominican Republic)

In just his first game with the Dominican Republic this summer, Karl-Anthony Towns showed his teeth: 20 points, six rebounds in a surprising preparation win over star-studded Canada. And that may be just the beginning.

It’s not just about Towns’ offensive style that can translate perfectly to the international stage with superb results, but how his playing and presence (come on opposing big men, pursue KAT far from the paint) lifts his entire team. With KAT around, the Dominican Republic may be a prime candidate for becoming a serious pleasant surprise in the World Cup.

Watch the upcoming World Cup on the official streaming service of FIBA! Join Courtside 1891 and never miss a second of the action! 

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The post The Top 10 Players of the 2023 FIBA World Cup appeared first on Eurohoops.

Monaco made a big move by adding four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker to its ranks. It’s definitely a signing that shook European basketball, as one of the most prominent players in Charlotte Hornets history decided to move his talents to the EuroLeague after 12 years in the NBA.

Fans in Monaco and all over Europe are itching to see him in action, as it’s certain he can make a big contribution, despite a drop in his career during previous years, caused mainly by knee issues.

Without a doubt, the 33-year-old point guard joins the list of the biggest NBA names to cross the Atlantic, along with the greats like Dominique Wilkins, Bob McAdoo, George Gervin, Allen Iverson…

Here’s the list of the ten biggest players that made the jump from the NBA to Europe.

Kemba Walker

A former UConn player and NCAA champion, Walker was selected as the 9th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats. He spent eight years with the Bobcats/Hornets, setting franchise records in points scored (12,009) and minutes played (20,607).

Walker then moved on to Boston, where he spent two seasons with the Celtics before joining the New York Knicks for a year. He boasts 750 regular-season games and averages 19.3 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds. Additionally, he has made 31 playoff appearances, averaging 19.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.8 rebounds during those games.

The 33-year-old guard is a four-time NBA All-Star. He received All-NBA Third Team honors in 2019 and scored 14.486 points overall.

Dominique Wilkins

Former 3rd overall Draft pick, nine-time NBA All-Star, and an NBA scoring champion from 1986, Dominique Wilkins moved to Panathinaikos in 1995 and helped the club from Athens win their first Euroleague title.

In his first European season, Wilkins averaged 20,1 points and 7,4 rebounds, particularly excelling in the most important games during the championship run, and was awarded the EuroLeague Final Four MVP.

He then returned to the NBA to play a season with the San Antonio Spurs before joining Fortitudo Bologna in 1997 for another year in Europe.

Allen Iverson

One of the best ball handlers in NBA history actually ended his career in Europe. He joined Besiktas in October 2010 but played just ten games for the Turkish side due to a calf injury.

He didn’t officially retire until 2013, but he played his last games as a pro donning Besiktas’ colors. Iverson averaged 14.3 points and 4.7 assists in Turkey and 9,3 points with three assists and rebounds in EuroCup.

Allen Iverson was an NBA MVP (2001), 11-time All-Star, and a four-time scoring champion during his career. Among many other accolades, he received three All-NBA First Team honors and was a Rookie of the Year in 1997 three-time steals leader… A legend.

Bob McAdoo

Legendary Bob McAdoo spent four years playing for Olimpia Milano (1986-90) as a two-time NBA champion, three-time top scorer, and 1975 MVP.

He led Milano to two straight FIBA European Champions Cup (EuroLeague) titles in the 1986–87 and 1987–88 seasons, being named the EuroLeague Final Four MVP in 1988. With the same club, he also won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup (1987), two Italian League championships (1987, 1989), and the Italian Cup (1987).

Definitely, one of the best players to ever step foot on the European basketball courts.

Byron Scott

In the summer of 1997, Scott signed with the Greek Basket League team Panathinaikos for the 1997–98 season as a 14 years NBA veteran.

In the Saporta Cup’s 1997–98 season, the three-time NBA champion averaged 13.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals, in 25.6 minutes per game, in 17 games played.

Scott helped to lead his team to the Greek Basket League championship with his scoring in many crucial games and averaged 17.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, in 33.7 minutes per game, in 34 games played. After one season in Greece, he retired from playing professional basketball and began his coaching career.

Amare Stoudemire

As one of the most dominant big men in the NBA during his days, Stoudemire signed a two-year deal with Hapoel Jerusalem in 2016, a team he co-owned in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.

During his time in Jerusalem, he helped the team win the Israeli Basketball League Cup and earned All-EuroCup Second Team honors for the 2016–17 season. He also received Israeli League All-Star honors. In June 2017, he played a crucial role in Hapoel Jerusalem’s victory in the Basketball Super League.

After his initial retirement, Stoudemire surprised fans by coming out of retirement to sign with Hapoel Jerusalem again for the 2018–19 season.

In 2020, Stoudemire returned to Israel for a third stint, this time signing with Maccabi Tel Aviv, and was honored with the title of Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP after winning the championship for the second time.

Deron Williams

During the 2011 NBA lockout, Williams signed a one-year contract to play for Besiktas of the Turkish Basketball League and the FIBA EuroChallenge.

On November 22, 2011, one of the best NBA point guards of his time scored 50 points against Gottingen during a EuroChallenge first group-stage game.

After a tentative agreement to end the 2011 NBA lockout was reached, Williams’s jersey #8 was retired by Besiktas, despite the US guard playing just 15 games. He had some memorable performances during his time with the team, averaging 19.7 points and 6.4 assists.

Josh Childress

In July 2008, Childress signed a three-year, $20 million contract with Olympiacos and is still remembered for his stint in Piraeus, despite spending eight seasons in the NBA. He played 391 regular season games for the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets, and New Orleans Pelicans.

During the 2008–09 EuroLeague season, he averaged 8.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. In the 2009–10 EuroLeague season, he improved his performance, averaging 15.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He also played with Olympiacos in the final, but they lost to Barcelona.

He was selected for the All-EuroLeague second team, won the Greek Cup, and became the Greek Basket League top scorer. Additionally, he was named part of the All-GBL defensive team.

George Gervin

After 14 years in the ABA and NBA, the Iceman spent a season with Banco di Roma in Italy and finished his career with Spanish Manresa in 1990.

Even though he was a veteran, Gervin averaged 26.1 points per game in Italy, and 25.5 points, five rebounds, and 1.2 assists with Manresa, despite joining the team at 38 years old. He even scored 31 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to keep Manresa in the first Spanish division.

One of the all-time greats left his mark in Europe, while the NBA named him as one of the 75 greatest players in its history.

Alex English

The Denver Nuggets legend, a holder of many franchise records until Nikola Jokic arrived in the NBA and shattered several, spent his last season playing in Italy for Basket Napoli.

English was signed for the second half of the season by Napoli Basket, and together with Walter Berry, another foreign player on the Neapolitan team, formed one of the strongest pairs of foreign players in the history of basketball under the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.

He was an NBA scoring champion in 1983, played in eight All-Star games, and was selected three times for the All-NBA Second Team. The Nuggets retired his No. 2 jersey.

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If it’s true that guys like Goran Dragic, the Hernangomez brothers, and Ricky Rubio may be on the verge of coming back to Europe to start a new chapter of their careers after the NBA, it can’t be denied that a whole new amount of players are ready to take the exact opposite direction.

Eurohoops picked ten players who either have been drafted or expected to be drafted and move to the other side of the pond and also some names who are already rumored to have been in contact with the NBA.

And of course, we couldn’t start with anyone else.

Victor Wembanyama (Metropolitans 92)

Starting from the most obvious choice, Victor Wembanyama is 100% moving to the NBA in 2022-23, as the 19-year-old French sensation is by far the best candidate to be selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No.1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

People are already loving him in the US after an LNB season as runner-up in which he dropped 21.6 points per game in the Regular Season and 17.6 points in the Playoffs, while also taking revenge against his former team ASVEL. The Wemby era is starting soon.

The post Top10 players from Europe who may sign in the NBA this summer appeared first on Eurohoops.

While the 2023 NBA free-agency negotiation period hasn’t even started yet and it’s unclear what kind of unexpected developments and changes the offseason will eventually bring, there are already some players that won’t exactly surprise us if they move to Europe for 2023-24.

Some of the free agents on the list may eventually find the NBA contract they are looking for but others may get a big, lucrative opportunity from a European side to continue their career. Here are 10 players that may be balling in Europe soon.

Juancho Hernangomez (Spain)

If Juancho Hernangomez decides that he’s done with the NBA then he becomes one of the hottest commodities for EuroLeague clubs. He’s 27 years old and has all the potential to become a star in the competition. He already turned down Real Madrid once after he was waived by the Toronto Raptors in February but may not decline a second offer by either 2023 EuroLeague champions or another organization of such a big status.

Hernangomez was entering the 2022-23 season with the Raptors following a stunning finish with the Spanish national team in the 2022 EuroBasket with 27 points in the win over France in the Final but he struggled to produce, having a mere 2.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 14.9 minutes. Of course, these numbers mean little in regards to how he well can perform in EuroLeague.

Goran Dragic (Slovenia)

Goran Dragic says that he wishes to see himself retiring with the Miami Heat jersey. And why not? He could possibly sign with the club to provide veteran guidance on and off court and, ultimately, hang his shoes as a member of the team he played the best basketball of his career with.

If such a thing doesn’t happen though and if some other NBA franchise doesn’t pick him off the free-agent pool, there’s always the European option waiting for him. While 37 years old, the Slovenian star can deliver leadership and plenty of smart basketball for any team.

He spent last season with the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 6.4 points in 51 games with the former and 5.4 points in seven games with the latter.

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Coming out of perhaps the most competitive season in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history, all teams will be looking for pieces to strengthen their respective rosters during the offseason.

Plenty of free agents scattered all around the place, including household names guaranteed to make noise in the summer.

Scanning EuroLeague’s free-agent market in the EuroLeague, Eurohoops compiles the Top 10 list of the best available power forwards.

Check out our Top 10 lists of point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards. Centers will wrap up the free-agent week Friday.

NOTE: Players with a +1 year option in their contract are not included in the list.

The post The Top 10 EuroLeague Free Agents Power Forwards appeared first on Eurohoops.

You can argue that EuroLeague is a guard’s league – that’s why we started with the point guard and the shooting guard positions- however, you can’t have a top team with a top small forward.

And here are the top players who are playing mainly in this position and are going to be free agents this summer.

Some of the names whose contracts with their teams will expire this summer are already on the radar of other clubs. Eurohoops brings to you the Top 10 EuroLeague small forwards whose contracts expire this summer.

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We have come to the end of another exciting season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, with a thrilling Final Four in Kaunas, won by Real Madrid (almost) at the buzzer against Olympiacos. We don’t have games ahead of us, but there will still be excitement over the transfer window.

Some names whose contracts with their teams will expire this summer are on the radar of many teams in Europe. With the official end of the season in the EuroLeague, we are starting to scan the free agency market. Following the Top 10 EuroLeague playmakers, Eurohoops brings to you the Top 10 EuroLeague shooting guards whose contracts expire this summer.

UPDATE: Giannoulis Larentzakis was removed from the list after Olympiacos contacted Eurohoops and clarified that the player has a contract until 2024, despite the fact that there’s no official announcement for this extension.

NOTE: Players with a +1 year option in their contract are not included in the list.

EuroLeague Rosters and Transfers index

The post The Top 10 EuroLeague Free Agents Shooting Guards appeared first on Eurohoops.

We have come to the end of another exciting season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, with a thrilling Final Four in Kaunas, won by Real Madrid (almost) at the buzzer against Olympiacos. We don’t have games ahead of us, but there will still be excitement over the transfer window.

Some names whose contracts with their teams will expire this summer are on the radar of many teams in Europe. With the official end of the season in the EuroLeague, we are starting to scan the free agency market. Eurohoops brings to you the Top 10 EuroLeague playmakers whose contracts expire this summer.

NOTE: Players with a +1 year option in their contract are not included in the list.

The post The Top 10 EuroLeague Free Agents Point Guards appeared first on Eurohoops.

Time flies! How did 30 rounds pass so quickly? Only four more remain before the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs! Heading into the final stretch, Eurohoops presents the sixth and final edition of the Power Rankings.

Status, dynamics, form, and importance of results are the criteria for the classification of the 18 teams, eight of which will continue in the postseason with the ultimate goal of winning the prestigious trophy.

Olympiacos Piraeus, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and AS Monaco have already secured qualification and are on the verge of getting the home-court advantage for the quarterfinals series, while FC Bayern Munich, Panathinaikos Athens, ALBA Berlin, and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne have all been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

#18 LDLC ASVEL VILLEURBANNE

Previous ranking: 16 (-2)
Record: 8-22
Home: 4-12
Away: 4-10
Offense-Defense: 74.7-80.7

ASVEL at this point has little to hope for. With nine consecutive defeats, it is patiently waiting for the end of the year. It’s just hard to have ASVEL in any other position in the ranking than the last one where it also was two Power Rankings editions ago.

Remaining schedule: @ Olympiacos 29/3 | vs. Red Star 31/3 | @ Baskonia 6/4 | @ ALBA Berlin 13/4

The post EuroLeague Power Rankings by Eurohoops: Vol. 6 appeared first on Eurohoops.

Two-thirds of the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season have been played and the equally close and compelling race in the EuroLeague standings is also reflected on the MVP Ladder

There wasn’t any streak of impressive performances by a single player to call for a significant change in the rankings. Hence four of the five names remain from the previous update, including the favorite.

Just missed: Mathias Lessort, Partizan – Edy Tavares, Real Madrid

Previous 2022-23 MVP Ladders: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2

5. Vasilije Micic, Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Season Stats: 16.8 points (5th overall), 5.8 assists (tied for 4th overall), 3.3 rebounds, 19.0 PIR (3rd overall)

Team Record: 11-12 (tied for 11thh overall)

One can easily use Efes’s run as an example of how unpredictable and competitive this EuroLeague season has been. In Round 19, the reigning champions completed a regular-season sweep of Barcelona with a win at Palau Blaugrana and then they lost at home to an FC Bayern Munich team that had one of the worst records in the competition.

Maybe ASVEL would have also delivered an upset at Efes if Micic didn’t take over in a fourth-period comeback with big buckets, big rebounds, and big assists before he finished with 22 points overall. A week later, the reigning Final Four MVP was the maestro in the victory over Barcelona with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists with 0 turnovers.

It goes without saying that Efes has been problematic lately with four losses over the last six games that have dropped it outside of the playoff zone. Even though Micic has also been subpar for his high quality recently, it’s hard to ignore that his overall numbers scream “MVP”. This is why he gets a pass in this MVP Ladder, despite his team’s and his own mostly underwhelming recent performances.

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After 12 Rounds of the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, there are several rookies in the competition who are playing, in one way or another, important roles on their teams.

Some are showing star potential and are already making a bid for the All-EuroLeague Team, while others with plenty of promise are still working on successfully adapting to this level.

Eurohoops chose 10 notable newcomers to evaluate their progress so far in this campaign.

Johnathan Motley (Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul)

Season averages: 14.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 16.6 PIR in 21:37 minutes

It didn’t take long for center Johnathan Motley to not only establish himself as one of the top, most reliable and steadiest contributors for Fenerbahce but also to emerge as one of the most unstoppable big men in the EuroLeague. While having to work his way through the rich and sometimes complex systems of a demanding coach like Dimitris Itoudis, Motley has become one of the main reasons behind his team’s competition-best 10-2 record.

Already the leading scorer and rebounder of Fenerbahce, Motley is also averaging the highest PIR among EuroLeague rookies. It seems that his standout 2021-22 7DAYS EuroCup run with Lokomotiv Kuban was a true sign of greater things to come.

The post Top 10 of the EuroLeague’s high-impact newcomers appeared first on Eurohoops.

The NBA is finally here, and Eurohoops ranks the Top 10 European NBA players of the 2022-2023 season. It’s not an easy task, even if the Top3 is not debatable and arguably dominates the NBA.

Europeans are not an oddity anymore, many of them are at least starters or solid role players, and the picking order is not that easy.

So, with the level of European players in the highest basketball competition in the world being so high, there is no shortage of honorable mentions that didn’t make the cut to the Top 10. These include injured Ricky Rubio (Cleveland Cavaliers), Jonas Valanciunas (New Orleans Pelicans), and the young guns Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic).

The post The Top 10 European NBA Players of 2022-23 appeared first on Eurohoops.

Welcome to the new version of the annual – and de facto controversial – EuroLeague players rankings of Eurohoops which will be presented in a different format this season.

With the clock ticking after the Eurobasket and the Top100 posts becoming tedious, we decided to tighten things up hopefully without creating much more fuss than usual. As it turned out, getting from the Top100 to a Top50 makes things much more complicated since a lot of players who could make a case for being part of the top50, are left out. So we didn’t do it on purpose, it’s just the format.

That’s why this time around stats, and especially last season’s PIR (Performance Index Rating) are used more prominently to determine who will make the final cut in addition to the usual criteria.

So no player from last season’s Top25 in PIR was left out, but since this is not just a calculation of stats, don’t expect the pecking order to be identical and in some cases, PIR is just not enough.

After the initial version of the list, editors from the international, Turkish, Greek, and Spanish editions of Eurohoops were consulted and the list you are about to read is the final result.

Just for the record, rookies were not included since there wasn’t any kind of statistic measurement available for them and it’s not easy to compare apples to oranges. We did it in the past and we know. That’s why we are pretty sure that players like Carsen Edwards, Darius Thompson, Johnathan Motley, Ignas Brazdeikis, Isaac Bonga, and Semi Ojeleye will come back and haunt us. We have to live with this.

Like last year, a decision was taken to focus on and reward a player’s individual performances, especially if his contribution lifted his team to certain EuroLeague heights. However, this time we also took into consideration the legacy of each player to a greater extent.

A player of a team that is a title or Final Four contender automatically got a relative priority over another with possibly similar or equal, maybe even superior individual strengths. The higher the team’s projection for the upcoming season, the more boost a player got when it comes to his ranking and vice-versa. This is why you will find that there is an increased number of players from well-known powerhouses.

So to make things simple, the main criteria are the following:

1) The individual quality of each player in combination with the prospect he carries for 2021-2022, plus the role and playing time we anticipate he will get with his team.

2) The strength and the potential of the club the player belongs to and what he has already achieved in the league.

3) Stats and especially last season’s PIR.

After the picks from 50 to 31, it’s time to present the Top 20 players for the 2022-23 season.

The post The EuroLeague Top50 players (part 2) appeared first on Eurohoops.

With the season upon us and some of the main transfers being completed at the end of the summer, the annual tradition of presenting the Top10 EuroLeague salaries had to be delayed. And that’s a good thing cause more time usually means better info on a EuroLeague market that after two peculiar years due to the pandemic, returned pretty much to normality with all the players on the list getting at least $2 million per season and six of them getting this number. So pretty much we have a tie between the 5th and the 10th spot on the list.

This “normality” in some cases means more money than expected, as happened with Shane Larkin who emerges as the biggest winner of the summer market, while Milos Teodosic is back on the list and Italy is once again a big money destination.

The numbers mentioned in this post are calculated in US dollars for comparison reasons with NBA salaries. Plus several EuroLeague countries don’t use euros as their currency and the numbers represent net salaries. Especially this year, the two currencies are practically the same, so if you want to talk about Euros, nothing really changes.

Remember that net numbers in Europe are tricky since taxation is different depending on the country. However if you want to compare with NBA salaries, where half the money goes to IRS, just multiply each Euroleague contract by two and you will get a pretty accurate idea.

The post Τhe Top 10 Euroleague salaries (2022-23) appeared first on Eurohoops.

It’s time for the EuroBasket 2022 Round of 16 in Berlin, with four teams per group qualified from Tbilisi, Cologne, Milan, and Prague.

At the same time, however, eight teams were eliminated and some players who showcased their talents in the first phase, will not be able to continue their quest for a memorable tournament.

Still, they have already turned heads all over Europe and will be missed.

The post Eight players who will be missed from the Eurobasket Round of 16 appeared first on Eurohoops.

The start of the NBA free agency is right around the corner with the timer set on the night of June 30. There are many moves already in progress that wait to become official and many more are yet to be agreed on.

There’s a fair number of European players awaiting news about their future as well and Eurohoops picked out eight names that have played last season in the league, are currently unrestricted free agents, and are highly likely to find a spot on a roster for the next season.

Ricky Rubio

Before getting hurt, Rubio was putting on one of the best stretches in his NBA career with 13.1 points, 6.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steal over 34 appearances.

He was one of the main reasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ excellent start to the season but an unfortunate ACL injury, from which he is still recovering, got him sidelined and it led to his trade to the Indiana Pacers.

That said, Rubio is entering the free agency without restrictions and the Cavaliers have been reported to wish to bring him back and wait for his full recovery which could take until January 2023.

Jusuf Nurkic

Another unfortunate case of injury was Jusuf Nurkic who was ready to continue a great run but was limited to 56 games last season including the final 23 matchups.

The 28-year-old big averaged 15 points and 11.1 rebounds and despite it always being a big question whether a player can return to his prior form post-injury, the Blazers are apparently willing to offer the ‘Bosnian Beast’ four-year contract.

After all, Nurkic has made a big comeback from a scary injury once already.

Dennis Schroder

Dennis Schroder played relatively well in Houston, averaging 10.9 points and 5.9 assists in 26.9 minutes but the Rockets have been going for a big rebuild and their plans do not include the German guard.

Schroder will have to find a different environment and his ten-year experience in the league which included periods of stardom speak for itself. He played for the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, LA Lakers, and the Boston Celtics prior to the Rockets.

The 28-year-old has shown the ability to play as a starter, as well as the Sixth Man, and his versatility will ensure many options going forward.

Nicolas Batum 

Nicolas Batum had some ups and downs in his NBA career with the year 2020, at the end of his run with the Charlotte Hornets, being crucial. Many thought he didn’t live up to expectations and his future in the league was uncertain but Bautm proved there’s a place for him.

He joined the LA Clippers as a bench player and has been a valuable piece for the past two years. Batum stepped up multiple times and was crucial to the team’s Western Conference Finals run in 2021 after Kawhi Leonard was injured in the second round.

Batum had some great performances but it was his consistency from the bench with 8.3 points and 4.3 rebounds that set him apart. There might be other suitors for the French forward aside from the Clippers. The Lakers have also reportedly shown interest in him.

Isaiah Hartenstein 

Another European name that wore the Clippers jersey last season. Isaiah Hartenstein, 24, spent the past season in LA with averages of 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 blocks over 68 games.

The 2019 G League champion and the G League Finals MVP has been playing great since his move to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021. He continued the effort with the Clippers and that has secured his future in the league.

It is to be expected from the Clippers to offer him a contract to continue together but their ability to give him a raise is limited and Hartenstein might opt to go elsewhere. The Orlando Magic and the Houston Rockets are potential suitors with the former apparently leading the race.

Nemanja Bjelica

The list wasn’t ranked in any particular way but perhaps the name of an NBA champion should have been featured earlier. Nemanja Bjelica won the 2022 NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors and he was an important part of it.

Bjelica found happiness among the Warriors, all things considered. He started off the season great and was visibly feeling better than in many of his previous years in the league. Steve Kerr was a big part of that atmosphere and he frequently praised Bjelica for the versatility and contribution he brings.

That never left any doubt of the Warriors wishing to keep Bjelica among their ranks but it remains to be seen if better offers will come and what Bjelica himself wishes to do going forward.

Serge Ibaka

This past season, Serge Ibaka averaged 6.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in around 16 minutes per game while shooting 35% from behind the arc. He split the season between the LA Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks and the 33-year-old still has more to give.

The 2019 NBA champion (with the Toronto Raptors) would offer a tough, veteran mindset with ample playoff experience to any team he decides to join.

One of the potential teams that would like to get him are the Dallas Mavericks who had been interested in Ibaka two years ago.

Goran Dragic

Another player that has been linked with the Dallas Mavericks is Goran Dragic. Or to be more precise, linked with Luka Doncic and it comes as no surprise.

The Slovenian duo that made history for the country by winning the EuroBasket in 2017 has once again shared the floor for the national team this summer. That automatically raises the question if they could join forces on the Mavs as well.

Their chemistry is undeniable and the departure of Jalen Brunson will also open up space for Dragic who played last season for the Tronto Raptors and the Brooklyn Nets. He was far from the form he showed with the Miami Heat for the previous seven years but that doesn’t;t mean he doesn’t have more left in the tank.

The post Eight European NBA free agents ready for another chance appeared first on Eurohoops.

Top talent is hard to find all over the world and the EuroLeague test is one that ensures a seal of quality for NBA teams. That’s why once more a number of EuroLeague players are expected to move to the other side of the Atlantic, and of course, a number of NBA players will do the opposite.

Eurohoops presents a number of players who for a variety of reasons may make the jump to the NBA this summer. This is not a valuation of their talent, since a lot of EuroLeague players in Europe can hold their own in the NBA, but a presentation in no particular order of 10 cases that have already either made contact with the NBA or are in search of a move to the top league in the world, including the conditions under which a transfer may be completed

The post Τhe Top 10 EuroLeague players that are in NBA talks appeared first on Eurohoops.

EuroLeague rookies are the great unknown.

Whether discussing young prospects under the spotlight for the first time or veteran athletes at their professional peak coming to the highest competition in Europe for the first time, it’s difficult to project who will sink and who will float. Here are the 10 best EuroLeague newcomers for the 2021-22 campaign.

JOSH NEBO

8.8 points | 6.2 rebounds | 0.5 assists | 0.6 steals | 0.8 blocks | 12.8 PIR

One of the positive notes from a tough Zalgiris season that included changes on the bench, non-stop movement of players, and dreadful losing streaks. These setbacks seemed to matter very little to the American big man, who despite not being a particularly tall center (206 cm tall) finished as the sixth-best rebounder in the competition thanks to his gifted physical abilities.

The post The Top 10 EuroLeague rookies appeared first on Eurohoops.

Five rounds into the EuroLeague regular season and several “rookies” have already made headlines with their performances, game-winners, highlights and overall impact that has led their teams to even some stunning results.

This “new blood” that has been flowing into the EuroLeague is strong and actually enriching for the competition that has seen some of its most sensational play this season by these hoopers. Behold of those 10 already notable new faces in the 2021-22 EuroLeague.

The post Ten bright new EuroLeague Faces appeared first on Eurohoops.

There were 109 international players on the opening night rosters of NBA teams for the 2021-22 season. 54 come from Europe with France and Germany having the most representatives with seven players each.

Eurohoops ranks the Top 10 European NBA players of the 2021-2022 season based on each player’s quality, individual/club accomplishments in the previous year and how important each one of them is for his team.

The post Ranking the Top 10 European NBA Players of 2021-22 appeared first on Eurohoops.