Top 5 biggest surprises of the EuroLeague season / News - Basketnews.com

Sasha Vezenkov, Keenan Evans, and Mathias Lessort made a shortlist of the biggest surprises of the 2022-23 EuroLeague season.

Credit: Nikola Krstic/MB Media/EuroLeague Basketball via GettyImages Credit Nikola Krstic/MB Media/EuroLeague Basketball via GettyImages

Are you surprised that Baskonia is at the top of the standings? Did you expect Facundo Campazzo to come to Belgrade? BasketNews presents the five most surprising developments of the first half of the EuroLeague season.

The most fun team to watch?

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz / Schedule

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz Real Madrid92-86 ALBA Berlin Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz01-0519:00

Baskonia has been a real surprise this season, with several players stepping up to deliver impressive performances.

A remarkable win against Real Madrid was the best example of why this Basque team is worth watching on busy EuroLeague nights.

Baskonia plays at a fast pace, ranking second in the EuroLeague in this category (per BBallytics), and has the third most efficient offense, making them arguably one of the most fun teams to watch this year.

Their excitement starts with Markus Howard. The improbable shot doesn't exist for this scorer. It continues with Darius Thompson, who emerged as an excellent floor general in his rookie year. Maik Kotsar, another EuroLeague newcomer, has become a key player in the paint.

Under the leadership of rookie coach Joan Penarroya, Baskonia has developed strong team chemistry and has received tremendous support from their enthusiastic fans at the Fernando Buesa Arena.

It's reminiscent of the booming days of players like Luis Scola, Jose Calderon, Arvydas Macijauskas, Tiago Splitter, and Kornel David. The team's scouting, led by Alberto Salazar, has also played a significant role in their success.

Alfredo Salazar and his team once again did a great job at scouting.

Mr. Fundamental

You might be wondering why an All-EuroLeague Team member is considered surprising. The answer lies in the fact that Sasha Vezenkov is having one of the most efficient seasons in EuroLeague history.

Vezenkov is averaging 19.2 points per game, shooting a staggering 70.9% on 2-point attempts and 44.9% on 3-pointers, while also contributing 7.2 rebounds, two assists, 1.3 steals, and a combined total of 25.3 PIR (Performance Index Rating) per game.

2-pointers this season

58%20,3Points made:20,3Accuracy:57,9%Place in standings:7Record max:28Record min:13Most made 2FGs:Maik KotsarTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

What does it mean to average 25+ PIR in the EuroLeague? In the last 20 years, only three other players have achieved this: Shane Larkin (25.8 in the 2019-20 season with Efes), Boban Marjanovic (25.7 in the 2014-15 season with Crvena Zvezda), and Arvydas Sabonis (26.3 in the 2003-04 season with Zalgiris).

Vezenkov can put up these impressive stats without dominating the ball. Check out this great breakdown by Augustas Suliauskas for more on the greatness of Sasha Vezenkov.

Shaquille O'Neal once called Tim Duncan the "Big Fundamental." This nickname fits Vezenkov perfectly as well.

Crvena Zvezda

There have been many surprising developments in this organization this year.

First of all, despite replacing a head coach and main point guard, Crvena Zvezda are in the playoff mix.

It's reasonable to question whether the underdogs can maintain this level of success throughout the regular season.

But then they surprised us again. Nemanja Nedovic joined Crvena Zvezda on a 3-year multi-million dollar contract this summer, which wasn't too surprising given that the team had already signed Nikola Kalinic in 2021.

But no one expected them to recruit Facundo Campazzo, one of the best players in the EuroLeague. This was particularly surprising since they already had Luca Vildoza, who is having an excellent season in Crvena Zvezda's backcourt.

But Campazzo in Crvena Zvezda? That sounds more like a cheat code in a video game than reality.

Now there are rumors that Crvena Zvezda are targeting Achille Polonara. It's difficult to know what the future holds for this team, but we should keep an eye on them.

The next PG on the rise?

When he's on the bench, Zalgiris head coach Kazys Maksvytis can only watch and pray as his team sets up the offense.

Well, okay, not exactly. According to BBallytics, Zalgiris actually performs slightly worse on offense when Keenan Evans is on the floor, with a 0.1 point per 100 possessions drop in efficiency.

But when the game is on the line, no one else can take charge and guide Zalgiris to victory with the same confidence and trust as Evans.

He's averaging an impressive 16.8 points per game, shooting a strong 56% on 2-point attempts and 45.8% on 3-pointers, despite facing tough defense. Evans is currently ranked as the 7th best scorer in the EuroLeague.

If the EuroLeague had an award for most improved player of the year, Evans would definitely be a strong candidate. After a rookie season with Maccabi Tel Aviv in which he averaged 8.2 points, 3.5 assists, and 10.2 PIR, Evans has made significant progress in his game.

His overall presence on the court also makes a big difference for Zalgiris, with the team conceding 7.6 fewer points per 100 possessions when he's on the court.

Evans is quickly rising to become another top EuroLeague point guard and is leading one of the biggest underdogs in a surprise playoff race.

It's already an astonishing accomplishment for Zalgiris to be in the playoff conversation, and much of the credit goes to Keenan Evans.

The beast of Belgrade

Mathias Lessort had never felt so confident on the court.

That comes with the trust of Zeljko Obradovic and the role Partizan Belgrade offered him in his fourth EuroLeague season.

Lessort is the second most efficient EuroLeague player at the moment, averaging 12.9 points (68.4% 2FG), 7.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game.

Lessort's impact makes him irreplaceable for Partizan (thanks to the lack of depth at the center position too). Obradovic's team outscores opponents by 19.0 points per 100 possessions when Lessort is in the paint.

According to BBallytics, Partizan have the second-best offensive rating in the EuroLeague, and their backcourt stars owe much of their success to Lessort. He leads the EuroLeague in screen assists (5.8) and generates an additional 13.2 points for his team each game.

They should probably take him out to dinner at some of Belgrade's finest restaurants at least a couple of times a month as a thank you.

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