BasketNews GM survey 2022: surprising champion prediction & clear MVP pick / News - Basketnews.com

Although Real Madrid and Anadolu Efes Istanbul were picked as front-runners to make the Final Four this year, most EuroLeague general managers predict FC Barcelona winning the title.

Credit: BNS, ZumaPress.com - Scanpix, Panagiotis Moschandreou - Getty Images | BasketNews illustration Credit BNS, ZumaPress.com - Scanpix, Panagiotis Moschandreou - Getty Images | BasketNews illustration

For the second consecutive year, BasketNews proudly presents the EuroLeague general managers survey 2022.

Vasilije Micic

MIN:34.82PTS:18 (51.35%)REB:3As:7ST:1BL:0TO:3GM:2ProfileEuroLeague2022/2023

The majority of the EuroLeague GMs shared their views on off-season moves, the competition's future, and 2022-23 season predictions.

In the third part of the survey, we deliver answers from the predictions category, where the general managers shared their views on the Final Four participants, potential EuroLeague winners, All-EuroLeague team members, MVP, and coach of the year.

The last BasketNews GM survey edition will be published in the coming days. It will contain the best EuroLeague team ever, and today's players the GMs would start to build their franchise with.

BasketNews EuroLeague GM Survey:

Part I:BasketNews GM survey 2022: best EuroLeague signing & next NBA player Part II:BasketNews GM survey 2022: new EuroLeague format & first task for Bodiroga

Team to surprise

EuroLeague GMs had very different views on teams that could potentially surprise them in the 2022-23 season.

However, two clubs were mentioned in the survey multiple times.

Fenerbahce Istanbul and AS Monaco are considered the front-runners for the most surprising run (21.4%).

Both teams are foreseen in the Top 8 in various EuroLeague power rankings, so general managers probably see Turkish or Monegasque clubs making the Final Four.

Fenerbahce went on a rebuild, hiring the new head coach Dimitris Itoudis and bringing EuroLeague stars Nemanja Bjelica, Scottie Wilbekin, and Nick Calathes.

Meanwhile, Monaco brought Elie Okobo, Jordan Loyd, John Brown, and others to help Mike James take the team as far as possible.

EuroLeague GMs also mentioned Panathinaikos Athens, Partizan Belgrade, Zalgiris Kaunas, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Virtus Bologna, Bayern Munich, and ALBA Berlin.

Team Vote cast 1-2. Fenerbahce Istanbul 21.4% 1-2. AS Monaco 21.4%

Final Four teams

Most EuroLeague general managers (85.7%) are convinced that the upcoming Final Four will include the reigning champion Anadolu Efes Istanbul and the runner-up Real Madrid.

Both teams had only two GMs each who didn't include them in their Final Four predictions.

FC Barcelona was closest to them, with 78.6% votes.

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan is the last team expected to make the Final Four (63.4%), which means that only one team from the previous Final Four expected to miss the tournament's final stage is Olympiacos Piraeus.

Olympiacos and Fenerbahce were the closest to making the Top 4 in the survey.

Virtus Bologna was the only other team mentioned by the general managers.

Team Vote cast 1-2. Anadolu Efes Istanbul 85.7% 1-2. Real Madrid 85.7% 3. FC Barcelona 78.6% 4. Emporio Armani Milan 63.4% 5. Olympiacos Piraeus 42.9% 6. Fenerbahce Istanbul 35.7% Last season: Barcelona, Anadolu Efes, CSKA, Real

URBONUS podcast on Top off-season signings:

EuroLeague winners

Despite the departures of Nick Calathes and Brandon Davies, FC Barcelona is the team expected to win the EuroLeague this year, according to one-fourth of GMs (28.6%).

However, last year Barcelona was considered a heavy favorite to win the trophy (45.5%).

The gap between the few powerhouses is tiny. Few general managers put Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Real Madrid in the lower tier to win the title.

Fenerbahce Istanbul and Emporio Armani Milan were also among the top-mentioned teams.

One general manager sees Olympiacos Piraeus winning the EuroLeague this year.

Team Vote cast 1. FC Barcelona 28.6% 2-3. Anadolu Efes Istanbul 21.4% 2-3. Real Madrid 21.4% 4-5. Fenerbahce Istanbul 14.3% 4-5. Emporio Armani Milan 14.3% Last season: Barcelona 45.5%

All-EuroLeague Team prediction

All EuroLeague general managers shared the same view on the All-EuroLeague Team. But only one player left no doubts about his All-EuroLeague team selection.

For the first time in the BasketNews GM Survey history, all GMs picked one player, Walter Tavares, to make the All-EuroLeague team this season.

Three-fourths of the GMs also named Vasilije Micic in the Top 5 (76.9%).

More than half of general managers (53.8%) also included Will Clyburn.

The current EuroLeague MVP, Nikola Mirotic, and another MVP contender Mike James were the last two to make the All-EuroLeague team selection.

Sasha Vezenkov, Kevin Pangos, and Nikola Kalinic were closest to making the Top 5 in the survey.

Cory Higgins, Guerschon Yabusele, and Shavon Shields also received multiple votes.

Among the more intriguing names, the list included Dzanan Musa, Carsen Edwards, and Marius Grigonis.

Player Vote cast 1. Walter Tavares 100% 2. Vasilije Micic 76.9% 3. Will Clyburn 53.8% 4. Nikola Mirotic 46.2% 5. Mike James 38.5% 6. Sasha Vezenkov 23.1% 7. Kevin Pangos 23.1% 8. Nikola Kalinic 23.1% Last season: Vasilije Micic, Shane Larkin, Cory Higgins, Nikola Mirotic, Brandon Davies/Nikola Milutinov

MVP prediction

Back-to-back EuroLeague Final Four MVP Vasilije Micic is expected to regain the regular season MVP title.

Half of the general managers see him winning the MVP trophy this season.

If Anadolu Efes point guard wins the award, he'll become only the second all-time to get it multiple times.

Maccabi Tel Aviv legend Anthony Parker is the only other EuroLeague player who won the MVP trophy twice (2005, 2006).

Real Madrid giant Walter Tavares ranked second in the MVP race (21.4%). He was selected to All-EuroLeague 1st and 2nd teams in the last three seasons.

Micic's teammate Will Clyburn and Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos Piraeus also received multiple votes (14.3%).

Only Nikola Mirotic was named in the survey among the rest MVP candidates.

Player Vote cast 1. Vasilije Micic 50% 2. Walter Tavares 21.4% 3-4. Sasha Vezenkov 14.3% 3-4. Will Clyburn 14.3% Last season: Vasilije Micic 54.6%

Coach of the year prediction

Sergio Scariolo made the case to be considered the FIBA basketball GOAT by winning the EuroBasket with the Spanish national team.

EuroLeague general managers think he'll make noise in the EuroLeague as well.

They picked Scariolo and Barcelona head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius as the front-runners to win the coach of the year award.

Fenerbahce's Dimitris Itoudis and Real's Chus Mateo were the only other coaches with multiple votes.

Zeljko Obradovic, Sasa Obradovic, Ergin Ataman, and the current coach of the year Georgios Bartzokas, were the other mentioned names in the survey.

Coach Vote cast 1-2. Sarunas Jasikevicius 21.4% 1-2. Sergio Scariolo 21.4% 3-4. Dimitris Itoudis 14.3% 3-4. Chus Matteo 14.3% Last season: Dimitris Itoudis, Sarunas Jasikevicius 27.3% BasketNews Top 50 EuroLeague players ranking

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