BasketNews EuroLeague players ranking: Top 10 / News - Basketnews.com

Edy Tavares, Nikola Mirotic, and Mike James top the BasketNews EuroLeague players ranking.

Credit: Autoryste - EuroLeague, BNS/BasketNews Illustration Credit Autoryste - EuroLeague, BNS/BasketNews Illustration

For the second year in a row,BasketNewspresents its EuroLeague players ranking, in which 38 head coaches, scouts, general managers, and media members from Europe ranked the best players in the competition.

The survey participants were given a list of around 100 EuroLeague players, and after combining all the results, we present you the BasketNews Top 30 EuroLeague players ranking.

The respondents were given the following ranking scale:

9-10: EuroLeague MVP contender 7-8: All-EuroLeague 1st Team-caliber player 5-6: All-EuroLeague 2nd Team-caliber player 3-4:He would be a starter on a Top 4-caliber team 1-2: The best of the rest

We conclude our EuroLeague players ranking by presenting the Top 10 list.

You can find the previous editions here:

30-21 places 20-11 places

10. Shane Larkin – 267 points

Place in the previous EuroLeague players ranking: 4th 1st-place votes received: 3

In the last couple of seasons, Larkin might have been shadowed a little bit by his injuries and Vasilije Micic, but after all, he's the last man standing in the Anadolu Efes era that saw the club winning back-to-back trophies.

The American guard spent the whole offseason treating his injuries and preparing his body for the upcoming season, so we can expect him to bounce back after a shaky 2022-23 campaign.

Our respondents seem to think the same and deservedly put Larkin among the Top 10 EuroLeague players.

9. Nikola Milutinov – 268 points

Place in the previous EuroLeague players ranking:N/A 1st-place votes received:3

After 1-year break, we'll see Milutinov returning to the highest level. And in that 1 year, not many things have changed – Milutinov is still the same elite player he was.

The 28-year-old is coming off a very solid FIBA World Cup campaign, where he averaged 12.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 19.5 EFF per game, guiding Serbia to the silver medals and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Olympiacos can boast one of the best frontcourts in the EuroLeague, and Milutinov is the core of it.

8. Wade Baldwin IV – 269 points

Place in the previous EuroLeague players ranking:tied for 51-52nd 1st-place votes received:4

After last year's stunner when Baldwin didn't even make the Top 50 list in the BasketNews EuroLeague Players ranking, the normality returns.

Baldwin was one of the main reasons behind Maccabi's success last year, granting him a place in the Top 10 this time.

The 27-year-old had his career-best season, averaging 17.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 17.6 PIR per game in 34 appearances.

Even in the playoff series against Monaco, Baldwin did his best, averaging 19.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 24.0 EFF per game throughout the whole series. That includes 27 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 35 PIR performance in a crucial Game 5.

So, buckle up because it doesn't look like Baldwin will stop this season.

7. Lorenzo Brown – 279 points

Place in the previous EuroLeague players ranking:tied for 12-13th 1st-place votes received: 4

The Baldwin-Brown duo was arguably the best backcourt last season, so there is no surprise that both Maccabi stars made the Top 10.

Just like Baldwin, Brown made a smooth transition to Maccabi, establishing himself as one of the team's key members.

Brown exploded in a game against Bayern, scoring a career-high 36 points, adding 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 10 drawn fouls, and 43 PIR on top of that.

His consistency throughout the season didn't go unnoticed, as the 33-year-old was elected to the All-EuroLeague First Team.

6. Facundo Campazzo – 285 points

Place in the previous EuroLeague players ranking:N/A 1st-place votes received: 13

After not finding his place in the NBA, Facu went back to where he shined the brightest. Even though he played in only 9 games for Crvena Zvezda, we've seen enough of flashy passes and drives to remember how good he is.

But Campazzo is not only about the flashy plays. He plays with incredible efficiency, too, as he averaged 15.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.9 steals, and 18.7 PIR per game for Crvena Zvezda.

He already claimed his first personal accolade after returning to Real Madrid, claiming the ACB Super Cup MVP award.

Campazzo averaged 19.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 22.0 EFF per game in the tournament.

So, Facu returned where he thrived the most before moving to the NBA, while Real filled the void they had to address. Looks like a match in heaven.

5. Will Clyburn – 292 points

Place in the previous EuroLeague players ranking:tied for 6th-7th 1st-place votes received: 13

In terms of the team's results, Will Clyburn's debut season with Anadolu Efes didn't go as expected. However, he proved why Anadolu Efes got him.

The American forward has his career-best season numbers-wise, averaging 16.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 18.6 PIR per game in 34 appearances.

"Shane (Larkin) was out most of the year. Me and Vasa (Micic) were playing, and then we tried to add Shane as well. We were trying to find a way to play all together, but it's difficult when you don't do it in pre-season," Clyburn tried to explain what didn't go their way last season.

"You don't have time to bond. Obviously, Vasa and Shane knew how to play together, but with me in the equation, it was a completely different dynamic. I think if we had more time to prepare, as we have this year, we would have done a lot better," he added.

Now, Clyburn had all pre-season alongside Larkin to prepare for the upcoming campaign. Even though Micic moved to the NBA, Darius Thompson is a very solid player.

So, some new faces inside the team might come out for the better for everyone involved. Meanwhile, very few people doubt Clyburn's abilities to deliver another solid season once again.

4. Kevin Punter – 301 points

Place in the previous EuroLeague players ranking:32nd 1st-place votes received:14

Kevin Punter invites you to the 300-point club. Under Zeljko Obradovic's guidance, the Partizan captain established himself as one of the most prolific EuroLeague scorers who can lead his team and make crucial plays when it matters the most.

Punter already had pretty good numbers in the regular season, averaging 15.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists for 14.2 PIR and making the coveted 50/40/90 club.

Nevertheless, in 3 games that he managed to play due to league sanctions, the Partizan guard was dominant on the floor, significantly increasing both his scoring and efficiency numbers.

After averaging 15.5 points in the regular season, Punter scored an impressive 22.7 points per game in the series against Real Madrid.

At the same time, his PIR numbers increased from 14.2 to 24, which was the second-best in the competition, only behind Tavares. In the process, Punter shot an impressive 59.3% beyond the arc, making 16 threes in 27 attempts.

By now, Punter knows the coach, team, city, and the whole EuroLeague. There's no single reason why he can't show us what he did last year or even make another step forward.

3. Mike James – 320 points

Place in the previous EuroLeague players ranking:3rd 1st-place votes received: 13

We begin the Top 3 with another cold-blooded scorer, Mike James. Although, during some periods, it wasn't the smoothest ride in Monaco, James, and the club made huge steps forward.

The playoffs in the debut season for Monaco were followed by an appearance in the Final Four in the second year. Maybe now it's time for a title or at least the final?

Well, when you can have a player like James alongside an overall well-built roster, it's not out of the question.

James will begin his 9th season in the EuroLeague, and by now, everyone knows that if your possession is stuck or you need the last-second specialist, Mike James is the guy you look for.

2. Nikola Mirotic – 328 points

Place in the previous EuroLeague players ranking:2nd 1st-place votes received: 13

You can think about Mirotic's playoff performances what you want, but he's still the best player in the regular season.

His post-game is guaranteed points no matter what opponent he faces.

After being a spot-up shooter in the NBA, Mirotic returned to the EuroLeague and showed that he's capable of much more than that.

Many forget that he returned from the Achilles injury like it was nothing and dominated from the get-go.

Now, the 32-year-old turns a new page in his career and will continue the EuroLeague trophy hunt in Milan.

1. Edy Tavares – 343 points

Place in the previous EuroLeague players ranking:5th 1st-place votes received: 23

After Sasha Vezenkov and Vasilije Micic left for the NBA, there wasn't much competition left for Tavares.

This Players Ranking said it, the EuroLeague GMs said it, and even the EuroLeague and worldwide stars like Luka Doncic said it – Tavares is the most impactful player in Europe. And that's just it. It's all you need to know about the guy.

After being a defensive specialist a few years ago, Tavares transformed himself into the beast that could be a game-changer on both ends of the floor.

Last season, Tavares claimed the EuroLeague Final Four MVP award, and the regular season MVP is the only accolade Cape Verdean is missing.

If Tavares keeps up with the contribution he produced in recent years and Real Madrid have great success in the regular season, the regular season MVP is almost a given. Tavares and Real have every tool to make it happen.

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