Vasilis Spanoulis is likely to hold his last career game tonight at Yad Eliyahu • For the occasion, we ranked the top five in the Euroleague in the past decade • Top of the list: The Greek phenomenon
Spanoulis.
Designed the current decade in the Euroleague
Photography:
IPI
Navarro on the way to the basket.
"La Bomba" has only one
Photography:
AFP
By all accounts, the current season is the last in the glorious career of one of the greatest winners in the history of European basketball - Vasilis Spanoulis.
If the estimates come true, and on the reasonable assumption that Maccabi Tel Aviv and Olympiacos will not meet in the quarterfinals, tonight's game will be (probably) the last time the Greek star will step on the floor at the Yad Eliyahu Hall. There was an argument - Spanoulis above everyone by a large margin.
1. Vasilis spanolis
In numbers:
three Euroleague championships, the king of all-time baskets in the factory, selection for the player of the decade in the Euroleague (2020-2010), the outstanding player of the season, three times the outstanding player of the Final Four, the outstanding scorer in the final, six picks ).
In short:
he is not physical, not fast and in defense he is not really a guard.
But what Vasilis Spanoulis has in his head and heart no one else has.
There is no player in Europe that you would want to put the ball in his hands in the more important minutes than with the Greek guard.
But let’s not get confused for a moment, beyond the wineries, Spanoulis is simply a wonderful basketball player.
He penetrates excellently, removes and also hits well outside the arc.
This is what it looks like in the statistics tables: Spanoulis leads the Euroleague in points, assists (more than 200 assists after him), index points and penalty shots.
Absolute control.
You can not ask for more than that.
It's a pity there will not be an audience in the hall tonight to applaud the Greek legend.
Spanoulis. Above all in the gap // Photo: IPI
Kyle Haynes
In numbers:
four Euroleague championships, a member of the team of the decade, twice the defensive player of the season.
In short:
wherever Kyle Haynes steps, grass grows.
In his two years at Olympiacos he helped the Greek team break a long drought and won the Euroleague championship twice in a row.
After that CSKA Moscow brought him in to smash the loser label and hit big with two factory wins in four years. But it's not just the fact that he's the only player in a decade to win the title four times, but that he's one of the few in history to say they changed the game. Almost all teams today are looking for mobile players and athletes and less heavy chins as in the past.Each professional manager and every coach is looking for his "Kyle Haynes" .This is the biggest compliment.
Kyle Haynes. With four championships it's hard to argue // Photo: IP
3. Sergio Yui
In numbers:
two Euroleague championships, the outstanding player of the season, a member of the team of the decade, the top five of the season, the second top five of the season.
In short: the
Spanish coordinator has been one of the most exciting and exciting players in Europe for more than a decade.
He is the symbol, heart and soul of Real Madrid since 2007, despite receiving tempting offers from the NBA.
Without the past injuries, Blancos may have had one or two more titles and his position in the rankings was higher.
Along with the many titles in the Spanish league and the seven medals he won with the team, Yui is one of the greatest Spanish players of all time.
Yui. The symbol of the Blanacos // Photo: IPI
Milos Theodosic
In numbers:
Euroleague championship, the outstanding player of the season, member of the team of the decade, three times in the top five, three elections for the second five.
In short: the
Serbian quarterback is one of the most talented players to step on the basketball courts in Europe.
With a distinctly non-athletic body, but with playing wisdom, shooting, delivery ability and also from the papers reserved for the greatest, every Theodosic game is an experience to the eye.
The fact that he has lost a few important games with his own hands and that in the last three years he is not part of the European top flight, prevents him from climbing one or two more places.
Theodosic. Unusual game wisdom // Photo: GettyImages
5. Juan Carlos Navarro
In numbers:
Euroleague Championship (and one more in the previous decade), Outstanding Player of the Final Four, Outstanding Sling in the Final, Twice Fifth of the Season (and three more in the previous decade), Twice Fifth Second, Team of the Decade (and also Previous Decade), Euroleague Legend Award.
In short:
there are not many players who have influenced the game and one team like "La Bomba".
Generations of shots have been fired at the Spanish bomber who retired in 2018, and many of the shooting exercises today are based on his movement.
When you put together Navarro's personal, team and national achievements of the last two decades, you get a member of the European Basketball Millennium Five so far.
Or in the words of his former coach Xavi Pascual recently in an interview with "Israel Today": "One of the greatest in the history of the Euroleague."
Navarro. One of the greatest in the history of the Euroleague // Photo: NurPhoto
Almost in:
Nando de Colo