After a seven-month marathon, the regular season is complete. VTB-League.com tells you about the 10 biggest stars and why they deserve to be on the list.
Nick Minnerath, Avtodor
Stats: 23.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and a 20.6 efficiency rating in 22 games
Avtodor struggled as a team from the beginning. Disjointed play in the preseason and a defeat in the first official game led to the lightning-quick removal–even by Saratov standards–of head coach Nikolajs Mazurs. Replaced by Sergei Mokin, that would not be the last change on the bench as the team failed to reach the postseason for the first time in the VTB United League. Despite the disappointing record, Avtodor did everything it could to recapture its signature up-tempo style, which had been so successful in the past.
In any case, the offense-first mentality did wonders for Minnerath, who’s a natural-born scorer. He can shoot the 3-pointer, link up on fast breaks and go through big men in the paint. Not surprisingly, the League’s most tattooed player ended up winning the scoring title.
Minnerath may not have led his team to the postseason (he’s the only one on this list not playing in May), but he turned heads around the League and Europe with his production.
Stefan Markovic, Zenit
Stats: 10.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.7 steals and a 17.4 efficiency rating in 22 games
No one questions Stefan Markovic’s incredible value to Zenit. With him running the show, St. Petersburg went from lovable underdog, capable of taking down a team like Khimki or UNICS on occasion, to a legitimate title contender set on reaching the playoff finals and challenging CSKA at the top.
Initially, many expected Markovic to “focus on defense and running the offense, bringing a new dimension to the halfcourt and ordering St. Petersburg’s aggressive, but chaotic attack.” The fact that he doesn’t have a deadly shot or often light up defenses wasn’t a big issue considering his other strengths. But, to the surprise of many, Markovic has been a real threat to score, especially in Zenit’s biggest games. He put up 19 on CSKA, 18 on Khimki, 17 on Loko and 12 on UNICS, giving his team a tremendous lift. And he’s continued to excel as facilitator, dishing out 17 assists against Enisey (4th all-time in the League), averaging 7.7 season on the season and earning the League’s March MVP.
Keith Langford, UNICS
Stats: 19.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.0 steals and a 17.2 efficiency rating in 21 games
The regular season was a disappointment for UNICS, when you include the second half. Last year’s runners-up, who made few changes on the roster and didn’t get any younger, simply couldn’t handle the demands of the EuroLeague’s expanded format. As a result, the club finished in 2nd-to-last place in Europe and struggled down the stretch in the VTB League. Now Kazan enters the postseason with the #5 seed, opening on the road against Lokomotiv-Kuban with a potential semifinal match-up against CSKA looming.
Langford and Quino Colom, however, were sensational from start to finish. Langford, in fact, posted a career-high 3.6 assists per game, while leaving plenty of room for Colom to work his magic. Benjamin Franklin once said “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Kazan fans might add “and Langford scoring points” to the iconic phrase. He remains one of Europe’s most dangerous players, ranking among the top performers in points, minutes and efficiency rating. He had to carry his team often in the VTB United League, setting a new single-game scoring record (42) and helping the White-Greens to many hard-fought wins.
After the final game of the regular season, Langford openly declared that his team was not ready for the playoffs. Indeed, UNICS doesn’t look like one of the favorites. But with a much-needed break between the end of the season and the quarterfinals, Kazan will be a dangerous opponent for any team.
Janis Blums, VEF
Stats: 17.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.9 steals and a 14.1 efficiency rating in 21 games
VEF missed the postseason a year ago and there were concerns about assembling a competitive roster in 2016-17, due to financial issues, let alone competing for the playoffs. But the arrival of veterans Janis Blums and Armands Skele meant Latvia’s premier club was able to stay the course and even mount a surprisingly successful campaign.
The Latvian national team captain, Janis Blums, took on a big role from the beginning. After stints with Lietuvos Rytas and Astana in the League, he provided experience and confidence to his young teammates, while generating offense at a high level. One of the League’s youngest coaches, Janis Gailitis, put together a disciplined, but aggressive team with Blums in charge of the offense. He led the League in three-point attempts (194 shots, 9.2 per game), knocking down 38.1% to finish 4th in average points per game.
Opposing coaches often talked about the need to contain Blums, but they often struggled. The Latvian led his team to 11 wins and a 7th-place finish, the best showing by a non-Russian team in the League. Next up for VEF? A clash with Zenit in the quarterfinals.
Frank Elegar, Enisey
Stats: 13.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.0 blocks and a 20.1 efficiency rating in 21 games
Enisey provided one of the biggest surprises of the regular season. In his second year with the team, Oleg Okulov was able to adapt to the travel demands that are part of the job in Krasnoyarsk, helping his guys stay in tip-top shape, while assembling a hungry collective of inexpensive foreign talent and available Russian players. Bench spark plug Suleiman Braimoh put himself in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year, while Tony Taylor would be in the mix for “Best Supporting Actor” if he was an actor. Meanwhile, the top star among Enisey’s Big Three is unquestionably Frank “Double-Double Oligarch” Elegar.
This is his 4th season in the League. After three years with Kalev, Elegar earned a reputation for rim protection and impressive efficiency. Okulov was watching, snatching him up at the first opportunity. He’s continued to churn out double-doubles in Krasnoyarsk, moving into 1st place all-time in the League in double-doubles (21) late in the season. He also finished in 3rd place in efficiency rating.
Just as important as his stats, All-Star Game invite and freaky dunking was his glue-like impact on Enisey’s interior defense. Elegar was the ideal leader for a hard-working, up-tempo Enisey, which enjoyed its best regular-season campaign in club history.
Rob Lowery, Astana
Stats: 14.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 steals and a 13.1 efficiency rating
Ilias Papatheodorou once again demonstrated his ability to build a hard-nosed squad despite limited resources. Astana is his latest success, reaching the playoffs thanks to discipline and strict execution of the game plan. Nonetheless, not everyone on the team fits the mold of the Greek Thibodeau, though it’s doubtful he would have had it any other way.
Papatheodorou’s strategies and vision came to life thanks to an infusion of energy and inspiration from Rob Lowery. The dread-locked playmaker, who typically comes off the bench, transformed Astana’s faceless approach with his outstanding one-on-one game. The Sixth Man of the Year candidate is always looking to pick an opponent’s pocket and never shies away from going after loose balls, even if means diving into the front row. He’s not perfect, sometimes holding onto the ball for too long, taking low-percentage shots and struggling from outside, but his coach was never afraid to turn to Lowery in crunch time.
Lowery helped build an attractive team with his heroics and nonstop energy. He’s serious, too, about Astana, hoping to get a tattoo with the Kazakhstan flag and open to joining the national team.
Kevin Jones, Lokomotiv-Kuban
Stats: 13.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and a 17.0 efficiency rating in 22 games
Lokomotiv had a false start and parted ways with Fotios Katsikaris in November. There were rumors Kevin Jones would also be on the way out, but new head coach Sasa Obradovic proved an excellent manager in crisis, turning the team around in short order. The Serb molded Lokomotiv into an elite defensive squad, instilling motivation and discipline in his players. Loko responded with a 13-game winning streak, led by a resurgent Jones.
The hard-working, charming American became a defensive pillar under Obradovic. Smart positioning, grit and power have made him one of the top 10 rebounders in the League. He’s just as effective on offense. The center is dangerous from any distance, but especially efficient in the paint, where Kuban as a team excels. Overall, Jones shoots 58.3% from the field, 2nd-best in the League.
Jones is also engaged in the community. He recently performed the hit song “Love Me, Love” by Otpetye Moshenniki, even recording a video with his teammates. Krasnodar couldn’t wait to see the video, knowing all about Jones’ multi-faceted talent on and off the court. “Love Me, Love” will now always be associated with Jones.
Sergey Karasev, Zenit
Stats: 16.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals and a 15.1 efficiency rating in 19 games
Despite Markovic’s unexpected impact on scoring, Zenit brought in someone else to do most of the heavy lifting. He also has lived up to expectations.
Sergey Karasev’s haters have been remarkably quiet since he returned from the NBA. Once again healthy, Karasev added muscle and technique during his time abroad. Playing at home where he’s the go-to man on the roster, the Russian forward is the complete package on offense, scoring on set plays and iso’s. Karasev is often asked to carry the team, winning two big duels with Alexey Shved to go with victories over Loko and UNICS. He even won the Three-Point Contest at the All-Star Game and was named the League’s January MVP. Karasev’s return from across the ocean has been good for everyone: He’s come into his element this season, making the League that much more interesting.
Alexey Shved, Khimki
Stats: 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.1 steals and a 20.2 efficiency rating in 20 games
Recently, Khimki hasn’t looked like CSKA’s biggest threat in the League, struggling at times during the regular season and finishing behind Zenit in 3rd place after losing twice to the St. Petersburg club. Dusko Ivanovic’s men were even shakier against the Army Men. But there are some bright spots. Moscow Region was able to hang on to 3rd, avoiding a possible semifinal match-up with CSKA. Enisey should be a manageable foe with the chance for revenge against Zenit in the next round. Returning to the playoff finals and securing a EuroLeague bid would be a satisfying result. It’s hard to say how this story will end, but the Yellow-Blues have a chance, especially with one of Europe’s top players suiting up for them every night.
With his signature cool on the court, Shved is playing at an elite level. The guard has also become more consistent and adapted to the role of leader. He’s been a frequent guest on Star Performance this season, almost as frequent as Javale McGee’s appearances on Shaqtin’ A Fool. It’s often said Khimki is not the same without Shved. It’s true. He’s already won the EuroCup MVP and is a serious contender for the League MVP as well.
Nando De Colo, CSKA
Stats: 17.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.4 steals and a 19.1 efficiency rating in 15 games
CSKA, unlike UNICS, had more success competing on two fronts. There were a few hiccups and the Army Men ended up 2nd in the EuroLeague standings, but the team was remarkably consistent as a whole. New circumstances forced Dimitris Itoudis to take a scientific approach to time management and he rose to the challenge. De Colo’s 22.5 minutes per game led the team, easily the fewest minutes of any player on this list. Even so, the Frenchman was able to make a strong case for MVP.
De Colo continues to draw fouls with his ability to get into the lane (5.8 attempts per game, 3rd in the League). He’s got a terrific jumper and it’s tough to find any significant flaws in his game. De Colo plays defense, mixes scoring (5th) with distributing (9th) and knows how to close out games. Last season’s MVP is playing at a high level, helping CSKA to a 22-2 regular-season record and the #1 seed.
