Since season 2012/13 the United League award best young player of the tournament under age of 23 every year. Recalling each Rookie of the year and telling about their further career.
Sergey Karasev, Triumph
2012/13 season stats: 18 games, 16.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Then: 20-year old guard was more than just Triumph’s leader but one of the most dangerous offensive United League players. Sergey Karasev was scoring 16.3 points per game – this is fourth best scoring result. He was 5 out of 6 monthly best young player and helped Triumph get in play-offs in their debut season.
After: No wonder during summer-2013 guard went to NBA – he was drafted by Cleveland with the 19th pick. During 2016 off-season Karasev came back to Russia and signed with Zenit.
Being Zenit’s player Sergey Karasev participated in two United League All-Star Games winning 3-point shootout contest 2017 and winning an MVP award in 2018. Last summer he signed with Khimki and in 16 games he was averaging 6.7 points and 2.4 rebounds.
Dmitriy Kulagin, Triumph
2013/14 season stats: 17 games, 8.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Then: During off-season the guard came back to Lubertsy after a season in Krylia Sovetov and helped Triumph second time go to play-offs with pretty good record: 11 wins in 18 games and 3rd place in group B. Kulagin himself twice scored 16+ points.
After: During career Dmitriy Kulagin played for Zenit and CSKA and since 2017/18 season guard has been playing for Krasnodar and became one of the team’s leader. He was VTB League DPOY of 2018 and 3-timeUnited League all-star – 2018-2020.
Edgaras Ulanovas, Neptunas
2013/14 season stats: 18 games, 9.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Then: In 2013/14 season was an exception: two young players were awarded at once – Dmitriy Kulagin and Edgaras Ulanovas. 22-year old forward played for Neptunas for only a year but was one of the team’s leaders in united League. His season-high game was against VEF when he scored 22 points (90:85). In 4 of 6 months of the regular season he was in top-3 young players.
After: During summer-2014 he moved to Zalgiris where he gained lots of individual and team titles. Thus, forward was multiple Lithuania championship and Mindaugas Cup finals MVP. Since 2015 he has been regularly playing for Lithuania National team.
Janis Timma, VEF
2014/15 season stats: 28 games, 12.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists
Then: Young and fast forward with good 3-point shot strengthened VEF a lot. Janis Timma could decide the possession himself and could place a perfect assist remembering about defence. VEF were fighting for a play-off spot but just like year ago they lacked 1 win. Janis Timma, who scored 20+ points 3 times was included in top-3 young players list in each of 6 months.
After: During Summer Timma signed with Zenit where he player for 2 seasons and participated in first VTB All-Star Game and won slam-dunk contest. In 2019 Janis came back from 2-year Euro-trip (Basconia, Olympiacos) to Russia, becoming a Khimki player.
Artem Klimenko, Avtodor
2015/16 season stats: 27 games, 7.7 point, 4.8 rebounds
Then: By then, the entire professional career center has spent in Saratov and despite the promotion of Avtodor in the class – the club has moved from the Superleague to the United VTB League – has remained one of the main performers of the team. Klimenko had his hand in the League record, which Avtodor set in the game against «Bisons» in April-2016 – Artem scored 16 points and hasn’t missed (8/8 from the field).
They spent their franchise best (at that time) season in the League, reached the playoffs from 6th place and in two games of the quarterfinal series gave Zenit a hard time. In the 2nd game of the series, Klimenko scored 29 points, but this did not help Avtodor stop the opponent.
After: Klimenko played for Avtodor until 2018, with a half a year loan in UNICS in 2016/17 season. In 2018 midseason center has finally moved to Kazan, where he is still playing. As an UNICS player he went to the All-Star Game 2019.
Ivan Ukhov, PARMA
2016/17 season stats: 24 games, 7.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Then: Ukhov is a trainee of the Perm basketball academy, and there is no surprise that he made his debut in the VTB United League as part of the PARMA. The 21-year-old guard made a 29-point performance in a game vs Avtodor, and in an away game with Tsmoki, in which PARMA got the club’s first ever victory in the United League, wrapped up a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.
In the same season, VTB United League hosted their first All-Star Game. The young Russian became the first representative of PARMA in this show: Ukhov took part in a three-pointer competition.
After: A year later, Ivan Ukhov once again visited the All-Star Game, but this time as a full-fledged All-Star and the guard of the Russia Stars. In the 2018 summer he moved to Moscow and signed a three-year contract with CSKA.
Isaiah Briscoe, Kalev
2017/18 season stats: 16 games, 22.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds
Then: The 22-year old American came to Kalev after the start of the season, but instantly became one of the main newsmakers of the championship. 29 points against Nizhny, 28 against Khimki, 27 vs Tsmoki-Minsk, 25 vs UNICS and PARMA … Brisko tried to bring his team to their first playoffs in the League, not forgetting to fight for the title of the MVP of the season.
It was just a bit not enough to complete both tasks: Kalev ended with 2 victories from the 8th line, and Alexey Shved beat Isaiah Briscoe in the list of best scorers by only 0.32 points.
After: After spending a powerful season in the United League, Briscoe signed a contract with Orlando Magic and played the 2018/19 season in the NBA. He hasn’t managed to gain a consolidation in the States, so the guard returned to Europe and began last season in the German Ulm, and in the winter he moved to the Polish Szczecin.
Nikita Mikhailovskii, Avtodor
2018/19 season stats: 26 games, 5.5 points, 2.2 rebounds
Then: The 18-year-old Russian became the first player born in 2000 to receive the award for the best young basketball player of the season. In 16 games of the season Mikhailovskii went out in the starting line-up, and the game against Kalev (112: 109) became season-high – Nikita scored 22 points with 20 efficiency points.
In addition, Nikita Mikhailovskii has become the youngest participant of the All-Star Game – the guard presented Avtodor at the All-Star 2019 in Moscow.
After: Nikita Mikhailovskii put himself for the NBA Draft-2019 but 2 weeks before the event he decided to refuse to participate. In the summer, the guard made a triple-double at the U-19 World Cup and helped the Russian team climb to 5th place. Mikhailovskii also spent the 2019/20 season in Avtodor, being a starter in 13 of 18 team’s games.
