The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague accolade for the season's most valuable player has several standout candidates who have been starring on courts across the continent during the first two-thirds of the regular season.
5 + 1 midseason awards candidates: MVP
Lorenzo Brown, UNICS Kazan
As the team leader for UNICS, one of the season's most pleasant surprises, Brown has consistently ranked among the competition's best performers lately. Playing for his third EuroLeague team in as many years, Brown needed little time to establish his footing in Kazan before firmly taking the reins of the UNICS offense by early November. Brown now leads the league with 6.1 assists, but has been an all-around contributor to the team's surge through the standings. Brown ranks fourth in the league in average performance index rating (18.1), and sixth in steals (1.5), and eighth in scoring (14.1 ppg.). No guard is as dangerous as Brown taking the ball to the rim, where he makes 4.3 two-pointers per game, fifth-most in the league and the best among non-centers. He is also very active on the glass, with 3.7 rebounds per contest.
Shane Larkin, Anadolu Efes Istanbul
The league leader in minutes played (31:24 per game), Larkin currently owns third-best average PIR (19.6) while ranking fourth in average assists (5.3), and seventh in both points (14.8) and steals (1.4). And Larkin has been improving in all those departments as the season has progressed. After a somewhat slower start to the season, he turned it up a gear late in November and has barely slowed down since. In his last 13 appearances, Larkin is averaging 17.1 points on 48.7% three-point shooting, making 2.9 triples per game over that span. Larkin has also averaged 5.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals, averaging a 22.3 PIR in those last 13 games. No player in the competition this season has an average PIR higher in games that his team won than Larkin's 21.1. His performances have been a major factor in the defending champs getting back into the playoff picture after a 0-4 start.
Nikola Mirotic, FC Barcelona
It has been an impressive regular season so far for the superstar forward of first-placed FC Barcelona. Mirotic, who turned 31 years old last week, has played fewer than 25 minutes per game (42nd in the league) but still leads the EuroLeague in scoring (16.8) and ranks second in PIR (20.2). He's had some impressive performances, having set career highs in PIR (39) and assists (5) while matching his personal best in scoring (31 points). Even more impressive has been his consistency playing at the very highest level. Mirotic has had PIRs of 15 or better in 16 games this season and has been among the most efficient shooters from all ranges. He ranks fourth in three-point (46.9%) and 12th in two-point (64.9%) shooting accuracy, both career-high numbers, as well as seventh from the free-throw line (89.5%).
Walter Tavares, Real Madrid
Already a two-time Best Defender and two-time All-EuroLeague center, Tavares has been playing his most complete EuroLeague campaign since making his debut in the 2017-18 season. His 24:20 minutes per game aren't just the fewest on this list, but lower than 47 other players this season. However, that has not prevented him from holding the league's highest average PIR (20.7). In fact, Tavares has posted double-figure PIRs in 21 of his 22 appearances this season. He is scoring a career-high 12.5 points per game while leading the league in both blocks (1.9 bpg.) and two-point shooting efficiency (75.7%). Real center also ranks second in rebounding (7.4), ranking fourth in both defensive (4.7) and offensive (2.7) boards. Tavares has paced Real to a share of a league-best 20-5 record by putting his fingerprints over all facets of the game.
Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos Piraeus
Olympiacos, which has not seen the playoffs nor had a winning record since 2018, is currently sitting in fourth place with a 14-9 record that simply would not have been possible without Vezenkov's performances. The 26-year old forward, playing his seventh EuroLeague season, is having the best campaign of his career. A full-time starter and the team's leader in minutes played (29:13), Vezenkov is the Reds' second-best scorer (12.8) and top rebounder (5.7), both career-best numbers, as are his 1.0 steals per game. Vezenkov gives Olympiacos much-needed balance, too, scoring on 63.0% of his two-point shot attempts while sinking at least 1 three-pointer in each of his last 18 appearances. His all-around contributions have Vezenkov ranked eighth in average PIR (16.7) and have Olympiacos in great position heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Sleeper, Mike James, AS Monaco
Monaco's virtuoso playmaker has had his shares of ups and downs this season, but a recent surge in his performances has James and his team quickly climbing the ranks. He currently sits as the competition's fifth-best scorer (15.7) and second-best assist-maker (5.9) while ranking eighth in steals (1.4) and seventh in average PIR (16.7). James is one of just two players with PIRs of 31 or higher in four different games and the only player with double-digit assists three times. His 14 assists to help beat Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 15 were both a personal high and the most in the EuroLeague this season. James has taken his game to another level since then. In 11 appearances starting that night, he has posted 18.2 points on 40% three-point shooting and 7.5 assists per game. Monaco got back into the playoffs race with a 7-4 record over that stretch, putting James squarely into the MVP conversation.