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EuroCup Young guns

EuroCup Young guns

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15 September 20226 Mins read

The 7DAYS EuroCup has historically been a launching pad for the careers of great young talents and the 2022-23 edition should be no different. The list of former EuroCup Rising Stars includes the likes of Jonas Valanciunas, Bojan Dubljevic and Kristaps Porzingis, among others, and there are a great many more who graced the courts of the competition on their way to stardom. Here are some of the top young players poised to leave their mark on the EuroCup this season.

Athanasios Bazinas, Promitheas Patras

Promitheas has developed many strong players from its fantastic youth system. One of the most promising is Bazinas, a pass-first playmaker who will turn 20 in October. Despite his age, Bazinas enters his fourth EuroCup season. In his last EuroCup game last season, Bazinas tallied 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and a PIR of 18 against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. That is a good sign of what Bazinas has to offer Promitheas in the coming years.

Hugo Benitez, Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse

Last season, Benitez showed hints of the great playmaker he will surely become when he averaged 6.1 points and 3.4 assists in a reserve role. His assists-to-turnover ratio (3.35) was the fifth-best in the 2021-22 EuroCup. Creative and with a high basketball IQ, the 21-year-old Benitez is also deadly from the foul line (95.7% last season) and has proven to be a very reliable option. With added experience, expect Benitez to take a significant leap forward.

Khalifa Diop, Gran Canaria

Diop was chosen by the competition's head coaches as the 2021-22 EuroCup Rising Star. He finished the campaign averaging 5.7 points on 58.2% two-point shooting to go with 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists. In games when Diop spent more than 15 minutes on the floor, he posted 7.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for an average PIR of 12.6. His huge dunks, impressive blocked shots and great character make Diop, now 20 years of age, a key player in Gran Canaria's rotation.

Ismael Kamagate, Paris Basketball

An intriguing prospect, Kamagate did well in the French League last season. A 2.11-meter, 21-year-old center, Kamagate averaged 11.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 34 French League games with Paris last season while making 71.3% of his two-point shots. In his first EuroCup campaign, fans can expect more of the same: physicality, intimidation and effectiveness at both ends of the floor with an added measure of experience and maturity.

Juan Nunez, ratiopharm Ulm

Nunez saw playing time in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game with Real Madrid last season. He then joined Ulm where he is expected to play a much larger role. A one-of-a-kind talent with great creativity and passing skills, Nunez was chosen as the youngest-ever MVP of the U20 European Championships over the summer at the tender age of 18. He should dazzle Ulm fans with his off-the-charts basketball IQ and unique assists all season long.

Joel Parra, Joventut Badalona

Parra may be 22 years old, but he already knows what it takes to do well in the EuroCup. He averaged 10.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and a PIR of 12.4 last season and was in the mix to be chosen as EuroCup Rising Star. His strong campaign led to Parra's selection to represent Spain at EuroBasket 2022. A left-handed small forward with outstanding energy and versatility, Parra has well-rounded veterans around him, but his time to lead Joventut could be here very soon.

Mantas Rubstavicius, 7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys

Three of the players that were named to the 2022 U20 European Championships' all-tournament team will play in the EuroCup this season. One of them is Rubstavicius, who averaged 19.7 points and 4.4 rebounds at that event. Born in Panevezys, Rubstavicius, 20, arrives on loan from Zalgiris Kaunas, just like big man Paulius Murauskas. He has a golden opportunity to showcase his all-around scoring skills, defensive intensity and winning mentality.

Matteo Spagnolo, Dolomiti Energia Trento

Spagnolo has been under contract with Real Madrid since 2018, but has played on loan in each of the last two seasons. The 19-year-old averaged 12.2 points and 2.6 assists in 25 Italian League games with Vanoli Cremona last season. A natural-born scorer with unlimited shooting range (44.1% 3FG last season), Spagnolo arrives in Trento eager to gain valuable experience and pull the trigger from any angle.

Ziga Samar, Veolia Towers Hamburg

Samar signed a long-term contract with ALBA Berlin this summer and was sent on loan to Hamburg. The 21-year-old is a very smart playmaker with outstanding passing skills and game knowledge. Samar has a strong one-on-one game that he uses to find good shots for himself and others. Samar averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 assists in 30 Spanish League games with Urbas Fuenlabrada last season. Hamburg's fast-paced playing style fits him perfectly, so Samar may surprise a lot of fans this season.

Fedor Zugic, ratiopharm Ulm

Fans should be looking forward to seeing Nuñez and Zugic play together, as Ulm put together one of the most fun-to-watch, young backcourt duos in EuroCup history. Zugic, 18. is a great all-around scorer, who likes to use his quickness to attack the rim. He thrives in transition, where he can make the most out of his athleticism. Zugic averaged 7.7 points for Ulm in the EuroCup last season and should play a much bigger role this year.