Four rounds – Rounds 22, 23, 24 and 25 – have been taken into consideration for February's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP of the Month award, with the last set of eligible games set to take place this coming Thursday and Friday. By the end of this week, the 18 teams will have played either three or four games this month, with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Real Madrid and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan having played a game less due to the tragic events in Turkiye. The MVP will be named by Euroleague Basketball based on his and his team's performance during the month. In alphabetical order, here are some of the top candidates – all from teams with unbeaten records – heading into the last eligible games of the month.
February MVP ladder: The top candidates
Stats
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Billy Baron, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2-0)
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan could complete a perfect month with a home win over Panathinaikos Athens on Thursday and the man leading the charge so far has been Billy Baron. The veteran guard has averaged 13,0 points and 3.5 assists, while shooting with his usual excellent accuracy. Baron made all 5 two-point shots and 4 free throws. He has also knocked down 4 of 12 three-pointers. It has added up to an average PIR of 18.5. Now in his fourth EuroLeague campaign, Baron seeks to become the first MVP of the Month from Milan since Sergio Rodriguez in October 2019.
Dante Exum, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (3-0)
Dante Exum has been a silent assassin for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade during its strong start to February. While not necessarily shining in the box scores, Exum has come off the bench to offer impactful contributions at both ends of the floor in minimum time. He has averaged 11.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for an average PIR of 16.0 in just 21:29 minutes. Exum made 9 of 12 two-point shots in that stretch and was always there to stifle the opposition's top scorers, which helped Partizan win its last three games by double-digit margins. If Exum becomes the MVP, he would be the first Australian-born MVP of the month since Aleks Maric, who also won it with Partizan in December 2009.
Mario Hezonja, Real Madrid (2-0)
Despite having had a turbulent first season at Real Madrid, Mario Hezonja took his game to another level in Rounds 22 and 23. Los Blancos did not play in Round 24 due to the tragic events in Turkiye, but before that, Hezonja had a solid 14-point night in a convincing 83-68 win against Panathinaikos and then a career night with 30 points on 6 made three-pointers, 6 assists and a 34 PIR – all of which are career highs – in a 91-95 victory at AS Monaco. Over these two games, Hezonja averaged 22.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and a 23.0 PIR, with his averages for points and PIR being the highest among any player on Real's roster in that period.
Rokas Jokubaitis, FC Barcelona (3-0)
The reigning EuroLeague Rising Star Award winner, Rokas Jokubaitis has it his stride lately as Barcelona sixth man. He's been FC Barcelona's most consistent performer in February, during which he averaged 11.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and just 0.7 turnovers per game. Jokubaitis made 6 of 9 three-pointers this month and his average PIR in February, 14.3, is the highest on the team. If Jokubaitis is chosen as MVP of the month, he would become the first reigning EuroLeague Rising Star to do so since Luka Doncic in October 2017.
Kevin Punter, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (3-0)
When it comes to the deadliest players in the EuroLeague, Kevin Punter is one of the first players that comes to mind. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade has won each of its last three games, bringing its winning streak to four, and the 29-year-old has played a vital role in its triumphs against LCLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (92-71), Zalgiris Kaunas (74-88) and FC Bayern Munich (71-82), averaging 18.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and an 18.3 PIR. The consistent play of Punter on offense has been one of the keys to Partizan's success of late, and should he end up winning the MVP of the Month award, he will be the club's first recipient of the prize since Aleks Maric back in the 2009-10 season.
Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos Piraeus (3-0)
Olympiacos Piraeus won three straight games between Rounds 22 and 24 to extend its winning streak to six, with Sasha Vezenkov shining in particular. The forward has averaged 21.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steal and a 25.7 PIR in that time, with his last outing – a dominant 60-93 win at ALBA Berlin – seeing him set his season-high mark for points with 28. In the first two games in this period, Vezenkov had a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double in a 73-93 victory at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul before following that up with a 23-point night in a 76-70 triumph over Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Vezenkov, November's MVP of the Month, is a big reason why Olympiacos is currently the hottest team in the EuroLeague.