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Top 10 rookies to watch in the 2023-24 EuroLeague

Top 10 rookies to watch in the 2023-24 EuroLeague

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5 Mins read

Geoff Gillingham

Top 10 rookies to watch in the 2023-24 EuroLeague

For Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, there are plenty of new faces that will be on our TV screens in the coming season. Some have already been discussed at length, such as Kemba Walker, Juancho Hernangomez and PJ Dozier, while others showed their talent in last season's BKT EuroCup and are set to make the step up.

Well, for anyone looking for any under-the-radar names to follow in the 2023-24 EuroLeague season, you are in luck! Here's my top 10 rookies to watch next season.

10. John Egbunu, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

While Youssoupha Fall has established himself as ASVEL's go-to center over the last few years, he now has strong competition – in the literalist sense of the word – from Egbunu. The Nigerian big man impressed in the Turkish League in 2022-23, averaging 11.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 25 games for Gaziantep, and his main task in the coming season will be to help protect ASVEL's paint.

9. Devontae Cacok, Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Cacok, Virtus's third signing of the summer, is one of those players that has the potential to make a splash in the EuroLeague. The American power forward paired 9.6 points with 5.6 rebounds at CSKA Moscow last season in his first year in Europe, so he will be eager to build on that experience as he embarks upon his EuroLeague journey with Virtus.

8. Kassius Robertson, Valencia Basket

After leading the Spanish League in scoring last season with 17.4 points per game at Obradoiro, Robertson now has a chance to play in the EuroLeague with Valencia. While he will be competing with the likes of Chris Jones, Jared Harper and Josep Puerto for minutes, head coach Alex Mumbru will be hoping that Robertson provides a regular scoring burst from the bench.

7. Brady Manek, Zalgiris Kaunas

In recent times, when Zalgiris has signed American players it has tended to go well. In the case of Manek, he got his first taste of European hoops last season at Turkish side Tofas, posting 15.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 13 games. For a Zalgiris side hoping to once again make the playoffs, it will need Manek to emerge as one of the EuroLeague's best rookies.

6. Antonius Cleveland, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Two-way players are a commodity in the EuroLeague, and Cleveland has shown that he can make a big impact on both ends of the floor. Having paired 15.8 points with 1.9 steals in 28 Australian League games for the Adelaide 36ers, he then averaged 17.6 points and 1.8 steals in 11 Israeli League fixtures for Hapoel Eilat. Let's see if he can make a similar impact for Maccabi in the EuroLeague.

5. Marko Simonovic, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Two years after leaving for the NBA, Simonovic is back in Serbia. The 23-year-old center was one of the brightest prospects on the continent after shining with Mega Basket in 2020-21, so he has the chance to remind everyone of his talent once again. Zvezda fans will be hoping that Simonovic can take to the EuroLeague like a duck to water.

4. Nikos Rogkavopoulos, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

A member of the Greek national team, Rogkavopoulos could quickly become a fans' favorite at Buesa Arena. Just 22, the forward left his native Greece last summer by joining Turkish side Merkezefendi, where he posted 15.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 28 Turkish League games. After previously featuring in the BKT EuroCup with Promitheas Patras in 2021-22, he'll now make the step up to the EuroLeague.

3. Terry Tarpey, AS Monaco

With so many scorers on Monaco's roster, defensive-minded players like Tarpey will be incredibly important. The France international has established himself as one of the best lockdown defenders at the guard position in Europe over the last few years, so his play could be what helps get Monaco over the line come the business end of the season. Keep an eye out for Tarpey come playoff time.

2. Dario Brizuela, FC Barcelona

There's a reason why he goes by the nickname of "Basque Mamba". Brizuela has become renowned in Spain for his scoring, and he has the ability to cause plenty of damage from Barca's bench in the coming EuroLeague season. After four years with Unicaja Malaga, the first two of which saw him play in the EuroCup, he now brings his talents to Europe's premier club basketball competition.

1. Sylvain Francisco, FC Bayern Munich

Anyone who likes fast-paced basketball will enjoy watching Francisco next season. After learning under EuroLeague legend Vassilis Spanoulis at Peristeri last season, averaging 16.2 points and 5.8 assists in nine Basketball Champions League games, the France international will try to take his game to the next level under two-time EuroLeague champion head coach Pablo Laso. It could end up being a match made in heaven.