The stars of the ANGT Finals have reasons to dream big as several alumni from that competition will take the floor at the Final Four chasing the EuroLeague crown.
ANGT champ to EuroLeague champ? Here are your candidates
Hundreds of young players have tested their skills at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals. Only a few dozen of them have excelled at the tournament and gone on the play at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four. Some of them are playing this season in Belgrade: Olympiacos big man Livio Jean-Charles, Real Madrid forward Alberto Abalde and Rokas Jokubaitis of FC Barcelona.
Jean-Charles is playing in the Final Four for the first time 12 years after being chosen as the ANGT MVP. Jean-Charles played for U18 INSEP at the 2010 ANGT Finals in Paris, France, and shined with 16.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and a PIR of 18.0. He had 15 points and 7 rebounds in the championship game against U18 FMP Belgrade, in which INSEP prevailed 73-83 to lift the trophy.
"It has been a long journey. It took me a long time to come back here as a pro. I keep that win as one of the greatest memories in my career, being on the court at halftime [of the 2010 championship game, receiving the trophy], being so young," Jean-Charles recalled. "It was special because it was the first year that we were doing this tournament and it was at home, in Paris. It was something different for us."
Jean-Charles is not the only player at the 2022 Final Four who has earned ANGT MVP honors. Abalde was the 2013 MVP with Joventut Badalona. Abalde completed a great tournament at the 2013 Final Four in London, averaging 17.8 points on 50% three-point shooting, 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a PIR of 18.8. He had 18 points and 9 rebounds in the championship game against U18 FC Barcelona. Abalde went on to win the 7DAYS EuroCup with Valencia Basket in 2019 and looks for his first EuroLeague crown in Belgrade.
"I have very good memories. We played in London and the arena was packed. When you are a junior, you are impressed. I remember that my sisters came to see me play and we experienced that moment together. I had no idea that I was going to get the MVP award," Abalde said. "Everyone in the team got along well with each other, were good friends and had a great time. We won and didn't think about these things, but when I got the MVP trophy, it was a surprise. They made me feel like someone important! It was a nice moment that I will always remember."
Most recently, Jokubaitis shined at the ANGT. Jokubaitis, the 2021-22 EuroLeague Rising Star, played for U18 Zalgiris Kaunas at the 2017 ANGT in Istanbul, Turkey. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in three games. Five years later, he has the chance to lead Barca to its first EuroLeague title in over a decade.
These players all played at the ANGT with different teams than the ones with which they reached the Final Four for the first time. Only four players - Jonas Maciulis, Nikita Kurbanov, Alexey Shved and Luka Doncic - have won the ANGT and the EuroLeague. Jean-Charles and Abalde could join this exclusive list.