With the start of the new year, it is necessary to analyze the rookie players who have arrived in Europe and evaluate their impact in the first months outside of the collegiate world. Just like last season, where we wrote about Breein Tyree and Payton Willis, who signed in Italy, as well as Mark Smith (Spain), Savion Flagg (Germany), Nysier Brooks (France), and Austin Wiley (Turkey) HERE IS THE LINK, let’s see who will be the next protagonists in the main European leagues
Joe Bryant (Slask Wroclaw, 185 cm – 93 kg) What matters are not the stats he puts up in the second Polish league, where he is clearly overperforming (a high of 46 points, averaging over 25 ppg per game), but his appearances with the first team in the EuroCup, where in the last games, he confirmed his offensive abilities by scoring 18 points against Buducnost and 16 against Aris. Always in double digits when he stayed on the court for at least 10 minutes, confirming that his 1700 points scored in the NCAA justify the definition of a walking bucket. READ THE PROFILE
Xavier Castaneda (Lavrio, 185 cm – 85 kg) The Greek team has been very good at choosing rookies in the last few years, and this season is no exception with this guard who has great scoring potential at his disposal. He has scored in double figures in ten out of twelve games, and for the small team from just outside of Athens, the dream of reaching the playoffs is alive thanks to his ability to score, being a valuable free throws generator, and finding points from beyond the arc: a good 37.7% with 6.4 attempts per game. READ THE PROFILE
Trey Woodbury (Brose Bamberg, 193 cm – 91 kg) All-around versatile he can play three positions, he has good court vision (averaging 2.6 assists) and significant athleticism. After a tough start, he found his balance, helping the German team to secure a comfortable mid-table position and reach the national cup Final-four. It is worth noting his 40.7% from beyond the three-point arc on 4.2 attempts per game, a continuous improvement from his college years. READ THE PROFILE
DeAndre Pinckney (Bakken Bears, 203 cm – 101 kg) In Denmark, the reference team has a decent tradition of choosing players who can then excel at a higher level – the latest example being Elijah Childs, now at Ludwigsburg – and he seems to be a perfect prototype of that. Energetic and present in rebounding, a decent scorer despite struggling with three point shooting (just 21.3% in BasketLigaen), he manages to be useful in many situations and fill the boxscore in many ways. He scored in double figures in six out of the eight games played in continental competitions. READ THE PROFILE
Kris Bankston (Aris Thessaloniki, 206 cm – 104 kg) The dunk against Panathinaikos made him go viral, but it is the perfect introduction to showcase the energy, athleticism and verticality of this big man. He had signed in Israel, then, due to the well-known tragic events, he chose to support the yellow-black jersey cause, immediately becoming an important player in the rotations. A very solid finisher (over 70% both domestically and in the EuroCup), he can make a difference in rebounding and as a rim protector, but he needs to limit his enthusiasm that leads him to commit a few too many silly fouls. READ THE PROFILE
Qua Grant (Seagulls Helsinki, 185 cm – 86 kg) The Finnish champions are having a dominant season, closing the calendar year with a record of 15-1, with the last WAC Mvp as the top scorer at 16.6 points in just 25 minutes on the court. Very good at attacking 1vs1 and driving to the basket, he is not just a scorer, as he distributes 4 assists per game (with an assist/turnover ratio of +2.3), demonstrating a certain versatility on the floor. The only downside is the three-point shooting percentage: an unusual 28.8%, as he was always at 35-36% in college. READ THE PROFILE
Takal Molson (Vevey Riviera, 193 cm – 95 kg) A player with precious versatility for any roster, in Switzerland, he is a sort of triple-double walking (18 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists), but the stats do not fully convey his significant contribution on the defensive phase. The leader of James Madison, which is now surprising the NCAA world, has probably been underrated due to playing in the Sun Belt Conference (read the focus), which is often underestimated by professional teams. After a highly impactful rookie season, he should make an important jump in Overseas consideration. READ THE PROFILE
Morris Udeze (King Szczecin, 203 cm – 108 kg) With a strong physical presence and good performance in the paint, he is one of the fundamental player of the Polish team that has given some nice moments in the Basketball Champions League and his best games at the continental level coincided with victories. The club is also in the runnin for a prominent seed position in the national playoffs. He has good scoring abilities near the basket (currently over 55% for the season) but needs to pay more attention to his energy and aggression, which leads to foul trouble (3.5 in 25 minutes on the court). READ THE PROFILE
Jayveous Mckinnis (Apoel Nicosia, 201 cm – 102 kg) A hustle of energy who reigned the rims every game (14.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks), combined with decent roller skills making him effective in scoring (15.5 points). By the end of the calendar year, the yellow-blue team can boast a 9-1 record and occupy the virtual top spot in the standings. If there are still doubts about the quality of the Cypriot league, it is important to emphasize the great impact of Pauly Paulicap in the Italian LBA with Treviso, coming from the same league with slightly inferior statistics. READ THE PROFILE
These are a select list of rookies who are making their mark in the European leagues. You can find further profiles of great interest in players like JALEN MOORE, KJ BUFFEN, or OSUN OSUNNIYI
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