The top 10 rookies in Europe this season

1) Justin Cobbs, point guard, Fraport Skyliners. His signing in December was a major turnaround point for the German team: Cobbs, who was probably cut too early by VEF Riga, brought impressive leadership and a boost of physicality at the point guard position. Despite a three point shot not always consistent, he was able to score with ease both from mid-range and at the rim, and his playmaking skills, passing tools and awareness on the pick and roll had a pivotal role in bringing the team to the BBL Playoffs and the Eurochallenge Final Four. He surely had the best rookie season in Europe.

2) Patric Young, center, Galatasaray. Signing late in the season after a brief NBA stint, it was not easy for a rookie to adjust to a such high level of competition as the one Young had to face. The good thing in playing for a messy Galatasaray team was that he often couldn’t be benched simply because of a lack of a proper backup solution. Young found some struggle indeed, particularly in team defense and rotations, but his impressive physique and level of effort made him an impact player on the boards both in TBL and Euroleague, where he looked comfortable also in scoring in the low post and in transition.

3) Okaro White, power forward, Virtus Bologna. One of the best athletes in Italian Serie A. He was by far the best big man in a Bologna team which was able to grab the last playoff spot, playing major minutes and earning a primary defensive role thanks to his ability to guard big men both in the paint and on the perimeter, while also easily switching against opposing guards. He has to improve his three point consistency, add some pound to his frame and particularly learn how to stay away from foul troubles, but his inside-out game on both ends of the court will earn him a strong career in Europe.

4) Taylor Braun, small forward, Okapi Aalstar. In an atypical context Braun was able to play every backcourt position, being able once again to show his impressive ball skills for a player his size. His pull-up shot is still a major question mark, but thanks to his natural ability to create off the dribble he was a key factor in those games in which he decided to take over the team. He also had a good season on the defensive end of the court, often guarding smaller guards or playing at the top of the 2-3 zone. His team started the season with a 10-0 combined record and was able to fight for a spot in the Eurochallenge quarter finals.

5) Lamar Patterson, shooting guard/small forward, Tofas Bursa. Despite an awful season for Tofas Bursa, which ended the season at the last spot in TBL, Patterson had a solid individual showing. Actually, his struggles on the defensive end were quite disappointing for a player like him, but he was able to guarantee above average passing and ball-handling on the wing. He was able as well to score both in catch and shoot sets or in the low post, showing solid versatility for the position.

6) Sean Armand, small forward/shooting guard, Fraport Skyliners. Next to Cobbs and Quantez Robertson, Armand was a great fit: his average, yet improved, ball-handling skills where covered pretty well, and he was a key factor thanks to his outstanding three point shot, particularly with his feet set. He was probably the rookie who struggled the less in adapting to an European context, being able to fit pretty well in team defense and showing great effort guarding different players at the wing spot.

7) Augustine Rubit, power forward/center, Walter Tigers Tübingen. The undersized big man from South Alabama had a really solid rookie season, playing both as a 4 and as a 5 under the basket and being able to physically compete against bigger and stronger opponents. He rarely forced the issue, while showing to be able to consistently score in the low post at this level of competition, and played way more pick and roll sets than he used to do in college. Has to further improve his face-up game to be able to play more minutes at the power forward position at an higher level.

8) Cameron Clark, power forward, Vanoli Cremona. His face-up game and ability to spread the floor has been crucial in the heavily pick and roll oriented offense of the Italian team. Despite some struggle in holding his own against bigger players in the low post, Clark had as well a really solid season on the defensive end, not shying away from contacts and using his quick feet and athletic tools to chase with ease perimeter big men and switch on guards if needed. Along with James Bell formed one of the most efficient rookie combo in Europe.

9) Javon McCrea, center, Bayreuth. He’ll have to improve his decision making and his mid-range shot, but his toughness in the paint is impressive for a player his size. He showed to be able to play bigger and to be willing to use his strong physique against taller players, fighting in the paint, rebounding, scoring on second chance opportunity and hustling on every possession. Foul trouble and shots selection sometimes limited his playing time, but his physical game and willingness to draw contacts in the paint were often crucial for his team.

10) DeAndre Kane, point guard, Antwerp Giants. His Russian stint was pretty bad although occurred in a messy team, but Kane was able to well adapt at a lower level of competition during the season despite showing little improvement in his game. His stats were often deceptive, as he’ll need to improve particularly on the defensive end, but his signing was a turnaround for Antwerp, which was able to find a good fit at the point guard position next to Fogg. With Kane physical impact and ability to attack the rim the Belgian team had a concrete shot for the Eurochallenge quarter finals.

Written by Paolo Villa