The NBA season has already seen some memorable matches just a week into the season. Players from all corners of the globe have been making plays, including those from Europe. Here are four players to watch ply their trade in the NBA this season, having emerged from the European continent.
Jonas Valanciunas (Toronto Raptors)
The Lithuanian is one of the rising stars in the league, enjoying the best season of his career in the 2015-16 campaign. He averaged 12.3 points per game in the regular term before raising his level in the playoffs where he helped his side reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
Valanciunas has already made an impact with a fine performance in the Raptors’ win at the Detroit Pistons as he recorded a 32-point display, making 10 out of his 15 attempts at the net. With DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry on the team there will a lot of opportunities for the center to thrive over the course of the campaign.
Pau Gasol (San Antonio Spurs)
Gasol made the move to the Spurs in the off-season from the Chicago Bulls. The 36-year-old is charged with replacing the veteran presence of Tim Duncan on the court following his retirement at the end of the last campaign. The six-time All-Star got off to a slow start in his first two matches for Gregg Popovich’s men, notching a combined nine points against the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings.
However, he proved his quality with an outstanding performance against the Miami Heat, scoring 20 points and registering 11 rebounds. The Spurs will be expecting that level of display from the center over the course of the season in their push to reach the latter stages of the playoffs, with the franchise being backed in the latest bet365 NBA Finals odds at 7/1 to win the crown.
Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)
Parker’s play is an area of concern for the Spurs in their bid to add another NBA Championship to their collection under Popovich. As a result, the club could be forced to reduce the court time of one of their greatest players in favour of Patty Mills or rookie Dejounte Murray.
The 34-year-old has averaged just 4.5 points per game this term, while his assist count has also been down. Parker missed his side’s clash the New Orleans Pelicans with a knee injury, which could become a recurring problem, suggesting that after 16 years in the NBA that his body is starting to let him down.
Parker’s experience will still be vital for the Spurs this season, but Popovich may have to limit the Frenchman’s playing time in order to get his best in shorter bursts.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Another rising star in the league who has performed extremely well in a struggling side, displaying signs that he may be able to reverse the Bucks’ fortunes in the Eastern Conference. The 21-year-old has gradually improved since he was picked with the 15th overall selection in the 2013 Draft, and was rewarded with a lucrative four-year deal by the franchise.
The Greek averaged 16.5 points per game in the 2015-16 campaign, but in the opening four matches of the current season he has raised the level of his shooting ability taking his average into the mid-20s.
Antetokounmpo notched 31 points in the first game of the season in his side’s defeat to the Charlotte Hornets, while he was also a statistical monster in the Bucks’ wins over the Brooklyn Nets and the New Orleans Pelicans. He was a force around the hoop against the Nets, recording 11 rebounds as well as 21 points, while notching 24 points and nine rebounds in New Orleans.
He is a must-watch for the rest of the season to see if he can take the next step and become an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career.
