FIBA Europe Player of the Year 2011

[wardjdim]

Now that all the main competitions are pretty much over, there could be a discussion regarding who was the best European player of the year. A discussion, however, that can't have clear cut favorites, as no player managed to win a title both in club and in NT competitions, whenever the clubs were contending. For example, Navarro, the first option to win the award, didn't win the Euroleague. But Diamantidis, or Nowitzki, who won the NBA and Euroleague titles, either didn't play for their NT or didn't manage anything special

So, I reckon it will be an interesting year

The main candidates:

Juan Carlos Navarro (Won ACB, Supercopa and Copa del Rey with Barcelona, MVP of ACB Finals, MVP of Supercopa; Won Eurobasket with Spain, MVP of Eurobasket, Eurobasket 1st team; Euroleague Top8, Euroleague 1st Team)

Dimitris Diamantidis (Won Euroleague with Panathinaikos, Euroleague MVP, Euroleague 1st Team, Euroleague DPoY, Euroleague F4 MVP; Won A1, A1 MVP, A1 1st Team, A1 DPoY)

Dirk Nowitzki (Won NBA title with Dallas Mavericks, NBA Finals MVP, NBA 2nd Team)

Pau Gasol (Won Eurobasket with Spain, Eurobasket 1st Team)

Fernando San Emeterio (ACB MVP, ACB 1st Team, Euroleague 1st Team)


These are the first names that come to mind right now as the most dominant forces in European basketball

[Point_Guard]

Nowitzki will win the award. His NBA year has been great, although at EB was exhausted and played below his ordinary level, overall I think his season is the best between all of these players.

Gasol had an average season. Played very good in Lithuania but was not the best player of his team. In the NBA did not play a good season. Bad performance in PO with Lakers

Navarro: good year. His performance was better in the NT than in Barcelona.

Diamantidis: great year in PAO but missed the eurobasket.

San Emeterio: Very good year with his club, but was the eleven player of the spanish team in this EB.

[Petran]

Nowitzki... DD would have chances only if he played in EB and led the NT to a medal.. I hardly doubt that FIBA would consider giving the award to a player who missed the main event of the year.

[mbenga]

Considering the precedents, Papaloukas in 2006, Kirirlenko in 2007 and Teodosic last year, they seem to give a lot more credit to the national competitions than the NBA so maybe Navarro has a chance.

Anyway, the real award is the one that concedes "La Gazzetta dello sport" and that one is going to Dirk.

[GL3]

Dirk for reaching the highest achievement a basketball player can: The NBA title as the franchise player. His failure with the NT is a combination of his exhaustion and the average (at best) level of his teammates.

Diamantidis is second in my list for the most spectacular Euroleague season since Bodiroga's in 2002 and one of the most memorable of all time.

Navarro and Pau both finish third as their real challenge (Euroleague and NBA repeat respectively) has been a huge failure. Congrats for their awesome Eurobasket show, however Spain was playing alone in this tournament for obvious reasons.

San Eme's season deserves an honourable mention obviously, but he still has a long way to go to reach the very top of a list like the present one.

[Kwijibo]

Dirk for reaching the highest achievement a basketball player can: The NBA title as the franchise player. His failure with the NT is a combination of his exhaustion and the average (at best) level of his teammates.

Diamantidis is second in my list for the most spectacular Euroleague season since Bodiroga's in 2002 and one of the most memorable of all time.

Navarro and Pau both finish third as their real challenge (Euroleague and NBA repeat respectively) has been a huge failure. Congrats for their awesome Eurobasket show, however Spain was playing alone in this tournament for obvious reasons.

San Eme's season deserves an honourable mention obviously, but he still has a long way to go to reach the very top of a list like the present one.

WTF :confused:

[GL3]

WTF :confused:

Can I help you Amigo...? :D

[Kwijibo]

Can I help you Amigo...? :D

I don't understand San M in the list... He didn't get any trophy with his team and with national team he was bench player

[GL3]

I don't understand San M in the list... He didn't get any trophy with his team and with national team he was bench player

Oh now I got you :cool:.

Well, you see as far as I know our friend Wardjdim has a thing for Baskonia so...Anyway, just like I said, San Eme had a great season but has a long way to go to be considered as a serious candidate for this distinction. The reasons are the ones you pointed out of course.

[auris1]

Now that all the main competitions are pretty much over, there could be a discussion regarding who was the best European player of the year.
What is the criteria?
because it really must be fucked up if Emeterio is included

[Mr. Basketball]

Bo McCalebb? Euroleague Final Four, won Italian league, Italian Basketball Cup and Italian Basketball Supercup. Tournament's Top scorer at EuroBasket.

[wardjdim]

Bo McCalebb is not born in Europe

As for San Emeterio, he is included in the discussion, not because he plays in Caja Laboral, but because he had a very good season

[Kwijibo]

Bo McCalebb is not born in Europe

As for San Emeterio, he is included in the discussion, not because he plays in Caja Laboral, but because he had a very good season

Baskonia last season played 0 finals of 4 competitions

[Gonzaka]

Nowitzki and Navarro are the principal candidates. Both deserves this prize, but I'm sure Eurobasket will have more importance on voting.

[wardjdim]

Baskonia last season played 0 finals of 4 competitions
Ok, I got it. San Emeterio didn't have such a bright season :) My bad

[UMUT_FB_LAL]

Super seasons by all five, but this one goes to Dirk without a question

But if you don't consider the NBA a FIBA league, I would go with Navarro because he's had a great year both with his club and national team

Diamantidis had a better year at his club, but to win this award you have to have succes with your country internationally IMO

[Kwijibo]

For me:
Navarro

Nowitzki

Diamantidis

Pau Gasol

[rikhardur]

FIBA Europe made names public:

Nicolas Batum
Dimitris Diamantidis
Pau Gasol
Marc Gasol
Andrei Kirilenko
Bo McCalebb
Juan Carlos Navarro
Dirk Nowitzki
Tony Parker
Duško Savanović

My picks were Nowitzki, Navarro and Parker.

[rikhardur]

And the Euroscar from Gazzetta dello Sport goes to Dirk Nowitzki.

[SunOverHStreet]

And the Euroscar from Gazzetta dello Sport goes to Dirk Nowitzki.
Anything else would be a huge injustice to this great player... But, anything can happen in Europe, we're bullshit prone.

[rikhardur]

As expected...



Dirk Nowitzki Is Player Of The Year

FIBA Europe announced on Tuesday that Dirk Nowitzki of Germany has been voted the 2011 European Player of the Year.

Nowitzki was the winner of the expert panel vote* ahead of Spain captain and EuroBasket 2011 MVP Juan Carlos Navarro and came in fourth in the public voting.

It is the second time Nowitzki lands the coveted FIBA Europe award, as he was the winner of the first edition, in 2005. He was also named 2011 Germany's Athlete of the Year last December.

The highlight of the year for the German star came on 12 June, just a week ahead of his 33rd birthday.

He led the Dallas Mavericks to their fourth win in the NBA play-off final series against the Miami Heat, conquering the title and earning Finals MVP honours.

Nowitzki, who has been playing for Dallas since the beginning of his NBA career in 1998, raised his game as pressure mounted in the play-offs to secure a historic first NBA championship for the Texas franchise.

He averaged 27.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the play-offs, up from 23.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in the regular season.

The 2.13m forward responded to his national team's call later in the summer and suited up for Germany at the EuroBasket in Lithuania.

He averaged 19.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists but could not avert a rather disappointing 9th place finish for Germany.

The dedication of one the biggest basketball players of all time though, especially after a long and exhausting NBA season, was never in question.

Nowitzki has represented Germany in six EuroBaskets, two World Championships and the Beijing Olympic Games, leading them to the silver medal at EuroBasket 2005 and the bronze at the 2002 World Championship.

He is the EuroBasket's second all-time leading scorer, behind Nikos Galis of Greece.

"Dirk is not only a fantastic athlete and a world-class basketball player," said FIBA Europe President Olafur Rafnsson.

"He is above all a great person, honest, hard-working, loyal and humble. In my eyes, he is someone that young people, basketball players or otherwise, should look up to," Mr Rafnsson concluded.

"2011 was a landmark year for Dirk," commented FIBA Europe Secretary General Nar Zanolin.

"He finally achieved one of his dreams with millions of fans in Europe and around the world cheering him on. A remarkable person and a true ambassador of basketball, I could not be happier for him," Mr Zanolin added.
http://www.fibaeurope.com/coid_Tsu3WhSbHAw6S3gKAgn1-3.articleMode_on.html

[pohani komarac]

LOL...didn't even notice BOrche was in competition:confused:

this is bit shamefull for euro basketball. thank god dirk saved euro basketball from complete embarrassment