The 50 most interesting players in European hoops: Nos. 20-11

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15. Nikola Kalinic, F, Fenerbahce

Fenerbahce will try to defend their Euroleague title without Bogdan Bogdanovic and Ekpe Udoh, who are now in the NBA. Whether they are able to do so may rest to a large degree on Kalinic’s ability to seal leaks in the ship. One of Euroleague’s most versatile players, Kalinic brings solid two-way play night in and night out, and his ability to handle the ball in the post, pass, and defend on the perimeter allows him to play the three and four equally well.

This year, he’s going to be even more important to Fenerbahce’s title defense. Without their best offensive creator and defensive anchor, Kalinic’s play on both ends will be incredibly vital. He may have to create more offensively, and the way the roster is set up, he might have to bang more on defense while playing as a small-ball four. Fortunately, he’s perfectly capable of both. He’s been one of the most unsung heroes of the past two Fenerbahce teams, but this year, he’ll definitely get his proper share of the credit or their success.

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