The Euroleague's 50 best players: 40-31

The Euroleague’s 50 best players: 40-31

ANTHONY RANDOLPH of Real Madrid during the Turkish Airlines Euroleague play-off quarter final series third match between Real Madrid and Panathinaikos Superfoods at the Wizink Center in Madrid, Spain on April 25, 2018 (Photo by Oscar Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /

5 of 11

Thomas Heurtel during the match between FC Barcelona and Baskonia corresponding to the semifinals of the Liga Endesa, on 08th June, 2018, in Barcelona, Spain.— (Photo by Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /

37. Thomas Heurtel, PG, Barcelona

Nationality/College: French

2017-18 stats: 12.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.0 steals per game (Barcelona)

Career synopsis: Heurtel is entering his eighth Euroleague season, most of which has been spent in Spain — first with Baskonia, and this season marks his second with Barcelona. That was sandwiched around a three-year stint at Efes. Heurtel is also a member of the French national team, where he was on the 2013 Eurobasket title roster. He has only had one trial with the NBA – 2011 Summer League, where he played with the Pacers.

Representative Highlight Play:

What’s his skill set?: One of Europe’s pure point guards. Heurtel is a great distributor and a pretty good shooter, to boot. He thrives in fast-paced systems, where he can make quick decisions and burn opponents with his speed. He takes a passive approach to defense, and definitely needs to be hidden there, but he’s led Euroleague in assists twice thanks to his outstanding touch.

What makes him special?: Heurtel is a divisive player among Euroleague observers — he might be one of the worst defenders in Euroleague, and his confidence in himself and his teammates often translates to as many bad decisions as there are highlight plays. But when he’s cooking? He is one of the most entertaining guards on the open floor in the league, and his ability to flick his wrists and send a pinpoint pass from halfcourt to the rim is incredible. He’ll be taking a back seat at Barca to Kevin Pangos this year, but he’s still one of Euroleague’s most entertaining players, sometimes for both teams’ fans at the same time.

Home/NBA