The Euroleague's 50 best players: 30-21

The Euroleague’s 50 best players: 30-21

BELGRADE, SERBIA - MAY 18: dLuigi Datome, #70 of Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul in action during the 2018 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague F4 Semifinal B game between Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul v Zalgiris Kaunas at Stark Arena on May 18, 2018 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Francesco Richieri/EB via Getty Images) /

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ATHENS, GREECE – APRIL 20: Kostas Papanikolaou, #16 of Olympiacos Piraeus react during the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Play Offs Game 2 between Olympiacos Piraeus v Zalgiris Kaunas at Peace and Friendship Stadium on April 20, 2018 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Panagiotis Moschandreou/EB via Getty Images) /

26. Kostas Papanikolaou, SF, Olympiacos

Nationality/College: Greek

2017-2018 stats: 8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals per game (Olympiacos)

Career synopsis: Papanikolaou has spent all but two of his eight pro seasons in Piraeus — one with Barcelona in 2013-14, and one and a half with the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets in 2014-15. He was drafted 48th in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Knicks, and then traded to the Rockets, who brought him over for the 2015 season, where he was a rotation player for their No. 5 seed that lost to the Blazers in the playoffs. His Olympiacos tenures have been fruitful, as he’s won two Euroleague titles, made another Finals appearance in 2017, and led the league in 3-point percentage in 2013 at 52 percent.

Representative Highlight Play:

What’s his skill set?: It’s the 3-point shooting that got Papanikolaou on NBA radars, but he’s transformed as his career has progressed into a defensive ace. Papanikolaou is able to defend all five positions on the court, and his speed and tenacity make him a very strong option there. He also is a fairly strong passer as well.

What makes him special?: If Spanoulis and Georgios Printezis are the Stockton-and-Malone of Olympiacos, Papanikolaou is absolutely the Jeff Hornacek — the third star that greases the wheels so that the stars can work. His defensive capabilities are the glue that hold Olympiacos’s defense together, especially in Spanoulis’s advanced age, as Papanikolaou can slide over and take those primary assignments that would gouge Kill Bill. He has been in a shooting regression for the past few years, but Papanikolaou is the glue guy that helps Olympiacos be a title contender year in, and year out, and this year should be no different.

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