The Euroleague's 50 best players: 20-11

The Euroleague’s 50 best players: 20-11

BELGRADE, SERBIA - MAY 18, 2018: Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul's Marko Guduric (L), Jan Vesely (2nd R) and Zalgiris Kaunas' Beno Udrih (2nd L) and Antanas Kavaliauskas (R) in action in their 2017/2018 Euroleague Final Four Semifinal B basketball match at Stark Arena. Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS (Photo by Stanislav KrasilnikovTASS via Getty Images) /

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BELGRADE, SERBIA – MAY 18: Nikola Kalinic, #33 of Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul competes with Arturas Milaknis, #21 of Zalgiris Kaunas 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 Patrick Albertini/EB via Getty Images) /

12. Nikola Kalinic, SF, Fenerbahce

Nationality/College: Serbian

2017-18 stats: 5.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game (Fenerbahce)

Career synopsis: This year will be Kalinic’s fifth Euroleague season, although he’s accomplished a decade’s worth of performance. Since migrating from Crvena Zvezda to Fenerbahce in 2015, Fener hasn’t missed the title game, and Kalinic is a big reason why. In all, Kalinic has been a part of four straight domestic league title teams, and also won an Olympic medal in 2016 with Serbia. All this before age 26.

Representative Highlight Play:

What’s his skill set?: Kalinic’s speed and frame help make him one of the most versatile defenders in Euroleague — he might have bested Hanga for best perimeter defender if he also hadn’t dealt with injury for much of the Euroleague season. While he doesn’t put up numbers, Kalinic is also one of the smartest offensive players around as well, and his shooting from the corners pairs well with Gigi Datome to give Fenerbahce two brilliant floor-spacers on the floor around the rest of their creation weapons.

What makes him special?: Despite injury bothering him over the past two seasons, Kalinic has made a very strong MVP case for Fenerbahce’s last two runs to the title game. Without him, Fenerbahce lacks balance, struggling to keep everyone involved on offense and lacking an answer for the league’s better threes and fours on defense. With him, they went 13-6 in Euroleague last year, and had one of the league’s best net ratings. He also helped lead the charge for the Euroleague Player’s Union, which starts its first season fighting for player’s rights this year. If you’re a member of Basketball Twitter, Nikola Kalinic is probably your favorite player, and you just don’t know it yet.

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