The Euroleague’s 50 best players: 10-1

BELGRADE, SERBIA - MAY 18: Nando de Colo, #1 of CSKA Moscow during the 2018 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague F4 Semifnal B game between Semifinal A CSKA Moscow v Real Madrid at Stark Arena on May 18, 2018 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Luca Sgamellotti/EB via Getty Images) /

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ATHENS, GREECE – MARCH 15: Nikola Milutinov, #11 of Olympiacos Piraeus in action during the 2017/2018 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season game between Olympiacos Piraeus and FC Barcelona Lassa at Peace and Friendship Stadium on March 15, 2018 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Nikos Paraschos/EB via Getty Images) /

9. Nikola Milutinov, C, Olympiacos

Nationality/College: Serbian

2017-18 stats: 8.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists per game (Olympiacos)

Career synopsis: Milutinov was a first-round pick by the San Antonio Spurs in 2015, and the Spurs still own his rights, making him perhaps the most attractive draft-and-stash player in Euroleague in NBA eyes. The 23-year old was a regular rotation player with Partizan at age 19, and since signing with Olympiacos, has gone from reserve development project to arguably their most talented player.

Representative Highlight Play:

What’s his skill set?: There are many contenders on this list, but Milutinov is the league’s best rim protector. He isn’t the quickest in the open floor, but his reaction time and instincts make him one of the best deterrents in the game. He has become a very disciplined team defender, and that’s his primary value. Offensively, though, he boasts a solid post game and is a very good screen-setter, making him the perfect compliment to the rest of Olympiacos’s stars.

What makes him special?: This season should be very interesting for Milutinov, both in terms of his on — court performance and his future NBA prospects. He enjoyed a breakout campaign this year, and with Olympiacos re-tooling and their stars aging, he may find himself as a more featured player in David Blatt’s new system. The Spurs also will likely have Pau Gasol in his last season this year, and a void at the center position this offseason might be very well filled by a 24-year old Milutinov hitting the peak of his powers. He has two main projects this year — keeping Olympiacos afloat, and then setting sights on a potential move to Texas.