Season 3 Fun Facts
The third season of the Champions League has just started, and with it, 32 clubs competing to lift the trophy in May. The timing is therefore perfect to have a look at some fun facts about the players.
MIES, Switzerland - The third season of the Basketball Champions League has just started, and with it, 32 clubs competing to lift the trophy in May. The timing is therefore perfect to have a look at some interesting facts about the players that will compete this season.
Four hundred and seventy one
471 players will take part in this third season, among which 268 (58%) are home-grown (players registered with the National Federation of the Club in question at least three seasons between the age of 12 and 20).
Age is just a number
The average age in BCL is 26 years and 2 months
Telenet Giants Antwerp have the youngest team on average: 22 years and 3 months
PAOK have the oldest team on average: 29 years and 4 months
[/unordered]
The three youngest players are:
1. Lefteris Mantzoukas (Promitheas Patras): 15 years and 3 months
2. Mantas Rubstavicius (Lietkabelis): 16 years and 5 months
3. Ariel Hukporti (MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg): 16 years and 6 months
The three oldest players are:
1. Florent Pietrus (SIG Strasbourg): 37 years and 8 months
2. Petr Benda (CEZ Nymburk): 36 years and 6 months
Simas Jasaitis (Lietkabelis): 36 years and 6 months
3. Tomas Delininkaitis (Neptunas Klaipeda): 36 years and 3 months
Does size matter?
The average height in BCL is 198 cm. Anwil have the tallest team on average: 200.8 cm Opava have the smallest team on average: 194.4 cm [/unordered]The three tallest players are:
1. Dusan Cantekin (Besiktas Sompo Japan): 221 cm
Youssoupha Fall (SIG Strasbourg): 221 cm
2. Mirza Begic (Petrol Olimpija): 216 cm
Georgios Tsalmpouris (AEK): 216 cm
3. Mindaugas Kupsas (Lietkabelis): 215 cm
The three smallest players are:
1. Jordon Crawford (MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg): 168 cm
2. Jérémy Jaunin (Fribourg Olympic): 170 cm
3. Ludovic Beyhurst (SIG Strasbourg): 172 cm
Positions
45% of all registered players are Guards, with an average height of 190 cm
38% of all registered players are Forwards, with an average height of 202 cm
17% of all registered players are Centers, with an average height of 208 cm[/unordered]
Nationalities
43 different nationalities will play in this 2018/19 Basketball Champions League 71% are coming from Europe 26% are coming from Americas 2.5% are coming from Africa 0.5% are coming from Asia/Oceania[/unordered]
New season, new players?
Filou Oostende and Iberostar Tenerife have the most players in their squads who took part in the first two BCL campaigns (7 players each)
4 teams have no player who played previously in BCL: Fribourg Olympic, Opava, Montakit Fuenlabrada and Telenet Giants Antwerp
[/unordered]
The three teams with the biggest % of new players (compared to 2017/18):
1. Lietkabelis: 83% (10 new players)
2. Hapoel Jerusalem: 79% (11 new players)
3. MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg: 75% (12 new players)
The three teams with the lowest % of new players (compared to 2017/18):
1. Opava: 7% (1 new player)
2. Telenet Giants Antwerp: 13% (2 new players)
3. CEZ Nymburk: 23% (3 new players)
Local talent?
Opava's 14 registered players are all from Czech Republic [/unordered] The three teams with the highest % of local players:
1. Opava: 100% (14 players)
2. Ventspils: 79% (11 players)
3. Neptunas Klaipeda: 75% (9 players)
The three teams with the lowest % of local players:
1. UCAM Murcia: 31% (5 players)
2. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem: 43% (6 players)
3. Iberostar Tenerife, Montakit Fuenlabrada and Umana Reyer Venezia: 44% (7 players)
