MVP Race: Season Seven, fourth checkpoint

MIES (Switzerland) - Done with the Regular Season, done with the Round of 16, we're down to the elite eight in the Basketball Champions League. Not only do we know the hottest teams, but we also know the contenders in the MVP Race.

Now, if you've ever read the Help-Side Column, you probably know that this is complete madness. It was never meant to be serious, it was always here to rotate on the defensive end once all the results and stats start beating you off the dribble, that's where you've got this kind of article to provide you help defense and guide you towards clarity.

In this case, with so many games going on, you probably have a hard time figuring out who are the main candidates to win the MVP award at the end of the season.

Jordan Theodore won it in Season One, Manny Harris picked up the trophy a year later, Tyrese Rice claimed it in 2019, Keith Langford in 2020 and Bonzie Colson in 2021. Last season, it was Chima Moneke.

 

Here are some important reminders about the MVP Race process:

It's not an official race. It is an actual update to see who's doing fine and who could end up winning the award at the end of the season. First four questions are for real. The fifth one is just random, but it can put on you on the trail of the leader in the MVP Race. It usually has nothing to do with basketball. It's just a hint on who's number one that week. I avoid using my compatriots in the piece because I don't want to sound biased. But both you and I know that Miro Bilan is the real MVP. [/unordered]

Okay. Time to talk MVP stuff. All of our previous MVPs had some stuff in common. They were on teams that got far in the competition, they were the reasons why their teams got that far, they were the ones hitting the dagger shots and game winners, and their numbers were impressive all season long.

That's why the four serious questions are formed the way they are:

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
(2) Is he the reason they have a winning record?
(3) If his team needs a game-winning shot to make the Final Four, is he the one taking it?
(4) Does he have the numbers to be the MVP?
(5) Would it be weird to call him Neo like the guy from the Matrix?

(See? Number five is just random. Completely irrelevant. But that's how we roll around here.)

#10 Joe Ragland (Hapoel Atsmon Holon)

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
Nope, 7-7, they are out of the competition.
(1.5) ...and he's in the Top 10 because...?
He was awesome all season long, just not Holon's season to take full advantage of Joe's 15.8 points and 9.5 assists per game.
(1.75) So he's not the leader of the MVP Race?
Nope. But thanks for everything, Joe. It's been fun having you around.

#9 Marcus Foster (Rytas Vilnius)

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
Yep, 8-7!
(1.25) ...but?
They are out of the hunt, finishing their season in the Round of 16.
(1.5) Another guy with a great season and not a lot of team luck?
Exactly. At 20.6 points per game, he leads the BCL in scoring this season.
(1.75) Not the leader of the MVP Race?
Nope. But hey, congrats Marcus on a marvelous individual campaign!

#8 Thad McFadden (UCAM Murcia)

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
Yes, 10-4!
(2) Is he the reason they have a winning record?
Oh yes, back-to-back games with 25+ points in the Round of 16.
(3) If his team needs a game-winning shot to make the Final Four, is he the one taking it?
Of course, probably off balance step back from the half court line.
(4) Does he have the numbers to be the MVP?
13.4 points, 39.5 percent from beyond the arc on seven attempts per game, 3.2 assists per game.
(5) Would it be weird to call him Neo like the guy from the Matrix?
Thaddus Neo McFadden? Weird. Not the leader of the MVP Race.

#7 Marcus Keene (SIG Strasbourg)

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
Yep, 8-4.
(2) Is he the reason they have a winning record?
Yep, 19.2 in the Round of 16, second best mark of the entire League.
(3) If his team needs a game-winning shot to make the Final Four, is he the one taking it?
Of course. And making it, too.
(4) Does he have the numbers to be the MVP?
17.3 points, 4.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds for a 5'9''/175cm point guard. Nice.
(5) Would it be weird to call him Neo like the guy from the Matrix?
Marcus Neo Keene? Weird. Not the leader of the MVP Race.

#6 Jerrick Harding (BAXI Manresa)

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
Yep, 7-5.
(2) Is he the reason they have a winning record?
Of course, he knocked down the biggest shot of their season, a wild three-pointer for the win against Bahcesehir College in Istanbul. If he missed that one, they would've been out...
(3) If his team needs a game-winning shot to make the Final Four, is he the one taking it?
Just read the (2) answer again, pls.
(4) Does he have the numbers to be the MVP?
Yep, 18.8 points, 45.3 percent on five attempts from three-point range per game, just 1.0 turnovers per game during the Round of 16... Yeah, Jerrick is *that* good.
(5) Would it be weird to call him Neo like the guy from the Matrix?
Jerrick Neo Harden? So weird, you failed to notice I wrote Harden instead of Harding. Not the leader of the MVP Race.

#5 Marcelinho Huertas (Lenovo Tenerife)

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
Yep, 9-3.
(2) Is he the reason they have a winning record?
LOL.
(3) If his team needs a game-winning shot to make the Final Four, is he the one taking it?
One-legged runner from midrange, you know it.
(4) Does he have the numbers to be the MVP?
11.8 points, 6.8 assists, +10.9 with him on the floor per game in just 21.8 minutes. Meaning, Lenovo Tenerife were a +131 team in 261 minutes Marce played this season. Come on, man.
(5) Would it be weird to call him Neo like the guy from the Matrix?
Marcelinho Neo Huertas? Ugh...

#4 Dario Brizuela (Unicaja)

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
Yep, 10-2.
(2) Is he the reason they have a winning record?
Yep, his short bursts of scoring were enough to break AEK and Galatasaray Nef's resistance in two Round of 16 games, pushing Unicaja to homecourt advantage.
(3) If his team needs a game-winning shot to make the Final Four, is he the one taking it?
This one is tough, because Tyson Carter, Tyler Kalinoski, Kendrick Perry, Dylan Osetkowski, Nihad Djedovic, Will Thomas, David Kravish, Melvin Ejim can all be game winners on any given day.
(3.5) But because of his leadership, Dario's probably taking it?
Yep.
(4) Does he have the numbers to be the MVP?
12.2 points, 50 percent from the field, 48 percent from three, 88 percent from the charity stripe, 2.2 assists, done in just 17.9 minutes per game. Meaning, he'd be at 20 points per game in 30 minutes per game, easily. But there's no need for it.
(5) Would it be weird to call him Neo like the guy from the Matrix?
Dario Neo Brizuela? Weird. Not the leader of the MVP Race.

#3 Zach Hankins (Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem)

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
Yep, 10-2.
(2) Is he the reason they have a winning record?
Very much so, yes. Their most consistent player & the March MVP in the BCL.
(3) If his team needs a game-winning shot to make the Final Four, is he the one taking it?
This is where it's tricky. Because it's probably Levi Randolph or Khadeen Carrington. But since Mareks Mejeris had a game-winning dunk earlier this season, it wouldn't be that strange to see an alley-oop for the win with Hankins on the receiving end.
(4) Does he have the numbers to be the MVP?
15.5 points on 72.3 percent shooting from the field, 8.8 rebounds, first man with 10+ rebounds in five straight BCL games EVER, 1.6 blocks per game... Yep, he's got the numbers.
(5) Would it be weird to call him Neo like the guy from the Matrix?
'Weird' is a stretch for a guy who's using Hanky McSpanky as his social media handle. But still, Zach Neo Hankins is not good.

#2 Akil Mitchell (AEK)

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
Yep, 9-5.
(2) Is he the reason they have a winning record?
Yep, MVP of February, when it mattered most for AEK to turn their season around and get a head start towards the Quarter-Finals.
(3) If his team needs a game-winning shot to make the Final Four, is he the one taking it?
Yep, posting up or cleaning up on the offensive glass, don't doubt Akil's elite hands down there.
(4) Does he have the numbers to be the MVP?
15.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, shooting 58.7 percent from the field. Had a streak of 11 straight games with 10+ points and a streak of seven games with 16+ points, four of those being double-doubles with at least 13 rebounds.
(4.5) Just say 'yes', dude.
Yes, dude.
(5) Would it be weird to call him Neo like the guy from the Matrix?
Akil Neo Mitchell? Meh. Doesn't have a ring to it.

#1 TJ Shorts (Telekom Baskets Bonn)

(1) Does his team have a winning record?
Yep. 11-1!!!
(2) Is he the reason they have a winning record?
Easily.
(3) If his team needs a game-winning shot to make the Final Four, is he the one taking it?
Thing is, with the way Bonn are playing, winning 17 straight games in all competitions, winning 11 straight games in the BCL, blowing out most of their opponents, he doesn't even have to take a game-winning shot.
(4) Does he have the numbers to be the MVP?
18.6 points, double digits in all but one game, streak of five straight games with 25+ points to start his BCL career, 7.5 assists, three points-assists double-doubles in his last four BCL games, 1.4 steals per game... Oh, and four selections to the Team of the Month.
(5) Would it be weird to call him Neo like the guy from the Matrix?
NOT AT ALL! That's because TJ Shorts' full name is Timothy Neocartes Shorts II, so if you shouted "NEOOOO...." in an arena, he'd probably turn around, right? Right? Right. The fact that he moves on the court exactly like he's a character from the Matrix makes this work, too. That dodging bullets scene, that's just Shorts avoiding a hedge, splitting the double and finding his way through the painted area. Same thing.

Congrats, TJ! You're the MVP Race leader on the last checkpoint!

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