It is the ultimate individual award in the 7DAYS EuroCup: the MVP acknowledges the best player in the competition throughout the entire season.
Midseason awards candidates: MVP
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5 Mins read
With so many great players in the competition, the list of past MVPs is full of stars. Former EuroCup MVPs include the likes of Chuck Eidson, Patrick Beverley, Nick Calathes, Tyrese Rice and its last four winners - Jamar Smith in 2021, Luke Sikma in 2019, Scottie Wilbekin in 2018 and Alexey Shved in 2017. One of the players on our shortlist of candidates has a chance to become the first player to be chosen EuroCup MVP twice.
Errick McCollum, Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar
McCollum was the EuroCup MVP in the 2015-16 season, in which he led Galatasaray Istanbul to the title. He is playing some of the best basketball of his career this season, leading the competition in PIR (24.2) and scoring (22.3 ppg.). It is also the highest scoring average in the competition after 12 games since Milan Gurovic of Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade (25.9 ppg in 14 games) in the 2006-07 campaign. McCollum is also averaging 3.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 6.3 fouls drawn, proving that he is much more than just an elite scorer. His teammate Johnathan Motley (23.9 PIR per game) has been out since January 12, but McCollum has stepped up to keep Lokomotiv as competitive as it can be.
Kevin Punter, Partizan NIS Belgrade
There were a lot of expectations from the always-demanding Partizan fans and Punter has exceeded them, leading the team to a 9-4 record. Punter has averaged 17.5 points on 66.7% two-point and 88.5% free-throw shooting plus 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals for a PIR average of 19.8. He has scored in double digits in all of his games until now, topped by 28 points against Boulogne Metropolitans 92 in an 82-89 road victory in Round 6. Earlier, in Round 3, Punter hit every mid-range jumper his team needed to lead Partizan's wild comeback in a 68-67 home victory over Joventut Badalona. If Partizan needs someone to step up in crunch time, Punter is its number one choice.
Ante Tomic, Joventut Badalona
Simply put, Tomic is the best player on the best team in the competition thus far. Joventut leads Group A with an 11-2 record and is two wins ahead of the next closest team with five games remaining. Tomic has been its cornerstone, especially in offense, due to his passing skills, experience and low-post game. Tomic is averaging 10.0 points on 62.3% two-point shooting, 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists in just 20 minutes per night. He ranks second in PIR per 40 minutes (32.5), only trailing Motley (35.7). Every second that Tomic is on the court is a blessing for Joventut, as he reads double-teams like no other center in the EuroCup, allowing his team to find many open shots all around.
Will Cummings, Boulogne Metropolitans 92
A EuroCup champion with Darussafaka Istanbul in 2018, Cummings is playing a leading role for Boulogne Metropolitans 92 this season. Cummings ranks third in PIR average (21.0) and sixth in scoring (17.7 ppg.). He has also averaged 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 5.8 fouls drawn. Cummings has scored in double digits in all of his games but one with Metropolitans and posted a PIR higher than 30 three times: 34 and 33 in both games against former team Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, in Rounds 3 and 12, respectively, and 32 against Turk Telekom Ankara in Round 10. Coach Vincent Collet runs his team's offense through Cummings and he has not disappointed any Metropolitans fans.
Justin Cobbs, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica
Buducnost ranks third in Group B with an 8-5 record and Cobbs has a lot to do with his team's success until now. He is averaging 16.7 points on 46.2% three-point shots, 4.5 assists and 1.6 assists, ranking eighth in PIR at 19.4. Cobbs had a PIR of 44 - the second-highest in the EuroCup this season - in a near-perfect performance in Round 5 against Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana with 33 points and just 3 shots missed, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. He has scored in double digits in all games but one and had 4 assists in 11 of his team's 13 showdowns until now. In other words, Cobbs has been there all the way for Buducnost as its true floor general.