A handful of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debutants proved to be difference makers in Round 1 last week. Not all players are ready to shine in their first chance under the bright lights in Europe's premier competition, but the guys below certainly were. Check out this list of this season's impressive debuts.
Debutants shined in Round 1
Article
3 Mins read
Juancho Hernangomez, Panathinaikos Athens
Juancho was everything the Greens hoped for when they signed him. He played more minutes (43:12) than any other player in Round 1 and was one of seven players to start the season with a double-double. His PIR of 25 tied for fifth best in the league.
Sylvain Francisco, FC Bayern Munich
Though he did not start the game, Francisco came off the bench to light up ALBA Berlin for 10 first-quarter points. He later accounted for 5 points and an assist in a 13-6 run to open the fourth quarter that put the game on ice. Francisco was Bayern's top scorer for the night.
Damien Inglis, Valencia Basket
Inglis quietly put together a strong effort to help Valencia take down AS Monaco, which reached the Final Four just last season. He contributed everywhere as the team’s third-best scorer and second-best rebounder. Inglis, 28, also posted 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block.
Jabari Parker, FC Barcelona
Parker needed a few quarters to get his feet wet, but he had all of his 10 points – plus 1 rebound and 1 steal – in a 5-minute stretch of the fourth quarter as Barcelona pulled away to beat Anadolu Efes Istanbul. The hosts outscored Efes 14-6 in that stretch.
Marko Simonovic, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade
Simonovic started for Zvezda and buried a pair of early threes. He went on to tally 10 points in the first 8 minutes of the game. The 23-year-old big man did not miss a shot all night and might have done more had he not been plagued by foul trouble.
