Sep 26, 2008 | 4:00 PM | Preseason All-EuroLeague Team

by: Paul Miles

By way of introducing you to Europe's top professional basketball competition, I want to introduce you to the top players. And since I have ADHD, or ADD, or maybe I'm just lazy, I decided to do it in the most gimmick way possible. To explain why someone may start over another. I chose 5 players from 5 different EuroLeague teams. So hit the jump to meet the 2008/9 Preseason All-EuroLeague Team.

Hit the jump to meet your starters.

Name: Ricard "Ricky" Rubio
Position: PG
Team: DKV Joventut (Spain)
Height/Weight: 6'4"/180"
DOB: 21 October 1990 (17)

Few teenagers went back to school this year with better "How I Spent My Summer" essays than 17 year old Ricky Rubio. The kid impressed in Beijing, and at 17 you wonder how much upside he has. He plays off the bench and is a pace-changer. His footwork, and ball handling draw comparisons to Steve Nash. A pass-first point guard, he can score on the slash and dash, but his midrange and outside game is a true weakness. But Rubio's calling card is his defense. Something that EuroLeague teams will see for the first time this season. Europeans, enjoy this kid now. He will be a lottery pick in the 2009 draft.

Name: Trajan Langdon
Position: SG
Team: CSKA Basket (Russia)
Height/Weight: 6'3/200"
DOB: 13 May 1976 (32)

Most Americans should recognize this face from Cameron Indoor Arena. Langdon graduated from Duke in 1999 and was drafted by the pre-LeBron Cavaliers. After three years in Cleveland he bailed for Italy and has been in Europe ever since. Lagdon's shooter's touch earned him Final Four MVP and All EuroLeague 1st team honors in CSKA's sixth title run. Trajan has been playing for the Red Army since 2004 and has become entrenched in Russia. He is surrounded by a solid team and could lead CSKA back into the Final Four.

Name: Omri Casspi
Position: SF
Team: Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv (Isreal)
Height/Weight: 6'8"/225
DOB: 22 June 1988 (20)

As a Sixers fan, I'm bound by law to mention that Omri slayed the Knicks going 3-3 with 10 points in 8 minutes off the bench in a charity game in 2007. Now that's out of the way, Omri is an incredibly talented combo forward who contributes more intangibles to Maccabi. He has a great body and mind for an NBA small forward, but his game, particularly on the offensive end, lacks finishing. He's improved on the defensive end, but needs to work on his shooting touch. He projected into the second round in the 2008 NBA draft and is projecting low 1st round in the 2009. Omri needs to be careful not to rush into the NBA and use the increasing talent in the EuroLeague to put the polish on his own skill set.

Name: Ksistof Lavrinovic
Position: PF
Team: Montepaschi Sienna (Italy)
Height/Weight: 6'11/238
DOB: 11 January 1979 (29)

It's taken a while for Ksistof to get into gear, but as he grew into his size, he's grown into a very productive player. He's a pure shooter connecting on 63% of shots from behind the arc and 64.6% from inside. He also has averaged more steals than blocks. Lavrinovic has a little Shawn Bradley in him, as he can get pushed around by other bigs on the defensive end. But scouts say he has one of the best looking shots out there.

Name: Ioannis Bourousis
Position: C
Team: Olympiacos (Greece)
Height/Weight: 6'11/247
DOB: 18 November 1983 (24)

Another seven-footer with outside game. Bourousis saw limited minutes in 2007, but manages to impress nonetheless. He's a lights-out shooter with a 76.5% average and ability to drop threes from anywhere in the gym. He can run the floor, and give the opposition fits on both ends. He's strong, athletic and coordinated, which is a big-man triple threat. It's his head that's keeping him out of the NBA. He has take-over potential, particularly coming off the bench, but just can't seem to pull flip the switch. Bourousis could be a very dangerous bench player for an NBA team if someone would teach him that killer instinct. Ioannis, it won't get handed to you. Get up and grab it, bro.

Labels: cska moscow, euroleague, ioannis bourousis, joventut, ksistof lavrinovic, maccabi tel aviv, montepaschi, olympiacos, omri casspi, ricky rubio, trajan langdon

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