2022 ELPA Players’ Choice Award: Mike James is the MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

ELPA presented the second edition of annual Players’ Choice Awards. The winners in nine different categories were selected exclusively by EuroLeague players.

2022 ELPA Players’ Choice Award "MOST VALUABLE PLAYER": Mike James (38.8% of votes)

"Best performing individual, who also had the biggest impact on his team’s overall play"

2022 ELPA Players’ Choice Award "BEST DEFENDER": John Brown III (46.9% of votes)

"Most dominant defensive player with the biggest impact on his team’s defensive play"

2022 ELPA Players’ Choice Award "BEST YOUNG PLAYER": Rokas Jokubaitis (51% of votes)

"Best performing young player (U-22)"

2022 ELPA Players’ Choice Award "MOST CLUTCH PLAYER": Vasilije Micic (49% of votes)

"A player that best performed under pressure and when games were on the line"

2022 ELPA Players’ Choice Award "MOST IMPROVED PLAYER": Nicolas Laprovittola (40.8% of votes)

"A player that has shown biggest improvement from his previous EuroLeague season"

2022 ELPA Players’ Choice Award "BEST 6TH MAN": Will Clyburn (40.8% of votes)

"A player that started more than half of EuroLeague regular season games from the bench and had biggest impact on his team’s overall play"

2022 ELPA Players’ Choice Award "MOST RESPECTED PLAYER": Kyle Hines (57.1% of votes)

"A player that earned most respect and embodied a true role model, on and off the court"

2022 ELPA Players’ Choice Award "BEST NEWCOMER": John Brown III (36.7% of votes)

"Best performing individual who played his first season in EuroLeague"

2022 ELPA Players’ Choice Award "FAIR PLAY": Luke Sikma (34.7% of votes)

"A player with exemplary behavior on the court, promoting the spirit of fair play and showing qualities such as fairness and respect"

With the 2021-2022 Euroleague season coming to an end, we would like to again remember our teammate and friend Adreian Payne with some words from his former teammates and ELPA’s President.

"Adreian was a special guy and it was a pleasure to be around him. He had an amazing personality and was such a happy person. Very talented player. He loved his son who was his everything. He is deeply missed by us all." – Nick Calathes (FC Barcelona)

"Live!!! You lived your life each day being yourself. Showing us all how to actually LIVE! For this your legacy will carry on with all of the lives you blessed by just being you! RIP my brother. Forever with us!" – David Lighty (LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne)

"AP didn’t do anything by halves. And he was really authentic. It was black and white with him. He loved basketball, he was a hard worker. You could go to war with him. A lot of respect for the man and the father that he was." – Charles Kahudi (LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne)

"I first got introduced to AP in college and he is one of the most uniquely talented basketball players I’ve ever got to play with and against. His mix of athleticism and skills were raw and rare and watching him grow as a player was an honor. AP was one a kind person as well. For real. I know a lot of people say that in the cliche way but AP had a genuine mix of competitive confidence and genuine humility. Getting to know him even better in ASVEL was truly a blessing. He wanted to see everyone do well and was willing to help in anyway possible. He had an infectiously helpful personality and he is going to be greatly missed. My prayers go out to his family. Rest Easy AP" – Jordan Taylor

"Adreian was admired by many of his teammates throughout his career, whether in college, NBA or Europe. We did not have the opportunity to play on the same team, but I know his memory will live on with all players who shared basketball with him." – Tornike Shengelia (ELPA President)

May his soul rest in peace.