Yam Madar is the 2022-23 EuroLeague Rising Star winner

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard Yam Madar has capped off his debut season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague by being named the 2022-23 EuroLeague Rising Star. The 22-year-old is the first Israeli to secure the prize and the third player for Partizan to do so, following Novica Velickovic (2008-09) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (2013-14).

Voted on by EuroLeague head coaches, the Rising Star Trophy recognizes the best player each season who was younger than 22 on July 1 of the previous summer. Madar, who turned 22 in December, faced strong competition for the Rising Star award this year, particularly from 2021-22 winner Rokas Jokubaitis of FC Barcelona. Yet, he has been rewarded for the role he played in helping Partizan finish the regular season in sixth place and for his impact in the postseason against Real Madrid. Madar played an important role as Partizan, back in the EuroLeague after a nine-season absence, not only reached the playoffs, but took Real to a Game 5 in Madrid.

Madar is the fourth player to be named the Rising Star in his first full EuroLeague season, joining Rudy Fernandez (2006-07), Danilo Gallinari (2007-08) and Goga Bitadze (2018-19). Madar led all Rising Star eligible players this season in points, both with his overall total of 221 and also his average of 5.8 points per game. The guard reached double figures for points 10 times during the regular season, scoring a season-high 15 points on two occasions. He went for 12 points and a season-high 6 rebounds in Game 3 of the playoffs.

From both two-point and three-point territory, Madar showed what he can do on the biggest stage in European basketball, knocking down 57 shots inside the arc and 24 triples, more than any other eligible player for the Rising Star prize. He also led the way among eligible candidates with 23 steals, of which 3 came during Partizan’s five-game series against Real.

In addition to his scoring and his steals, Madar also averaged 4.7 assists per 40 minutes, the joint most of any Partizan player and the second-highest among eligible players. Madar’s total of 60 assists across his 38 games included 12 in the playoffs; his highest number of assists in one game was the 5 he dished against ALBA Berlin in Round 26.

Madar, who began his career with Hapoel Tel Aviv in his native Israel, joined Partizan in the summer of 2021 and has since learned under the tutelage of nine-time EuroLeague champion Zeljko Obradovic. After getting his first taste of high-level European basketball during Partizan’s 7DAYS EuroCup campaign in 2021-22, in which he averaged 8.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists across 17 appearances, he handled the step up to the EuroLeague with aplomb, which has resulted in him securing the 2023 Rising Star honor.

The first-ever Rising Star award went to Erazem Lorbek of Climamio Bologna in 2005. He was followed by Andrea Bargnani of Benetton Treviso in 2006; Fernandez of Joventut Badalona in 2007; Danilo Gallinari of Armani Jeans Milano in 2008; Velickovic of Partizan in 2009; Ricky Rubio of Barcelona in 2010; Nikola Mirotic of Real Madrid in 2011 and 2012; Kostas Papanikolaou of Olympiacos Piraeus in 2013; Bogdanovic of Partizan in 2014 and again with Fenerbahce Istanbul in 2015; Alex Abrines of Barca in 2016; Luka Doncic of Real in 2017 and 2018; Bitadze of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica in 2019; Usman Garuba of Real in 2021; and Jokubaitis of Barca in 2022.