This article is part of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Picks series.
It's Round 24, and it's a pleasure to have you join us once more as we navigate the dynamic EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge. Injuries continue to shape the landscape and add an extra layer of complexity to our strategic considerations. Let's dive into the upcoming matchups and make informed decisions for our fantasy rosters.
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out via @RotoWireEuro.
And now, for the picks!
Guard
Mike James, AS Monaco (18.1 credits)
James has experienced some inconsistency in his recent performances, with PIR recordings of 12, 28, 8, 31, and 8 in the last five rounds. This inconsistency raises a red flag. However, the upcoming home game against Partizan, a team not known for strong defense against point guards, presents a favorable matchup. Monaco frequently relies on its guards in their offensive strategy, making James a seemingly perfect fit for this game. What could go wrong, right?
Keenan Evans, Zalgiris Kaunas (15.8 credits)
Evans sat out the last domestic league game for rest. The next game, a home fixture against Efes, eliminates travel. Efes has shown improvements defensively, especially at home, but their away defense is yet to be proven. After this round, Zalgiris faces Panathinaikos, a team that managed to stop Evans back in November. Hence, a reconsideration of this pick might be prudent.
Scottie Wilbekin, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (12.7 credits)
Wilbekin has been on an impressive run, recording 22.3 points, attempting 15.7 field goals, 2.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 4.0 fouls drawn, and a PIR of 22.7 over the last three games. His recent uptick in performance can be attributed to Fenerbahce's extensive injury list. Facing ASVEL and Monaco in this double-round week, both games on opponent territory, makes Wilbekin a robust fantasy pick. Worth noting is Wilbekin's absence in the last domestic league game, hopefully due to resting.
Chris Jones, Valencia Basket (13.2 credits)
Jones is dinged up, but he has been logging significant minutes, averaging 28 per game over the last 10 Rounds. With 10.8 field goal attempts, 3.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.2 steals and a PIR of 16.2 over this period, Jones has been a consistent performer. In fact, 11 PIR was the lowest he recorded within this span of time). Upcoming matchups against Red Star and ALBA present favorable opportunities, though both games will be played in opposing arenas. Considering Valencia's later clash with Olympiacos, it might be a good idea for a trade then.
Paris Lee, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (13.3 credits)
Lee remains a solid fantasy pick, consistently receiving a lot of minutes and actively contributing on the offensive end (14.7 field goal attempts, 5.0 fouls drawn). Additionally, he is a reliable steal performer, averaging 1.9 swipes per game this season.
Edwin Jackson, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (4.4 credits)
Jackson emerges as one of the best picks below 5.0 credits at the guard position. With significant playing time in the last three games (26, 34, and 22 minutes in both EuroLeague and domestic league games), Jackson's impressive contributions make him a noteworthy option. However, the upcoming schedule against Fenerbahce and Real Madrid might not be overly optimistic. He still might be worth a risk.
Forward
Nigel Hayes-Davis, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (14.3 credits)
Hayes-Davis had a questionable status last week and ultimately didn't play, missing the last domestic league game as well. If he returns, considering Fenerbahce's long injury list, he becomes a strong candidate for your fantasy pick.
Konstantinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (13.4 credits)
The update from last week largely holds for this Round, except for the opponent change from Maccabi to Milan. The Italian team is more likely to show stronger defense which is not good obviously. Also Mitoglou's playing time has been fluctuating, ranging from 30+ to 20+ minutes. Despite this uncertainty, he maintains solid stats -- 13.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.3 fouls drawn and 16.7 PIR over the last three Rounds.
Elijah Bryant, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (9.4 credits)
Despite the return of Will Clyburn, Bryant continues to hold value. In the last Round he played a solid 27 minutes, attempted 11 shots but recorded only 10 PIR. Bryant's versatility in scoring, rebounding and assisting has kept him relevant. While I'm still picking Bryant, I'm aware that his role may change.
Yanni Wetzell, Alba Berlin (8.0 credits)
With Johannes Thiemann set to miss Round 24, Wetzell might see extended minutes. Considering Wetzell's recent strong performances—12.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.7 fouls drawn, 16.7 PIR over the last 3 games—his potential impact against Olympiacos, Valencia, and Barcelona makes him a noteworthy pick. OLY lost part of their defensive power since Nikola Milutinov and Moustapha Fall are out, Valencia is great defensively, Barcelona is on and off in that department.
Adam Hanga, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (6.3 credits)
Hanga stands out as one of the best players priced up to 7 credits, consistently recording solid PIR games (13, 12, 5, 9, 14, 10 in January). Valued at 6.3 credits, Hanga's versatility on the court, contributing in rebounds, assists, steals, and fouls drawn, makes him a valuable asset in fantasy.
Mbaye Ndiaye, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (5.8 credits)
Ndiaye has seen a spike in minutes over the last four games, now playing around 20 minutes per game. This increase in playing time has boosted his stats. Ndiaye recorded 10+ PIR in three of the last four EuroLeague games.
Center
Youssoupha Fall, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (11.6 credits)
Recording great stat lines recently, he is one of the biggest reasons ASVEL has won 3 out of the last 5 games. Scoring 13.6 points, grabbing 9.6 rebounds, drawing 4.8 fouls, and recording 22.2 PIR during the last 5 games. He will play Fenerbahce at home next game, and they are below average in the league this season when we talk about stopping centers. Last but not least, fellow big man Joffrey Lauvergne is uncertain due to a back injury, which increases chances Fall to play longer next game.
Vincent Poirier, Real Madrid (11.8 credits)
Walter Tavares is still out, so Poirier remains a solid fantasy pick. The next game is against Maccabi, who are not great at stopping centers. Looking further ahead, it's a game vs ASVEL, and surprisingly to me, this team is amongst the best at stopping centers in the league this season (by saying stopping centers, I mean they allow the least PIR for centers to generate). So, it's a puzzle to figure out if Poirier stays in a fantasy roster before round 25 or goes out.
Laurynas Birutis, Zalgiris Kaunas (8.8 credits)
Birutis has taken on a bigger role since Andrea Trinchieri took over, and that has resulted in more time on the court, more shot attempts, more rebounds and more fouls drawn. He averaged 17.3 PIR over the last three games. Efes is Zalgiris' opponent in Round 24, and they are not defending centers very well.
Eli Ndiaye, Real Madrid (4.1 credits)
Considered as a short-term option with Tavares out, Ndiaye is priced barely above the minimum. His odds would get a boost if Mario Hezonja and Guerschon Yabusele sit out, though it looks more likely than not that they will play. If they don't, Ndiaye's fantasy value should exceed his price tag.
Head Coach
Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus (7.8 credits)
Olympiacos is down its top two centers and could be without another player or two, but they will face a 5-18 ALBA club at home. Olympiacos still probably possesses more talent, and they should add Moses Wright to the mix in Round 24. It's unclear what impact he will make out of the gate, but there's potential for it to be a big one.
Dusko Ivanovic, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (6.4 credits)
Baskonia will play Bayern next, and Serge Ibaka, Devin Booker, Isaac Bonga, Dino Radoncic and Niklas Wimberg are all on the German team's injured list. Baskonia will hit the road for Round 24, but Bayern just dropped a game to ASVEL, and if they are shorthanded Tuesday, Ivanovic could provide a nice return at an affordable price.
Drop Candidates
Luka Mitrovic, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (10.4 credits)
Mitrovic's minutes have fluctuated greatly the last couple months, and we can no longer be confident in him getting at least 20 minutes per night. This directly translates into a lower PIR per game the player is recording. On top of that, Red Star will play a couple games against tough defensive opponents in Valencia and Barcelona.
Yago Dos Santos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (9.0 credits)
Nemanja Nedovic and Milos Teodosic are both back now. As a consequence, Dos Santos played only 19 minutes in the last domestic game against Partizan. His value potentially dropped quite a lot, and he becomes a really risky pick, as it's unlikely he will get the minutes he received while his teammates were injured.
Found a wager you like for Round 24? Peruse through all the latest Sportsbook Promo Codes!
