A former 7DAYS EuroCup champion and the top three-point shooter in competition history, UNICS Kazan guard Jamar Smith, has been chosen as the MVP for the 2020-21 season following a combination of fan voting and ballots from Euroleague Basketball's in-house experts. Smith carried his team to the EuroCup Finals by posting career-best and team-leading numbers. He enters the finals as the EuroCup’s season leader in total points (342) while ranking second in three-pointers made (58) and fourth in scoring average (17.1 ppg.). Smith is also second in free throw percentage (93.9%), seventh in three-point shooting accuracy (47.9%), eighth in steals (24), and 10th in assists (71).

Smith is the 12th winner of the award, which was first introduced in the 2008-09 season. No award was given for the incomplete 2020-21 season. He succeeds the 2018-19 winner, Luke Sikma of ALBA Berlin. The list of previous EuroCup MVPs includes Scottie Wilbekin of Darussafaka Istanbul in 2018, Alexey Shved of Khimki Moscow Region in 2017, Errick McCollum of Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul in 2016, Tyrese Rice of Khimki in 2015, Andrew Goudelock of UNICS in 2014, Nick Calathes of Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in 2013, Patrick Beverley of Spartak St. Petersburg in 2012, Dontaye Draper of Cedevita Zagreb in 2011, Marko Banic of Bizkaia Bilbao Basket in 2010 and Chuck Eidson of Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius in 2009. With Smith and Goudelock, UNICS is the first team to have two EuroCup MVPs.

Smith has been a stellar contributor all season while coming off the UNICS bench in 14 of 20 games. He scored in double digits 17 times, reached the 20-point mark eight times, and netted a career-high 32 points in the final game of the Top 16 against Herbalife Gran Canaria. Smith stepped up big in the playoffs, too, averaging 18.7 points on 62.5% three-point shooting and 3.7 assists in the quarterfinals against Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, a series that UNICS won 2-1. He then posted 18.0 points on 100% free throw shooting in the semifinals against Virtus Segafredo Bologna, sealing his team's Game 2 victory from the foul line with 4 free throws made in the final 12 seconds. UNICS prevailed 2-1 in that series despite the lack of home-court advantage to reach its first EuroCup Finals since 2014 and win eligibility to play in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague next season.

This season, Smith became the EuroCup's all-time leader in three-point shots made, with 264 and counting, thanks to his superb career accuracy (44.8%). Three-time EuroCup champion Rafa Martinez is now a distant second with 223. Smith has also climbed to second place on the EuroCup's career scoring list, with 1,384 points. Bojan Dubljevic is first with 1,445, so Smith needs just 62 points to become the competition's all-time scoring king. Smith is the only American player with more than 100 games played in the competition. He ranks 10th overall with 108 EuroCup appearances.

Smith, 34, won the EuroCup title with Spanish side Unicaja Malaga in 2017 and has also played in the competition with Brose Baskets Bamberg of Germany and Limoges CSP of France. After finishing his college career at the University of Southern Indiana, Smith played for Maine of the D-League, Prostejov of the Czech Republic, and Galil Gilboa of Israel before joining Bamberg in 2013. This is his fourth season with UNICS and has a chance to be the first EuroCup MVP to win the competition twice.

2020-21 7DAYS EuroCup MVP: Jamar Smith, UNICS Kazan

Among the leaders in minutes played on their respective teams, Okaro White and Jaleel O'Brien bring a lot more to their teams on both ends of the floor than what their numbers show. It is hard to find any teammate for either player who brings more intangibles to the floor than White does for UNICS and O'Brien for Monaco. These two well-matched and busy performers will be going up against the other in the EuroCup Finals series starting on April 27.

### Okaro White, UNICS Kazan

White has been a much-needed versatile big piece in the UNICS lineup. He has been a great contributor on the boards for UNICS the entire season, averaging 5.6 per game. However, his all-around contribution grew as the season progressed before peaking during the quarterfinals and semifinals. In both of those series, White has come up huge for UNICS. In the three-game quarterfinals against Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, he posted 14.3 points on 46.2% three-point shooting to go with 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 block per game. In the semis, White showed how important his presence in the paint is to the team once center Jordan Morgan went down with an injury in Game 3. Not only did the team did not miss a beat, but White went on to pace UNICS to that do-or-die victory with a career-high 22 points. White led UNICS in the semifinals with 28:49 minutes per game while averaging 13.3 points and 5.0 rebounds, both the second-most on the team. The 29-year old forward is now looking to keep up these levels in the EuroCup Finals, too.

### Jaleel O'Brien, AS Monaco

One of the main reasons Monaco has a third-best scoring defense (75.4 ppg.) is the presence of O'Brien. Invaluable on both ends of the floor despite coming off the bench ever since the end of the regular season, O'Brien rarely leaves the floor once he enters the game. Only one Monaco player averages more minutes (26:33) than O'Brien, who puts up 9.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. An athletic bruiser inside, but also reliable with his shooting from the outside, O'Brien has knocked down 19 triples this season. But few things can show better how dangerous O'Brien can be than Monaco's semifinals sweep of Herbalife Gran Canaria. O'Brien averaged 13.0 points in two games while knocking down all 4 of his three-point attempts. He might have averaged just 2.0 rebounds in the series, but that did not stop head coach Zvezda Mitrovic from keeping O'Brien more than 30 minutes per game on the floor. Monaco will need O'Brien to bring all of his intangibles in the EuroCup Finals, too.

Finals matchup: White vs. O'Brien at power forward

The team is so excited that we will be playing in the EuroCup Finals. The staff, the fans, everybody. It’s been a process, Monaco has only been in the French first division for five or six years. They were in the fourth division just nine years ago! They went through a long process, playing in the Basketball Champions League and reaching the final four and losing, And now in our third year in the EuroCup, we are in the finals. I think it's a huge accomplishment and it's been a process. We want to go all the way.

It will be a great opportunity to play in the EuroLeague next season, too, at the highest level in Europe. But mostly for the team and the organization, it's a big step. We've been competitive and we want to play with the best. I think the way we've achieved this has been a process. We haven’t had an easy road with a smaller roster and playing against some tough teams in the first round and the Top 16. Then being down a game against Buducnost in the quarterfinals after losing the first game at home. I think we’ve shown a lot of resilience and perseverance and this is a great way to be congratulated with access to the EuroLeague. 

"When you win a trophy, that's with you forever." 

We are really, really excited about qualifying for the EuroLeague, but we can't think about that right now. We have a chance to win the EuroCup! So I don't think we've really realized that we have accessed the EuroLeague for next season. We were excited when it happened or maybe the day after, when we realized that we advanced officially to the EuroLeague, but it’s a long, long way until the EuroLeague next season. Winning the EuroCup is our main focus. When you are a winner, when you win a trophy, that's with you forever. It would be a great way to finish up the EuroCup campaign.

I think we played solid in both semifinals games against Gran Canaria. In the first game, we started with a really strong first half. In the second half, they came back stronger, but we were able to adjust and finish off the game. The second game was kind of similar. We were also up by a little bit at halftime. We were able to stay up, but then they came back and made a run. Obviously, Rob hit a big shot, but before that, we were up by 3 with one of our best players on the free-throw line and we had a chance to end the game, but unfortunately, Dee missed. After that, Andrew Albicy made 3 free throws and we were able to win the game on Rob's shot.

I think it was a big game for us because going back home to Monaco for Game 3 would have been tough physically because we have a smaller roster. But we just found a way to win. Rob hadn't played that much in the fourth quarter, but he always stayed ready and he was ready. That just shows a lot about our team, everybody being ready at any time to help the team.

We are tough players. We love to compete. When you have a smaller roster and less guys who can play, we hold each other accountable. We are just fighters. I think throughout the EuroCup, we've figured out that we have the level to play against any team regardless of who they have on their roster. And we showed that by beating Badalona, by beating Malaga as well. We got some big wins, especially on the road, and we realized we can play with any team, regardless of the roster they have. We just play to our strengths. We are a good defensive team. We battle on every play. We are strong on rebounds and through our defense and fastbreak, we can stay in any game against other teams. 

"We have the level to play against any team regardless of who they have on their roster." 

Coach Mitrovic knows the city and he also knows the organization well. His system is pretty good for us. We are athletic players, we run a lot. He knows this level. He has a lot of experience from coaching in the EuroLeague with ASVEL and I think that can be seen this season with Monaco. I think that experience has really helped us. 

Marcos Knight is one of our best rebounders. He's really a big guard, he's physical. I don't think there are a lot of guards as physical as he is at his position. He likes to battle out there. He likes to be in the paint. He doesn’t like to settle for being outside too much unless he has to. He posts up a lot and is always around the basket. I don't think there are a lot of guards who can box him out at his position. And not all guards enjoy going in the paint like he does. Plus, he has great timing, which makes him a great rebounder.

Rebounding is a battle and a lot of times, the big guys are fighting with other big guys and boxing out, so Marcos is able to get some rebounds because we box out the big guys from the other team. He has helped us a lot in rebounding. Especially when we are struggling to score, he is able to get in the paint and score some tough points because he is so physical.

Looking ahead, we know Game 1 against UNICS is going to be huge. It's important to start the series the right way. They just beat one of the best teams in the EuroCup after being down 0-1, so they know what it's like to have your back to the wall. I think they're gonna be ready. We have to come ready to play to our strengths and just battle. I think if we battle and play our game, we're going to be in a position to win the game. I think it's going to be a great battle between two great teams who had different paths to the finals.

AS Monaco forward Wilfried Yeguete checks in to share what he's thinking now that has club has made history by advancing to the 7DAYS EuroCup Finals.

Wilfried Yeguete, Monaco: 'Winning the EuroCup is our main focus'

Euroleague Basketball is proud to once again honor the best players from the soon-to-be-concluded season as members of the All-7DAYS EuroCup First Team. It has been a thrilling season, which will be capped with the best-of-three EuroCup Finals series that tips off next Tuesday, and in it, each member of the first team has enjoyed a stellar individual campaign. Milos Teodosic of Segafredo Virtus Bologna, Jamar Smith of UNICS Kazan, Isaia Cordinier of Nanterre 92, Mathias Lessort of AS Monaco and Willie Reed of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica were all among the best players in the competition, delivering some of the season's finest performances, often in key moments. For the fourth time, the selection process combined the results of fan voting with the opinions of Euroleague Basketball's in-house panel of experts.

### Milos Teodosic, Segafredo Virtus Bologna

A magician with the ball, the veteran point guard shined throughout the season as the undisputed leader of a dominant Virtus team, which had a 19-game winning streak to open the season before bowing out in a three-game semifinal series against UNICS. Teodosic ranked second this season with 6.9 assists per game and was consistent in finding his teammates, having dished 6 or more assists in 13 of his 19 appearances this season. Teodosic also ranked fourth in average performance index rating (19.1) and led Virtus in scoring (15.4 ppg.). The 34-year old playmaker averaged 3.0 rebounds over a team-high 27:30 minutes on the floor. Teodosic was selected as the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season MVP, a phase during which he came off the bench in every game before switching to the starting lineup as the season went on. Teodosic had many highlights during the season, including the semifinals when he earned weekly MVP honors for his performance in a Game 1 win in which he had 27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. A six-time All-EuroLeague honoree, this is the first All-EuroCup selection for Teodosic in his fourth season in the competition.

### Jamar Smith, UNICS Kazan

This veteran sharpshooter is in his seventh season in the competition and fourth with UNICS. Smith, 34, put together a career-best campaign while leading UNICS to the promised land and the club's first EuroCup Finals appearance in seven years. A former champion with Unicaja Malaga, Smith ranked fourth this season with 17.1 points per game, having scored 13 or more points in 16 games - more than any other player this season. Over his 20 appearances, Smith has made 58 triples for a league-high 2.9 three-point shots per game at an impressive 47.9% accuracy. He has averaged a team-high 16.9 PIR, ninth-best in the EuroCup this season, and led UNICS by playing 27:46 minutes per game. Smith also ranks second on the team in assists (3.5 apg.) and steals (1.2 spg.). A veteran of 108 appearances, Smith had his single-game career-highs in PIR (34), points (32), rebounds (6) and steals (4) during the season, and also moved into the first place all-time in three-point shots made and second place all-time in scoring. It all led to Smith being honored as an All-EuroCup selection for the first time in his career.

### Isaia Cordinier, Nanterre 92

At 24 years of age, Cordinier is the youngest player on the All-7DAYS EuroCup First Team this season. It is his first All-EuroCup honor following his second year in the competition. Cordinier ranked second in average PIR with 19.4 per game. The Nanterre forward was irreplaceable for his team as it competed for a place in the quarterfinals until the final game of the Top 16. Cordinier finished the season as the competition leader in minutes played, averaging 33:57 per game. He was also tied for sixth this season in steals (1.7 spg.) and ranked eighth in the EuroCup in scoring (15.8 ppg.) while making 44.9% of his shots from long range and shooting 56.8% on two-pointers. He also averaged 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists, both being second-best on his team. Such all-around contributions are exactly what separated Cordinier from everyone else in the EuroCup this season; he was the only player to post at least 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game and is a worthy All-EuroCup selection.

### Mathias Lessort, AS Monaco

Lessort, 26, is an All-EuroCup honoree for the second time in his career after earning 2018-19 All-EuroCup Second Team honors. An anchor in the paint for Monaco, Lessort helped the team make history by reaching the 2021 EuroCup Finals while ranking atop the charts in several categories along the way this season. The Monaco big man is tied for fifth in average PIR (17.7), second in offensive rebounding (3.0 orpb.) and fourth in blocked shots (1.1 bpg.). He ranks 10th in the EuroCup and first on the team with 6.3 rebounds per game this season. Lessort is Monaco's third-best scorer with 12.5 points per contest. A starter in all but five of his 22 appearances, and averaging 24:01 minutes per game, Lessort was especially productive in the elimination rounds. The Monaco center was chosen as the Quarterfinals MVP after averaging 24.0 PIR in three quarterfinal games against Buducnost, during which he averaged 18.7 points on 60% field-goal shooting, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks.

### Willie Reed, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica

The only member of the 2020-21 All-EuroCup First Team in his first season in the competition, Reed came up big over and over again this season for Buducnost, helping it to the brink of the semifinals. Reed pulled down at least 5 rebounds in 14 of his 17 appearances this season and finished his season ranking fifth in the competition with 6.8 rebounds per game. The 30-year old center was second on the team with 12.7 points and did so by making 70.5% of his two-point shots, which is the fourth-best accuracy in the competition this season. Reed's 17.7 average PIR is seventh-highest this season and he is one of only three players this season to reach a PIR of 30 in three different games. Those performances earned him a pair of weekly MVP awards, including for the opening week of the quarterfinals for his 24-point, 13-rebounds effort in a Game 1 road win over eventual finalist Monaco.

2020-21 All-EuroCup First Team

The 2021 7DAYS EuroCup Finals will see a backcourt matchup between Isaiah Canaan of UNICS Kazan and Dee Bost of AS Monaco, a pair of point guards who do a lot for their respective teams and make them better in several different ways. The two will go head-to-head for the first time when the best-of-three EuroCup Finals tip off on April 27.

### Isaiah Canaan, UNICS Kazan

Canaan has been hurting opposing teams from long range like no other player in the competition. The UNICS guard enters the EuroCup Finals with a league-high 59 three-point shots made. Canaan's energy and explosiveness – as well as his unlimited range – have been giving UNICS a great boost all season long. Canaan has been one of the most reliable pieces for head coach Dimitris Priftis, whether in setting the pace and co-running the offense, or simply as a scoring threat. Starting in all but three games this season, Canaan is second on the team in scoring (14.4 ppg.) and minutes played (26:42), and averages the third-most assists (3.1 apg.). He was huge in semifinal Game 2, when he had 19 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists in a win over Virtus Segafredo Bologna.

### Dee Bost, AS Monaco

An experienced playmaker, Bost has been having the best season of his career. At age 31, and in his fourth season in the competition, Bost has played a crucial role in Monaco's success this season, having a say in everything Monaco does. Entering the finals series, Bost leads the team in minutes played (28:35) and assists (4.4 apg.), and ranks second on the team in scoring with a career-high 13.7 points per game. The veteran point guard has recorded his EuroCup career highs in points (25), assists (11) and PIR (32) this season, and is coming off a solid semifinal series. In Game 2 of that series, he played a career-high 38:22 minutes, scoring 15 points with 5 assists in a series-clinching road win over Herbalife Gran Canaria. Now, with the EuroCup title on the line, Bost is one of Monaco's key cogs who can lead them in making the final step.

Finals matchup: Canaan vs. Bost at point guard

We made it to the EuroCup Finals! It wasn't easy, of course. Obviously, Virtus was a great opponent and we were able to get a great victory in Game 3 of the semis It was something special. We have a special team, so I know that before the game we all believed in each other and we believed that we could win. And we went out there and we were able to do it! I mean, we were close in Game 1 and then in the second game we were able to get them, and we knew if we got back to Bologna we would have a chance. We were able to do it, but hats off to them. They are a great team. They have great players, but I'm just glad we were able to get it done. 

We lost Jordan Morgan midway through that Game 3 but Okaro White did great. I am happy for him because he used to play in Bologna. So I know that probably felt good to get a win against his old team. He was invaluable for us, him and [John Brown]. They both were amazing; everybody was amazing. Everybody did their part in that game. We came together as a team and we were able to get an amazing win. 

"As players, the accomplishment is a championship: That's our goal." 

After a win like that, you celebrate for the night. It's a great accomplishment for the club. Bringing UNICS back to the EuroLeague, this is something great for the club, something that they have been trying to do for the last few years. We are happy that we were able to do that for the club... but it's not over. For us as players, the accomplishment is a championship. That's our goal. That's what we're focused on. We enjoyed the moment and the feeling of being able to say that we could be in the EuroLeague next year. But for us, the job's not done. We have two more games we have to win, so we don't have that much time to celebrate. You celebrate it for the night and then midnight rolls around and you just you forget about it and move on to the next thing. We have to win a championship, and that would be an amazing finish to the season.

The EuroCup title is something that you carry with you not only for the rest of your career but for the rest of your life. You don't get that many seasons in your life. If you're lucky, you get 10. If you're really lucky, you maybe get 15. If you're amazingly lucky, you may get 20, but that's only 20 chances to win a championship. And of those 20, you don't have teams all the time that can win a championship. So when you say that you were on a championship team, a winning team, that's a special thing. I think that's something that all of us, as players, really want to accomplish. We know we have such a special team, so that's something that would stay with us forever. For instance, Michael Jordan is the biggest winner in basketball, but he won 6 titles in 15 years, so any time you have a chance to end the season with a win, that's something special, something that nobody really can take away from you.

I know Monaco is a really good team; they have to be to have gotten this far. We have another tough challenge in front of us and we have to face it. We have a true home-court advantage, and I am definitely looking forward to it. It should be fun! It has been a long way since I joined UNICS last summer. Last season, I replaced Trent Lockett in Jerusalem and talked to him about UNICS when I had the chance to come to Kazan, like places to go eat and stuff like that. I knew he had played here for a couple of years. And so I definitely reached out to him and asked him about the city and everything: what to do, the places to go, how to move around. He was very helpful. I talked to Jordan Theodore, too, and we ended up playing together and fighting now for a big title! 

"It is a great thing when friends can become family." 

We have a special team here and have the chance to do something special. Jamar Smith knows better than us because he already won the EuroCup with Unicaja Malaga. He said it was amazing. That's the kind of thing we want to experience now. He has the experience and told us what it was like. And so we want to get another one for him and one for ourselves!

It is a great thing when friends can become family and have a year where you could build upon a brotherhood where it could last a lifetime. These moments are things that you will look back on for the rest of your life and remember. Winning this title is definitely something that everybody wants. And this team is just so special! As far as teams go, I have been on a lot of great teams and this is just truly special. Everybody gets along, everybody enjoys each other. It's just a great, great team, and I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to play with these guys. They are my brothers! These guys are great, and I just want really bad to win a championship because that's something that lasts forever.

After his team flipped home-court advantage to win a tough semifinal series, John Holland of UNICS Kazan says he and his teammates are laser-focused on winning the 7DAYS EuroCup title when they start the finals against AS Monaco on April 27.

John Holland, UNICS: 'The job's not done'

After winning its Top 16 group last season, AS Monaco started the 2020-21 7DAYS EuroCup season as a top contender. Coached by Zvezdan Mitrovic, Monaco has met and surpassed the expectations to reach the EuroCup Finals.

Monaco got off to a great start, winning the Battle of Microstates by downing MoraBanc Andorra 76-82 on the road behind 21 points from Dee Bost. The Principality squad went on to defeat Lietkabelis Panevezys and Telenet Giants Antwerp to improve to 3-0, but lost Khadeem Carrington to a season-ending injury. His replacement, Rob Gray, was not eligible to play until Top 16, because he started the season with another EuroCup squad, Boulogne Metropolitans 92.

Back-to-back losses against Virtus Segafredo Bologna and Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar did not prevent Monaco from reaching the Top 16. Monaco routed bested Lietkabelis 64-88 behind 14 points from Abdoulaye Ndoye and finished the regular season with a 66-64 squeaker over Andorra at Stade Louis II.

Monaco left no doubt about its power in its Top 16 opener, thrashing Nanterre 92 65-93 on the road behind 20 points from Marcos Knight. Monaco went on to beat Unicaja Malaga 90-71. Mathias Lessort, who played for Unicaja in the 2018-19 campaign, led the way against his former team with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Gray had 24 points in just his second EuroCup game with the Principality powerhouse.

A road loss against Joventut Badalona did not slow Monaco down. Monaco hosted Joventut in Round 4 of the Top 16 and prevailed, 97-82, getting the tie-breaker against its main opponent in this group. Monaco advanced to the 7DAYS EuroCup Quarterfinals from first place for the second season in a row after claiming a 98-94 victory over Nanterre in a spectacular game. Bost led the charge with 22 points and 5 assists.

Monaco seemed to have everything under control and all of a sudden, it registered its most critical loss of the season, in Game 1 of the best-of-three quarterfinals series against Buducnost VOLI Podgorica, 76-77. Justin Cobbs buried the go-ahead jumper with 2.4 seconds left and, after a timeout, Lessort missed a hook shot on the buzzer.

Monaco had to win two do-or-die games to make it to the semifinals. In Game 2, played in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Monaco regained the home-court advantage with a 64-74 victory against Buducnost. Game 3 came down to the final shot and Monaco won 90-87. Lessort combined for 43 points and 16 rebounds in Games 2 and 3 and was chosen as the EuroCup Quarterfinals MVP.

Monaco played Herbalife Gran Canaria in the semifinals and used an outstanding second quarter to dominate Game 1. It outscored Gran Canaria by 24-5 to get a 44-26 margin at halftime. Gran Canaria managed to get within 75-71 already in the final minute but a three-point play by Lessort sealed the outcome. Gray buried 5 of 6 three-point shots to lead the winners with 25 points. Lessort posted 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks.

History was made on April 9 when Monaco beat Gran Canaria to qualify for the EuroCup Finals and, for the first time, gained eligibility for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. Gray nailed arguably the biggest shot in club history, a game-winning jumper with 0.2 seconds left, to win it. Knight led the way with 17 points while Bost and J.J. O'Brien each had 15 points. Knight added 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals for a PIR of 21.

Monaco is the second French League team to reach the EuroCup Finals after Strasbourg played for the EuroCup crown in 2016 and lost to Galatasaray Istanbul. It is set to face UNICS Kazan in the best-of-three finals. In the teams' only previous matchups, Monaco downed UNICS twice in last season's Top 16: 78-84 in Kazan and 85-60 at home, but, of course, playing for a title is a whole different story, in terms of intensity and pressure.

Road to the EuroCup Finals: AS Monaco

AS Monaco center Mathias Lessort may usually start and UNICS Kazan big man John Brown come off the bench, but each played a vital part in his team's semifinals success, and now they are set to lock horns in the best-of-three 7DAYS EuroCup Finals starting on April 27.

### John Brown, UNICS

Playing in his first EuroCup season, the 29-year-old Brown has been giving UNICS a big boost all season long in his role off the bench. The 2.03-meter big man has started in just five games, but he averages 26 minutes on the floor, the third-most on the team. UNICS has benefited greatly from his consistent effort on both ends of the floor. He is averaging 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds this season. He ranks fourth among all EuroCup players with 1.9 steals per game and fifth with 2.6 offensive. Brown is coming off his best performance yet, which was worth the weekly MVP honor from semifinals Game 3. In that do-or-die encounter, Brown posted a season-high 20 points on 7-for-10 two-point shooting, 8 rebounds, including 4 on the offensive glass, and 2 steals in a record-setting 100-107 road win at Virtus Segafredo Bologna.

### Mathias Lessort, Monaco

Lessort has carried a large load in the paint this entire season for Monaco but elevated his game to another level during March and April. A starting center since the Top 16 go underway, Lessort plays 24 minutes per game and is third on the team with 12.5 points while ranking second in the competition this season with 3.0 offensive boards on average. The 25-year-old center also ranks fourth in blocks with 1.1 per game and 10th in total rebounds at 6.3 on average. Lessort elevated his game to another level in the elimination rounds. He was named the quarterfinals MVP after coming up huge in a three-game series against Buducnost VOLI Podgorica, averaging 18.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, helping Monaco come back from a home loss in Game 1.

Finals matchup: Brown vs. Lessort at center

Euroleague Basketball is pleased to announce that Aleksander Balcerowski of Herbalife Gran Canaria has been chosen as the 7DAYS EuroCup Rising Star Trophy winner for the 2020-21 season. Balcerowski improved as the EuroCup season went on to become one of his team's pillars in the playoffs. The EuroCup Rising Star Trophy recognizes the most outstanding player in the competition who was younger than 22 years of age on July 1 of the summer before the season started. Balcerowski, who will turn 21 in November, helped Gran Canaria reach the EuroCup Semifinals for the first time since 2016. The 2.15-meter center averaged 6.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 15 EuroCup games this season in less than 14 minutes on court. He made 65.6% of his two-point shots, which was eighth-best in the EuroCup, and ranked 11th in the competition in both offensive rebounding (2.1 orpg.) and blocks.

The Rising Star Trophy is part of an expanded end-of-season awards structure launched before the 2008-09 season to enhance the recognition of the finest EuroCup players for their efforts on the basketball court. Apart from the EuroCup Rising Star, Euroleague Basketball and its in-house experts also select the EuroCup Coach of the Year, while fans add their help by voting for the All-EuroCup First and Second Teams and the EuroCup MVP. The EuroCup Finals MVP will be announced after the completion of the playoffs.

Balcerowski started to see significant playing time by the end of the regular season and posted 11 points and 4 rebounds in Round 9 against Frutti Extra Bursaspor. He continued to make the most of his playing time in the Top 16. Balcerowski posted 12 points on 6-of-9 two-point shooting in Round 1 against Mornar Bar and finished this stage with 11 points and 6 rebounds in a must-win Round 6 showdown against UNICS Kazan. Balcerowski averaged 8.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in the quarterfinals against Boulogne Metropolitans 92, and had a career-high PIR of 17 in Game 1 of the semifinals against AS Monaco, which he finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds. Balcerowski contributed 12 points and 5 rebounds in Game 2 against Monaco, which Gran Canaria lost and was eliminated. His per-40-minute averages were impressive with 18.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and a PIR of 24.0.

Born in Swidnica, Poland, Balcerowski started to play basketball in his native country with Stowarzyszenie Gornik Walbrzych. In 2015, at the age of 14, Balcerowski joined Gran Canaria's Spanish youth system. On December 3, 2017, Balcerowski became the youngest Gran Canaria player to make his first-team debut; he was 17 years and 14 days old. He played the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Ciutat de L’Hospitalet twice, averaging 12.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in 2018. Balcerowski made his EuroCup debut against Tofas Bursa on December 6, 2017, and played in the 2018-19 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. He has earned EuroCup Rising Stars honors in his first season as a full-time member of Gran Canaria's first roster.

Balcerowski joins a select list of Rising Star trophy winners that also includes Victor Claver of Power Electronics Valencia, Milan Macvan of Hemofarm Vrsac, Donatas Motiejunas of Benetton Basket Bwin, Jonas Valanciunas of Lietuvos Rytas, two-time winner Bojan Dubljevic of Valencia Basket, Kristaps Porzingis of Baloncesto Seville, Mateusz Ponitka of Stelmet Zielona Gora, Rolands Smits of Montakit Fuenlabrada, Dzanan Musa of Cedevita Zagreb and the 2018-19 winner, Martunas Echodas of Rytas Vilnius.