MIES (Switzerland) - If we had a Rookie of the Year Award in the Basketball Champions League Season X, powered by Ameresco SUNEL, who would be the pre-season favorite to win it?
Well, we don't have an official ROTY award, but if we did, the collection of past winners would be illustrious.
From Thomas Walkup and Vernon Carey Jr, to Jae'Sean Tate and RaiQuan Gray, the list of players who have crossed the pond from the USA to play their maiden season in FIBA Basketball with a BCL club is stacked with names who have helped make their team better and showcased their skills to the world of basketball.
This season will undoubtedly be no different. So, let's jump in and see who are the New Kids on the BCL Block.
Sir' Jabari Rice (ERA Nymburk)
Of course, it makes sense to start the story with ERA Nymburk. This is a club that has been a landing pad for so much of the talent that European basketball relies on. Sir' Jabari Rice is a tall guard at 1.93m who appears to possess a range of skills as a scorer and a crafty offensive creator.
His career has already been somewhat of a journey to date. Four years at New Mexico State led him to his senior year at Texas, where he put up 13.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists.
After going undrafted and signing a two-way contract with the Spurs, Rice played two seasons in the NBA G League and had several showings in the NBA Summer League.
Whilst it hasn't worked out yet in the big league, Rice has the basketball IQ, shooting ability, and size to make a real impact in European basketball.
He's already averaging 18.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the Czech League across his first two games. He makes his first BCL outing this Tuesday, October 7, against newcomers BC Sabah.
Watch out for that pump fake.
Boogie Ellis (ALBA BERLIN)
A combo guard with long arms, crazy bounce, and some serious explosiveness off the dribble. What's not to like?
ALBA BERLIN know a thing or two about evaluating talent and it looks like they have found another one.
Ellis found is way to Europe via five decorated years at College with Memphis and USC, then a season in the NBA G League, averaging 10.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.
Life in Berlin may not have started with a win, after ALBA fell to Trier on the opening gameday of the Bundesliga, but 21 points and 3 assists for Ellis was a more than promising start.
Alba Berlin open the first page of their BCL story against Elan Chalon this Wednesday, October 8, in Germany. The French club have started the season looking very strong, Boogie Ellis is one that will need to have a big game for them to get off on the right foot.
Aaron Estrada (Filou Oostende)
There is just something about lefty guards that seems to give them an intangible advantage as a playmaker.
Aaron Estrada somehow looks like he has been operating European pick-and-roll offenses his whole life even though he's only just arrived.
Before landing in Belgium with Filou Oostende, Estrada played his senior year at Alabama, where he put up 13.4 points and 4.6 assists.
After that was the customary year in the G League, where he again showed his eye for a pass with 3.7 assists to go with 9.0 points per game for Motor City Cruise.
He's already averaging 14.7 points, and 4.3 assists in Oostende's first three games of the season and he's doing it with excellent shooting splits as well: 50 percent from the field, 54 percent from deep, and 83 percent from the stripe are certainly eye-catching numbers, Oostende fans will be loving what they are seeing thus far.
Kendal Coleman (Promitheas Patras BC Vikos Cola)
Now we move onto the big guys and possibly one of the most underrated and and under the radar arrivals on the continent this summer. Kendal Coleman is a 2.03m power forward out of California Baptist.
Coleman skipped the G League stage, instead opting to get the party started straight away with Promitheas Patras BC Vikos Cola in Greece.
He had 7 points and 8 rebounds whilst shooting 50 percent from the field as Promitheas fell to Iraklis to start their campaign in the Stoiximan Greek Basketball League.
It certainly wasn't the ideal outcome, but Coleman has already shown that he's a player with ability to be a paint dominator and human highlight reel on both ends.
He also shot a more than serviceable 37 percent from deep in his senior year at Californa Baptist. If that continues into his pro career, Coleman has all the tools to be have an outstanding rookie season in Patras.
Lynn Kidd (Tofas Bursa)
Another underrated big man takes the final spot on the list of rookies - 2.08m center Lynn Kidd from Tofas Bursa.
Kidd also skipped the G League after four years in college with Clemson, Virginia Tech and finally Miami. He put up 11.5 points and pulled 7.0 rebounds for the Canes in his senior year and arrives in Europe with an unusually polished offensive skill set.
Kidd has already played two games for Tofas in the Turkish TBL, averaging 9.0 points on 67 percent shooting, in just 11 minutes.
His debut game as a pro couldn't have been a much tougher welcome with a match up against Fenerbahce Beko in September. Kidd answered to the challenge with 14 points and 4 rebounds in just 12 minutes.
Tofas look like they will manage Kidd's minutes to start the season and ease him into life on the continent, but a breakout game is surely only a matter of time.
Tofas open Season X with home battle against Bnei Penlink Herzeliya on October 8. Keep an eye on that game and keep an eye on Lynn Kidd, we might see a "welcome to the BCL" performance from Tofas' rookie big man.