The EuroLeague Final Four Most Valuable Player Award is presented and awarded to the basketball player who has exhibited the most exceptional play during the EuroLeague Final Four. The award often goes to the best player on the European-wide top-tier level EuroLeague's best team. It is generally considered to be the most prestigious individual award in European professional club basketball.
The Final Four MVP award was first given at the end of the 1987–88 season, when the competition that would later become called EuroLeague, was then known as the FIBA European Champions Cup. Prior to the 1987–88 season, the Top Scorer of the EuroLeague Finals was noted. However, an actual MVP was not named until the first EuroLeague Final Four of the modern era was held.
EuroLeague Finals Top Scorers (1958–1987)
editFrom the 1958 to 1986–87 seasons, the Top Scorer of the EuroLeague Finals was noted, regardless of whether he played on the winning or losing team. However, there was no actual MVP award given.[1]
Voting criteria
editFrom the 1988 EuroLeague Final Four through the 2016 EuroLeague Final Four, the voting for the EuroLeague Final Four MVP was done by the accredited media members in attendance. Starting with the 2017 EuroLeague Final Four, the voting for the award includes an online vote of fans as well.[2][3]
All-time EuroLeague Final Four MVP award winners (1988–present)
edit
Since the end of the 1987–88 season, when the first EuroLeague Final Four (1988 EuroLeague Final Four) was held, an MVP is named at the conclusion of each Final Four.[1]
| * | Member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
| ** | Member of the FIBA Hall of Fame |
| *** | Member of both the Naismith and FIBA Halls of Fame |
Notes:
- ^1 There was no awarding in the 2019–20, because the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic in Europe.
† The 2000–01 season was a transition year, with the best European teams splitting into two different major leagues: The SuproLeague, held by FIBA, and the EuroLeague, held by Euroleague Basketball. That season's EuroLeague Basketball tournament did not end with a Final Four tournament. Instead, it ended with a 5-game playoff series. So, Manu Ginóbili was named the EuroLeague Finals MVP that season.
Multiple honors
editPlayers
edit| Number | Player |
|---|---|
| 3 |   Toni Kukoč
|
 Vassilis Spanoulis
| |
| 2 |   Dejan Bodiroga
|
| Dimitris Diamantidis
| |
| Vasilije Micić
| |
1
|
25 Players |
NB:
- Kukoč won his first two awards in 1990 and 1991, as a citizen of SFR Yugoslavia; Croatia declared its independence on June 25, 1991, after that year's Champions Cup finals.
- Bodiroga won his first award in 2002, as a citizen of FR Yugoslavia. The country changed its name to Serbia and Montenegro in February 2003, three months before he won his second award; upon the dissolution of the latter state in 2006, he became a citizen of Serbia.
Player nationality
edit| Number | Country |
|---|---|
10×
|
 United States
|
| 8× | Serbia
|
| 7× | Greece
|
3×
|
Yugoslavia
|
| 2× |  Lithuania
|
 Argentina
| |
 Slovenia
| |
| 1× |  Cape Verde
|
| Croatia
| |
 France
| |
 Spain
| |
 Montenegro
|
NB:
- Players from the former Yugoslavia are classified by their nationality in one of the current post-Yugoslav states.
- Rice won his award in 2014, as a citizen of both the United States and Montenegro.
- Players from FR Yugoslavia classify as players from Serbia.
Teams
edit| Number | Team |
|---|---|
7
|
Panathinaikos
|
| 4 |  CSKA Moscow
|
 Maccabi Tel Aviv
| |
| Olympiacos
| |
| Real Madrid
| |
| 3 | Split
|
| 2 |  Anadolu Efes
|
 Virtus Bologna
| |
| FC Barcelona
| |
1
|
5 Teams |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "European club champions: 1958-2014". Euroleague.net. 2013-10-14. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
- ^ Fans to weigh in on Final Four MVP voting!
- ^ Fans to weigh in on Final Four MVP voting!
- ^ Nocioni named bwin MVP of Euroleague Final Four.
- ^ De Colo celebrates title as Final Four MVP.
- ^ Udoh caps historic Final Four with MVP award.
- ^ "Doncic chosen Final Four MVP". Euroleague.net. 2018-05-20. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
- ^ "Final Four MVP: Will Clyburn, CSKA Moscow". Euroleague.net. 2019-05-19. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
- ^ "Micic is chosen Final Four MVP". Euroleague.net. 2021-05-30. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
- ^ "Micic repeats as Final Four MVP!". Euroleague.net. 2022-05-21. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
- ^ "Edy Tavares crowned as Final Four MVP". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 21 May 2023.