AS Monaco's Nikola Mirotic earned the Most Valuable Player title for EuroLeague Round 2, marking his team's initial victory of the current season with a standout individual display. His efficient performance was pivotal in their success, underscoring his ongoing impact in the league.
Mirotic delivered a commanding performance in AS Monaco's dominant 103-81 home victory over Dubai Basketball. Despite playing a mere 20 minutes and 16 seconds, he recorded an impressive Performance Index Rating (PIR) of 32, the highest among players on winning teams. His statistical contributions included 19 points, achieved through 5-of-7 shooting from two-point range, 1-of-2 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. Furthermore, Mirotic added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and drew 9 fouls, showcasing his comprehensive influence on the game. This prestigious recognition is Mirotic's 11th EuroLeague MVP of the Round award, solidifying his position among the top five players in league history for this particular accolade.
While Mirotic led all players on winning teams, Juancho Hernangomez of Panathinaikos Aktor posted the highest overall PIR of Round 2 with 39, despite his team's 103-96 loss to FC Barcelona. Hernangomez contributed 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals, while also drawing 8 fouls. Another notable performance in a losing effort came from Wade Baldwin of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, who scored 36 points, dished out 4 assists, and grabbed 2 rebounds in an 84-81 defeat to Zalgiris Kaunas, resulting in a PIR of 34. Other top performers included Andreas Obst of Bayern Munich and Kostas Sloukas of Panathinaikos, both achieving a PIR of 30. Obst scored 31 points, including 9 three-pointers, while Sloukas recorded a double-double with 18 points and 11 assists, along with 4 rebounds and 3 steals against Barcelona.
Statistical leaders for Round 2 across various categories included Wade Baldwin for points (36), Allan Dokossi of Paris Basketball for rebounds (13), and Kostas Sloukas for assists (11). Nadir Hifi (Paris) and Jimmy Clark (Maccabi Tel Aviv) each had 5 steals, while Sylvain Francisco and Moses Wright (Zalgiris), Mikael Jantunen (Fenerbahce), Daniel Theis (Monaco), and Bastien Vautier (ASVEL) each registered 2 blocks. Sloukas was the sole player to achieve a double-double in the round. Mirotic's remarkable outing was instrumental in securing AS Monaco's first win of the season and reinforced his standing as one of the EuroLeague's most consistently brilliant players.
