NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen’s Women's Basketball Worldwide) – Even some of the top stars in the European women's game can be underrated by some people and may end their careers without the share of the spotlight their skills deserved.

Sure, it is easy to pick out some 'middle level' players who you can give the badge of being undervalued or underrated, but what about those playing in elite competitions such as EuroLeague Women? I still think even the top players sometimes don't get the props they should.

So, with this in mind, here are my 5 most underrated players – even if they are certainly not undervalued or underrated by the teammates and coaches they work with!

Anna Cruz – Dynamo Kursk and Spain

Back in 2011-12, I watched Cruz lead the relatively new Spanish club Rivas Ecopolis to the EuroLeague Women Final. When I look back over these last 6 or 7 years, I do struggle to think of another player who has taken so many fundamental steps in evolving their respective game. Unless I am mistaken, Cruz has managed to become such a great handler of the ball when back in the day, it was not always her primary task – often played at the 2 spot. That versatility is so good for any coach she plays under and of course, she has also now got deserved WNBA court time on her resume. Throw in the various silverware and titles and you realize what a great career she has had.

Yet when it comes to guard-play, she has had to live in the considerable shadow of Laia Palau. On the other side of her casting a shadow towards her from a different direction is Alba Torrens. The emergence of Marta Xargay as a leader, peak performer and WNBA player in her own right has left even less space.

However, I think Cruz deserves so much more attention, praise and when she calls time on her career, it should be placed right up there with many of her peers. Not least because she is someone who despite not being a pure playmaker, stands 11th for assists in the All-Time EuroLeague Women charts – with scope to still move higher.

Silvia Dominguez – Perfumerias Avenida and Spain

Similarly to Cruz, it's obvious that Dominguez is an elite level guard and yet I also think she has not been given the wider recognition she deserves for everything she has done for both club(s) and country. An Avenida legend and someone who has won the EuroLeague Women title with three different clubs (UMMC, Ros Casares and Avenida), the hard-nosed approach of Dominguez is ideally suited to what the famous club of Salamanca does. She remains the warrior in the backcourt and is still producing performances that ooze quality and leadership.

More than any other player on this list, people don't truly appreciate the combination of  achievements in terms of silverware and also the levels of her production. Here is a player who is 7th on the all-time list for EuroLeague Women assists and those above her are truly stellar names of this famous competition. Her toughness and smarts are so enjoyable and I have always loved watching her play. Perhaps the decision to go to UMMC did not pay off in all respects with limited opportunities while en-route to more winners' medals, but this should not detract from a wonderful contribution to the women's game in Europe. She has my utmost respect in every way!

Anastasiya Verameyenka – Fenerbahce and Belarus

For me, Verameyenka is head and shoulders the most underrated player not only in Europe, but actually in the global women's game. The reasons for this are multiple. In Belarus where the women's national team are revered, she has had to live in the shadow of the legendary Yelena Leuchanka. Additionally, at club level, she is accompanied by Turkish legend Birsel Vardarli Demirmen and a succession of big star inputs – season after season. She has also never played in the WNBA of course, so has barely broken the skin of audiences on the other side of the Pond.

But this two-time Olympian is absolute class. Maybe her ‘silent assassin’ approach has not helped her build a deserved platform as a major star, but on the floor, it is that killer instinct that gives her team so much. A consistent finisher, with impressive shooting range, she is machine-like in her work and defensively, she is a shot-blocking sensation. Not always spectacular as she is not the most athletic, but just let the following sink in for a moment - Verameyenka is just a handful of blocks away from being the best shot-blocker in the entire history of EuroLeague Women.

She is also someone I believe is one of the most in-form players of the current season and as a package, you have to love her game. This was no more clearly illustrated than the triple-double she served up last weekend for Belarus. To get double digits in assists showed another side of her. She is also a mom too by the way. She deserves maximum respect for what she has already done in the game and what she continues to do.

 Zsofia Fegyverneky – Sopron Basket and Hungary

While in her homeland, Fegyverneky is a role model, I feel that she has never quite been able to permeate into the more mainstream 'star category' outside of Hungary, in a way that her skills and career deserve. Her leadership for club and country is exceptional.

She is a complete professional and recently I was left with a huge smile when I was in Sopron attending the U16 Champions Cup. I peered through the glass door to the adjoining court and there was Fegyverneky working out alone and still honing those talents. I didn't dare interrupt or even wave hello, because this was serious work, needing to be done.

While EuroLeague Women legend Dalma Ivanyi is rightly revered, there is also a big respect for Fegyverneky in Hungary and I think that this should also be the case right across the Continent. I know those who work with her and watch her regularly do appreciate what she has given and continues to give, but perhaps it is because she has not played in different countries or the WNBA that somehow, the spotlight has never been thrust upon her as it should. She is central on my radar though!

Elin Eldebrink – Perfumerias Avenida and Sweden

Growing up and emerging as part of an exciting and golden Swedish generation, I think it would be fair to say that her twin sister Frida was the one who was always more dominant in terms of her level and therefore the amount of attention that she commanded. This was a trend that continued during the early part of their respective professional careers. 

Yet I feel very strongly that in these past 5 years or so, Elin has every right to fight for the crown of the 'most improved player' in the European game and be a strong candidate in the mix. It would be unfair to say that the tables have been turned on Frida who still produces some excellent numbers as a primary scorer on any team she plays. Yet 10 years ago I suspect 9 out of 10 people would say that while both talented, it was Frida who was the real star.

Now? Not so sure. The fact is that you could even argue Elin is a late bloomer and she has really taken her game and achievements to new levels in these past seasons. While her defensive capabilities were always eye-catching, she has grown tremendously in smarts and impact down the other end of the floor. I thought she did a great job at Yakin Dogu Universitesi and Avenida now looks like a great fit. She is likely to be heading to the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2019 with her sibling . It's always a joy to see her compete whether at club level or with Sweden!

Finally, sorry to the other players on my longer list who did not make the Top 5! But, I hope most of you think those I did choose were worthy of a mention and we can agree that even excellent players sometimes miss out on the level of praise they deserve!

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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