Ranking my Top 20 FIBA Asia players right now
MANILA (Enzo Flojo's Asia on My Mind) - The first two windows of the Asian Qualifiers have been nothing short of exciting, and a big reason is the number of players who have really stood out.
In this week's column, I'll look at the top 20 players in FIBA Asia right now. The players, of course, have to fulfill certain parameters. First off, they should have played in at least two games in the Asian Qualifiers, and they should have played on the national team already before the second window, whether in the first window or in the Asia Cup 2017. This means that players who debuted in the second window like Ricardo Ratliffe of Korea, Justin Hawkins of Syria and even Yi Jianlian of China were excluded. I also wanted to include at least one player from each country in this list for greater representation.
Let's get down to it. Here are my picks for the Top 20 FIBA Asia players right now.
Hamed Haddadi (Iran)
The 7ft 2in (2.18m) Iranian giant returned to action in the second window and dominated like he usually does. He normed 17.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks per game, helping Iran get back to their status as a bona fide powerhouse in the region.
Sun Minghui (China)
Sun was one of the biggest reasons China went 2-0 in the first window, and he is currently considered among the elite shooting guards in China. Don't be surprised if he returns with aplomb to the national team in the third window for China to strengthen their stock.
Dar Tucker (Jordan)
Tucker really lifts Jordan to a different plane whenever he plays. His presence on both ends and aggressiveness in attacking the basket just makes Al Nashama a lot more dangerous and potent. He is currently the second-best scorer in the entire Asian Qualifiers and remains an integral factor in how far Jordan can go.
Quincy Davis (Chinese Taipei)
The 6ft 8in (2.03m) Davis remains the rock on which Chinese Taipei's FIBA Basketball World Cup chances are propped. He is a tremendous difference-maker for the Taipei quintet, giving them a strong inside presence that they have traditionally lacked.
Anton Ponomarev (Kazakhstan)
One reason Kazakhstan absorbed their first loss of the Asian Qualifiers in the second window is the absence of Ponomarev, who was their best player in the first window. The 6ft 9in (2.05m) stretch forward rediscovered his effectiveness after some lackluster performances the past couple of years, and if he can continue his strong play, the Steppe Wolves should be in great shape.
Amir Saoud (Lebanon)
The 27-year-old three-point specialist was a firecracker for Lebanon in the second window, hitting 4.0 triples per game as the Cedars went 2-0. It is crystal clear that when Saoud is in a good rhythm, he is a genuine game-changer for the Lebanese, who are looking to return to the FIBA Basketball World Cup after missing the bus in 2014.
Makoto Hiejima (Japan)
Hiejima has been Japan's ace since 2015, and he continued his very strong play in the Asian Qualifiers. At 27, the 6ft 3in (1.90m) wingman is in his prime, and his production has truly been quite stellar, averaging 18.5 points per game while shooting 57% from the floor. The team's current 0-4 record, however, somewhat taints his status.
Mitch Creek (Australia)
Before the Asia Cup 2017 and the Asian Qualifiers, Creek was a nobody in Asian hoops, but he has really proven to be an excellent player for the Boomers. His size and skill-set make him such a matchup nightmare for most Asian wingmen, and by all indications he will be a strong performer again in the next windows.
Jayson Castro (Philippines)
Castro shone brightly in the first window, and though his numbers weren't stellar in the second window, where he played just one game, he made the biggest basket for the Filipinos in their escape act over Japan. The 31-year-old is no longer as quick as he once was, but he can still perform at a very high level when Gilas Pilipinas need him to.
Corey Webster (New Zealand)
Webster was already quite solid in the first window, but he upped his intensity and production even more in the second. From scoring 14.0 points per game in the first window, he raised his scoring potency to 24.0 points per game in the second window as the Tall Blacks went 2-0.
Duncan Reid (Hong Kong)
Reid has been the lone bright spot in what has been a dark and difficult campaign in the Asian Qualifiers for Hong Kong. The 6ft 9in (2.04m) big man has been a regular double-double threat and has been one of the workhorses of the competition, logging 35 minutes per fixture.
Demario Mayfield (Iraq)
Mayfield's production tapered off in the second window after he really dominated in the first. His scoring went down from 21.5 points per game last November to just 13.0 points per game this past February. Still, Mayfield remains Iraq's best weapon, and if he picks up his performance again in the third window, they may yet qualify for the second round.
Abdulrahman Saad (Qatar)
At the relatively tender age of 21, Saad has already become the new face of Qatari basketball, and deservingly so! He has not scored fewer than 15 points per game in the Asian Qualifiers, and he has really taken on the scoring and leadership cudgels for Al Annabi, who are currently in a state of transition.
Oh SeKeun (Korea)
The 30-year-old Oh struggled big time in the second window as Korea absorbed a big loss to New Zealand. His production dipped from 12.0 points per game and 52% field goal shooting in the first window to only 7.5 points per game and 42% field goal shooting, but that should not really tarnish his status among the craftiest and most effective power forwards in Asia.
Aravind Annadurai (India)
What I love about Annadurai is how he stepped into the void left by the twin tower combination of veterans Amritpal Singh and Amjyot Singh and stepped up huge. He teamed up with NBA draftee Satnam Singh Bhamara up front for India, helping them continue to be very competitive despite not having their best players. He averaged 13.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and shot 52% from the floor.
Micheal Madanly (Syria)
Madanly is Syria's version of a living legend. At 37 years old, Madanly should be enjoying basketball retirement, but he continues to suit up and play well for the national team. He is still Syria's best player outside of naturalized player Justin Hawkins, and his production will be crucial in the last window of the first round.
Wael Arakji (Lebanon)
Arakji is the new face of Lebanese basketball, and he has been reppin' very well, averaging 16.5 points, 6.3 assists, 2 steals and 1.5 three-pointers per game. If the Cedars will manage to return to the World Cup, it will mainly be because of his playmaking and leadership.
Ater Majok (Lebanon)
With a third Lebanon player in this list, it's no wonder they have done quite well in the Asian Qualifiers. The Sudan-born 6ft 11in (2.10m) Majok has been a tower of power for the Lebanese, especially in the second window where he put up 14.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while missing just once from the field.
Wang Zhelin (China)
When China went 2-0 in the first window, one huge reason was the resurgence of Wang, who registered 13.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per contest. The 24-year-old has sort of sunk into the background behind the likes of Yi Jianlian and Zhou Qi, but he remains one of the brightest young big men for the Chinese.
Mohammad Shaher Hussein (Jordan)
With star center Ahmad Al-Dwairi unable to suit up for Jordan yet in the Asian Qualifiers, the onus has been on Hussein to man the middle, and he has done so with aplomb. The 28-year-old slotman has been solid for Al Nashama in the paint, averaging around 12 points, 10 rebounds and 1 steal per game while shooting 53% from the field.
Enzo Flojo
FIBA
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