Nando DE COLO
#12

Three years ago, nobody really knew Nando De Colo but coach Erman Kunter gave him his chance during the 2006-07 season, and Nando responded immediately - finishing as the second top scorer in the EuroChallenge (19.3 ppg).

MVP of the French League 2008 All Star Game, of the Semaine des As won by Cholet in 2009, he confirmed in 2008-09 by leading Cholet to the Final Game of the EuroChallenge, which Cholet lost in Bologna, against the local Virtus club.

That was worth a selection in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft by the Spurs.

However, San Antonio decided to let him develop for a year or two in Liga ACB and that is exactly what Nando did last season in Valencia, spending almost all of the season as the leading point guard with very decent stats for a first year in a top European league: 13.2ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.3apg, 50.0% from the field, 38.7% from 3-point range and  91.5% from the line.

Nando will probably spend one more year in Europe to polish his skills as a point guard before joining the Spurs in 2011.

He was a bit frustrated last summer during EuroBasket – and said it – because the presence of Parker drastically limited his playing time.

He will also be remembered as the guy who hit the last second shot against Greece, in the eighth-final round, which set up a crazy quarter-final game against Spain.