In this YouTube video, Elijah Bryant and his co‑hosts discuss the evolving role of big men in modern basketball and present an impact‑based ranking of the top five EuroLeague centers, deliberately avoiding traditional box‑score metrics. Bryant explains his criteria—rim protection, screen setting, rebounding, and off‑ball influence—and walks through each pick: Mathias Le Sorte (5th), Filip Petrušev (4th), Vincent Poirier (3rd), Walter Tavares (2nd), and Nikola Milutinov (1st). Interspersed with the ranking, the crew provides live commentary of a Dubai vs. Hapoel Tel Aviv game, highlighting key plays, steals, and scoring bursts. After the game, Bryant reflects on his own performance, noting eight rebounds, five turnovers, and the importance of mindset, film study, and emotional detachment. He expands into a broader philosophy that combines faith, consistency, and stoicism to improve both on‑court play and life, urging viewers to treat data points and systematic learning as the true “secret sauce.” The video blends analytical ranking, in‑game narration, personal performance review, and motivational advice.
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So in this video, we'll be talking about bigs, centers, 5-man, whatever you call it, because it's evolved over the years. It's changed. It's really changed in the NBA. You have players who are called to score now— Jokic, Shengun, Wemby, Anthony Davis. So in today's video, I want to rate my top 5 bigs in EuroLeague. Recently I've been thinking, what are the top 5 bigs in Europe and what is the criteria to have a top big? How do you fit the team? How does the coach use you? And for this video specifically, picking my top 5 bigs, I won't be using anyone from my but if I was, I would put D.O. at number 1, not only because he's been having a great season and he's my son, but he's also a great person off the court. And to set the criteria straight, this isn't going to be based off box score, PIR, points, rebounds. It's just based off impact on the game. And we already did a first team all impact list on this channel. If you haven't seen it, go watch that video. So I'm not going to include Melly in this list because if you look at the box score of Melly, you might think, oh, he's not that good. But if you watch a game and how he impacts the game, he has a very big impact. Before we get into it, today we play Dubai, trying to get our first home win back in Israel.
So let's go to shootaround, and then we'll talk about our top 5 things after.
You watch my videos, bro?
I ain't watch.
That's Most big men in the EuroLeague aren't the center of the offense, and that's why they're so valuable, because there's only one ball. And how can you impact the game without the ball? From protecting the rim, from setting great screens, from cleaning the glass. And if you're really good, you catch the ball and you have soft hands. And bigs are most of the time the backbone of winning teams. For my first one, number 5, he hasn't played in necessarily a year and a half, but I'm just basing it off 5 men that I've played against. So number 5, I'm gonna go with Mathias Le Sorte. His energy, his ability to affect the game without having the ball— we talk about that—
setting good screens, being able to switch on defense.
We can't wait to see you back on the floor.
Get healthy soon.
And number 4, this is actually one of former teammates, and this is another example of having confidence, coach using you right. Filip Petrušev, I play with him in EFES. He now plays for Dubai, and he can play 4 or 5, but I'm classifying him as a 5. He's averaged double PIR in every single game he's played. You can fact-check me on that, maybe I'm wrong, but the way you can affect the game not just by scoring but also, you know, rebounding, setting good screens— I got him at number 4 for Dubai basketball.
Number 3 is actually another one of my teammates Can you guess? Number 17, lefty, Frenchman. Yes, you guessed right, Vincent Poirier. The way he protects the rim is probably his number one most elite skill. So when we play together, he probably leads the league in blocks when he plays. And one of his biggest components that he does, he doesn't necessarily go to block the shot, he goes to block it at the rim. And he's the best at it. Sets good screens, has his little fake thing he does where he goes to set the screen but then doesn't set the screen and goes for that lob. So he's at number 3, and for the next 2, I'll tell you after the game. And let's catch up on Dubai because they have a really good team. McKinley Wright's been killing. Um, Justin Anderson's back, Dwyane Bacon's back, Abramovich is back, my favorite player outside of the NBA.
Let's tap it.
The last time Bacon got to baking us, I think he had like 36 points. So let's get, let's get to work. Oh, and I forgot to mention Calvin Gallie is back, who's honorable mention on this top 5 men list. I think in this month, McKinley Wright had a very good argument to be Player of the Month. Shout out to Kevin Putter for getting Player of the Month, but rightfully so, Calvin Gelly had—
well, welcome along wherever you're joining us from.
Round 20, the second half of the EuroLeague season, and in the standings looking to rectify that. Same result though, Cavangeli winning the tip. Late shot clock because of that. Knocked away, good hands from Bryant to knock it loose. Bryant, he's got into the gear a few times. Bryant has got into the key a few times today.
His second score. And he steals the ball away.
Here's Elijah Bryant in the open court. Draws a foul.
Like he knew he'd knocked it out.
He's stolen it away now anyway. There he is running.
Still going.
Bryant through the contact, and he'll shoot 2 forcefully.
Led his team here in the first 2 minutes.
Picks it out, just beating the buzzer, finding nothing. Half-time was anything but, as the final buzzer sounds here in Tel Aviv. Hapoel absolutely running riot in the second half, kept their visitors to 19 points.
Before we break down the game a little bit, my last two picks for the bigs in EuroLeague. Coming in at number 2 is Tavares from Real Madrid. Now you might be saying, how is he number 2? Well, this is my explanation and only my explanation. His defensive gravity around the rim is probably the best in the league. And what do I mean when I say that? When you drive the ball, you're thinking about him. So it affects your decision in terms of your shot, in terms of deciding to go inside, which allows more time for the primary defender to get in front. So he's at number 2. Number 1 is Milutinov. The guy averages around a 22 PIR and affects the game. And you're like, what did he do? Made layups, didn't foul, got rebounds. I think he averages like 12 and 8 and affects the game without the ball. Which with their team, they're a very system-based team, which is probably one of the best picks to have in that system. Now when it comes to the game, and we just talked about a bunch of big men that impact the game without the ball, this wasn't my best game, period. But once I know it's not my night, how can I impact the game in some positive way? Okay, yes, I had 5 turnovers that I watched the film already. I watched it. We'll go over it on Consistency Club. But okay, I'm gonna rebound. Okay, I'm gonna play better defense. You gotta find a way to impact the game when your shots aren't going down. So two things I did well, one thing I could work on— I would say my mindset here is just being able to stay locked in, um, even when I didn't start the best.
Another thing is rebounding.
I rebounded well. I think I had 8 rebounds in this game. One thing I can work on is turnovers, and I think that's just being rushed, being sped up. And it sucks because I feel like as basketball players, and it being our identity, at some point I personally try to separate myself from basketball, from dad, from husband, from all that stuff, so I can be the best version of whatever I am playing at that moment. If I'm playing basketball, be the best version of that. If I'm playing dad, be the best version of that. But I'll be lying to you if I say after a game you kind of feel like, especially being a foreigner living in another country, you feel like the whole reason I'm here is to play basketball and be good at it. But you have to understand, it's never going to be like this. It's always going to be like this, you know? And if you're able to take the emotions out and look at the data points the film and learn from it, you always feel better after, I promise. And it's not easy. And if you don't watch the film, you're missing an opportunity to get better. So a lot of people always ask me, oh, how did you go from a lot to winning NBA championship to being one of the best players in the world? I have no secret sauce. Secret sauce is just getting better daily without having emotions. Faith plus consistency. Don't allow your emotions to take away from you to be able to iterate in your game in your life and your work life. Because if you're able to collect the data points and develop a system to get better daily, you're going to get better regardless. But it's going to be harder to— there'll be a lot of friction to watch that film or go to that teacher and ask a question. But if you do it, you'll feel so much better after because now you have intention with the plan that you can put together a system that can get you to where you want to be in your desired reality. Sorry, that was a long rant, but I know I wasn't the best at this and I'm still learning. When I was younger, Good game, felt so good. Oh, a million bucks, I'm getting a scholarship. Bad game. Oh, I should quit basketball, you know. And you got to learn how to be stoic and manage those highs and lows and learn from the highs and learn from the lows. Both of them are opportunities to learn. Same way a baby does with no emotion. He falls, he doesn't look around, see who's looking. He gets up and tries again. He collects data points. He walks, walks, walks, falls, collects data points, doesn't care who's looking. Keeps walking. But as always, faith plus consistency, love.
