Walker shines in his debut with Besiktas and takes home the MVP

The Euroleague has recognized the extraordinary performance of Lonnie Walker IV in the ninth round of the 2026-27 regular season. The 27-year-old guard, recently signed by Besiktas from Istanbul, demonstrated his quality with a valuation (PIR) of 36, the highest of his professional career and the best recorded throughout the round. This achievement makes him the second MVP of his career and the first player from the Turkish club to receive this individual recognition.

A spectacular comeback in Istanbul

Walker was pivotal in Besiktas's victory of 101-103 against Virtus Bologna in the final seconds of the game. The Turkish team made a comeback from a disadvantageous position on the scoreboard, and the American guard was the key piece in this turnaround. With only two games played with his new team, Walker has shown that he needed little time to adapt and earn the trust of his teammates and the coach.

His performance was complete in all aspects of the game. He scored 30 points with remarkable efficiency: 2 of 4 on two-point shots, an excellent 7 of 11 on three-pointers, and 5 of 9 on free throws. In addition to scoring, he contributed with 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal while causing 8 defensive fouls. This offensive and defensive balance allowed him to achieve a valuation that reflects his overall impact on the court.

The MVP competition in the ninth round

Although Walker received the main recognition, other players also delivered outstanding performances during the round. Theo Maledon from Real Madrid recorded the second-best valuation with 35 points (PIR) in the whites' victory of 95-76 over Fenerbahçe Tarfin Istanbul. Maledon scored 26 points with 3 of 6 on two-point shots, 3 of 4 on three-pointers, and an impressive 11 of 12 on free throws, adding 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.

In third place was Nadir Hifi from Paris Basketball, with a valuation of 30 points (PIR) in the away victory of 94-99 against Maccabi Rapid Tel Aviv. Hifi recorded 26 points, 4 of 7 on two-point shots, 3 of 4 on three-pointers, and 9 of 10 on free throws, completing his performance with 4 assists, 1 steal, and 11 fouls drawn. These numbers demonstrate the offensive level that Hifi maintains in the competition, where he leads with an average of 21.2 points per game.

Other standout players of the round

Three more players completed the list of top performers with a valuation of 29 points (PIR). Chima Moneke led Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in their commanding home victory of 103-73 against FC Bayern Munich, recording 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Meanwhile, Tyty Washington from LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne was practically flawless inside the arc, scoring 7 of 7 on two-point shots and 2 of 3 from long range, totaling 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in the victory of 94-79 against Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Notable individual statistics from the ninth round

The ninth round left several remarkable records in different statistical categories. Lonnie Walker IV was the top scorer of the round with 30 points in his game against Virtus Bologna. In terms of rebounds, Dario Saric from Anadolu Efes Istanbul topped the round with 12 boards in his team's victory of 83-68 against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens.

In the assist department, Facu Campazzo from Real Madrid was the only player to reach double digits, dishing out 10 assists in the game against Fenerbahçe. This figure allowed him to stand out on a day when assists were distributed more evenly among the different teams. Wenyen Gabriel from Besiktas led in steals with 4 captures against Virtus Bologna, while six players shared the lead in blocks with 2 each: Moneke, Mo Gueye from Valencia Basket, Jaylen Hoard from Maccabi, Olivier Nkamhoua from FC Barcelona, Austin Wiley from Bayern, and Azuolas Tubelis from Zalgiris Kaunas.

Two players achieved double-doubles in the ninth round. Campazzo recorded 10 points and 10 assists, while Saric scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, thus consolidating his impact on both ends of the game.

Season leaders in perspective

Although the round's recognitions were focused on these players, it is important to contextualize these statistics within the season averages. Nadir Hifi continues to lead the competition in scoring with an average of 21.2 points per game, demonstrating offensive consistency week after week. Jonas Valanciunas from Zalgiris Kaunas tops the rebounding chart with an average of 8.1 boards per game, while Carlik Jones from Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Chris Jones from Crvena Zvezda share the lead in assists with 5.9 decisive passes per game.

Defensively, Luca Vildoza from Partizan leads in steals with an average of 2.1 per game, and Aliou Diarra from Virtus Bologna stands out as the top shot blocker in the competition with an average of 2.1 blocks per game. These statistics provide a broader perspective on the sustained performance of the best players in the Euroleague 2026-27, beyond the individual performances of each round.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Walker brilla en su debut con el Besiktas y se lleva el MVP