MADRID, 13 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid center Walter Tavares has been chosen as the best defender in the Euroleague 2022-23, a designation he has received for the third time in his career, the Euroleague confirmed this Saturday.
The Cape Verdean, chosen after a vote carried out among the Euroleague coaches, set a new record for blocks this season, with 84, a number that may increase in the Final Four next week.
The rivals hit just 49.7% of their two-point shots against the whites; no other EuroLeague team is below 50% in this statistical category. The 31-year-old’s wingspan convinced coaches that Tavares deserved to win the award for a third time after previously taking the honor in 2019 and 2021.
Tavares has averaged 10.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 2.2 blocks in 38 EuroLeague games this season. He had a career-high six blocks in Matchday 13 against Bayern Munich. Thanks to Tavares, Real Madrid is the leader in defensive rebounds with 26.5 per night.
Tavares becomes the third player to be chosen as EuroLeague Best Defender three times, after Dimitris Diamantidis with Panathinaikos (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011), who won the award six times; and Kyle Hines, who also won it three times, twice with CSKA Moscow in 2015 and 2018 and once with Milan last season.