In the third VTB United League season 279 players and 23 head coaches from 18 teams participated in it. 15 rookies of that season played and managed teams in 2019/20 season.
Recalling, who are 2011/12 representatives in United League in 2020:
Zoran Lukic, Nizhny Novgorod
Stats: 8 wins in 18 games
Nizhny Novgorod debuted in United League in 2011/12 season, just like Zoran Lukic. The Serbian specialist has worked in NN since 2008, when he started it was the club in Superleague B and he brought it to VTB United League team.
The beginning of the season wasn’t a success for them: the team had 3 consecutive losses, 2 of them in clutch. But following wins over Zalgiris and VEF put them back fighting for play-offs and via success in game vs Astana Nizhny Novgorod extended their season.
2 years later Lukic would bring NN to United League final and Euroleague, then would leave the team to come back in 2017.
Semen Antonov, Nizhny Novgorod
Stats: 18 games, 10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists
“Semen Antonov is the furute of NN”, – Zoran Lukic said before 2011/12 season. Although he stepped on the court from the bench in half of games forward made a significant impact to team’s success: 2 victories over Zalgiris and first post-season.
As a result, the Lithuanian contender became Antonov’s main client: in Kaunas game forward scored 24 points, collected 6 rebounds and 5 assists. By the way, this number – 24 points remains career-high for Semen in the League in 9 years.
In its first play-off game Nizhny was close to triumph over Lietuvos Rytas (60:64) because of Antonov actions, he collected double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, and helped to lockdown Valanciunas – the Lithuanian scored only 6 points.
It’s Interesting that only year and a half before that Anonov’s career was a question: Avtodor sent him to TGU-Basket, that collapsed because sponsor left them and couldn’t finish 2008/09 season in Superleague B.
Evgeny Voronov, CSKA
Stats: 14 games, 4.8 points, 1.4 rebounds
Voronov came to CSKA and VTB League at solid age – he had an 8-year experience of playing for 6 teams, Europe U-20 champion title and Eurochallenge, and moreover, Russian Cup winner.
In each of three CSKA seasons Voronov didn’t manage to earn stable minutes on the court. In 2011/12 Evgeny was averaging 12.8 minutes, scored over 10 points 3 times – against Enisey (13) and Minsk-2006 (11 and 13) and spent only 10 seconds in play-offs stepping on the court in Final Four semi-final with Lietuvos Rytas.
After he left CSKA he played for Triumph, Loko, UNICS, and since 2017 Evgeny has been playing for Zenit.
Dmitry Khvostov, Khimki
Stats: 17 games, 2.4 points, 1.9 assists
In most cases Zenit’s guard Dmitry Khvostov is remembered for heroic plays for Nizhny or Loko, but he started career in Khimki’s jersey. He played his first United League game at the age of 22 against VEF, scored 8 points and 5 assists. It occured later, that it was young guard’s season-high in 2011/12.
Rimas Kurtinaitis trusted Khvostov thus he had enough minutes on the court in regular season, and in play-offs guard’s minutes even increased from 12.8 to 15. Apparently, defending champion couldn’t defend the title: in the first round Khimki lost the series to Lietuvos Rytas – 1:2. Dmitry Khvostov scored 12 points and gave 4 assists in 3 games, missing only 1 shot of 4 from the field.
Egor Vialtsev, Khimki
Stats: 19 games, 5.6 points, 1.8 assists
In contrast to Khvostov, Vialtsev was signing with Khimki with 10-year experience in professional basketball. His debut season was brighter than his younger teammate’s: in game against Budivelnyk he scored 20 points and 5 rebounds, and in play-offs he increased his scoring 1,5 times – from 5.1 points to 8.7.
A few years later Egor Vialtsev would have his biggest game in League’s history: in 2015/16 season he made 12 three-pointers against Astana and set League’s record that remains unbeaten even now. In the same game Vialtsev scored 40 points and entered 40+ club, that counts only 7 members including Egor.
By the way, after Andrey Vorontsevich left CSKA Egor Vialtsev became the most stable League veteran – all 9 seasons in the League guard spent in Khimki.
Anton Pushkov, Khimki
Stats: 12 games, 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds
If Egor Vialtsev and Khvostov increased their minutes in play-offs then 23-years old Anton Pushkov in 2011/12 season proved himself in regular season. 15 points and 4 rebounds against VEF is best young forward’s performance under Rimas Kurtinaitis coaching.
As he couldn’t settle in Lithuanian coach’s roster Pushkov moved to Krasnye Krylia next season, and then in 2015 to Zenit, where he plays now.
Maxim Grigoryev, Lokomotiv-Kuban
Stats: 20 games, 3.9 points, 1.2 rebounds
Lokomotiv stormed VTB United League in 2011/12 season and made some noise in play-offs: firstly, they won the series against Zalgiris, then didn’t let Spartak in Final Four, and in Vilnius he was second away from final game.
Maxim Grigoryev became the part of this Krasnodar team. The guard has worked in club system since 2009, debuted in the League at the age of 20 and once, in game vs Minsk-2006 scored more than 10 points.
In the next season Grigoryev would earn rookie of the month award, then twice would be announced best Russian player of the month, and in 2020 would participate in All-Star Game in Moscow as one of the PARMA’s leaders.
Andrey Zubkov, Lokomotiv-Kuban
Stats: 1 game, 82 seconds
In 2011/12 season 19-year old Zubkov was Loko junior player and would be included in this text series in “2012” – then forward played in 29 games with 16.3 average minutes per game.
However, Bozidar Maljkovic, Loko’s head coach decided to let Andrey play in decided game with Azovmash in December, 2011. Krasnodar had 21-point advantage, it was a home game and Serbian specialist wanted to give leaders some rest. That’s how Zubkov debuted in VTB League spending 82 seconds on the court without any effective actions.
Evgeniy Kolesnikov, Krasnye Krylia
Stats: 14 games, 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals
First League season wasn’t a luck for Krasnye Krylia – the team could have played in play-offs instead of Nizhny Novgorod, but they finished regular season losing to UNICS. Nevertheless, Samara made a favorable impression, Evgeniy Kolesnikov became one of the brightest players.
In each of the 14 games the guard had scored and rebounded, and in 6 games he scored more than 10 points. No wonder Kolesnikov has been playing in the League for 9 seasons.
Valerii Likhodey, Spartak
Stats: 17 games, 7.9 points, 3.0 rebounds
Spartak was impressive in regular season winning 11 of 16 games but disappointed in play-offs: in the first round they lost twice to Lokomotiv and finished the season.
The brightest player of that Spartak was Valerii Likhodey. Coincidentally, 2011/12 season became the career-high for forward in terms of stats. Since then in his United League career were Lokomotiv-Kuban, Khimki and UNICS.
Janis Strelnieks, Spartak
Stats: 10 games, 4.2 points, 1.8 assists
The Latvian moved to Saint-Petersburg in the middle of season, actually it was quite interesting: in the middle of November-2011 Strelnieks signed with Spartak, after that he played 2 more games for Ventspils.
Janis was moving to Russian club as Ventspils ex-captain and one of the youngest Latvian National team leaders, but hardly anybody in Spartak was satisfied with 22-year old guard’s game: only once he gave out more than 3 assists and shot a little more than 20% beyond the arc. However, Strelnieks stayed in Saint-Petersburg for one more season and improved his stats a bit.
Pavel Sergeev, Spartak
Stats: 11 games, 2.4 points
2011/12 season was first and last for Pavel Sergeev in Spartak. It was a hard task to get court minutes for young point guard – during this period starting point guard was Patrick Beverley, he was everywhere (became the best scorer, rebounder, assistant and first in steals).
Sergeev had a nice game against Minsk-2006: Pavel scored 11 points, made 2 steals and 2 assists. In Summer, he decided to join UNICS.
Pavel Antipov, Spartak
Stats: 6 games, 0.3 points
Pavel Antipov is another Spartak representative in 2020. Forward stepped on the court only 6 times, scoring only in Minsk in February. Together with Pavel Sergeev he flew to Kazan.
Aliaksandr Pustahvar, Nizhny Novgorod
Stats: 15 games, 3.0 points, 1.6 rebounds
Belarussian forward spent 3 seasons in Nizhny Novgorod jersey, last of them was in VTB United League. Actually, Pustahvar’s stats was decreasing: in 2009/10 season he was averaging 10.8 points, in debut United League season only 3.0.
After the season Aliaksandr moved to Belarus and spent a season in Minsk-2006, then he left United League for 6 seasons, getting back to Minsk last summer.
Przemyslaw Zamojski, Asseco Prokom
Stats: 16 games, 6.3 points, 1.9 rebounds
Prokom became the first Polish team in United League. They spent 2 seasons and never participated in play-offs. However, in 2011/12 season they were close to this achievement: they lacked one victory to outpace Lokomtiv-Kuban in group B – Loko moved to Final Four.
Forward Przemyslaw Zamojski had quite unstable season in Prokom: averaging a little more than 4 points during first month, but in the final period of the season was the main reason of 3-game winning streak in last 3 rounds. 22 points against Enisey, 19 against Minsk-2006… Who knows what it would have been like if he showed that level of scoring during entire season.
