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The “Euro Step” is the latest thing we have to thank our friends from across the pond for. More and more players are installing this move into their games, each with their own unique flair. Here is a travel across the NBA’s Euro’s.

Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics

A newcomer to the NBA landscape, Tatum slices through defenders with his silky euro. When the 2017 #3 pick isn’t burying 46% of his triples, he attacks the rim eager to unleash one of these on bigs around the rim:

Severe side-stepping like that enables Tatum to bewilder defenders and finish in the restricted area.  The Ringers Bill Simmons and his superfan dad on a recent podcast (1:01:54) expressed their love for Tatum’s two step. It’s hard not to blame them, when he effortlessly carves his way through the paint for 2.

 

Russell Westbrook – Oklahoma City Thunder

Don’t blink when Russ comes down the lane because you may miss his lightning quick euro or one of his more forceful finishes. Defending against Westbrook cannot be an enjoyable exercise when he can make you wobble with a supercharged step.

Where ya going Festus?

The reigning MVP continues to excel to the tune of 25/9/10, leading the NBA in assists and trash talk.

James Harden – Houston Rockets

From Russell’s revved up step, I present Harden’s slow motion rendition

 

The most miraculous aspect of Harden’s footwork is how astonished it leaves officials, because #13 is rarely whistled for traveling. Harden is nearing a return from injury hoping he can take the proper steps to capture his first MVP award.

Kevin Durant – Golden State Warriors

Just think, the last three Euro-steppers in this list were once all on the same team. From Forceful Russ, to Laidback James, Thunder fans are also familiar with the elongated euro of KD. While Durant doesn’t like the Slim Reaper nickname, it is appropriate the way he slices through the paint.

Durant’s frame and practice sessions are both among the longest in the NBA. In a thoughtful interview on the Warriors All 82 Podcast with Anthony Slater,  Durant was asked about why and how he developed his version of the euro: (29:06 – 30:58)

“So, 2014, I started working with the guy named Adam Harrington and we were working like non stop, so it was this one move going base, where I would always get in trouble because I’d beat my guy, help would come, and I just didn’t know what to do once the help came outside the box, so we trap the box, so say coming from the right side of the wing, the help is coming from the other side, called trap the box, so you you kind of stuck there, so I’d always just get stuck and I trying to shoot a bad shot or floater or fadeaway so If i got a full head of steam now he was telling me to just slow down the second you see the defender and you gotta just move my left leg, and push off my right leg and make sure my left leg is around his high leg, you gotta get in the paint.”

“I try to perfect the Euro more so than anything because defenses are coming over to help and I just need a bail out. You just slow down for a second a for a split second they dont realize what your doing so you slow down and I can just side step em and use my length to shoot the shot. “

Safe to say, the Texas product has been working tirelessly to perfect this two-step – as here is his counter to the very popular “Trap the Box” NBA defensive strategy.

Giannis Antetokuonmpo – Milwaukee Bucks

As you may have guessed, with his never-ending length, Giannis has developed his own Greek step. I’m not sure the exact distance between Milwaukee and Athens, but I’m sure Giannis could cover it with his expansive euro.

Giannis breaks down the Euro very simply here, but the defenders must wonder how something so long could simply side step on the way to the hoop. For many NBA players, the Euro step is fairly easy to replicate, but what is much more complex are the vicious jams.

 

Andrew Wiggins – Minnesota Timberwolves

Wiggins leads the Wolves in shot attempts, and while his efficiency has taken a step back, his Euro has taken an explosive step sideways. The Canadian Wiggins has been a massive prospect since even before his days at Kansas, and he may have won the DNA Lottery as the son of a former NBA player.

Wiggins is a natural scorer with a plethora of smooth moves including a Euro Step that is among the nicest in the Association. Wiggins recently netted a max contract from the Wolves which will have him side-stepping all the way to the Bank for the foreseeable future.

 

The NBA is full of sweet moves, and the Step is on the rise amongst the best scorers. D-Wade and Manu are pioneers on the NBA Euro front, but there are plenty of elegant euro’s sprinkled throughout the NBA.

Drop us a comment to let us know what other Euro’s are out there.