Small forward is traditionally seen as the position requiring the most versatility, a link between guards and big men who can play with speed or power, as needed. A small forward will be expected, when required, to do all of the following: shoot from outside, finish at the rim, hit mid-range shots, fill fastbreak lanes, rebound effectively, move the ball within the offense, defend more than one position and even block shots, depending on the situation. No other position player is expected to do some of everything like that. Among the rising small forwards in the game, 26-year-old Ioannis Papapetrou of Panathinaikos OPAP Athens has already established himself as a player to watch now and well into the future.

The modern small forward often finds a crowd on the perimeter now that power forwards and even centers can step out and shoot three-pointers. That trend opens spaces in the middle of the court, however, and as the faster of the three, small forwards are equipped to exploit those gaps by cutting to the basket for easier shots. Papapetrou excels at this. Whether running plays that require perfectly-timed cuts, racing ahead in transition or freelancing on broken plays, he can often be seen taking a direct line to open spaces near the basket and winding up with easy baskets.

Papapetrou was a part-time starter during five seasons with Olympiacos Piraeus, which he joined as a teenager. One play that perfectly illustrated his ability to maximize his speed, power and court awareness came late in Game 2 of 2017-18 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, with Olympiacos facing pressure from Zalgiris Kaunas in the final minute of a home game. Two of his teammates were pinned on the sideline and just able to move the ball to a third, Jamel McLean, in mid-post. Papapetrou had been positioned all the way out in the circle near the half-court line, but as the ball moved, he recognized a wide-open path to the basket and made a beeline for it. McLean flipped him the pass and Papapetrou never broke stride before detonating one of the most spectacular dunks of that season despite capable shot-blocker Brandon Davies coming at him.

Since joining Panathinaikos in 2018, the 2.05-meter forward has mostly been a starter. His ability to see and fill open spaces has made Papapetrou a perfect foil for master assist-maker Nick Calathes. The connection between Calathes and Papapetrou has accounted for 53 assists this season, the most in the EuroLeague. What's more, the league-high for last season was 50, from Calathes to DeShaun Thomas, when they played 32 games together. Calathes and Papapetrou have played five fewer games together, 27, so far this season. To put their connections in perspective, there are only 43 players in the league who have had a total number of assists higher than those 53 from Calathes to Papapetrou this season.