Edy Tavares set both all-time and single-season records in blocked shots during the 2022-23 season.

Credit: Irina R. Hipolito/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire
Credit Irina R. Hipolito/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire

Real Madrid center Edy Tavares set a new EuroLeague record. He surpassed Ekpe Udoh (68) to become the single-season record holder in blocked shots.

Walter Tavares

Walter  Tavares
Walter  Tavares
MIN: 24.01
PTS: 10.32 (70.86%)
REB: 6.47
As: 1.56
ST: 0.88
BL: 2.24
TO: 2.21
GM: 34

During the 2022-23 regular season, Tavares blocked 77 shots to become the first EuroLeague player to surpass 70 in the entire year.

To put this into perspective, the runner-up, Panathinaikos Athens center Georgios Papagiannis, was far behind with 40 blocks.

Tavares' average of 2.3 blocks per game this season is the third highest in EuroLeague history.

The all-time record is held by former Zalgiris center Grygorii Khizhniak, who averaged an impressive 3.2 blocks per game in the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons.

Tavares, 31, plays a significant role in Madrid's impressive defensive rating, which ranks second in the EuroLeague according to BBallytics.

Primarily due to Tavares' presence in the paint, Real Madrid's opponents have the second lowest 2-point shot percentages in the league, at just 49.7% (per BBallytics).

His teammate Vincent Poirier ties for the 7th place in the top 10 with 30 blocks.

This year, Tavares also secured his place as the EuroLeague all-time leader in blocked shots (361).

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Donatas Urbonas
Donatas Urbonas
Senior Staff Writer
Donatas Urbonas is an award-winning Lithuanian basketball journalist, recognized as the best sports journalist in Lithuania in 2016 and the top basketball journalist in 2018. A Vilnius University journalism graduate, Urbonas has reported on major global sports events, including the Rio 2016 and Paris 2024 Olympics, FIBA World Cups, EuroBaskets, NBA Summer League, and NBA Draft.
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