In October, Kevin Punter averaged 18.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 62.2% on two-pointers, 47.5% from three-point range, and 95.8% from the free-throw line, resulting in a performance index rating of 19.9.
FC Barcelona's signing of Kevin Punter over the summer has paid immediate dividends, with the guard offering scorching-hot shooting to put his team within one win of the top of the EuroLeague standings.
The club authored a five-game winning streak between Rounds 2 and 6 to temporarily enter into a tie for the best record in the season, and Punter was at the heart of his team's success. Punter's efficient and outstanding scoring numbers to put his club into the top quartet of teams in the standings led to his selection as Euroleague Basketball's MVP for October.
Through October's seven games, Punter averaged 18.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals. He made 62.2% of his two-pointers, 47.5% of his threes, and 95.8% of his free throws for a performance index rating of 19.9.
Those numbers rank Punter second in the league in scoring and sixth in PIR. No player ranked among the top 10 scorers has been more efficient than Punter, who ranks 20th in the league in true shooting percentage (71.0%) but first among players with at least 10 shots attempted per game.
Kevin Punter in October:
| Opponent | MIN | 2P M/A | 3P M/A | FT M/A | REB | AS | ST | TO | BS | PTS | EFF |
| 24 | 57.1% 4/7 | 33.3% 1/3 | 100% 7/7 | 1 1/0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 19 | |
| 24 | 50% 3/6 | 66.7% 4/6 | 100% 2/2 | 1 1/0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 20 | |
| 26 | 62.5% 5/8 | 33.3% 1/3 | 87.5% 7/8 | 3 3/0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 24 | |
| 26 | 85.7% 6/7 | 66.7% 4/6 | 100% 2/2 | 0 0/0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 30 | |
| 24 | 71.4% 5/7 | 37.5% 3/8 | 100% 2/2 | 3 2/1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 20 | |
| 21 | 57.1% 4/7 | 33.3% 2/6 | - 0/0 | 3 3/0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 15 | |
| 24 | 33.3% 1/3 | 50% 2/4 | 100% 3/3 | 2 2/0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 11 |
This marks the first time that Punter has snagged monthly MVP honors, and it is the 14th time it has gone to a Barcelona player, which is third most in competition history behind only CSKA Moscow (18) and Real Madrid (15). He is the first Barcelona winner since Nikola Mirotic was the MVP for December 2021.
The 31-year-old scorer has reached double figures in scoring and made at least one three-pointer in every game he has played. He has been particularly lethal in Barcelona's victories. Punter has averaged 20.2 points on 14-of-29 three-point shooting (48.3%), 2.8 assists, and 1.8 steals for a PIR of 21.8 in his team's five wins.
Kevin Punter
| Team: |
FC Barcelona |
| Position: | SG |
| Age: | 31 |
| Height: | 190 cm |
| Weight: | 86 kg |
| Birth place: | New York, United States of America |
This is Punter's fifth EuroLeague campaign with as many different clubs. He debuted with Olympiacos in 2019 before a mid-season move to Zvezda.
After reaching the 2021 Final Four with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, Punter joined coach Zeljko Obradovic at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade for three years – the first of which was in the EuroCup.
There, Punter became a superstar, earning All-EuroCup honors for the 2021-22 campaign before being named to the 2022-23 All-EuroLeague Second Team.
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