Player Spotlight: Pete Mickeal - Main page - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL

June 19, 2013

Player Spotlight: Pete Mickeal

Even to the casual observer, it is clear just how important Pete Mickeal is to FC Barcelona Regal's success. The versatile forward is both a team player and a vocal leader, whose basketball skills and personality have been key reasons why Barcelona's blue-and-garnet colors will fly at the Final Four in Istanbul. Moreover, just one season removed from a career-threatening injury, Mickeal is savoring the sweet taste of success more than ever.

The road to stardom was never easy for Mickeal, who played for five teams in Greece, Russia, Spain and South Korea before catching on with Euroleague side Tau Ceramica in 2007. That's when a wider audience began to fully appreciate Mickeal's great skills and work ethic. In his two seasons with Tau, Mickeal reached his first Euroleague Final Four and was named MVP of the Spanish League finals on the way to that competition's 2008 title. His next stop was Barcelona, where within a year he won his first Euroleague title as a main cog in the middle of one of the most dominant teams this century.

Despite missing almost all of last season to injury, Mickeal has performed well as ever this year. On the floor, his combination of strength, footwork, speed and athleticism creates numerous mismatches. Add to that his fantastic three-point accuracy, ability to score near the basket with either hand, aggressive style and high basketball IQ, and it's fair to say that Mickeal is a nightmare for opponents. It became clear by how much he was missed last season that Mickeal is Barcelona's linchpin. Be sure that at this Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four, he will give all it takes so that Barcelona enjoys another dose of Euroleague bliss.

Euroleague.net