The Monbus Obradoiro center is performing at an elite level in Liga Endesa for the first time, leading as the league's top-scoring center, offensive rebounding leader, and a candidate for Most Improved Player
Joel Soriano's signing as Obradoiro's primary center raised considerable doubts. Building your interior game around a player who averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 6.9 in efficiency rating last season seemed risky.
After six games played with an impressive 3-3 record, his 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 17.7 efficiency rating clearly demonstrate that those responsible for signing him made the right call. Currently he ranks tenth in efficiency rating, fourth in rebounds, second in two-pointers made (5.83), the best offensive rebounder (4), fourth in dunks (1.7), and the league's leading scoring center in Liga Endesa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vmhroTh01c
No center scores more points in the paint than Soriano
The 6'10" Dominican interior has scored in double figures in 5 of the 6 games he's played in this season's start. Against Ilerna Lleida and Río Breogán he set his ACB record with 22 points. This brings him to the aforementioned 15.8 average, placing him 13th in the scoring standings tied with TJ Shorts, Kyle Guy, and Dominik Mavra.
The scoring leaders list has been dominated in recent times by perimeter players, so what makes the offensive performance of the New York native truly remarkable is that there is no pure center scoring more than him, nor any interior player for that matter.
To find the next center on the list you have to go to number 21, which is Artem Pustovyi with 14, and the first power forward is Amine Noua at 30. Among the top 50 we only see pure centers Zach Perrin (33-12.5), George Conditt and Laurynas Birutis tied at 38 with 11.7, and Danko Brankovic (50-10.8). Among the interior players who operate primarily in the power forward position, Nikola Mirotic (34-12.2) completes the list. Sekou Doumbouya (36-11.8) and Melvin Ejim (38-11.7).
Joel Soriano is a paint animal and has scored 33 of his 35 two-pointers (2nd) in the restricted area. Only Alonzo Verge has made more two-pointers (38), of which 37 have also been in the paint. But he's also standing out for an effective mid-range shot at three to four meters, which is why he's not the most prominent in restricted area baskets. He's made 20 layups compared to 27 for Zach Perrin and 22 for Laurynas Birutis, with George Conditt and Nick Ongenda tied at 20 with Obradoiro's player.
His ability to draw fouls with 4 per game and his 75.8% free throw percentage make him the seventh leading free throw scorer with 4.2, the second among centers behind Artem Pustovyi's 5.3, which helps him greatly complement that great offensive capacity.
His offensive rebounding dominance stands out even in historical data
In these six games Monbus Obradoiro and Joel Soriano are standing out in a particularly striking way when it comes to grabbing offensive rebounds. The team coached by Epi is first in offensive rebounds with 15.83, surpassing Real Madrid's 14.83 and UCAM Murcia's 14.50. In the advanced statistic they stand out a bit less, but they're in a great third place in percentage with 37.1%, only behind Madrid's 40.1% and Leyma Coruña's 37.9%.
The 26-year-old from New York leads the standings with 4 per game, a figure that if maintained would place him in a historic position as we'll analyze next. But it's already striking to see that he surpasses the 3.2 defensive rebounds he grabs and it's very unusual to grab more offensive than defensive rebounds. Among the top 50 this only repeats in the cases of Andersson García (2.7 vs 2.2), Dmytro Skapintsev (2.3 vs 2), and Raúl Lobaco (1.7 vs 0.5).
Now let's look at historical data from complete seasons to put Joel Soriano's 4 offensive rebounds in context. The last time someone equaled or surpassed that figure was in the 2003-2004 season. Brent Scott finished the regular season with 4.6 and Kevin Thompson with 4.2. As with other statistics, achieving 4 or more offensive rebounds was accomplished a few times in the 80s and 90s, but from then on current rotations and pace make it absolutely exceptional.
Below we list all the times it has been achieved in the ACB:
03/04 Brent Scott 4.6 – Kevin Thompson 4.2
02/03 Felipe Reyes 5.3
01/02 Oriol Junyent 4.1
99/00 Tanoka Beard 4.6
97/98 Jerome Lane 5.1
96/97 Jerome Lane 5.3 – Tanoka Beard 4.2
95/96 Warren Kidd 4.4 – Glen Whisby 4
92/93 Clarence Kea 4.3
91/92 Clarence Kea 4.6
90/91 Ken Johnson 5 – Walter Berry 4.9 – Tom Gneiting 4.3 – Claude Riley 4.2 – Kevin Magee 4
89/90 Ken Johnson 4.7 – Bobby Lee Hurt 4.1
88/89 Larry Micheaux 4.1
87/88 Mario Butler 4.1
85/86 Clyde Mayes 4
84/85 Steve Trumbo 4.4 – Jimmy Wright 4.3 – Claude Riley 4.3 – Terence White 4
83/84 Steve Trumbo 4.9
The record is held by Felipe Reyes and Jerome Lane with 5.3. The latter is the only player to average 5 or more twice and the only other to reach 5 is Ken Johnson. The only ones to reach or exceed 4 per game twice are Tanoka Beard, Clarence Kea, Ken Johnson, Claude Riley, and Steve Trumbo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfkLxrkvIzQ
Candidates for Most Improved Player in this season's start
As we've mentioned in other articles, it's too early to assess award candidates, but there's no doubt there have been very notable season starts and players who have made a big leap in level compared to last season are shining with special intensity. In the ACB there is no official award for season-to-season progression, but Gigantes del Basket does have its Male Most Improved Giant award, which in 2026 went to Melwin Pantzar. It seems that for the 2027 ceremony they will have a complicated decision seeing this season's start.
Theo Maledon: 11.1 efficiency credits in 25/26 – 25.8 in 26/27 – Increase 14.7
Jassel Pérez: 11.6 efficiency credits in 25/26 – 23 in 26/27 – Increase 11.4
Joel Soriano: 6.9 efficiency credits in 25/26 – 17.7 in 26/27 – Increase 10.8
Dominik Mavra: 10.7 efficiency credits in 25/26 – 18.4 in 26/27 – Increase 7.7
Francis Alonso: 13.8 efficiency credits in 25/26 – 21 in 26/27 – Increase 7.2
Among the top ten in efficiency rating we see four players who had a good season last year, in the case of Maledon and Jassel Pérez their ACB debut, but in this season's start they have positioned themselves at the top and are confirming themselves as stars of the competition. There's no doubt that the French point guard is the main candidate to continue at this pace, although the fact that he could win other awards might open the door to focusing on Soriano's countryman. A very important aspect to evaluate about Obradoiro's center would be the fact that he has gone from a disappointing stint in Zaragoza to becoming the league's best-scoring center under Epi's direction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH8q5nZPpvI&t=11s