The 2026-27 EuroLeague season brings a new opportunity for players across the competition to take a major step forward. Some are entering the year after already showing flashes of their potential, while others are taking on bigger roles, moving to new teams or getting their first real chance to establish themselves.
With the season approaching, Basketball Sphere looks at one breakout candidate from each of the 20 EuroLeague team.
Anadolu Efes: Matthew Strazel
Last season’s stats: 9.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists
Last season in Monaco made it clear that Matthew Strazel has the potential to become a EuroLeague star. The 22-year-old averaged 9.2 points and 3.9 assists in 38 games, but those numbers only tell part of the story. With Monaco going through a turbulent period, including occasional strikes by Mike James and Elie Okobo, as well as James dealing with an injury, Strazel took advantage of the opportunities that came his way and increasingly put himself in the spotlight. That was even more evident in domestic competition, where he showed just how comfortable he can be when given a bigger role.
His move to Anadolu Efes has therefore come at the right time. Strazel leaves Monaco after four seasons and joins an Anadolu Efes backcourt that has undergone significant changes, creating an opportunity for him to become a much more important piece of the rotation. With more freedom in his hands and another step forward in his development, the French guard has everything in place to turn last season’s promise into the best campaign of his career.
Asvel: Both Gach
Last season’s stats: 13.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists – EuroCup
The move to the EuroLeague feels like the natural next step for Both Gach after an excellent season with Bourg. The 27-year-old played a major role in Bourg’s EuroCup title run, averaging 13.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in the competition. An athletic and versatile forward capable of covering multiple positions, Gach showed enough throughout the season to earn a chance on a much bigger stage.
What makes the move even more interesting is that he will remain in France. Gach already knows the league, the environment and the style of basketball, which should make the transition to EuroLeague level considerably smoother. With Asvel no longer looking like the kind of superteam it was initially expected to become, there should also be considerably more room for him to grow than might have been anticipated.
Barcelona: Tyrese Martin
Last season’s stats: G League – 31.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists
Tyrese Martin arrives in Barcelona looking for a bigger role after four seasons in the NBA. After 122 NBA appearances with the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, the 27-year-old forward is entering Europe for the first time with the physical tools, shooting and scoring ability to make a much bigger impact than his NBA numbers suggest. He can operate as a shooting guard or small forward, and his performances in preseason have already offered glimpses of the offensive versatility that made him an intriguing addition to Barcelona’s rebuilt roster.
The timing could hardly be more interesting. Barcelona has added 11 new players this summer, while Kevin Punter, Joel Parra, Juan Nunez and Dario Brizuela are the only players remaining from last season’s team. With roles still far from fully defined and Brizuela’s injury adding another question mark to the rotation, Martin could quickly find himself with even more opportunities. His size, athleticism, shooting and ability to create offense make him a natural option at small forward, and the early signs suggest he could emerge much faster than expected as one of Barcelona’s most important newcomers.
Baskonia: A.J. Lawson
Last season’s stats: G League – 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists in 26 games
It is always difficult to expect a breakout season from a player making his EuroLeague debut, but A.J. Lawson looks like exactly the kind of gamble Baskonia has made work so many times before. The 26-year-old Canadian spent last season between the NBA and G League, averaging 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in the latter while earning All-NBA G League Second Team honors. After years of trying to establish himself in North America, Lawson now arrives in Vitoria with a much clearer opportunity to translate that production to European basketball.
Baskonia has developed a reputation for finding players from the NBA and G League, giving them a prominent role and eventually watching them move on to bigger opportunities. Lawson could be the next name in that line. Several important pieces have left the team this summer, opening minutes and responsibility for newcomers, while his athleticism and scoring ability should fit naturally into the role. If the pattern continues, Lawson could quickly go from an intriguing NBA/G League signing to one of the names attracting attention around the EuroLeague.
Bayern: Justinian Jessup
Last season’s stats: 8.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Justinian Jessup arrived at Bayern after great season in the Bundesliga with Ulm, but his first months in Munich did not go according to plan. The American struggled to find consistency early on, particularly with his shooting, before gradually becoming a much more reliable contributor. His opportunities increased after Svetislav Pesic took over, and Jessup responded by becoming more consistent both as a scorer and from beyond the arc.
Now entering his second season in the EuroLeague, Jessup has a much better understanding of the level and what is required to succeed in it. That was particularly evident during the second half of last season, when he started to show why Bayern had brought him in. With the Munich club also making significant changes to its roster, Jessup should have more room to build on that progress and establish himself as a more important piece of the team.
Besiktas: David DeJulius
Last season’s stats: 10.8 points, 1.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists – FIBA Europe Cup
It was time for David DeJulius to return to the EuroLeague. The American guard already had a brief experience in the competition with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2024/25, but he struggled to make an impact, averaging just four points in 15 appearances. Two yeara later, he arrives at Besiktas as a completely different player after a fantastic season in Spain, where he became one of Murcia’s most important offensive pieces and showed that he can handle a major role.
DeJulius did more than simply produce against weaker opposition. He regularly faced EuroLeague-caliber teams such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Baskonia and Valencia while carrying significant responsibility with the ball in his hands. His ability to create his own shot, attack off the dribble and make plays for teammates made him the engine of Murcia’s offense. That development makes his return to the EuroLeague particularly interesting: DeJulius is no longer an unproven guard looking for a role, but a player coming off a season in which he established himself as a primary offensive option in one of Europe’s strongest domestic leagues.
Crvena Zvezda: Ebuka Izundu
Last season’s stats: 8.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.5 blocks
Ebuka Izundu needed time to adjust to the EuroLeague in his debut season in the competition, with a tendency to pick up quick fouls early in the year limiting both his minutes and his rhythm. His opportunity eventually came as injuries opened up more space in Crvena Zvezda’s frontcourt, and the Nigerian center made the most of it. Once he started receiving consistent minutes, Izundu showed a completely different level, culminating in a dominant performance against Monaco in Round 23, when he posted 22 points and 12 rebounds to earn EuroLeague MVP of the Round honors.
That run eventually faded as Crvena Zvezda’s crowded center rotation became an issue again once everyone returned from injury. This season, the situation looks much clearer. With Johnathan Motley ahead of him, Izundu enters the campaign as the team’s second option at center rather than one of several players fighting for minutes. A defined role from the beginning should give him much more confidence and consistency, while the flashes he showed during his debut season suggest there is considerably more to come.
Dubai: Elie Okobo
Last season’s stats: 11.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists
Elie Okobo is a different kind of breakout candidate. There is nothing left to prove about his EuroLeague level, as the French guard has already established himself as one of the competition’s most reliable backcourt players during his time with Monaco. The interesting part is what happens after leaving the shadow of Mike James. For several seasons, Okobo shared the backcourt and playmaking responsibilities with one of the best guards in the competition. At Dubai, he will finally have the chance to make the team his own.
Dubai has assembled a loaded roster, but much of its depth is concentrated in the frontcourt, leaving Okobo with a particularly important opportunity in the backcourt. His scoring ability, pick-and-roll creation and passing make him a natural candidate to take the keys to the offense. After playing alongside James for so long, this could be the season when Okobo goes from an excellent Robin to the Batman of a EuroLeague team.
Fenerbahce: Marcus Bingham Jr.
Last season’s stats: 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist – VTB League
Fenerbahce has not had a truly dominant presence at center for some time, and Marcus Bingham Jr. arrives with a chance to change that. The American big man made a strong impression in the VTB League with Unics, averaging 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. While the competition is no longer at the level it was when Russian clubs were part of the EuroLeague, it remains a strong league and provided Bingham with a valuable platform to show that he can produce consistently at a high level.
More importantly, Bingham is not coming to Istanbul to wait for an opportunity. He is expected to step directly into the starting center role, giving him the kind of responsibility that can unlock another level in his game. Fenerbahce has had plenty of changes in its frontcourt in recent seasons, but Bingham offers a different profile with his athleticism, size and scoring ability. With a defined role from the beginning, this could be the season when he turns his VTB production into a much bigger EuroLeague impact.
Hapoel Tel Aviv: Dan Oturu
Last season’s stats: 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Dan Oturu is an unusual breakout candidate because he is already coming off a career year. The American center established himself as one of EuroLeague’s biggest stars last season, putting together his best campaign to date while becoming a major presence on both ends of the floor. The question now is not whether Oturu can break out, but whether he has another level left to reach.
The answer could come from his role. Dan Oturu enters the new season as Hapoel Tel Aviv’s clear first-choice center, with Tai Odiase as his primary backup, meaning there should be even more minutes, touches and responsibility available to him. He already has the production and recognition of a star, but his situation suggests he has not reached his ceiling yet. With even more freedom in Hapoel Tel Aviv’s frontcourt, Oturu has a chance to turn another strong season into a genuinely dominant one.
Maccabi Tel Aviv: Yam Madar
Last season’s stats: 3.4 points, 1.0 rebound, 1.4 assists
Yam Madar has spent the last few years trying to rediscover the trajectory that made him one of the most exciting young guards in Europe with Partizan in 2022/23. His moves to Fenerbahce and Bayern did little to revive his momentum, and even last season at Hapoel Tel Aviv, his situation was difficult to explain. Madar was largely on the outside of the EuroLeague rotation, yet whenever the door opened, he reminded everyone why his potential had once been so highly regarded. By the end of the season, those reminders were becoming impossible to overlook, with several explosive scoring performances, including 41 points against Maccabi Tel Aviv and 34 and 26 in the Israeli Premier League Finals.
That contrast makes his move to Maccabi Tel Aviv particularly intriguing. Madar chose to leave Hapoel Tel Aviv despite a strong contract because the opportunity for a bigger role mattered more, and he should find exactly that in his new surroundings. Oded Kattash already knows him from the Israeli national team, while Maccabi Tel Aviv’s backcourt leaves considerably more room for another creator to take control. After years in which his career seemed to stall, Madar finally has a situation built around the one thing he has lacked: consistent trust. This is his chance to turn those flashes of brilliance into an entire season of meaningful production.
Milano: Moses Wright
Last season’s stats: 13.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 0.9 blocks
Moses Wright is another breakout candidate who is already coming off an excellent season. The American big man was one of Zalgiris’ most important players in the EuroLeague, averaging 13.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks while becoming a reliable offensive weapon in the frontcourt. He even drew praise from Zalgiris coach Tomas Masiulis, who said Wright could still play at an even higher level. Now, the 27-year-old arrives in Milano as a proven EuroLeague star with the opportunity to take another step forward.
Wright is expected to be Milano’s clear first-choice center and could become one of the team’s primary offensive options as well. The move gives him a prominent role from the start and puts more responsibility on his shoulders after a season in which he already proved he can produce at a high level in the EuroLeague. His numbers in Kaunas were impressive, but Wright’s next challenge is turning that production into an even bigger impact in Milano.
Olympiacos: Jean Montero
Last season’s stats: 13.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists
Jean Montero is a strong candidate to take another major step after an already outstanding EuroLeague debut. The Dominican guard averaged 13.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists for Valencia and collected almost every major individual honor available to him, including EuroLeague Rising Star, All-EuroLeague First Team and Playoffs MVP. That makes his arrival in Piraeus less about proving that he belongs at the highest level and more about finding out just how high his ceiling really is.
Olympiacos gives him the stage to take that next step. Georgios Bartzokas has spoken about adapting his philosophy to the new additions, and Montero is arguably the most exciting offensive talent among them. His ability to create, score and control the game should fit naturally into a team that already has elite-level talent around him. After his breakthrough season in Valencia, Montero now has a chance to enter the MVP conversation and establish himself as the best guard in the EuroLeague.
Panathinaikos: Brancou Badio
Last season’s stats: 11.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Panathinaikos may have the deepest collection of established stars in the EuroLeague, which makes Brancou Badio an unusual choice as its breakout candidate. Nearly every other major player on the roster has already put together an outstanding individual season, making another significant jump difficult with so much talent sharing the floor. Badio, meanwhile, still has plenty to prove. He averaged 11.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season, but his combination of defensive ability and offensive potential gives him a chance to carve out a much bigger role.
His defensive work was particularly impressive during the last season playoffs, when he showed that he can be trusted with difficult assignments against elite scorers. That could become a major factor in the battle for minutes, especially with Jerian Grant occupying a similar role. Badio has already shown that he can contribute at the highest level – now he has an opportunity to turn those flashes into a more consistent role on a team where almost everyone else has already established themselves as a star.
Paris: Jared Rhoden
Last season’s stats: 11.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Jared Rhoden showed flashes last season of why he spent several years in the NBA. His first EuroLeague campaign was also an adjustment to one of the most demanding systems in Europe, with Paris playing at a relentless pace and constantly rotating players in and out of the game. After a full season in that environment, Rhoden should be much better equipped to play to his strengths. He averaged 11.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists, but there was enough in his performances to suggest there is more to come.
His role should also be significantly more important this time around. Alongside Nadir Hifi, Rhoden is one of the biggest names in the Paris roster and is expected to carry a substantial portion of the offensive load. He now has a year of EuroLeague experience and a much better understanding of what Paris demands from its players, giving him the foundation to turn last season’s flashes into much more consistent production.
Partizan: Kevarrius Hayes
Last season’s stats: 6.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.9 blocks
Kevarrius Hayes enters Partizan after spending last season as Monaco’s second center, in a team that went through plenty of instability throughout the campaign. His move to Belgrade should give him something he has not consistently had at the highest level – a clearly defined starting role. Partizan’s frontcourt has an interesting mix of profiles, but Hayes should be the first option at center, putting him in position to play significantly more minutes and take on greater responsibility.
That change could be particularly important for a player whose biggest strengths come from his athleticism, mobility and activity around the basket. Hayes will also have the benefit of playing alongside creators such as Carlik Jones and unselfish guards like Luca Vildoza and Alessandro Pajola, who can put him in better positions to finish around the rim.
Real Madrid: Theo Maledon
Last season’s stats: 9.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Theo Maledon arrives at the new season with plenty to prove after a difficult first campaign in Madrid. The French guard was an All-EuroLeague Second Team selection with Asvel before making the move, but he never consistently reached that level with Real Madrid. The early signs from preseason have been encouraging, however, with Maledon looking noticeably stronger physically and seemingly ready for a much bigger role in his second season.
The changes around him should also create more responsibility. Facundo Campazzo is entering the later stages of his career, while the departures of Trey Lyles and Mario Hezonja have removed two of Madrid’s major offensive options from last season. That puts greater pressure on the backcourt, and Maledon is one of the players best positioned to absorb it. With more responsibility in his hands, the Frenchman has a clear opportunity to re-establish himself as one of the EuroLeague’s premier young guards.
Valencia: Mario Saint-Supery
2024/25 Liga Endesa stats: 8.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Valencia has already established itself as one of the best places in Spain for young players to develop, with Sergio De Larrea providing the clearest recent example. The 20-year-old guard received a significant opportunity last season and made the most of it before leaving for the NBA. Mario Saint-Supery now returns to Spain after spending last season at Gonzaga, arriving in a very different Valencia backcourt, with Jean Montero, Brancou Badio, Darius Thompson and De Larrea all gone. That leaves plenty of room for a highly talented young guard to step forward.
The coaching change should not necessarily disrupt that path. Xavi Albert has moved from Pedro Martinez’s staff into the head-coaching role, giving the club some continuity in its approach. Saint-Supery already has the talent to make an impact, and the combination of Valencia’s track record with young players and the opportunities available in the backcourt makes him one of the most intriguing breakout candidates on the roster.
Virtus: Derrick Alston Jr.
Last season’s stats: 10.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Derrick Alston Jr. had a very promising EuroLeague debut, showing enough under Dusko Ivanovic to suggest that Virtus may have found an important piece for the future. The 28-year-old received opportunities but also had very little room for mistakes, particularly on the defensive end, which sometimes limited his impact and consistency. His shooting was already one of the most encouraging parts of his game, and another year of EuroLeague experience should give him a stronger foundation.
The arrival of Alex Mumbru and a slightly different competitive outlook in Bologna could also work in Alston’s favor. He should have a bigger role and more freedom to use his offensive skill set, but there are still clear areas where he can improve. Becoming stronger, more effective attacking the basket and more reliable defensively would add new dimensions to his game. Alston already showed plenty during his first season; now he has the opportunity to turn that promise into a much more complete campaign.
Zalgiris: Azuolas Tubelis
Last season’s stats: 11.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.7 blocks
Azuolas Tubelis is another player entering the season after already putting together a very good EuroLeague campaign. The Lithuanian forward showed flashes of being almost impossible to stop, particularly when he was able to establish himself around the basket, but those performances did not come with enough consistency. His next step is therefore less about discovering what he can do and more about doing it on a regular basis. With another year of EuroLeague experience behind him, Tubelis should be better equipped to turn those flashes into a more dependable level of production.
The biggest challenge could come from Zalgiris itself. The club has strengthened its roster significantly and now has more offensive options competing for touches and responsibility. That could make it harder for Tubelis to increase his numbers, but it also gives him an opportunity to become more efficient and impactful within a deeper offense. His ceiling is already evident; consistency is what could turn him from a very good EuroLeague player into an excellent one.
