EuroLeague is returning on Thursday when the 2023/2024 season starts. Basketball Sphere is presenting Power Rankings, picked out by our journalists.
In this article, we will take a look at all 18 participants, as well as what they did over the summer and how their teams currently look. Clearly, with the ranking of each of them.
1) REAL MADRID
Real Madrid surprised everyone by winning the EuroLeague last season. Not because they lacked the quality, but because from October to the beginning of May, they didn’t seem like a team that would rise to the top of the Old Continent. They were on their knees in the quarterfinals against Partizan, but everything changed for Chus Mateo and his team from the moment the big incident happened in the closing moments of the second game of the series against the black and whites.
That trophy meant that Mateo would continue to lead “Los Blancos” in the upcoming season, and they would have more or less the same lineup at their disposal. Real Madrid retained all the key players, with Facundo Campazzo returning. Nigel Williams-Goss, Adam Hanga, Anthony Randolph and Petr Cornelie are no longer there, but none of them had a decisive impact on the game of the Los Blancos.
The game of Real Madrid will once again revolve around Walter Tavares. The center from the Cape Verde is the player who makes the biggest difference in the EuroLeague. It’s almost impossible to defend him 1 on 1, which requires a variety of different defenses to slow Tavares down in any way. Mario Hezonja found his role in the team towards the end of last season, while Dzanan Musa was impressive in the first part of the year. Both are expected to find even greater continuity in their game.
The combination of Gabriel Deck and Guerschon Yabusele perhaps forms the most dominant duo at the power forward position in this competition, while the experience possessed by Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Llull and Sergio Rodriguez comes to the fore when needed most. When you add all of this up, it’s clear why Real Madrid enters the season as the top favorite to once again win the EuroLeague.
2) MONACO
Monaco made a significant splash in the EuroLeague market during the summer. The acquisition of Kemba Walker is something no one expected and is certainly the most prominent name to join the EuroLeague from the NBA in the past decade. The question arises of how Mike James and he will fit together, but those are the sweet challenges that Sasa Obradovic will face. Elie Okobo and Jordan Loyd are still there, although the former Zenit and Crvena Zvezda point guard will miss the start of the season. All in all, the “Princes” have by far the most dominant backcourt in the competition, at least on paper.
Monaco also deserves praise for not skipping steps. In their first EuroLeague season, they made a mild surprise by reaching the quarterfinals, and in the previous campaign, they took another step forward. They didn’t hide that their goal was to reach the Final Four, and they achieved that goal. Naturally, the next task is to win the most elite basketball competition on the continent, and they have assembled a team that gives them the right to hope for it.
In addition to Walker’s arrival, Monaco has expanded its rotation at other positions. When Adrien Moerman was released last year, the rotation at one point dropped to eight or nine players, and it’s clear they don’t want to find themselves in a similar situation again. Mam Jaiteh will compete at the center position with veterans Donta Hall and Donatas Motiejunas, while the defense has been upgraded with the addition of Terry Tarpey. Petr Cornelie came from Real Madrid, and John Brown, Yakuba Ouattara, and Alpha Diallo are still there. They have at least two quality players at every position in the team, and anything less than a ticket to Berlin in May would be a major disappointment. It’s clear they won’t settle for just reaching the German capital.
3) FENERBAHCE
Fenerbahce had many ups and downs last season. They started phenomenally, then for two months “couldn’t beat anyone” when Johnathan Motley and Scottie Wilbekin got injured, but they played excellently again in the playoffs, and if Kostas Sloukas hadn’t hit what he hit in the third game of the quarterfinals, Dimitris Itoudis probably would have led the “Yellow Canaries” to Kaunas. The series of “ups and downs” ended with Anadolu Efes knocking them out in the semifinals of the domestic championship, leaving them without a trophy for the season.
What was particularly striking was that Itoudis “trimmed” the rotation to eight players from March onwards. Everyone he lost trust in was “moved out” of Istanbul during the summer. Motley will have help in the upcoming season with Georgios Papagiannis and Sertac Sanli, which will give the Greek coach plenty of room for combinations in the frontcourt. Backup to Nigel Hayes-Davis will be Nate Sestina, who had a more than solid season with Turk Telekom. There weren’t many changes in the backcourt. Since Raul Neto‘s season ended before it even began, Yam Madar will be the only “new” addition. Nick Calathes stayed, as did Tyler Dorsey, even though both were on the way out.
Towards the end of the season, the defense played by Hayes-Davis and Dyshawn Pierre was the backbone of Fenerbahce. This team needs a lot more reliable points from the guards. Marko Guduric, Wilbekin, and Dorsey need to consistently produce more because if their production doesn’t improve, Fenerbahce will hardly expect a more successful outcome in the Euroleague in Itoudis’ second season. Simply put, there are better players than them… And that number is greater than four.
4) MILANO
Milano entered the previous season with the highest ambitions possible. On paper, they had an extremely powerful team, and all the hype surrounding them lasted for a month. From the moment two key players got injured (Kevin Pangos and Shavon Shields), their offense faltered. They lost both their main ball handlers, and replacements arrived too late. Even though the Ettore Messina-led team statistically played the best defense in the EuroLeague during December and January, it didn’t prevent them from losing in streaks. This best illustrates how abysmal their offense was. In the end, they did win the Serie A, leaving at least some positive impressions.
During the summer, many teams tried to acquire Nikola Mirotić. The deal with Partizan was practically done, but in the end, the player ended up in the “fashion city.” In the “four and five” positions, they also have Nicolo Melli, Johannes Voigtmann, Kyle Hines, Alex Poythress, and the very promising Ismael Kamagate. When everything is realistically assessed, Messina will likely have the most powerful frontcourt in the EuroLeague at his disposal.
Shields and Pangos are still there, along with Billy Baron, for whom there’s no defense when he enters a series of three-pointers. Maodo Lo was signed to prevent a “last year’s scenario” in case of unexpected injuries, while Stefano Tonut is someone who can handle the ball. Let’s not forget Devon Hall, who was often Messina’s “trusted man” in key moments of the games. Milan is entering the season again with the same ambitions as last year… Giorgio Armani has invested a lot and wants to see his club raise the Euroleague trophy in May.
5) OLYMPIACOS
Olympiacos faces a season with many question marks ahead. Georgios Bartzokas has been named the best coach in the Euroleague in both of the past two years, and for good reason. The team from Piraeus doesn’t belong to the top five clubs in Europe in terms of budget, yet in May, they were just one shot away from the title. The term “team basketball” is most closely associated with Olympiacos when looking at all the teams in the EuroLeague. Their ball movement in offense is excellent, always seeking the best-positioned player, and it’s impossible to find a bad defender on their team.
However, there have been significant changes in the player roster. MVP Sasha Vezenkov is no longer with the team, and his scoring, creativity, and imagination will be almost impossible to replace. Olympiacos took a gamble by signing Luke Sikma to fill his spot, but Sikma’s qualities are probably the closest to the Bulgarian power forward, yet it’s difficult to match the level of quality that Vezenkov displayed over the past three seasons. Kostas Sloukas is also no longer there, as his “silent feud” with Bartzokas ended with a move in the opposite direction. It’s hard to describe the amount of animosity that will pour from the stands of the “Peace and Friendship Stadium” when Sloukas steps on the court next time…
What will Olympiacos’ offense look like without Sloukas and Vezenkov, their two most productive players? Only time will tell. Nigel Williams-Goss and Nikola Milutinov have returned, along with Thomas Walkup, Kostas Papanikolau, Shaq McKissic, and Moustapha Fall. Giannoulis Larentzakis is returning after an excellent World Cup for Greece. In terms of individual offensive quality, Olympiacos is miles behind Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Monaco. The way they can counter this is with better defense and by continuing to execute the things they did well on offense in previous seasons. The outcome could be another trip to the Final Four, but it wouldn’t be sensational if, for example, Olympiacos doesn’t even make the playoffs. In the end, Sikma isn’t Vezenkov, and Williams-Goss doesn’t possess Sloukas’ magic and virtuosity.
6) BARCELONA
When Barcelona signed Nikola Mirotic in 2019 and subsequently brought in Sarunas Jasikevicius a year later, there was no doubt about their ambitions. The Lithuanian coach had three seasons to bring the EuroLeague trophy to Blaugrana’s showcase, but he failed. Two losses to Real Madrid in the semifinals and a lost final against Anadolu Efes meant that it was time for the Catalans to hit the restart button. Not even the routinely clinched Endesa league title saved Jasikevicius, nor Mirotic, from whom Barcelona decided to part ways in terms of his contract.
Somewhat surprisingly, Barcelona chose Roger Grimau as the new head coach. A club legend and former captain, Grimau lacks significant experience in this role, but the players have welcomed the change positively. Although a complete roster overhaul was expected, it didn’t materialize. Aside from Mirotic, none of the starters from last season have departed. Nicolas Laprovittola, Tomas Satoransky, Nikola Kalinic, and Jan Vesely stayed, as do Alex Abrines, Rokas Jokubaitis and Oscar da Silva.
In terms of reinforcements, Willy Hernangomez is expected to step into “Mirotic’s shoes”, and there’s also Jabari Parker, who will have his first European experience after facing several injury issues over the past years. Spanish national team players Dario Brizuela and Joel Parra will expand the rotation, while young James Nnaji might also find some minutes. Analysts surely won’t place Barcelona among the top favorites as in previous years, even though their quality has not diminished. On the contrary…
7) PARTIZAN
After the conclusion of the previous season, Partizan’s fans had mixed feelings. The ABA league was won for the first time after 10 years, making the season considered more than successful. However, there was significant regret for the missed opportunity in the EuroLeague quarter-finals. The elimination by Real Madrid after two consecutive breaks in the Spanish capital is surely on the minds of all the players, but it also serves as additional motivation for what lies ahead in the European competition in the coming period.
A crucial task for Partizan over the summer was to retain the two pillars of this project, and they succeeded. Kevin Punter and Zach LeDay signed new two-year contracts, while PJ Dozier and Frank Kaminsky are expected to fill the void left by the tandem of Dante Exum and Mathias Lessort. The progress shown by Alen Smailagic and Aleksa Avramovic is also significant, and both are expected to play even more notable roles than last season when they made their “debut” only in December due to injuries. Ognjen Jaramaz has returned after two years in Bayern, and Mateusz Ponitka has also made his way to Belgrade.
Partizan has been transparent about their aim this season: to reach the EuroLeague Final Four. When you have a coaching figure like Zeljko Obradovic on the bench, thinking otherwise would be unambitious. The coaching wizard is entering the third year of the project with his beloved club and hopes for another step forward. Last year, the black and whites broke numerous records regarding offensive rating, and now the task is to be significantly better on the defensive end from the start, compared to 12 months ago. If that’s achieved, Partizan can aim for a spot on the table that ensures home-court advantage in the quarter-finals from the very beginning.
8) PANATHINAIKOS
Since the departure of Zeljko Obradović in 2012, Panathinaikos has not played in the EuroLeague Final Four even once. Coaches, players, and even the management structure have changed. Dimitrios Giannakopoulos has been the formal owner throughout, but at one point, he “washed his hands” of running the club. The departure of his arch-nemesis, Jordi Bertomeu, was an invitation for Giannakopoulos to invest heavily in Panathinaikos once again, and the controversial figure did just that. First, Ergin Ataman was appointed as the coach, and he shares one common trait with Panathinaikos’ owner: they are both considered the “most controversial” figures in their respective fields.
Ataman did the same thing as when he took over Anadolu Efes in 2017 when they were the last team in the EuroLeague. He “brought down the house to the foundations.” At that time, only Krunoslav Simon and Bryant Dunston remained on the team, and now, Marius Grigonis was the sole “lucky one.” The Turkish coach has already shown how to build the most powerful team in Europe from scratch, and this time he decided to hand the keys to the team to Kostas Sloukas. Bartzokas didn’t want to give him the role of the main player and 25+ minutes on the court continuously. Ataman did! And that will be enough motivation for Sloukas to play a season with greater determination than ever before. He also received a salary that Olympiacos wouldn’t have dreamt of offering, but such a “transfer” and the “stab in the heart” for Olympiacos comes at a cost. Giannakopoulos would probably have paid even more if Sloukas had asked for it.
Alongside Sloukas, the backcourt will consist of players who mostly lack extensive Euroleague experience. Jerian Grant was one of the best point guards in the EuroCup with Turk Telekom, Kyle Guy dazzled with his performances at Joventut, while young Dimitrios Moraitis will make his debut on the big stage. The term “experience” is mainly associated with Luca Vildoza, and Ataman has a big task to allocate roles properly. Ioannis Papapetrou and Mathias Lessort have been “captured” from Partizan, and in the frontcourt, minutes will also be shared by Juancho Hernangomez, Aleksander Balcerowski, and Dinos Mitoglou.
Panathinaikos has indeed spent a lot of money between the two seasons, and expectations will be at their highest, but it’s not realistic to reach the top overnight. The impression is that the team is very well balanced, and signings were not made “just for the sake of signing.” To get into the conversation for the EuroLeague Final Four, it will be necessary for Grant and Guy to truly be “additions,” and for Papapetrou to be even better than last year. They will probably sign another “three-pointer” at some point, although it may not be necessary if Grigonis plays as he did with Zalgiris, where he was the best small forward in the competition alongside Vladimir Lučić. One thing is for sure: “OAKA” will be on fire from the first round, which wasn’t the case in previous years, and that’s not a negligible factor.
9) CRVENA ZVEZDA
Crvena Zvezda’s previous season in the EuroLeague was determined by poor results in the first two months, which led to the dismissal of Vladimir Jovanovic and the appointment of Dusko Ivanovic in his place. The Montenegrin expert quickly organized the team, but in the end, the red and whites couldn’t compensate for the high number of losses in the initial seven rounds. Even though at one point Crvena Zvezda had the chance to determine its own fate, a series of defeats against objectively weaker teams (Alba Berlin, Bayern, and Panathinaikos) followed. The entire situation regarding Facundo Campazzo had a significant impact on all of this. This time, things are completely different.
Luka Mitrovic, Nemanja Nedovic, Stefan Lazarevic and Branko Lazic are the only players who remained in the team and had a role under coach Ivanovic. Shabazz Napier will be key to the team’s offense, alongside Yago dos Santos, who joins after an outstanding season in Ulm and an excellent performance for Brazil in the World Cup. The arrival of Milos Teodosic and Nemanja Bjelica was met with special emotion and these two could be a crucial part of coach Ivanovic’s puzzle. They are far from their best days, but that won’t be their intended role. They are more than capable of providing 15 excellent minutes on average, as seen in Virtus last year when the team’s offense took on a completely different shape with Teodosic on the court.
In addition to Bjelica, Crvena Zvezda has signed several players in frontcourt. Mike Tobey and Joel Bolomboy will compete for minutes at center, while Marko Simonovic is returning after two years spent in the Chicago Bulls’ system. Dejan Davidovac returned after a season at CSKA, and there is also Rokas Giedraitis, whom Ivanovic has already coached at Baskonia. His paths did not align at that club with Adam Hanga, but Ivanovic is well aware of his qualities firsthand. On paper, Crvena Zvezda has perhaps assembled the most quality team in the club’s history. The time ahead will show how it will translate on the court.
10) MACCABI TEL AVIV
Maccabi Tel Aviv demonstrated that a significant turnaround is possible in a single summer, as evidenced in the past season. They signed 11 new players and were just one win away from reaching the Euroleague Final Four. They wisely retained all their key players (Lorenzo Brown, Wade Baldwin, Bonzie Colson), and when they realized there weren’t many better options on the market, they also extended Josh Nebo‘s contract. It’s widely believed that achieving an upgrade and contending for the Final Four will require a stronger supporting cast, and Maccabi has done an excellent job in the transfer market.
Jasiel Rivero is certainly a better option and will contribute more than Alex Poythress. James Webb is a more versatile player than Jarell Martin, and Antonius Cleveland is tasked with not repeating Darrun Hilliard‘s mistakes. The signing of Tamir Blatt makes sense for various reasons, and it can be said that Maccabi has assembled a highly competitive team. However, one thing to keep in mind is that this season’s EuroLeague is much more competitive than last season.
Many teams that finished behind Maccabi in the standings have invested significantly during the summer and enter the season with even greater ambitions than “The Pride of Israel.” Some of these teams include Fenerbahce, Partizan, Panathinaikos, Milano and Crvena Zvezda. It will be extremely challenging not only to maintain their fifth-place position from last season but even to qualify for the quarterfinals. Last season, Maccabi had a 15-2 record at home, and replicating that in this competitive field will be nearly impossible. If at any point during the season, Brown or Baldwin were to suffer injuries, they could easily slide out of the top 10.
11) ANADOLU EFES
Between 2018 and 2022, Anadolu Efes was the most formidable team in the EuroLeague. They secured two titles, played in one final, and arguably showcased their best basketball in the season that was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic (2019/2020). The previous season witnessed a significant decline, signaling the end of a prominent era and indicating the need for changes. Ergin Ataman left, replaced by Turkey’s most promising coach, Erdem Can. Vasilije Micic, who continues his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and numerous other secondary players, are also no longer with the team.
Contrary to Ataman, Can will place a much greater emphasis on defense, which was evident in the preseason. It’s a clear observation that Shane Larkin and Will Clyburn will have significant freedom in offense, with high expectations also set for Darius Thompson, who had an outstanding season with Baskonia. Rodrigue Beaubois and Elijah Bryant have repeatedly demonstrated their capabilities in the past, with the only real question marks surrounding the “frontcourt” positions.
Tibor Pleiss and Ante Zizic remain, despite not boasting a good last season. However, they will now face serious competition, as Can brought Tyrique Jones with him from Turk Telekom. Derek Willis from Venezia has also joined the team. Still, at first glance, this roster seems a bit “thin” for achieving a significant result, such as reaching the Final Four. In the first season post-Ataman, making it to the play-offs would be more than satisfactory.
12) ZALGIRIS
Zalgiris was one of the most pleasant surprises of last season. Many predicted a ‘basement’ spot in the EuroLeague for them, as was the case two years ago, but they played above all expectations. Kazys Maksvytis showed that he is one of the most promising coaches in Europe, and his team had a clear game plan. It wasn’t always ‘aesthetically pleasing,’ but all players had well-defined roles, and they pushed themselves to the maximum. They often extracted a lot from their home court, and even on the road, they sometimes outplayed opponents of similar quality.
A positive for Zalgiris is that they’ve retained almost all key players from last season: Keenan Evans, Edgaras Ulanovas, Rolands Smits, Arnas Butkevicius, Lukas Lekavicius, Kevarrius Hayes and Tomas Dimsa are still with the team. Ignas Brazdeikis left for Olympiacos, but the roster has been boosted with the signings of Naz Mitrou-Long and Brady Manek, both of whom have already showcased their contributions in the preseason. Manek hit seven three-pointers at the start of the domestic league.
The same story applies to Zalgiris as it does to Maccabi. After an excellent season, they’ve retained key players and upgraded the team with a few additions. However, the competition is much stronger than last year, meaning it will be doubly difficult to secure a spot in the EuroLeague quarterfinals. The first prerequisite is consistent wins at home, especially against weaker opponents. Zalgiris has a recognizable playing style under coach Maksvytis and will stick to it. They will undoubtedly be on the verge of the top 10, and it remains to be seen if they can surpass it.
13) BASKONIA
Baskonia had a very turbulent end to the previous season. Although they played above all expectations in the EuroLeague, due to a series of unfortunate circumstances, they missed out on the quarterfinals. Head coach Joan Penarroya was on the brink of being fired. A shocking early play-off exit in the Endesa League to Joventut led the management to interview candidates for the position, with Luca Banchi recently noting that he had discussions to take over the team. After fans showed support for Penarroya on social media, he retained his job. However, it’s clear that even an undeserved streak of bad results could lead to his dismissal.
For Baskonia, it will be quite challenging to replicate their performance from 12 months ago when they were at the top of the EuroLeague. In terms of budget, they are among the five “most cheapest” teams in the competition, but that won’t stop them from using their “run&gun” style to upset many opponents. After all, they had a 4-0 record against Real Madrid last year. Darius Thompson, Rokas Giedraitis, Daulton Hommes and Steven Enoch are some of the players who have moved on, with new additions like Codi Miller-McIntyre, Nico Mannion, Chima Moneke, Khalifa Diop and Nikos Rogkavopoulos.
For any chance of battling for the top 10, Markus Howard will need to play at the level he displayed in the first few months of the previous season. Vanja Marinkovic has shown he can play a crucial role, while Maik Kotsar needs to maintain a consistently high level of play. Given the style of play that coach Penarroya enforces, the three-point shooting percentage is of paramount importance. This is where Matt Costello, Tadas Sedekerskis and Sander Raieste will also need to contribute.
14) BAYERN
Bayern is entering the new season with a new coach. Andrea Trinchieri departed Munich after another disappointing end to their Bundesliga campaign, making way for Pablo Laso. One of the most successful European coaches of the 21st century aims to make significant strides with the Bavarians, and several changes were made to the roster during the summer.
It all began quietly with the arrivals of Danko Brankovic, Sylvain Francisco and Leandro Bolmaro, followed by the signing of the duo from Fenerbahce – Carsen Edwards and Devin Booker. To cap it off, Bayern made a big splash by bringing in Serge Ibaka, plus Dino Radoncic, who had previously worked with Laso, also joined the team. Among the returning players are those who bring value to the roster. Vladimir Lucic‘s primary goal will be to avoid injuries, which he struggled with in previous years, while Andreas Obst had a fantastic World Cup. Freddie Gillespie has much greater potential than he showed last year, and Isaac Bonga and Nick Weiler-Babb are expected to play crucial roles.
While it appears that Laso will have a more talented team on paper compared to what Trinchieri had at his disposal in the previous season, it’s still challenging to believe they can reach the playoffs. Securing the 10th position and a play-in spot would be a fantastic outcome, but it’s more realistic to expect this in Laso’s second season.
15) VIRTUS
Virtus caught the attention of European basketball just two weeks ago. Sergio Scariolo had been at odds with the club’s management since the spring when he “secretly” negotiated to take over Real Madrid for the 2023/2024 season. In the end, Chus Mateo retained his job by winning the EuroLeague. The Spain national team coach didn’t even get through an interview for the Toronto Raptors’ head coaching position. This didn’t sit well with club’s main man, Massimo Zanetti, who hoped that Scariolo would agree to a mutual contract termination in June. Scariolo didn’t like the idea of walking out on an active contract, and Zanetti refused to pay him off.
Two subsequent press conferences seemingly crossed the line for Zanetti. First, at the end of the season, Scariolo mentioned he didn’t assemble the team. Then he reiterated a similar sentiment, but in a more serious tone, after returning from the World Cup. This led to his firing, and Virtus appointed Luca Banchi in his place. The roster no longer includes names like Milos Teodosic, Kyle Weems, Mam Jaiteh and Semi Ojeleye. However, several intriguing players have been added. Devontae Cacok has the potential to be one of the best centers in the EuroLeague, Ognjen Dobric joined after impressive performances in the Philippines, and Achille Polonara hopes to get his career back on track in his native Italy. Jaleen Smith and Bryant Dunston have also been added, creating a mix of talent and experience.
When talking about returning players, it’s essential to mention that Daniel Hackett, Alessandro Pajola, Marco Belinelli, Toko Shengelia, Isaia Cordinier and Jordan Mickey remain with the team. If Banchi can get the best out of this group of players, then Virtus can realistically aim for a play-in spot. For the management, the season would be satisfactory if they can secure at least one of the two major domestic trophies, which they failed to do last season. Anything achieved in the EuroLeague will be a bonus, especially considering the circumstances under which Banchi joined the team just two weeks before the season’s start.
16) VALENCIA
Valencia came close to missing out on a spot in the EuroLeague. Gran Canaria, by virtue of winning the EuroCup, had earned the right to participate in the prestigious competition. However, they eventually opted out after calculating they couldn’t manage the necessary financial framework to compete at such a high level. Given that Valencia did not have a guaranteed spot until the end of June, they were slightly delayed in finalizing their roster.
After more than a decade, stalwarts Bojan Dubljevic and Sam Van Rossom departed Valencia, making it hard to imagine the roster without them in their signature orange jerseys. Brandon Davies is coming on board after a lackluster season with Milano. His performance will largely dictate the success of Alex Mumbru‘s team. If he plays at his peak, anything’s possible. The same goes for Semi Ojeleye, for whom Valencia paid a buyout fee to Virtus. Damien Ingles has transferred from Gran Canaria, while the signing of former Cibona player Nathan Reuvers came as a surprise to many.
Valencia’s backcourt will be formidable too. The dynamic duo from the previous season, Chris Jones and Jared Harper, remains on the team, now joined by Stefan Jovic and last season’s Liga Endesa top scorer Kassius Robertson. In past years, Valencia has been plagued by injuries, and given the current roster’s makeup, this could be a concern this season as well. While the playoffs might be a distant dream, it won’t be a shock if they manage to upset some of the top European teams from time to time. Last year showed they can pull off such feats on the road as well, not just at “La Fonteta”.
17) ASVEL
Asvel played their weakest basketball last season since T.J. Parker became the head coach. They were not competitive from the middle of the competitive year and had a significant losing streak at the beginning of 2023. Tony Parker even contemplated retiring at one point, but ultimately remained at the helm of the suburban Lyon club. During the summer, many players were changed, however, it will be difficult for them to make significant progress in the standings. Monaco is dominant in domestic competitions, and in the EuroLeague, it’s realistic for them to compete with Alba Berlin for the 17th place.
It’s positive that Joffrey Lauvergne is returning after a serious injury, and Nando De Colo is still there in the final years of his career. David Lighty, Charles Kahudi and Youssoupha Fall have retained their spots on the roster, while they’ve “recruited” Frank Jackson, Paris Lee, Mike Scott, Edwin Jackson, John Egbunu and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. The impression is that they would have significant difficulties reaching the very end in the EuroCup with this roster, let alone playing a significant role in the EuroLeague at this moment.
18) ALBA BERLIN
Alba Berlin was one of the biggest disappointments in European basketball last season. They didn’t reach the finals in domestic competitions such as the German Cup and the Bundesliga, and in the EuroLeague, they were the worst team alongside Asvel. Despite expectations of improving their team during the summer, it didn’t happen. In fact, it seems they are even weaker than before. Key players like Maodo Lo, Jaleen Smith, and Luke Sikma are no longer with the team, and it’s uncertain whether the new players are at a similar level.
The most prominent name to arrive in Berlin this summer is undoubtedly Sterling Brown. He had a certain role with the Milwaukee Bucks a few years ago, but it remains to be seen if he can transfer his quality to European basketball. Justin Bean certainly has potential, but it’s unclear if it will shine through in the EuroLeague. Matt Thomas is probably more suited for the Eurocup at this point, much like the prospect Ziga Samar. The lack of team and individual talent might be offset by Gabriele Procida, who is expected to take the next step in his career, while leadership roles could be assumed by Louis Olinde and Johannes Thiemann. Yanni Wetzell and Christ Koumadje continue to man the center position.