Fenerbahce has serious ambitions in the upcoming EuroLeague season. The Istanbul club aims to reach the Final Four for the first time since the era of Zeljko Obradovic as their head coach.
Success doesn’t happen overnight. Without a clear plan, patience, and hard work, significant achievements are hard to come by. Continuity is often underestimated but incredibly important in sports teams. This will be one of Fenerbahce’s strengths in the new season.
The core of the team from the previous season has been retained, after Dimitris Itoudis team reached the EuroLeague quarterfinals. During the summer, they made high-quality reinforcements, so it’s expected that the Istanbul giants will be even more competitive in the EuroLeague.
The roster has been upgraded with some good reinforcements
Fenerbahce experienced many ups and downs last season. They started phenomenally but then went through a period where they “couldn’t win against anyone” when Johnathan Motley and Scottie Wilbekin got injured. They bounced back in the playoffs, and if Kostas Sloukas wasn’t hit a buzzer-beater in the third game of the quarterfinals, Dimitris Itoudis might have taken the “Yellow Canaries” to Kaunas. The season’s “ups and downs” ended with Anadolu Efes eliminating them in the semifinals of the domestic championship, leaving Fenerbahce without a trophy for the season.
What was particularly impressive was that Itoudis cut down the rotation to eight players starting from March. Those who lost his trust were “evicted” from Istanbul during the summer. Motley will have assistance in the upcoming season in the form of Georgios Papagiannis and Sertac Sanli, giving the Greek coach plenty of options in the frontcourt. Nate Sestina will back up Nigel Hayes-Davis, and he had a more than solid season at Turk Telekom. There weren’t many changes in the backcourt. Since Raul Neto’s season ended before it began, Yam Madar will be the only “new” addition. Nick Calathes stayed, as did Tyler Dorsey, even though both were on their 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 many more reliable points from their backcourt players. Marko Guduric, Wilbekin, and Dorsey need to consistently contribute more because if their production doesn’t improve, Fenerbahce will find it difficult to have a more successful outcome in the EuroLeague in Itoudis’ second season. Simply put, there are better teams than them, and there are more than four of them.
Euroleague – Fenerbahce: Roster for the upcoming season
Raul Neto /188cm/ – BRA
Scottie Wilbekin /188cm/ – TUR
Yam Madar /190cm/ – ISR
Melih Mahmutoglu /191cm/ – TUR
Sehmuz Hazer /193cm/ – TUR
Nick Calathes /196cm/ – GRE
Marko Guduric /196cm/ – SRB
Tyler Dorsey /196cm/ – GRE
Dyshawn Pierre /198cm/ – USA
Tarik Biberovic /201cm/ – TUR
Nate Sestina /205cm/ – USA
Yigit Hamza Mestoglu /203cm/ – TUR
Nigel Hayes-Davis /203cm/ – USA
Metecan Birsen /205cm/ – TUR
Johnathan Motley /208cm/ – USA
Sertac Sanli /212cm/ – TUR
Georgios Pappagiannis /220cm/ – GRE
Departures: Nemanja Bjelica, Carsen Edwards, Devin Booker, Kostas Antetokounmpo, Ismet Akpinar, Samet Geyik, Tonye Jekiri
Arrivals: Yam Madar, Yigit Hamza Mestoglu, Georgios Papagiannis, Sertac Sanli, Raul Neto, Nate Sestina
Based on the composition, as well as the changes that have occurred during the summer, it can be concluded that Fenerbahce will be even stronger in the new season. Raul Neto’s injury certainly disrupted Itoudis’s plans, but it probably “saved” Nick Calathes, who was on the verge of leaving the club.
EuroLeague Preview – Fenerbahce: The greatest success in the competition
When we talk about Fenerbahce’s successes, the first association for everyone should be the most decorated European coach, Zeljko Obradovic. The arrival of the Serbian expert in Istanbul in 2013 was a “sign” that a very serious project was being created. And it really was.
Season after season, the club grew, constantly improving its results. Advancing to the top 16, reaching the Final Four, and then the final in 2016. However, CSKA led by Milos Teodosic was better. Nevertheless, Fenerbahce had its moment in the 2016/17 season when it defeated Olympiacos in the final and became the champion.
They reached their third consecutive final at the Final Four in Belgrade in 2018. Obradovic had the chance to secure his tenth European championship title, and that in his own Serbia. However, Real Madrid spoiled their plans. After that, there was a decline season by season. With the arrival of Itoudis, some new energy came, and expectations are once again high.
Few words about about the head coach – Dimitris Itoudis
Dimitris Itoudis honed his coaching craft by learning from the best possible teacher, Zeljko Obradovic. The Greek coach served as an assistant to the Serbian maestro during their time at Panathinaikos. The two coaches developed such a strong bond that they became godfathers to each other’s children.
However, at one point, Itoudis decided to venture out on his own. After a stint with Banvit, he received an invitation from CSKA Moscow. The beginning of his tenure with CSKA was like a dream come true, as he led the team to a European championship in his second season. How did he do it? By defeating his mentor, Zeljko Obradovic.
Itoudis continued to regularly lead CSKA to the Final Four, and in the 2018/19 season, he once again became the European champion. Due to events in Ukraine and the expulsion of Russian teams from the EuroLeague, the two sides parted ways, leading the Greek coach to join Fenerbahce’s ranks last summer.
EuroLeague Preview – Fenerbahce: Expectations
When you have an army of fans behind you, top-notch players, and a proven coach on the bench, it’s clear that the ambitions are extremely high. This is precisely the case with Fenerbahce, which has big plans for the upcoming season.
If in previous seasons they were content with reaching the quarterfinals, they will now consider it a failure if they don’t at least make it to the final tournament of the most prestigious club competition in Europe. Even coach Itoudis himself wants to return there, as he was a regular participant in the Final Four with CSKA.
The Istanbul team is well-stocked in all positions. Itoudis has many excellent options at his disposal and the flexibility to rotate different lineups, thanks to several players who can cover multiple positions.
Since Obradovic’s departure, Fenerbahce hasn’t managed to advance beyond the quarterfinals. They want more now. However, the most crucial aspect is how the team “clicks” on the court. They may look strong on paper, but the field is the only true measure of their strength.