In the modern EuroLeague, players make big transfers every summer, and there are fewer and fewer who remain loyal to a single club for many years.
It is not all down to the players, who value long-term stability; rather, a large share of the blame falls on the clubs, which simply go year by year instead of planning for the long haul – something that often comes back to haunt them. Additionally, there is the growing presence of foreign players, which is particularly noticeable in EuroLeague clubs that previously had a wide array of domestic players.
Among the current EuroLeague players, there are only six who have been playing for ten or more years at the same club, while two more will reach that milestone next year, barring any sudden changes. Players who have played a large number of years for the same club across two or more separate stints will not be included on this list.
Sergio Llull
Sergio Llull is by far the longest-tenured active player in the EuroLeague. The legendary Spanish guard renewed his contract with Real Madrid this summer, entering his 20th season with Los Blancos.
The 38-year-old arrived at Real Madrid back in 2007. Since then, he has had several opportunities to leave the club, turning them down every time.
Over the past 19 years, he has won the EuroLeague three times, lifted the Liga Endesa nine times, and claimed the Copa del Rey seven times. He has also earned numerous individual accolades, such as the EuroLeague MVP and Liga Endesa MVP in 2017.
Melih Mahmutoglu
Melih Mahmutoglu is the current captain of Fenerbahce, where he arrived in 2013 following stints at Galatasaray, Darussafaka, and Erdemirsport.
Although he never had a massive role, mostly coming off the bench as a reliable shooter, Mahmutoglu has become a Fenerbahce staple over the past 13 years, winning every possible trophy with the Turkish powerhouse.
The Turkish shooting guard is a two-time EuroLeague champion, an eight-time Turkish Super League champion, a six-time Turkish Cup winner, and a four-time President’s Cup winner.
Tadas Sedekerskis
Tadas Sedekerskis is perhaps the biggest surprise on the entire list, considering he is only 28 years old. Nevertheless, he has been a member of Baskonia for a full 13 years.
Lithuanian clubs often hold on to their top talents, but Sedekerskis is an example where that didn’t happen for them. He made his debut for the Vitoria-based club at just 17 years old and remains an important part of the rotation to this day.
He was part of the squad that won the Liga Endesa in 2020 under Dusko Ivanovic, and has in the meantime become the team’s captain.
Josep Puerto
Josep Puerto took the path from Valencia’s youth ranks through the B team all the way to becoming a rotation player for Taronges. He joined the club in 2015 and made his EuroCup debut in the 2015/16 season, while waiting until 2017 for his first appearance in the Liga Endesa.
The 27-year-old has become a vital rotation member for Valencia in recent years, capping it off with a recently concluded stellar season in which Valencia, led by Pedro Martinez, won the Liga Endesa and qualified for the EuroLeague Final Four for the first time in its history.
Unfortunately for him, he suffered an injury in the third game of the playoff series against Panathinaikos and missed out on the EuroLeague Final Four, though that takes nothing away from his contribution.
Kostas Papanikolaou
Back in 2009, Kostas Papanikolaou first set foot in the Peace and Friendship Stadium after Olympiacos paid €950,000 to buyout his contract from Aris – a nearly unprecedented fee in those years.
He played for the Red-and-Whites until 2013, after which he played for Barcelona, the Houston Rockets, and the Denver Nuggets before returning to Piraeus in 2016, ushering in a new era at the club.
“Air Pap” has since become the captain and managed to lead Olympiacos to the EuroLeague title last season, as well as five Greek Basket League titles and three Greek Cups.
Vladimir Lucic
Vladimir Lucic is the final player on the list with more than 10 years spent at a single club. The former Serbian national team player arrived at Bayern in 2016 following seasons with Valencia and, before that, Partizan.
The 37-year-old has become an indispensable part of Bayern over the past 10 years, helping them capture four Bundesliga titles and as many German Cups.
Many things have changed in the Bavarian ranks over the past decade, but Lucic has remained a crucial part of the roster.
Walter Tavares
Walter Tavares has served as the key anchor in Real Madrid’s paint during their EuroLeague title runs over the past nine years that he has been with the club.
Although he did not start playing basketball until he was 17, he built a name for himself at Gran Canaria that recommended him for the NBA, where he stayed for two seasons playing for the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers before returning to Europe.
The center from Cape Verde has undoubtedly been the best defender in the EuroLeague over the past decade. With Real Madrid, he won EuroLeague titles in 2018 and 2023, while also claiming five Liga Endesa titles and 6 Spanish Supercups.
John DiBartolomeo
John DiBartolomeo arrived at Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2017 and has since become a fixture in the rotation, now serving as the longest-tenured member of the team.
Before playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv, he was a member of Zaragoza – playing on loan at Palma Air Europa – as well as Maccabi Haifa.
DiBartolomeo has a very successful nine years behind him with the “Yellows,” having won the Israeli Premier League seven times and the Israeli League Cup five times.
