“Sometimes, you have to destroy something in order to build something better”, is the message from Brandon Sanderson in The Hero of Ages, one of the classics of modern fantasy – and that is the exact principle Valencia decided to adopt this summer.
Valencia played a season to remember. They reached the first EuroLeague Final Four in their history, and then, a few weeks later, emphatically crowned themselves Liga Endesa champions, dropping just a single game throughout the playoffs. However, the end of the season brought a mass exodus of key figures from the 2025/26 roster.
Mass exodus
Jean Montero departed for Olympiacos, and shortly after – to everyone’s complete surprise – head coach Pedro Martinez, along with Jaime Pradilla, headed to Real Madrid. Braxton Key set off for Fenerbahce, Brancou Badio reinforced Panathinaikos, while Dallas Mavericks drafted Sergio De Larrea. It seemed Valencia was destined to sink like a stone to the very bottom of the EuroLeague before the new season even tipped off – at least as far as their roster was concerned.
If someone had told you this time last year, you probably would have thought they were out of their mind. Yet, like a cat, the Taronges landed on their feet – as they so often have before – and made moves truly worthy of praise.
BREAKING: Armoni Brooks is set to leave Asvel and spend the 2026–27 season on loan at Valencia! 🟠#kkp pic.twitter.com/kTSBdgnSZM
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) August 3, 2026
Two sides of the coin
Promoting Xavi Albert to head coach might not look like a slam dunk at first glance, largely because he lacks experience at the EuroLeague level – which is one side of the coin. The other side shows that the club opted to stay in-house, selecting someone who spent recent years learning under Martínez’s tree.
Albert had a front-row seat as Valencia rapidly transformed into a legitimate EuroLeague contender, despite virtually no one giving them a chance before the season started. Because of that, he knows precisely what needs to be done to keep the club moving on its current trajectory and avoid straying off course.
Valencia didn’t stop at appointing a new head coach, either. They brought in more than capable replacements for the departed players, while retaining key pieces like Kameron Taylor in a system where they shone on the EuroLeague stage.
Stars with chips on their shoulders
Valencia’s two biggest transfers this offseason are Armoni Brooks and TJ Shorts – both of whom have plenty of motivation to prove themselves once again and show the other 19 teams what they missed out on.
Shorts, in particular, will be locked in. People were quick to forget the 2024/25 season when he was Paris’s primary weapon during their EuroLeague playoff run – a campaign that earned him a move to Panathinaikos, where he struggled to find his role in Ergin Ataman’s system. That caused his stock to drop, allowing Valencia to swoop in and snatch him right out from under their rivals’ noses.
His explosive speed fits the system like a glove, and the role of go-to star suits him far better than what was expected of him in Athens. His physical attributes leave little room for anything else; he isn’t a defensive beast, nor is he automatic from three-point range. Yet, he is fully capable of tearing defenses apart with constant pace changes and craftiness around the rim.
What Shorts lacks, Brooks covers brilliantly. The American is one of the best – if not the best – shooters in the EuroLeague. Asvel took notice, signing him before financial troubles forced them to send him on loan to Valencia. A legitimate candidate to be the primary offensive option, he is someone the coach can always count on for points – and once he catches fire, he is nearly impossible to put out.
Those two will anchor Valencia next season, while additions like Dylan Osetkowski, Mouhamadou Gueye, and Mario Saint-Supery will fill distinct roles in a well-tuned system where they can flash their talent.
Whether Valencia can return to the Final Four in Abu Dhabi next year is difficult to say. Rival clubs have put together massive budgets and stacked rosters to match those exact ambitions, and spots at the season finale are limited. One thing is certain, though: Valencia will make every opponent pay a very steep price inside Roig Arena.
