These are adverse times for rebellion in the Euroleague. Although the hegemony of Anadolu Efes has been broken, the budgets dictate a pre-established order that is more difficult to shuffle each year. There are new rich people, old millionaires and then there is the rest. Among the first group, two of the Spanish, Real Madrid and Barcelona, aspiring to everything. Among the teams destined for the second half of the table, Baskonia and Valencia.
Sometimes you have to create myths to magnify the stories. Ergin Ataman expanded his with Efes as much as he could and now he wants to make a more exorbitant one with Panathinaikos. The most difficult. In the OAKA of the fervent public, a grandson of a Turkish war minister, the Ottoman technician, meets with an opposition leader of political correctness, Dimitris Giannakopoulos, and grandson of the founder of a pharmaceutical empire. Moderation is not everyone’s main virtue.
The eccentric owner has gone all out this summer. Out of nowhere, he has put together a multi-carat squad. Lessort, Juancho Hernangómez, Papapetrou, Kyle Guy, Vildoza… and incidentally he took Sloukas away from Olympiacos. To begin with, they have lost the Super Cup to their eternal rival after scoring only 11 points in the first half. This promises. Those from Piraeus also lost the MVP, Vezenkov, now in the NBA. Williams-Goss and Luke Sikma look like minor substitutes, but at least Bartzokas has Milutinov returning.
The Greeks are two of the 11 ogres of the Euroleague. There are two Spaniards. Real Madrid, which adds Campazzo to its arsenal as the current champion and only loses Hanga. Barcelona let Mirotic, Higgins and Jasikevicius go and regroups with the core of the team (Willy, Parra and Brizuela) and a fallen NBA star (Jabari Parker). On the bench, Roger Grimau, the captain who won his last Euroleague. The season has just started and there are already doubts. There were also Guardiola ones at the time. President Laporta seeks a similar coup.
Messina and Milan follow in Italy. With Mirotic they are stronger and they already have Shields healthy. But Maodo Lo has been injured for three months and they wanted to get rid of the other point guard, Kevin Pangos, this summer. Their objectives were Darius Thompson, who is going to an Efes candidate for everything along with Larkin and Clyburn, and renewing Shabazz Napier. In Belgrade they have taken matters into their own hands this summer. Red Star has broken the bank to give Dusko Ivanovic a squad that the president says is from the Final Four. And Partizan, who already had a good base, renewed Kevin Punter and brought Obradovic two wounded wolves from the NBA. This season they share the Stark Arena with more than 20,000 spectators.
Although for North American star, Kemba Walker. The point guard that no one thought Monaco needed along with Mike James, Loyd and Okobo. Of course, if he puts himself within reach of a four-time All Star, he averages 19.3 points and 5.3 assists in 750 games in the NBA. Mr money is a powerful gentleman. The bombshell has small print. His last four seasons have been hampered by injuries.
Fenerbahce is in Istanbul. Possible giant with feet of clay. The season ended badly, with diminishing results, and its star signing, Raulzinho Neto, will not play for the entire campaign. Sanli and Papagiannis support the inside game, but the outside game is led by an unmotivated Calathes, whom they wanted to terminate. The helm of Yan Madar, the inspiration of Wilbekin and Dorsey and the slate of Itoudis are already arguments for success.
12 ogres and six humans. Among them Baskonia and Pablo Laso’s Bayern, with Ibaka, Lucic and three world champions (Giffey, Obst and Bonga). From this group there is always one who rings the bell. Last year it was Zalgiris. Valencia looks more solid and Virtus, after the shock of the dismissal of Sergio Scariolo, is an unknown. Finally, in the lower part are Asvel and Alba Berlin, which continues with the philosophy that the important thing is to participate.
The most relevant signings
104 signings in total
Baskonia, Barça, Maccabi, Zalgiris, Partizan and Valencia are looking for one more.
Armani Milan
Nikola Mirotic
Last year’s Final Four and its turbulent summer do not tarnish its supreme level.
Panathinaikos
Kostas Sloukas
Change sides in Athens. He will be in charge of bringing order to the chaos of OAKA.
From Monaco
Kemba Walker
19 points on average in 750 NBA games. 33 years old and many injuries since 2019.
Real Madrid
Facundo Campazzo
The piece that the current champion was missing to not always subscribe to the epic.
Anadolu Efes
Darius Thompson
The top assistant in the Euroleague last year turns into an aspiring for everything.
Olympiakos
Nikola Milutinov
He returns to Piraeus after his years at CSKA as world runner-up with Serbia.
Partisan
P. J. Dozier
Obradovic entrusts the baton to the former Nuggets. 15 play off games in the NBA.
Red Star
Shabazz Napier
Third year in Europe after relaunching a dying Milan. He must fit in with Dusko.
Bayern Munich
Serge Ibaka
If his injuries are respected, he has the physique to dominate the Euroleague and he already knows Laso.
The participants in the Euroleague 2023-24
18 teams in contention, the same as last year. Gran Canaria resigned despite winning the Eurocup and the veto on Russian clubs was maintained, so Valencia was invited.
5 coaching changes this summer. Although the squads have varied a lot, the clubs have mostly opted to keep the person in charge of them.
Alba Berlin
Coach. Israel Gonzalez.
Regular position in 2023. 16º
Estrella. Matt Thomas.
Anadolu Efes
Coach. Erdem Can.
Posted in 2023. 11º
Estrella. Shane Larkin.
From Monaco
Coach. Sasa Obradovic.
Posted in 2023. 4º
Estrella. Mike James.
Barcelona
Coach. Roger Grimau.
Posted in 2023. 2º
Estrella. Willy Hernangomez.
Baskonia
Coach. Joan Peñarroya.
Posted in 2023. 9º
Estrella. Markus Howard.
Bayern Munich
Coach. Pablo Laso.
Posted in 2023. 15º
Estrella. Vladimir Lucic.
Emporio Armani Milan
Coach. Ettore Messina.
Posted in 2023. 12º
Estrella. Nikola Mirotic.
Red Star
Coach. Dusko Ivanovic.
Posted in 2023. 10º
Estrella. Shabazz Napier.
Fenerbahce
Coach. Dimitris Itoudis.
Posted in 2023. 8º
Estrella. Scottie Wilbekin.
Asvel Villeurbanne
Coach. T. J. Parker.
Posted in 2023. 18º
Estrella. Nando De Colo.
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Coach. Oded Kattash.
Posted in 2023. 5º
Estrella. Lorenzo Brown.
Olympiakos
Coach. G. Bartzokas.
Posted in 2023. 1º
Estrella. Nikola Milutinov.
Panathinaikos
Coach. Ergin Ataman.
Posted in 2023. 17º
Estrella. Kostas Sloukas.
Partisan
Coach. Zeljko Obradovic.
Posted in 2023. 6º
Estrella. Kevin Punter.
Real Madrid
Coach. Chus Mateo.
Posted in 2023. 3º
Estrella. Walter Tavares.
Valencia Basket
Coach. Alex Mumbrú
Posted in 2023. 13º
Estrella. Chris Jones.
The power of Bologna
Coach. Luca Banchi.
Posted in 2023. 14º
Estrella. Tornike Shengelia.
Zalgiri
Coach. Kazys Maksvytis.
Posted in 2023. 7º
Estrella. Keenan Evans.
Four stars leave for the NBA but eleven arrive
The more than usual flight of stars to the NBA has occurred again this summer. The Euroleague lost the MVPs of the last three editions, Vasilije Micic (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Sasha Vezenkov (Sacramento Kings) and players of the stature of Dante Exum (Dallas Mavericks) or Filip Petrusev (Philadelphia 76ers). In addition, two former basketball players such as youth player Sidy Cissoko (San Antonio Spurs) and Max Heiddegger (Chicago Bulls) are seeking to gain a foothold in the best league in the world.
However, the 2023 transfer market will be remembered for the arrival of some illustrious names in continental basketball, players with extensive experience in the NBA. The biggest surprise is named after Kemba Walker. At 33 years old, the four-time All Star will play for Monaco, a title contender. If the injuries spare him, he can be decisive. Also with a relevant role in the past, Serge Ibaka had to take the road back after 919 games in the NBA. Another who was going to be a star and who has been hampered by physical problems is Jabari Parker. Barcelona signed the power forward despite having not played a game for a year and a half. Willy Hernangómez also landed in Barcelona, while his brother finally opted for Panathinaikos. Raulzinho Neto, the former GBC point guard, signed for Fenerbahce but the Brazilian was seriously injured in the World Cup. Partizan has seduced helmsman PJ Dozier (136 games) and power forward Frank Kaminsky (413), Alba Berlin has seduced forward Sterling Brown (268) and Asvel has seduced Frank Jakcson (214 games). Finally, Red Star brings back the 23-year-old Marko Simonovic (16 duels).
2023-10-03 22:47:24
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