PivotMetrics

Euroleague data & advanced stats | Performance metrics, pivots & insights | Breaking down what actually moves the needle.

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

My 2026-27 EuroLeague Rankings👀

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

BAYERN MUNICH 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔴⚪

Bayern aren't trying to win the EuroLeague arms race.

They're trying to build a team better than the sum of its parts.

Last season ended 17-21 and 13th in the standings.

This summer brought a new coach in Anton Gavel, a new sporting direction and another significant reshuffle of the roster.

Duane Washington Jr. might be the most important addition.

He averaged 14.9 points with Partizan last season and gives Bayern something they badly need: a guard who can create a shot without requiring the entire possession to be perfect.

But he isn't arriving to become the whole offense.

Rokas Jokubaitis is finally back after almost a year recovering from knee surgery.

Kamar Baldwin can score and create.

Justus Hollatz gives them size and defense at point guard.

And Tobias Jensen arrives after being named EuroCup Rising Star, averaging 11.0 points and 4.7 assists.

There are a lot of different ways for Gavel to build the backcourt.

Then there is Andreas Obst.

Few players in Europe change the geometry of a defense without touching the ball like he does.

Every screen matters when Obst is moving.

Every defender thinks twice before helping off him.

And with Washington, Jokubaitis and Baldwin creating advantages, that gravity becomes even more valuable.

The frontcourt has changed just as much.

Johannes Thiemann returns to Germany after two seasons in Japan and gives Bayern a big who can screen, pass, defend and play either frontcourt position.

Austin Wiley gives them something much more direct.

Rebounding.

Physicality.

Rim protection.

He averaged 9.5 rebounds in EuroCup last season and has basically led every competition he's played in on the glass.

Miles Norris gives them shooting and athleticism across the 3 and 4.

MarJon Beauchamp brings NBA-level size and explosiveness on the wing.

Oscar da Silva, Johannes Voigtmann, Vladimir Lucic and Niels Giffey provide the continuity around all of it.

Depth chart:

PG - Jokubaitis / Baldwin / Hollatz / Jensen
SG - Washington / Obst / Jessup
SF - Beauchamp / Lucic / Norris / Giffey
PF - da Silva / Thiemann / Norris / Voigtmann
C - Wiley / Voigtmann / Thiemann

What makes Bayern interesting is that there isn't one obvious player everything has to revolve around.
Washington can score.

Jokubaitis can organise.

Baldwin can create.

Obst can bend a defense without dribbling.

Thiemann and Voigtmann can connect possessions from the frontcourt.

Wiley gives them a completely different physical presence around the rim.

The first official game already showed the idea.

Bayern beat Bamberg 108-72 with six players scoring in double figures.

Voigtmann and Jessup had 15 each.

Obst and Norris had 13.

Baldwin had 12.

Da Silva had 10.

That's probably what Gavel wants this team to look like.

Not one player carrying everything.

Five players constantly creating problems together.

The question is whether that still works when EuroLeague games slow down and somebody has to decide the final five possessions.

Can Bayern compete with Europe's star-heavy teams by making collective basketball their biggest advantage?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

VALENCIA BASKET 2026/27 PREVIEW 🟠

Valencia just had the best EuroLeague season in club history.

Then they changed the coach, lost several of the players who drove it, and somehow added even more star power.

Last season they finished 25-13, took 2nd place, came back from 0-2 against Panathinaikos to reach their first Final Four and also won the Liga Endesa.

This isn't a rebuild.

It's a very difficult evolution.

Pedro Martinez is gone. Jean Montero is gone. Darius Thompson and Brancou Badio are gone too.

Xavi Albert takes over with a roster that looks very different around the same basic idea: play fast, space the floor, attack before the defense is comfortable and keep throwing different lineups at opponents.

The biggest change starts with TJ Shorts.

Few guards in Europe put more pressure on a defense with the ball.

He gets into the paint, manipulates pick-and-roll coverage and creates advantages almost immediately.

But Valencia aren't handing him an empty offense.

Omari Moore can handle.

Mario Saint-Supery gives them another big young creator.

Alvaro Cardenas adds another true point guard.

And Armoni Brooks might be one of the most important additions of all.

He averaged 13.1 points while shooting 41.6% from three in EuroLeague last season. Put that kind of shooting around Shorts and every decision becomes harder for the defense.

Go under the screen and Shorts gets downhill.

Help from the wing and Brooks is waiting.

Then Valencia added Nikola Mirotic.

That's where this gets really interesting.

Because Mirotic doesn't just give them another scorer.

He gives Valencia a completely different way to play when the game slows down.

Last season so much of their success came from pace, movement and repeatedly attacking before defenses could settle.

Mirotic gives them a half-court reference point.

Someone who can punish switches.

Someone who can score from the post.

Someone who can stretch a big away from the basket.

And someone they can trust late in games when the first action doesn't create anything.

The frontcourt around him is ridiculously flexible.

Dylan Osetkowski can space the floor and play at the 4 or as a smaller 5.

Mo Gueye gives them length and athleticism.

Nate Reuvers adds more shooting and can cover both interior positions.

Neal Sako gives them physicality around the rim, while Yankuba Sima offers another traditional center option.

Depth chart:

PG - TJ Shorts / Saint-Supery / Cardenas
SG - Armoni Brooks / Omari Moore / Corbalan / L.Mari
SF - Kameron Taylor / Josep Puerto
PF - Mirotic / Osetkowski / Mo Gueye / Reuvers
C - Sako / Sima

There is more star power here than last season.
But there are also real questions.

Montero gave Valencia 15.2 points per game across last season and became an All-EuroLeague First Team player.

Replacing his creation isn't as simple as adding another talented guard.

Pedro Martinez also built one of the clearest identities in Europe.

Xavi Albert now has to preserve that identity while introducing Shorts and Mirotic - two players good enough that the offense naturally wants to bend around them.

That's the balance.

Valencia shouldn't become slower just because they now have better half-court options.

They shouldn't become predictable because Shorts can create almost every possession.

And they shouldn't lose the collective movement that made them so difficult to guard just because Mirotic can solve possessions individually.

If Albert gets that right, Valencia might have something they didn't even have during last year's historic run:

More than one way to win.

Can Valencia add superstar talent without losing the speed and collective identity that made them elite?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

@AnadoluEfesSK 🫣

https://t.co/cdJ47Jku7K

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

ANADOLU EFES 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔵⚪

For 8 years, Anadolu Efes basketball was inseparable from Shane Larkin.

Now the ball belongs to Mike James.

That alone makes this one of the most interesting resets in EuroLeague.

Efes finished last season 12-26, 19th in the standings. Pablo Laso arrived during the year, but this summer gave him the chance to actually build his own team.

And they changed plenty.

Larkin, Beaubois, Poirier, Weiler-Babb and Sehmus Hazer are gone.

Mike James, Dario Saric, Matthew Strazel, Santi Yusta, Bruno Fernando, Collin Malcolm and Fatts Russell came in.

James is obviously where everything starts.

He averaged 16.5 points and 6.4 assists last season and remains one of the few guards in Europe who can completely reshape a possession by himself.

But Efes haven't built a roster that should require him to do everything.

Strazel gives Laso another genuine organiser. He averaged 9.2 points and 3.9 assists with Monaco and can play on or off the ball.

Jordan Loyd can create his own shot.

P.J. Dozier gives them size and secondary playmaking.

Isaïa Cordinier can attack gaps, defend multiple positions and play without needing the offense built around him.

Even Fatts Russell gives them another small, aggressive ball-handler who can change the tempo.

There is a lot of creation here.

The challenge will be making sure it doesn't all become dependent on whoever is holding the ball.

The frontcourt might actually be the most interesting part.

Šaric returns to Efes more than a decade after his first spell and gives Laso a completely different offensive tool. He can play the 4 or 5, pass from the top, space the floor and let Efes run offense through a big rather than asking the guards to create every advantage.

Ercan Osmani gives them size, mobility and shooting.

Bruno Fernando brings physicality and rim pressure.

Papagiannis gives them 2.20m size and another option against teams that want to play through the paint.

Kai Jones brings athleticism that very few EuroLeague bigs can match.

That means Laso can build the frontcourt completely differently depending on the opponent.

Depth chart:

PG — Mike James / Strazel / Fatts Russell
SG — Loyd / Cordinier / Dozier / Mutaf
SF — Yusta / Malcolm / Erkan Yılmaz / Karutasu
PF — Saric / Osmani / Burak Can Yildizli
C — Papagiannis / Bruno Fernando / Kai Jones / Brice Dessert

And that's why this Efes roster feels different from last year's.

It isn't just more talented.
It has more ways to play.

James can control high pick-and-rolls. Strazel can organise. Loyd can score off the catch or create. Dozier and Cordinier give them size around smaller guards.

Saric can turn the frontcourt into another source of playmaking.

Fernando and Jones can make the game vertical.

Papagiannis can make it enormous.

After a 12-win EuroLeague season, the ceiling has clearly moved.

But so has the responsibility on Laso.

He has to build an offense around one of Europe's greatest individual creators without turning Efes into a team that simply waits for Mike James to solve every difficult possession.

Can Pablo Laso give Mike James the freedom to be Mike James without making Efes dependent on him?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

VALENCIA BASKET 2026/27 PREVIEW 🟠

Valencia just had the best EuroLeague season in club history.

Then they changed the coach, lost several of the players who drove it, and somehow added even more star power.

Last season they finished 25-13, took 2nd place, came back from 0-2 against Panathinaikos to reach their first Final Four and also won the Liga Endesa.

This isn't a rebuild.

It's a very difficult evolution.

Pedro Martinez is gone. Jean Montero is gone. Darius Thompson and Brancou Badio are gone too.

Xavi Albert takes over with a roster that looks very different around the same basic idea: play fast, space the floor, attack before the defense is comfortable and keep throwing different lineups at opponents.

The biggest change starts with TJ Shorts.

Few guards in Europe put more pressure on a defense with the ball.

He gets into the paint, manipulates pick-and-roll coverage and creates advantages almost immediately.

But Valencia aren't handing him an empty offense.

Omari Moore can handle.

Mario Saint-Supery gives them another big young creator.

Alvaro Cardenas adds another true point guard.

And Armoni Brooks might be one of the most important additions of all.

He averaged 13.1 points while shooting 41.6% from three in EuroLeague last season. Put that kind of shooting around Shorts and every decision becomes harder for the defense.

Go under the screen and Shorts gets downhill.

Help from the wing and Brooks is waiting.

Then Valencia added Nikola Mirotic.

That's where this gets really interesting.

Because Mirotic doesn't just give them another scorer.

He gives Valencia a completely different way to play when the game slows down.

Last season so much of their success came from pace, movement and repeatedly attacking before defenses could settle.

Mirotic gives them a half-court reference point.

Someone who can punish switches.

Someone who can score from the post.

Someone who can stretch a big away from the basket.

And someone they can trust late in games when the first action doesn't create anything.

The frontcourt around him is ridiculously flexible.

Dylan Osetkowski can space the floor and play at the 4 or as a smaller 5.

Mo Gueye gives them length and athleticism.

Nate Reuvers adds more shooting and can cover both interior positions.

Neal Sako gives them physicality around the rim, while Yankuba Sima offers another traditional center option.

Depth chart:

PG - TJ Shorts / Saint-Supery / Cardenas
SG - Armoni Brooks / Omari Moore / Corbalan / L.Mari
SF - Kameron Taylor / Josep Puerto
PF - Mirotic / Osetkowski / Mo Gueye / Reuvers
C - Sako / Sima

There is more star power here than last season.
But there are also real questions.

Montero gave Valencia 15.2 points per game across last season and became an All-EuroLeague First Team player.

Replacing his creation isn't as simple as adding another talented guard.

Pedro Martinez also built one of the clearest identities in Europe.

Xavi Albert now has to preserve that identity while introducing Shorts and Mirotic - two players good enough that the offense naturally wants to bend around them.

That's the balance.

Valencia shouldn't become slower just because they now have better half-court options.

They shouldn't become predictable because Shorts can create almost every possession.

And they shouldn't lose the collective movement that made them so difficult to guard just because Mirotic can solve possessions individually.

If Albert gets that right, Valencia might have something they didn't even have during last year's historic run:

More than one way to win.

Can Valencia add superstar talent without losing the speed and collective identity that made them elite?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

ZALGIRIS 2026/27 PREVIEW 🟢⚪

Zalgiris finally broke back into the EuroLeague playoffs last season.

Then they lost the player who made the entire offense work.

Sylvain Francisco finished second in MVP voting after averaging 16.7 points and 6.4 assists, leading Zalgiris to a 23-15 record and 5th place before Fenerbahce ended their season 3-1 in the playoffs.

You don't replace that with one player.

Zalgiris didn't try to.

Instead, Tomas Masiulis now has one of the deepest guard rotations in Europe.

Nigel Williams-Goss gives them control and experience.

Saben Lee brings downhill pressure and athleticism.

Carsen Edwards gives them instant scoring and a guard who can create a shot almost whenever he wants.

Maodo Lo can organise or play next to another handler.

Sterling Brown gives them size, shooting and another perimeter scorer.

Then Marius Grigonis is back in Kaunas after five years away.

That's the biggest difference from last season.

Francisco had to be the engine.

This Zalgiris team should be able to create advantages by committee.

But the most important addition might not be a guard at all.

Jonas Valanciunas is home.

After 14 NBA seasons, Zalgiris suddenly have a completely different half-court reference point.

He gives them something they didn't consistently have last year: a big who can command touches inside, punish switches, dominate the glass and force defenses to send help before the guards even start attacking.

And the frontcourt around him makes sense.

Azuolas Tubelis can run, attack space and play across the 4 and 5.

Dustin Sleva gives them shooting.

Ulanovas and Butkevicius still provide the size, physicality and defensive intelligence that has defined Zalgiris for years.

Marek Blazevic and Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu give Masiulis two very different backup centers - one more traditional, the other explosive and vertical.

Functional depth chart:

PG - Williams-Goss / Saben Lee / Maodo Lo
SG - C.Edwards / S.Brown / Grigonis / Giedraitis
SF - Sirvydis / Ulanovas / Butkevicius/ Grigonis
PF - Tubelis / Sleva / Ulanovas / Butkevicius
C - Valanciunas / Blazevic / Akobundu-Ehiogu

The depth is obvious.

The hierarchy isn't.

Last year, when Zalgiris needed something, everyone knew where the ball was going.

This year Masiulis has Williams-Goss controlling, Edwards looking to score, Lee attacking downhill, Brown creating from the wing, Grigonis returning as another shot-maker and Valanciunas demanding touches inside.

That's much harder to defend.

It's also much harder to organise.

Their first domestic games have already shown the potential: Zalgiris opened with a 98-77 win, then beat Neptunas 93-69, with Williams-Goss saying afterwards that the team is beginning to understand how to play "simpler basketball" together.

That might be the key.

Zalgiris don't need anyone to become the next Francisco.

They need all these options to make each other's jobs easier.

Can Zalgiris become a better team by replacing one superstar-level creator with five or six different answers?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

ZALGIRIS 2026/27 PREVIEW 🟢⚪

Zalgiris finally broke back into the EuroLeague playoffs last season.

Then they lost the player who made the entire offense work.

Sylvain Francisco finished second in MVP voting after averaging 16.7 points and 6.4 assists, leading Zalgiris to a 23-15 record and 5th place before Fenerbahce ended their season 3-1 in the playoffs.

You don't replace that with one player.

Zalgiris didn't try to.

Instead, Tomas Masiulis now has one of the deepest guard rotations in Europe.

Nigel Williams-Goss gives them control and experience.

Saben Lee brings downhill pressure and athleticism.

Carsen Edwards gives them instant scoring and a guard who can create a shot almost whenever he wants.

Maodo Lo can organise or play next to another handler.

Sterling Brown gives them size, shooting and another perimeter scorer.

Then Marius Grigonis is back in Kaunas after five years away.

That's the biggest difference from last season.

Francisco had to be the engine.

This Zalgiris team should be able to create advantages by committee.

But the most important addition might not be a guard at all.

Jonas Valanciunas is home.

After 14 NBA seasons, Zalgiris suddenly have a completely different half-court reference point.

He gives them something they didn't consistently have last year: a big who can command touches inside, punish switches, dominate the glass and force defenses to send help before the guards even start attacking.

And the frontcourt around him makes sense.

Azuolas Tubelis can run, attack space and play across the 4 and 5.

Dustin Sleva gives them shooting.

Ulanovas and Butkevicius still provide the size, physicality and defensive intelligence that has defined Zalgiris for years.

Marek Blazevic and Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu give Masiulis two very different backup centers - one more traditional, the other explosive and vertical.

Functional depth chart:

PG - Williams-Goss / Saben Lee / Maodo Lo
SG - C.Edwards / S.Brown / Grigonis / Giedraitis
SF - Sirvydis / Ulanovas / Butkevicius/ Grigonis
PF - Tubelis / Sleva / Ulanovas / Butkevicius
C - Valanciunas / Blazevic / Akobundu-Ehiogu

The depth is obvious.

The hierarchy isn't.

Last year, when Zalgiris needed something, everyone knew where the ball was going.

This year Masiulis has Williams-Goss controlling, Edwards looking to score, Lee attacking downhill, Brown creating from the wing, Grigonis returning as another shot-maker and Valanciunas demanding touches inside.

That's much harder to defend.

It's also much harder to organise.

Their first domestic games have already shown the potential: Zalgiris opened with a 98-77 win, then beat Neptunas 93-69, with Williams-Goss saying afterwards that the team is beginning to understand how to play "simpler basketball" together.

That might be the key.

Zalgiris don't need anyone to become the next Francisco.

They need all these options to make each other's jobs easier.

Can Zalgiris become a better team by replacing one superstar-level creator with five or six different answers?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

CRVENA ZVEZDA 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔴⚪

Crvena Zvezda were good enough to reach the Play-In last season.

This summer they built like a team tired of stopping there.

Zvezda finished 21-17, took 10th place and saw their EuroLeague season end with an 80-72 loss in Barcelona.

The response wasn't to tear everything down.

Jared Butler stayed. Jordan Nwora stayed. Chima Moneke stayed. Tyson Carter, Semi Ojeleye, Ebuka Izundu, Dejan Davidovac and Ognjen Dobric are still there too.

Then they added Chris Jones, Nick Weiler-Babb, Johnathan Motley, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and David Kramer.

And, maybe most importantly, Ibon Navarro took over.

Navarro's best teams in Malaga played fast, used deep rotations and tried to keep intensity high for the entire game.

This roster looks built for exactly that.

Chris Jones gives Zvezda a proper organiser.

He doesn't need 20 shots to control a game. He can run pick & roll, get others involved and allow Butler to spend more possessions doing what he does best: scoring.

Butler averaged 14 points and 4 assists in EuroLeague last season.

Now he doesn't have to carry every difficult creation possession.

And then you still have Nwora.

He was Zvezda's most consistent pure scorer last season and gives them something every contender needs: a big wing who can score without needing the perfect action to create the shot for him.

Moneke brings the opposite kind of pressure.

Energy. Rebounding. Transition. Attacking closeouts. Getting to the line. Creating possessions that weren't supposed to exist.

Around them, the roster suddenly makes a lot more sense defensively too.

Weiler-Babb can defend across the perimeter and handle the ball.

Kramer gives them another physical guard.

Ojeleye can take bigger wings.

Baldwin Jr. adds real size and shooting at the 4.

And Motley changes the interior completely.

He gives Zvezda a genuine low-post and pick & roll scoring option, while Izundu provides more verticality and rim protection.

Depth chart:

PG — Chris Jones / Butler / Miljenović
SG — Butler / Carter / Weiler-Babb / Kramer / Dobric
SF — Nwora / Durisic / Ojeleye / Dobrić
PF — Moneke / Baldwin Jr. / Davidovac
C — Motley / Izundu / Medarevic

That's what makes this Zvezda team interesting.
There isn't one obvious star everything has to revolve around.

Jones can organise.

Butler and Nwora can create.

Moneke can change games without having plays called for him.

Motley gives them a real interior target.

And Navarro has enough defensive size and depth to constantly change combinations.

The risk is that depth can become noise.

There are a lot of good players here and only so many meaningful minutes.

Finding the right hierarchy, especially between Jones, Butler, Nwora and Moneke will matter just as much as having all those options.

The final preseason game gave a small glimpse: Nwora scored 25, Moneke added 15 and Tyson Carter finished with 10 points and 6 assists in a 91-87 win over Aris.

Now comes the real test.

Zvezda have had talented rosters before.

This one looks like it might actually have the structure to match the talent.

Can this be the Zvezda team that finally turns its depth and home-court power into a real EuroLeague playoff run?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

@kkcrvenazvezda 👀

https://t.co/j8IQfp7xDD

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

CRVENA ZVEZDA 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔴⚪

Crvena Zvezda were good enough to reach the Play-In last season.

This summer they built like a team tired of stopping there.

Zvezda finished 21-17, took 10th place and saw their EuroLeague season end with an 80-72 loss in Barcelona.

The response wasn't to tear everything down.

Jared Butler stayed. Jordan Nwora stayed. Chima Moneke stayed. Tyson Carter, Semi Ojeleye, Ebuka Izundu, Dejan Davidovac and Ognjen Dobric are still there too.

Then they added Chris Jones, Nick Weiler-Babb, Johnathan Motley, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and David Kramer.

And, maybe most importantly, Ibon Navarro took over.

Navarro's best teams in Malaga played fast, used deep rotations and tried to keep intensity high for the entire game.

This roster looks built for exactly that.

Chris Jones gives Zvezda a proper organiser.

He doesn't need 20 shots to control a game. He can run pick & roll, get others involved and allow Butler to spend more possessions doing what he does best: scoring.

Butler averaged 14 points and 4 assists in EuroLeague last season.

Now he doesn't have to carry every difficult creation possession.

And then you still have Nwora.

He was Zvezda's most consistent pure scorer last season and gives them something every contender needs: a big wing who can score without needing the perfect action to create the shot for him.

Moneke brings the opposite kind of pressure.

Energy. Rebounding. Transition. Attacking closeouts. Getting to the line. Creating possessions that weren't supposed to exist.

Around them, the roster suddenly makes a lot more sense defensively too.

Weiler-Babb can defend across the perimeter and handle the ball.

Kramer gives them another physical guard.

Ojeleye can take bigger wings.

Baldwin Jr. adds real size and shooting at the 4.

And Motley changes the interior completely.

He gives Zvezda a genuine low-post and pick & roll scoring option, while Izundu provides more verticality and rim protection.

Depth chart:

PG — Chris Jones / Butler / Miljenović
SG — Butler / Carter / Weiler-Babb / Kramer / Dobric
SF — Nwora / Durisic / Ojeleye / Dobrić
PF — Moneke / Baldwin Jr. / Davidovac
C — Motley / Izundu / Medarevic

That's what makes this Zvezda team interesting.
There isn't one obvious star everything has to revolve around.

Jones can organise.

Butler and Nwora can create.

Moneke can change games without having plays called for him.

Motley gives them a real interior target.

And Navarro has enough defensive size and depth to constantly change combinations.

The risk is that depth can become noise.

There are a lot of good players here and only so many meaningful minutes.

Finding the right hierarchy, especially between Jones, Butler, Nwora and Moneke will matter just as much as having all those options.

The final preseason game gave a small glimpse: Nwora scored 25, Moneke added 15 and Tyson Carter finished with 10 points and 6 assists in a 91-87 win over Aris.

Now comes the real test.

Zvezda have had talented rosters before.

This one looks like it might actually have the structure to match the talent.

Can this be the Zvezda team that finally turns its depth and home-court power into a real EuroLeague playoff run?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

CRVENA ZVEZDA 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔴⚪

Crvena Zvezda were good enough to reach the Play-In last season.

This summer they built like a team tired of stopping there.

Zvezda finished 21-17, took 10th place and saw their EuroLeague season end with an 80-72 loss in Barcelona.

The response wasn't to tear everything down.

Jared Butler stayed. Jordan Nwora stayed. Chima Moneke stayed. Tyson Carter, Semi Ojeleye, Ebuka Izundu, Dejan Davidovac and Ognjen Dobric are still there too.

Then they added Chris Jones, Nick Weiler-Babb, Johnathan Motley, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and David Kramer.

And, maybe most importantly, Ibon Navarro took over.

Navarro's best teams in Malaga played fast, used deep rotations and tried to keep intensity high for the entire game.

This roster looks built for exactly that.

Chris Jones gives Zvezda a proper organiser.

He doesn't need 20 shots to control a game. He can run pick & roll, get others involved and allow Butler to spend more possessions doing what he does best: scoring.

Butler averaged 14 points and 4 assists in EuroLeague last season.

Now he doesn't have to carry every difficult creation possession.

And then you still have Nwora.

He was Zvezda's most consistent pure scorer last season and gives them something every contender needs: a big wing who can score without needing the perfect action to create the shot for him.

Moneke brings the opposite kind of pressure.

Energy. Rebounding. Transition. Attacking closeouts. Getting to the line. Creating possessions that weren't supposed to exist.

Around them, the roster suddenly makes a lot more sense defensively too.

Weiler-Babb can defend across the perimeter and handle the ball.

Kramer gives them another physical guard.

Ojeleye can take bigger wings.

Baldwin Jr. adds real size and shooting at the 4.

And Motley changes the interior completely.

He gives Zvezda a genuine low-post and pick & roll scoring option, while Izundu provides more verticality and rim protection.

Depth chart:

PG — Chris Jones / Butler / Miljenović
SG — Butler / Carter / Weiler-Babb / Kramer / Dobric
SF — Nwora / Durisic / Ojeleye / Dobrić
PF — Moneke / Baldwin Jr. / Davidovac
C — Motley / Izundu / Medarevic

That's what makes this Zvezda team interesting.
There isn't one obvious star everything has to revolve around.

Jones can organise.

Butler and Nwora can create.

Moneke can change games without having plays called for him.

Motley gives them a real interior target.

And Navarro has enough defensive size and depth to constantly change combinations.

The risk is that depth can become noise.

There are a lot of good players here and only so many meaningful minutes.

Finding the right hierarchy, especially between Jones, Butler, Nwora and Moneke will matter just as much as having all those options.

The final preseason game gave a small glimpse: Nwora scored 25, Moneke added 15 and Tyson Carter finished with 10 points and 6 assists in a 91-87 win over Aris.

Now comes the real test.

Zvezda have had talented rosters before.

This one looks like it might actually have the structure to match the talent.

Can this be the Zvezda team that finally turns its depth and home-court power into a real EuroLeague playoff run?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

PARTIZAN 2026/27 PREVIEW ⚫⚪

Partizan don't need another talented roster.

They need this one to finally make sense.

Last season finished 16-22 in EuroLeague and outside the Play-In. This summer, Joan Penarroya got a proper reset: 8 new signings, but without tearing everything down again.

Carlik Jones remains the starting point.

He averaged 15.4 points and 4.6 assists in the 15 EuroLeague games he played last season and is still Partizan's best player at consistently getting into the paint and forcing a defense to react.

What's different is everything around him.

Alessandro Pajola might be the signing that says the most about what Partizan wanted to change.

He's not coming to dominate possessions. He's coming to defend the ball, organise, make quick decisions and bring a level of discipline that this team badly needed. He was twice named the best defender in Italy before leaving Virtus.

Luca Vildoza gives Penarroya another experienced creator who can play either guard spot.

Kyle Allman brings scoring and pressure off the dribble.

Ethan Thompson adds size and another perimeter scorer.

Suddenly Jones doesn't have to create every advantage himself.

The wings and forwards have changed too.

Lamar Stevens gives them strength, athleticism and someone who can defend bigger wings without needing touches.

Derek Willis provides the spacing at the 4 that should open the floor for all those guards.

Nikola Tanasković brings physicality and another option across the frontcourt, while Mario Nakić remains one of the continuity pieces.

Inside, Partizan have gone for size and variety.

Jekiri can screen, rebound and anchor the paint.

Kevarrius Hayes gives them more mobility and rim protection.

Lauvergne gives Penarroya another experienced big who can score and pass around the basket.

Depth chart:

PG — Carlik Jones / Pajola / Vildoza / Allman
SG — Thompson / Vildoza / Lakic / Marinkovic
SF — Stevens / Nakic
PF — Willis / Tanaskovic
C — Jekiri / Hayes / Lauvergne

The opening weeks also come with one important absence.

Captain Vanja Marinkovic is still recovering from the Achilles injury he suffered in January and is targeting a return around late October or early November.

So Partizan won't even start the season as the finished version of themselves.

But the preseason has already shown the upside.

They scored 89 against Besiktas, 99 against PAOK and 101 against Bourg.

Scoring shouldn't be the biggest concern.

The question is whether this team can finally become harder to play against when the game stops being comfortable.

Pajola. Stevens. Hayes. More size. More defensive options. More players comfortable doing something valuable without needing the ball.

Partizan have spent plenty of recent seasons proving they can create chaos.

This one may come down to whether they can finally control it.

Has Partizan finally built a roster that can match its talent with consistency for an entire EuroLeague season?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

PARTIZAN 2026/27 PREVIEW ⚫⚪

Partizan don't need another talented roster.

They need this one to finally make sense.

Last season finished 16-22 in EuroLeague and outside the Play-In. This summer, Joan Penarroya got a proper reset: 8 new signings, but without tearing everything down again.

Carlik Jones remains the starting point.

He averaged 15.4 points and 4.6 assists in the 15 EuroLeague games he played last season and is still Partizan's best player at consistently getting into the paint and forcing a defense to react.

What's different is everything around him.

Alessandro Pajola might be the signing that says the most about what Partizan wanted to change.

He's not coming to dominate possessions. He's coming to defend the ball, organise, make quick decisions and bring a level of discipline that this team badly needed. He was twice named the best defender in Italy before leaving Virtus.

Luca Vildoza gives Penarroya another experienced creator who can play either guard spot.

Kyle Allman brings scoring and pressure off the dribble.

Ethan Thompson adds size and another perimeter scorer.

Suddenly Jones doesn't have to create every advantage himself.

The wings and forwards have changed too.

Lamar Stevens gives them strength, athleticism and someone who can defend bigger wings without needing touches.

Derek Willis provides the spacing at the 4 that should open the floor for all those guards.

Nikola Tanasković brings physicality and another option across the frontcourt, while Mario Nakić remains one of the continuity pieces.

Inside, Partizan have gone for size and variety.

Jekiri can screen, rebound and anchor the paint.

Kevarrius Hayes gives them more mobility and rim protection.

Lauvergne gives Penarroya another experienced big who can score and pass around the basket.

Depth chart:

PG — Carlik Jones / Pajola / Vildoza / Allman
SG — Thompson / Vildoza / Lakic / Marinkovic
SF — Stevens / Nakic
PF — Willis / Tanaskovic
C — Jekiri / Hayes / Lauvergne

The opening weeks also come with one important absence.

Captain Vanja Marinkovic is still recovering from the Achilles injury he suffered in January and is targeting a return around late October or early November.

So Partizan won't even start the season as the finished version of themselves.

But the preseason has already shown the upside.

They scored 89 against Besiktas, 99 against PAOK and 101 against Bourg.

Scoring shouldn't be the biggest concern.

The question is whether this team can finally become harder to play against when the game stops being comfortable.

Pajola. Stevens. Hayes. More size. More defensive options. More players comfortable doing something valuable without needing the ball.

Partizan have spent plenty of recent seasons proving they can create chaos.

This one may come down to whether they can finally control it.

Has Partizan finally built a roster that can match its talent with consistency for an entire EuroLeague season?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

DUBAI BASKETBALL 2026/27 PREVIEW 🟣

Dubai already proved they belong in EuroLeague.

Now they have to prove they can control it.

Their debut season ended 19-19, just one place outside the Play-In, before they went on to win the ABA League title.

The offense was never really the issue.

Dubai scored 88.1 points per game in EuroLeague.

They also allowed 88.0.

So this summer wasn't just about adding more names.

It was about adding structure.

Xavi Pascual arrives with Thomas Walkup, Elie Okobo, Tornike Shengelia, Jaron Blossomgame and Mamadi Diakite joining a core that already included McKinley Wright, Dzanan Musa, Dwayne Bacon, Davis Bertans, Filip Petrusev and Mfiondu Kabengele.

That's a serious amount of talent.

But Walkup might be the signing that explains the direction best.

Dubai already had creators.

Wright averaged 12.7 points and 6.1 assists last season. Musa can score from multiple levels. Bacon can manufacture shots. Okobo arrives after averaging 11.2 points and 4.9 assists with Monaco.

They didn't desperately need another player demanding the ball.

Walkup gives them something different: defensive pressure, organisation and someone who can keep everyone else in the right places.

That becomes even more important under Pascual.

Because this roster can now play almost any way he wants.

Shengelia can create from the 4 and punish switches.

Bertans stretches defenses several metres beyond the line.

Petrusev can play either frontcourt position.

Blossomgame gives them athleticism and defensive versatility.

Diakite adds mobility and rim protection.

And Kabengele remains one of the most productive bigs in Europe after averaging 14.2 points and 6.1 rebounds in his first EuroLeague season.

Functional depth chart:

PG — Wright / Walkup / Okobo / Mintz / Kondic
SG — Musa / Prepelic / Okobo
SF — Bacon / Blossomgame / Anderson / Dangubic
PF — Shengelia / Bertans / Petrusev / Blossomgame
C — Kabengele / Kamenjas / Diakite

The challenge is obvious.

There are a lot of players here who deserve touches.

Wright needs the ball to organise. Musa and Bacon need freedom to attack. Okobo can run offense himself. Shengelia is at his best when possessions actually flow through him.

Pascual has to turn all of that into something more disciplined than simply taking turns.

We already saw the contradiction against Real Madrid in the SuperCup.

Dubai went 16 points up, scored 95 and pushed Madrid to overtime.

They still lost.

That doesn't define the season.

But it does describe the next step.

Dubai no longer need to prove they can score with Europe's best.

They need to prove they can defend, manage possessions and close games like Europe's best.

Is Dubai's next step really about more talent or about finally becoming a team that controls games?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

@AnadoluEfesSK https://t.co/cdJ47Jku7K

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

ANADOLU EFES 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔵⚪

For 8 years, Anadolu Efes basketball was inseparable from Shane Larkin.

Now the ball belongs to Mike James.

That alone makes this one of the most interesting resets in EuroLeague.

Efes finished last season 12-26, 19th in the standings. Pablo Laso arrived during the year, but this summer gave him the chance to actually build his own team.

And they changed plenty.

Larkin, Beaubois, Poirier, Weiler-Babb and Sehmus Hazer are gone.

Mike James, Dario Saric, Matthew Strazel, Santi Yusta, Bruno Fernando, Collin Malcolm and Fatts Russell came in.

James is obviously where everything starts.

He averaged 16.5 points and 6.4 assists last season and remains one of the few guards in Europe who can completely reshape a possession by himself.

But Efes haven't built a roster that should require him to do everything.

Strazel gives Laso another genuine organiser. He averaged 9.2 points and 3.9 assists with Monaco and can play on or off the ball.

Jordan Loyd can create his own shot.

P.J. Dozier gives them size and secondary playmaking.

Isaïa Cordinier can attack gaps, defend multiple positions and play without needing the offense built around him.

Even Fatts Russell gives them another small, aggressive ball-handler who can change the tempo.

There is a lot of creation here.

The challenge will be making sure it doesn't all become dependent on whoever is holding the ball.

The frontcourt might actually be the most interesting part.

Šaric returns to Efes more than a decade after his first spell and gives Laso a completely different offensive tool. He can play the 4 or 5, pass from the top, space the floor and let Efes run offense through a big rather than asking the guards to create every advantage.

Ercan Osmani gives them size, mobility and shooting.

Bruno Fernando brings physicality and rim pressure.

Papagiannis gives them 2.20m size and another option against teams that want to play through the paint.

Kai Jones brings athleticism that very few EuroLeague bigs can match.

That means Laso can build the frontcourt completely differently depending on the opponent.

Depth chart:

PG — Mike James / Strazel / Fatts Russell
SG — Loyd / Cordinier / Dozier / Mutaf
SF — Yusta / Malcolm / Erkan Yılmaz / Karutasu
PF — Saric / Osmani / Burak Can Yildizli
C — Papagiannis / Bruno Fernando / Kai Jones / Brice Dessert

And that's why this Efes roster feels different from last year's.

It isn't just more talented.
It has more ways to play.

James can control high pick-and-rolls. Strazel can organise. Loyd can score off the catch or create. Dozier and Cordinier give them size around smaller guards.

Saric can turn the frontcourt into another source of playmaking.

Fernando and Jones can make the game vertical.

Papagiannis can make it enormous.

After a 12-win EuroLeague season, the ceiling has clearly moved.

But so has the responsibility on Laso.

He has to build an offense around one of Europe's greatest individual creators without turning Efes into a team that simply waits for Mike James to solve every difficult possession.

Can Pablo Laso give Mike James the freedom to be Mike James without making Efes dependent on him?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

DUBAI BASKETBALL 2026/27 PREVIEW 🟣

Dubai already proved they belong in EuroLeague.

Now they have to prove they can control it.

Their debut season ended 19-19, just one place outside the Play-In, before they went on to win the ABA League title.

The offense was never really the issue.

Dubai scored 88.1 points per game in EuroLeague.

They also allowed 88.0.

So this summer wasn't just about adding more names.

It was about adding structure.

Xavi Pascual arrives with Thomas Walkup, Elie Okobo, Tornike Shengelia, Jaron Blossomgame and Mamadi Diakite joining a core that already included McKinley Wright, Dzanan Musa, Dwayne Bacon, Davis Bertans, Filip Petrusev and Mfiondu Kabengele.

That's a serious amount of talent.

But Walkup might be the signing that explains the direction best.

Dubai already had creators.

Wright averaged 12.7 points and 6.1 assists last season. Musa can score from multiple levels. Bacon can manufacture shots. Okobo arrives after averaging 11.2 points and 4.9 assists with Monaco.

They didn't desperately need another player demanding the ball.

Walkup gives them something different: defensive pressure, organisation and someone who can keep everyone else in the right places.

That becomes even more important under Pascual.

Because this roster can now play almost any way he wants.

Shengelia can create from the 4 and punish switches.

Bertans stretches defenses several metres beyond the line.

Petrusev can play either frontcourt position.

Blossomgame gives them athleticism and defensive versatility.

Diakite adds mobility and rim protection.

And Kabengele remains one of the most productive bigs in Europe after averaging 14.2 points and 6.1 rebounds in his first EuroLeague season.

Functional depth chart:

PG — Wright / Walkup / Okobo / Mintz / Kondic
SG — Musa / Prepelic / Okobo
SF — Bacon / Blossomgame / Anderson / Dangubic
PF — Shengelia / Bertans / Petrusev / Blossomgame
C — Kabengele / Kamenjas / Diakite

The challenge is obvious.

There are a lot of players here who deserve touches.

Wright needs the ball to organise. Musa and Bacon need freedom to attack. Okobo can run offense himself. Shengelia is at his best when possessions actually flow through him.

Pascual has to turn all of that into something more disciplined than simply taking turns.

We already saw the contradiction against Real Madrid in the SuperCup.

Dubai went 16 points up, scored 95 and pushed Madrid to overtime.

They still lost.

That doesn't define the season.

But it does describe the next step.

Dubai no longer need to prove they can score with Europe's best.

They need to prove they can defend, manage possessions and close games like Europe's best.

Is Dubai's next step really about more talent or about finally becoming a team that controls games?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

ANADOLU EFES 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔵⚪

For 8 years, Anadolu Efes basketball was inseparable from Shane Larkin.

Now the ball belongs to Mike James.

That alone makes this one of the most interesting resets in EuroLeague.

Efes finished last season 12-26, 19th in the standings. Pablo Laso arrived during the year, but this summer gave him the chance to actually build his own team.

And they changed plenty.

Larkin, Beaubois, Poirier, Weiler-Babb and Sehmus Hazer are gone.

Mike James, Dario Saric, Matthew Strazel, Santi Yusta, Bruno Fernando, Collin Malcolm and Fatts Russell came in.

James is obviously where everything starts.

He averaged 16.5 points and 6.4 assists last season and remains one of the few guards in Europe who can completely reshape a possession by himself.

But Efes haven't built a roster that should require him to do everything.

Strazel gives Laso another genuine organiser. He averaged 9.2 points and 3.9 assists with Monaco and can play on or off the ball.

Jordan Loyd can create his own shot.

P.J. Dozier gives them size and secondary playmaking.

Isaïa Cordinier can attack gaps, defend multiple positions and play without needing the offense built around him.

Even Fatts Russell gives them another small, aggressive ball-handler who can change the tempo.

There is a lot of creation here.

The challenge will be making sure it doesn't all become dependent on whoever is holding the ball.

The frontcourt might actually be the most interesting part.

Šaric returns to Efes more than a decade after his first spell and gives Laso a completely different offensive tool. He can play the 4 or 5, pass from the top, space the floor and let Efes run offense through a big rather than asking the guards to create every advantage.

Ercan Osmani gives them size, mobility and shooting.

Bruno Fernando brings physicality and rim pressure.

Papagiannis gives them 2.20m size and another option against teams that want to play through the paint.

Kai Jones brings athleticism that very few EuroLeague bigs can match.

That means Laso can build the frontcourt completely differently depending on the opponent.

Depth chart:

PG — Mike James / Strazel / Fatts Russell
SG — Loyd / Cordinier / Dozier / Mutaf
SF — Yusta / Malcolm / Erkan Yılmaz / Karutasu
PF — Saric / Osmani / Burak Can Yildizli
C — Papagiannis / Bruno Fernando / Kai Jones / Brice Dessert

And that's why this Efes roster feels different from last year's.

It isn't just more talented.
It has more ways to play.

James can control high pick-and-rolls. Strazel can organise. Loyd can score off the catch or create. Dozier and Cordinier give them size around smaller guards.

Saric can turn the frontcourt into another source of playmaking.

Fernando and Jones can make the game vertical.

Papagiannis can make it enormous.

After a 12-win EuroLeague season, the ceiling has clearly moved.

But so has the responsibility on Laso.

He has to build an offense around one of Europe's greatest individual creators without turning Efes into a team that simply waits for Mike James to solve every difficult possession.

Can Pablo Laso give Mike James the freedom to be Mike James without making Efes dependent on him?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

Sergio Llull: 487 games
Nick Calathes: 2,266 assists
Mike James: 5,916 EuroLeague points
Walter Tavares: 2,135 boards, 544 blocks
Nando De Colo: 93.5% career FT percentage
These EuroLeague records could stand for years.

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

@BSphere_ Motley getting back to his best is probably more about adjusting to Navarro’s system than proving he can still play. The talent is there.

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

@arbarkas @Eurohoopsnet Feels like European basketball is about to change a lot off the court too. NBA interest is clearly getting people’s attention.

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

ANADOLU EFES 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔵⚪

For 8 years, Anadolu Efes basketball was inseparable from Shane Larkin.

Now the ball belongs to Mike James.

That alone makes this one of the most interesting resets in EuroLeague.

Efes finished last season 12-26, 19th in the standings. Pablo Laso arrived during the year, but this summer gave him the chance to actually build his own team.

And they changed plenty.

Larkin, Beaubois, Poirier, Weiler-Babb and Sehmus Hazer are gone.

Mike James, Dario Saric, Matthew Strazel, Santi Yusta, Bruno Fernando, Collin Malcolm and Fatts Russell came in.

James is obviously where everything starts.

He averaged 16.5 points and 6.4 assists last season and remains one of the few guards in Europe who can completely reshape a possession by himself.

But Efes haven't built a roster that should require him to do everything.

Strazel gives Laso another genuine organiser. He averaged 9.2 points and 3.9 assists with Monaco and can play on or off the ball.

Jordan Loyd can create his own shot.

P.J. Dozier gives them size and secondary playmaking.

Isaïa Cordinier can attack gaps, defend multiple positions and play without needing the offense built around him.

Even Fatts Russell gives them another small, aggressive ball-handler who can change the tempo.

There is a lot of creation here.

The challenge will be making sure it doesn't all become dependent on whoever is holding the ball.

The frontcourt might actually be the most interesting part.

Šaric returns to Efes more than a decade after his first spell and gives Laso a completely different offensive tool. He can play the 4 or 5, pass from the top, space the floor and let Efes run offense through a big rather than asking the guards to create every advantage.

Ercan Osmani gives them size, mobility and shooting.

Bruno Fernando brings physicality and rim pressure.

Papagiannis gives them 2.20m size and another option against teams that want to play through the paint.

Kai Jones brings athleticism that very few EuroLeague bigs can match.

That means Laso can build the frontcourt completely differently depending on the opponent.

Depth chart:

PG — Mike James / Strazel / Fatts Russell
SG — Loyd / Cordinier / Dozier / Mutaf
SF — Yusta / Malcolm / Erkan Yılmaz / Karutasu
PF — Saric / Osmani / Burak Can Yildizli
C — Papagiannis / Bruno Fernando / Kai Jones / Brice Dessert

And that's why this Efes roster feels different from last year's.

It isn't just more talented.
It has more ways to play.

James can control high pick-and-rolls. Strazel can organise. Loyd can score off the catch or create. Dozier and Cordinier give them size around smaller guards.

Saric can turn the frontcourt into another source of playmaking.

Fernando and Jones can make the game vertical.

Papagiannis can make it enormous.

After a 12-win EuroLeague season, the ceiling has clearly moved.

But so has the responsibility on Laso.

He has to build an offense around one of Europe's greatest individual creators without turning Efes into a team that simply waits for Mike James to solve every difficult possession.

Can Pablo Laso give Mike James the freedom to be Mike James without making Efes dependent on him?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

BARCELONA 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔵🔴

Barcelona didn't tweak the roster.

They basically started again.

Last season ended with Barça finishing 9th in EuroLeague, beating Crvena Zvezda in the first Play-In game, then losing in Monaco with a playoff spot on the line.

By September, only4 players remained from that team.

Kevin Punter. Dario Brizuela. Juan Nunez. Joel Parra.

Eleven new players. A new coach. A completely different frontcourt.

So this season isn't really about fixing one weakness.

It's about building an identity from scratch.

Aleksander Sekulic has already made clear what he wants that identity to be: intensity.

And the roster makes sense through that lens.

Justin Robinson and Umoja Gibson give Barca two quick guards who can push the ball, get into the paint and play with tempo. Nunez gives them a bigger playmaker who sees the floor differently.

But Punter is still the one proven elite half-court scorer.

That's important.

Because this roster has plenty of players who can contribute offensively.

The bigger question is how many can consistently create something when a EuroLeague defense takes away the first action.

Tyrese Martin gives them size and scoring on the wing. Stanley Umude adds shooting and physicality. Justin Minaya gives Sekulic another long, defensive wing, while Parra remains one of the few players who already understands what playing for Barca every week actually feels like.

The frontcourt has been completely rebuilt.

Olivier Nkamhoua brings energy, shooting and mobility at the 4.

Tosan Evbuomwan gives them another connector, someone who can handle, pass and make decisions from the frontcourt rather than simply finish possessions.

And at center, the profile has changed completely.

Josh Nebo gives Barca vertical pressure, rebounding and a genuine lob threat.

Olek Balcerowski brings 2.16m size with touch and offensive skill.

Yoan Makoundou adds athleticism and another mobile big who can run the floor and defend in space.

Depth chart:

PG — Robinson / Gibson / Nunez
SG — Punter / Brizuela
SF — Martin / Umude / Minaya / Ubal
PF — Nkamhoua / Evbuomwan / Parra
C — Nebo / Balcerowski / Makoundou

What makes Barca fascinating is that there isn't an obvious shortcut here.

Satoransky is gone. Laprovittola is gone. Clyburn is gone. Willy is gone. Vesely retired.

The old structure disappeared with them.

This version should be younger, quicker and much more athletic.

We've already seen a little of it too. Eleven different Barça players scored in their 87-86 Super Cup semifinal win over Valencia, while they won the rebounding battle 51-37.

That's probably close to the vision.

Pressure teams for 40 minutes. Use the depth. Run. Rebound. Defend with length. Make opponents deal with fresh bodies constantly.

But EuroLeague seasons eventually reach possessions where none of that is enough.

The game slows down.

The first action dies.

And someone has to create a good shot against a set defense.

Punter can do it.

The season may depend on how many others prove they can too.

Can Barca build a contender around depth and intensity or will they eventually need another elite creator next to Punter?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

@EuroLeague https://t.co/ayEJRiZe5r

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

EuroLeague is back in 4 days 👀

What's your HOTTEST take for the 2026/27 season?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

EuroLeague is back in 4 days 👀

What's your HOTTEST take for the 2026/27 season?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

BARCELONA 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔵🔴

Barcelona didn't tweak the roster.

They basically started again.

Last season ended with Barça finishing 9th in EuroLeague, beating Crvena Zvezda in the first Play-In game, then losing in Monaco with a playoff spot on the line.

By September, only4 players remained from that team.

Kevin Punter. Dario Brizuela. Juan Nunez. Joel Parra.

Eleven new players. A new coach. A completely different frontcourt.

So this season isn't really about fixing one weakness.

It's about building an identity from scratch.

Aleksander Sekulic has already made clear what he wants that identity to be: intensity.

And the roster makes sense through that lens.

Justin Robinson and Umoja Gibson give Barca two quick guards who can push the ball, get into the paint and play with tempo. Nunez gives them a bigger playmaker who sees the floor differently.

But Punter is still the one proven elite half-court scorer.

That's important.

Because this roster has plenty of players who can contribute offensively.

The bigger question is how many can consistently create something when a EuroLeague defense takes away the first action.

Tyrese Martin gives them size and scoring on the wing. Stanley Umude adds shooting and physicality. Justin Minaya gives Sekulic another long, defensive wing, while Parra remains one of the few players who already understands what playing for Barca every week actually feels like.

The frontcourt has been completely rebuilt.

Olivier Nkamhoua brings energy, shooting and mobility at the 4.

Tosan Evbuomwan gives them another connector, someone who can handle, pass and make decisions from the frontcourt rather than simply finish possessions.

And at center, the profile has changed completely.

Josh Nebo gives Barca vertical pressure, rebounding and a genuine lob threat.

Olek Balcerowski brings 2.16m size with touch and offensive skill.

Yoan Makoundou adds athleticism and another mobile big who can run the floor and defend in space.

Depth chart:

PG — Robinson / Gibson / Nunez
SG — Punter / Brizuela
SF — Martin / Umude / Minaya / Ubal
PF — Nkamhoua / Evbuomwan / Parra
C — Nebo / Balcerowski / Makoundou

What makes Barca fascinating is that there isn't an obvious shortcut here.

Satoransky is gone. Laprovittola is gone. Clyburn is gone. Willy is gone. Vesely retired.

The old structure disappeared with them.

This version should be younger, quicker and much more athletic.

We've already seen a little of it too. Eleven different Barça players scored in their 87-86 Super Cup semifinal win over Valencia, while they won the rebounding battle 51-37.

That's probably close to the vision.

Pressure teams for 40 minutes. Use the depth. Run. Rebound. Defend with length. Make opponents deal with fresh bodies constantly.

But EuroLeague seasons eventually reach possessions where none of that is enough.

The game slows down.

The first action dies.

And someone has to create a good shot against a set defense.

Punter can do it.

The season may depend on how many others prove they can too.

Can Barca build a contender around depth and intensity or will they eventually need another elite creator next to Punter?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

REAL MADRID 2026/27 PREVIEW ⚪

Real Madrid didn't replace Mario Hezonja.

They changed the way they want to score.

Madrid reached the EuroLeague final last season, but the summer still brought a major reset. Hezonja left after an MVP-level year domestically, Sergio Scariolo moved on, and Pedro Martínez arrived with seven new players.

The idea already looks different.

More pace. Quicker decisions. More spacing. More players attacking before the defense is completely set.

And instead of asking one player to replace Hezonja's scoring, Madrid have spread that responsibility across the roster.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot gives them size, shooting and another wing who can attack without dominating the ball.

Mikael Jantunen fits Pedro Martínez almost perfectly. He runs, spaces the floor, moves the ball quickly and doesn't need possessions called for him to influence an offense.

Jaime Pradilla gives them another smart, physical frontcourt piece who can play in different combinations.

Then there are the two unknowns with potentially huge upside.

Nick Smith Jr. arrives at 22 after three NBA seasons. He's a natural scorer who can play across the perimeter and gives Madrid something they needed after losing Hezonja: someone capable of creating a shot when the possession breaks down.

Max Shulga offers a different type of guard. Bigger, more connective and comfortable handling, creating or playing without the ball.

But the foundation is still very familiar.

Campazzo remains the player who controls everything.

Maledon gives them another big creator who can get downhill. Feliz brings pressure, physicality and pace. Deck still gives Madrid a completely different way to attack mismatches.

And then there is Tavares.

Whatever changes offensively, Madrid still have the biggest defensive advantage in European basketball behind them.

Around him, Damian Jones adds athleticism and vertical spacing, Olivier Sarr gives them another mobile big, while Garuba can change the entire defensive profile of a lineup when he moves to the 5.

Functional depth chart:

PG — Campazzo / Maledon / Feliz
SG — Smith Jr. / Llull / Shulga
SF — Luwawu-Cabarrot / Deck / Abalde / Procida
PF — Jantunen / Okeke / Pradilla / Garuba
C — Tavares / Jones / Sarr / Garuba

And we've already had the first glimpse.

Madrid opened the season by winning the inaugural EuroLeague Super Cup, coming back from 16 down to beat Dubai in overtime before beating defending champion Olympiacos in the final.

Tavares was MVP.

Seven different Madrid players reached double-digit PIR in the final.

That probably tells us more about what Pedro Martínez wants than any individual stat.

This Madrid may not have one player replacing everything Hezonja gave them.

Maybe that's the point.

They are deeper, faster and built to create advantages from more places than before.

The question is what happens when the pace disappears, the rotations shorten and somebody has to decide the game.

Does this Real Madrid need one clear go-to scorer or can the collective become their biggest advantage?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

REAL MADRID 2026/27 PREVIEW ⚪

Real Madrid didn't replace Mario Hezonja.

They changed the way they want to score.

Madrid reached the EuroLeague final last season, but the summer still brought a major reset. Hezonja left after an MVP-level year domestically, Sergio Scariolo moved on, and Pedro Martínez arrived with seven new players.

The idea already looks different.

More pace. Quicker decisions. More spacing. More players attacking before the defense is completely set.

And instead of asking one player to replace Hezonja's scoring, Madrid have spread that responsibility across the roster.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot gives them size, shooting and another wing who can attack without dominating the ball.

Mikael Jantunen fits Pedro Martínez almost perfectly. He runs, spaces the floor, moves the ball quickly and doesn't need possessions called for him to influence an offense.

Jaime Pradilla gives them another smart, physical frontcourt piece who can play in different combinations.

Then there are the two unknowns with potentially huge upside.

Nick Smith Jr. arrives at 22 after three NBA seasons. He's a natural scorer who can play across the perimeter and gives Madrid something they needed after losing Hezonja: someone capable of creating a shot when the possession breaks down.

Max Shulga offers a different type of guard. Bigger, more connective and comfortable handling, creating or playing without the ball.

But the foundation is still very familiar.

Campazzo remains the player who controls everything.

Maledon gives them another big creator who can get downhill. Feliz brings pressure, physicality and pace. Deck still gives Madrid a completely different way to attack mismatches.

And then there is Tavares.

Whatever changes offensively, Madrid still have the biggest defensive advantage in European basketball behind them.

Around him, Damian Jones adds athleticism and vertical spacing, Olivier Sarr gives them another mobile big, while Garuba can change the entire defensive profile of a lineup when he moves to the 5.

Functional depth chart:

PG — Campazzo / Maledon / Feliz
SG — Smith Jr. / Llull / Shulga
SF — Luwawu-Cabarrot / Deck / Abalde / Procida
PF — Jantunen / Okeke / Pradilla / Garuba
C — Tavares / Jones / Sarr / Garuba

And we've already had the first glimpse.

Madrid opened the season by winning the inaugural EuroLeague Super Cup, coming back from 16 down to beat Dubai in overtime before beating defending champion Olympiacos in the final.

Tavares was MVP.

Seven different Madrid players reached double-digit PIR in the final.

That probably tells us more about what Pedro Martínez wants than any individual stat.

This Madrid may not have one player replacing everything Hezonja gave them.

Maybe that's the point.

They are deeper, faster and built to create advantages from more places than before.

The question is what happens when the pace disappears, the rotations shorten and somebody has to decide the game.

Does this Real Madrid need one clear go-to scorer or can the collective become their biggest advantage?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

FENERBAHCE 2026/27 PREVIEW 🟡🔵

Fenerbahce didn't react to losing their EuroLeague crown by making small adjustments.

They rebuilt half the rotation.

Last season still ended with 24 wins, another Final Four and a Turkish championship, but Olympiacos exposed them badly in Athens, holding Fener to 61 points in the semifinal.

The response was aggressive.

Shane Larkin. Shavon Shields. Will Clyburn. Trent Forrest. Braxton Key.

There is now an absurd amount of creation on this roster.

Larkin is the obvious headline. Injuries limited him to 12 EuroLeague games last season, but he still averaged 15.2 points and 4.2 assists. Even at 33, few guards in Europe can manipulate a defense the way he can when healthy.

And he doesn't arrive to take over an empty backcourt.

Wade Baldwin is still there. So is Talen Horton-Tucker. Forrest gives Saras another big guard who can run the team, defend and get downhill.

That creates the most interesting question around Fener.

They have more players who can make something happen with the ball than almost anyone in Europe.

Now they have to decide who actually should.

The wings aren't any simpler.

Shields gives them a reliable scorer who doesn't need the entire offense built around him. Clyburn can create mismatches from either forward spot. Juzang adds shooting, while Braxton Key brings length, defense and the ability to play across both forward positions.

Melli remains the piece that makes a lot of it work.

He can play next to a traditional center, move to the 5, facilitate, space the floor and cover defensive problems before they develop.

Behind him, Marcus Bingham and Chris Silva give Fener more athleticism inside, while Sertac Sanli offers a completely different option with his size and shooting.

Depth chart:

PG — Larkin / Baldwin / Forrest
SG — Baldwin / Horton-Tucker / Sargiunas / Mahmutoglu
SF — Shields / Juzang / Bitim / Key
PF — Clyburn / Melli / Key
C — Silva / Bingham / Sanli

And that's really the season.

Fenerbahçe have given Jasikevicius more individual offensive talent and more lineup possibilities.

But his best teams have always been built on clarity.

Who initiates? Who sacrifices touches? Who closes? Can Larkin and Baldwin share control without one becoming passive? Where does Horton-Tucker fit when all three are available? And how much offense can Clyburn and Shields realistically command in the same rotation?

The talent is obvious.

Finding a version of it where everyone makes sense at the same time is the harder part.

Can Fenerbahce add this much offensive freedom without losing the structure that made them champions?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

@EuroLeague @RMBaloncesto @23Llull @facucampazzo @waltertavares22 Winning trophies is basically routine for Madrid at this point.

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

FENERBAHCE 2026/27 PREVIEW 🟡🔵

Fenerbahce didn't react to losing their EuroLeague crown by making small adjustments.

They rebuilt half the rotation.

Last season still ended with 24 wins, another Final Four and a Turkish championship, but Olympiacos exposed them badly in Athens, holding Fener to 61 points in the semifinal.

The response was aggressive.

Shane Larkin. Shavon Shields. Will Clyburn. Trent Forrest. Braxton Key.

There is now an absurd amount of creation on this roster.

Larkin is the obvious headline. Injuries limited him to 12 EuroLeague games last season, but he still averaged 15.2 points and 4.2 assists. Even at 33, few guards in Europe can manipulate a defense the way he can when healthy.

And he doesn't arrive to take over an empty backcourt.

Wade Baldwin is still there. So is Talen Horton-Tucker. Forrest gives Saras another big guard who can run the team, defend and get downhill.

That creates the most interesting question around Fener.

They have more players who can make something happen with the ball than almost anyone in Europe.

Now they have to decide who actually should.

The wings aren't any simpler.

Shields gives them a reliable scorer who doesn't need the entire offense built around him. Clyburn can create mismatches from either forward spot. Juzang adds shooting, while Braxton Key brings length, defense and the ability to play across both forward positions.

Melli remains the piece that makes a lot of it work.

He can play next to a traditional center, move to the 5, facilitate, space the floor and cover defensive problems before they develop.

Behind him, Marcus Bingham and Chris Silva give Fener more athleticism inside, while Sertac Sanli offers a completely different option with his size and shooting.

Depth chart:

PG — Larkin / Baldwin / Forrest
SG — Baldwin / Horton-Tucker / Sargiunas / Mahmutoglu
SF — Shields / Juzang / Bitim / Key
PF — Clyburn / Melli / Key
C — Silva / Bingham / Sanli

And that's really the season.

Fenerbahçe have given Jasikevicius more individual offensive talent and more lineup possibilities.

But his best teams have always been built on clarity.

Who initiates? Who sacrifices touches? Who closes? Can Larkin and Baldwin share control without one becoming passive? Where does Horton-Tucker fit when all three are available? And how much offense can Clyburn and Shields realistically command in the same rotation?

The talent is obvious.

Finding a version of it where everyone makes sense at the same time is the harder part.

Can Fenerbahce add this much offensive freedom without losing the structure that made them champions?

[PivotMetrics @PivotMetrics]

OLYMPIACOS 2026/27 PREVIEW 🔴⚪

Olympiacos finally reached the top of Europe.

Then they changed the team anyway.

After finishing 1st in the regular season, sweeping Monaco and beating Fenerbahce and Real Madrid to win the EuroLeague, the easy decision would've been continuity.

Instead, Bartzokas rebuilt the backcourt.

Thomas Walkup is gone. So are Ntilikina and Larentzakis. In come Codi Miller-McIntyre and Jean Montero.

And that changes the way this team can play.

Miller-McIntyre led the EuroLeague with 7.4 assists per game last season. He gives Olympiacos size, physicality and another guard who can consistently organise the offense.

Montero brings something different.

14.4 points, 4.8 assists, All-EuroLeague First Team and Rising Star at just 23. He can break a defense himself, play at a different speed and create shots late in possessions when the system doesn't produce the first advantage.

That matters because the rest of the foundation is still there.

Fournier remains one of their primary perimeter scorers. Dorsey gives them shooting and off-ball movement. Ward can defend, cut and connect possessions without needing touches.

And everything still revolves around Vezenkov.

His movement, shooting and ability to score without stopping the offense are basically perfect for Bartzokas' basketball. Around him, Papanikolaou still provides size and defensive intelligence, while Mbaye Ndiaye adds even more length and athleticism at forward.

At center, Olympiacos are loaded in a completely different way.

Milutinov gives them size, screening and elite rebounding. Donta Hall brings vertical spacing and rim protection. Tyrique Jones adds power, mobility and another aggressive rim runner.

Depth chart:

PG — Miller-McIntyre / Montero / Joseph
SG — Dorsey / Fournier / Montero / Netzipoglou
SF — Fournier / Ward / Papanikolaou
PF — Vezenkov / Ndiaye / Papanikolaou / Karagiannidis
C — Milutinov / Hall / Jones

And that's where this season gets interesting.
Last year's Olympiacos knew exactly how it wanted to win.

This version has more individual creation, more athleticism and arguably more ways to attack a defense.

But Walkup was also a huge part of their control, defensive identity and decision-making.

So Bartzokas isn't just defending a title.

He's trying to evolve a championship team without losing the things that made it a championship team in the first place.

Can Olympiacos become more talented with the ball without losing the control that made them champions?