EuroLeague Preview: Who's hot and who's not? / News - Basketnews.com

All 18 EuroLeague teams made moves this offseason. We look at what transpired and how the teams's preseason looked ahead of their big start in Europe.

Credit: AS Monaco; Real Madrid; Anadolu Efes Istanbul Credit AS Monaco; Real Madrid; Anadolu Efes Istanbul

The 2022-23 EuroLeague season starts today with 18 teams battling for superiority in the premier European basketball competition.

BasketNews previously put all the teams in our power ranking. With the EuroBasket 2022 taking almost the entire basketball fans' attention away, we decided to look at what the EuroLeague teams have done while preparing for their European journey.

While some have been pretty quiet throughout the preseason, other teams have been surrounded with stories and narratives facing the new year. Going from 18th place in our power rankings up to number 1, let's take a look at what each of the clubs in the offseason and how they began the year.

ALBA Berlin

Credit Alex Zaborowski; Daniel Löb

ALBA Berlin kept their main core during the offseason. Again. If there were any additional points given for keeping the core of players year after year, ALBA would definitely get the award.

Judging by the results themselves, the preparatory period for the German club was pretty good as the club only lost to LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. However, it was all done mainly without the two floor generals who will have the ball the most during the EuroLeague season - Maodo Lo and Jaleen Smith.

Both players participated in EuroBasket 2022 for Germany and Croatia respectively and joined the team only in late September after most of the preparatory matches had already been played.

While Jaleen Smith managed to play one friendly match against Rostock Seawolves before the start of the German BBL League, Maodo Lo, who got to the final stage of EuroBasket 2022 with Germany, has played only one official game with the team before the EuroLeague opener.

Upon returning, Maodo Lo scored 12 points but overall struggled to make shots (4/11 FG) and finished the game against Brose Bamberg with a plus-minus stat of -12.

Luke Sikma, Johannes Thiemann, and Marcus Eriksson are coming back to help the duo. However, ALBA's game will highly depend on Lo and Smith getting into a rhythm offensively.

Preseason results:

ALBA Berlin 92:74 Bakken Bears - Friendly game Paris Basketball 81:83 ALBA Berlin - Paris European Games LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 90:67 ALBA Berlin - Paris European Games Basketball Lowen Braunschweig 88:103 ALBA Berlin - Friendly game ALBA Berlin 88:63 Rostock Seawolves - Friendly game ALBA Berlin 81:78 Veoli Towers Hamburg - BBL Brose Bamberg 80:90 ALBA Berlin - BBL

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

Credit Infinity Nine Media/Alexia Leduc

ASVEL's offseason revolved around two French additions - Nando de Colo and Joffrey Lauvergne. Both players are local veterans that were signed with adding experience in mind. De Colo is a household name in European basketball while Lauvergne is known as a solid executor in the low post and pick-and-roll situations.

ASVEL won all five friendly games, however, three of the opponents were not particularly impressive. Even when ALBA is missing several key players, beating the German club by 20+ is always impressive.

Lauvergne had his best game against the EuroLeague team, scoring 21 points, most of them coming via de Colo. However, the friendly game success did not translate into wins in official games.

ASVEL lost the first two French league (LNB) matches against opponents they would otherwise beat more often than not. The over-reliance on de Colo and his creation on the offensive side came back to bite the club in the end as the veteran committed several turnovers in the final minutes.

In the next game, de Colo took only two shots against Blois. Lauvergne's double-double wasn't nearly enough as ASVEL's opponents controlled the match throughout the entire 40 minutes.

Currently, the biggest challenge for the French team is finding the right balance between being overly dependent on de Colo and not being dependent on him enough. With the lack of offensive talent around him, it might take longer than initially expected.

Preseason results:

LyonSo Basket 61:92 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne - Friendly game Saint-Chamond Basket 72:92 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne - Friendly game LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 86:82 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv - Paris European Games LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 90:67 ALBA Berlin - Paris European Games LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne87:68 ALM Evreux Basket - Friendly game Cholet Basket 91:89 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne - LNB ADA Blois Basket 86:82 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne - LNB LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 102:84 JL Bourg-en-Bresse - LNB

Zalgiris Kaunas

Credit Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris came into the postseason with a clear goal in mind to get more physical, athletic, and active on the defensive end while not sacrificing offensive talent. Almost the entire frontcourt was reshaped, a new backcourt duo was signed to lead the team, and a forward from the team's rivals was snagged.

The change in the style of play compared to last year was visible quickly and often. The only game lost during the preseason was against Real Madrid, a club that is viewed as one of the premier favorites to take it all.

The only thing Zalgiris currently lack is shooting presence beyond the arc. Through the first two games in the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL), the team shot three-pointers just 4/24 (16.7%) and 5/19 (26.3%) with the third match (13/31, 41.9%) fixing the total average.

Keenan Evans has made just 1 triple in 8 tries (12.5%) so far in the league, and Ignas Brazdeikis is not so far behind (3/12, 25%). Opponents already take risks against Edgaras Ulanovas, Rolands Smits doesn't have a consistent outside shot. If similar numbers keep up for the starting five, Zalgiris fans might be in for long evenings when the opponents under most of the screens.

With the first EuroLeague match coming against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, as much as they have improved defensively, it might be hard for Zalgiris to keep up on the offensive end with the guard play the Israeli team can offer.

Only matches against superior competition will show the true weaknesses of the Zalgiris team because their opponents in Lithuania so far haven't been nearly as impressive.

Preseason results:

Zalgiris Kaunas 90:83 Polski Cukier Start Lublin - Friendly game Zalgiris Kaunas 84:68 Rostock Seawolves - Friendly game Zalgiris Kaunas 90:54 Club Melilla Baloncesto - Torneo Costa del Sol Zalgiris Kaunas 79:72 Unicaja Malaga - Torneo Costa del Sol Real Madrid 89:81 Zalgiris Kaunas - Torneo Costa del Sol Zalgiris Kaunas 80:59 BC Wolves - Friendly game Zalgiris Kaunas 90:77 VEF Riga - Friendly game Neptunas Klaipeda 71:79 Zalgiris Kaunas - LKL Labas GAS Prienai 66:91 Zalgiris Kaunas - LKL Zalgiris Kaunas 96:60 Siauliai - LKL

Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade

Credit Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade

After losing Nikola Kalinic in the offseason, Crvena Zvezda reshaped almost the entire roster during the summer. Nemanja Nedovic became the most notable signing throughout the months, with Jaylen Adams, Hassan Martin, John Holland, Filip Petrusev, and Ben Bentil also joining in.

Nedovic suffered an injury during EuroBasket 2022 and hasn't played a single game for Zvezda so far. The guard is not expected to play in the EuroLeague opener as well.

With him sidelined, the club doesn't have a clear leader so far. Luka Mitrovic has shown glimpses of his scoring potential but he hasn't been consistent. With Miroslav Raduljica coming in, the club's frontcourt is stacked with numerous options for head coach Vladimir Jovanovic to choose from.

However, with questions surrounding the playmakers, having a ton of big men is a luxury. Despite all that, Zvezda currently lives by the three and dies by the three. For example, they went 11-for-24 (45.8%) from beyond the arc against AS Monaco. Two days later against Enisey, that percentage dropped to just 15.8% (3/19).

After two more days, another wonderful shooting performance followed - 11-for-22 from three-point territory for an accuracy of 50%.

When Nedovic joins the team, Zvezda will become even more dependent on making threes. Until then, we should expect a shaky performance that revolves around draining three-pointers.

Similarly to Zalgiris, Crvena Zvezda faced only two EuroLeague teams throughout the preparatory period, so every statistic we see should be viewed with a grain of salt.

Preseason results:

Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade 92:57 Dynamic Balkan Bet - Friendly game Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade 92:64 U-BT Cluj-Napoca - Friendly game Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade 88:93 AS Monaco - Friendly game Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade 72:71 Enisey - Friendly game Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade 73:69 Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar - Friendly game Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade 73:72 Peristeri - Tournament Neofytos Chandriotis Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade 55:94 Olympiacos Piraeus - Tournament Neofytos Chandriotis Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade 87:67 MZT Skopje Aerodrom - ABA League

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Credit Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia is the team with arguably the most questions to answer in the EuroLeague. First of all, the point guard position. The team has signed Markus Howard and Darius Thompson to fill the backcourt.

Howard is a shoot-first scorer capable of shooting sprees very few can replicate in the EuroLeague. For example, the guard scored 12 straight points against Unicaja Malaga in Liga Endesa in the second quarter, almost singlehandedly recovering the team from a sudden knockdown. Like many other volume shooters, Howard has to find consistency in his shot. He can score 30+ one night and miss almost every single of 'his' shots the next.

Thompson, on the other hand, is a more well-rounded guard who likes to control the team. He's also been much more stable recently, providing generally good performances throughout the last several games.

Just like in the previous years, Baskonia is capable of instant scoring runs, evident in both Liga Endesa matches this new season. New power forward signing Daulton Hommes is currently a question mark as good games in friendlies are often followed by lackluster performances afterward.

After a pretty solid last season, Matthew Costello seems to have become one of the centerpieces on the offensive side for new head coach Joan Pennaroya.

The team has a lot of potential scoring the basketball. When your oldest player is Rokas Giedraitis, who is one of the swiftest players in his position in the entire tournament, you know you have got a young run-and-gun group.

Baskonia demonstrated the true beauty of basketball against Unicaja. Against Barcelona, it was hard to watch the team struggle so mightily in the second half. The question now remains - can you come out on top more than not?

Preseason results:

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 81:77 Casademont Zaragoza - Friendly game Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 69:88 UCAM Murcia - Friendly game Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 99:81 Baxi Manresa - Friendly game Surne Bilbao Basket 87:91 Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz - Friendly game Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 100:82 London Lions - Alava-Araba Saria Trophy Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 103:89 Unicaja Malaga - Liga Endesa FC Barcelona 89:74 Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz - Liga Endesa

Valencia Basket

Credit Miguel Angel Polo

Valencia's EuroLeague preseason has gone down pretty quietly. No major opponents besides one match against FC Bayern Munich, just a couple of friendly tournaments against local competition.

However, it did not harm the overall product. Valencia is a combination of young and new additions and experienced veterans with a couple of sparkles in between. The team snatched Chris Jones away from Zalgiris, signing him to become the main playmaker on the team.

Paired with long-time club players, Jones has already found his place in the rotation. Through 7 games with the team, the guard has averaged 13.4 points, 3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.6 steals in just 22 minutes of average playing time.

Obviously, there are still some growing pains. Valencia beat Joventut in overtime only after miraculously surviving in regular time. Jonah Radebaugh hasn't found his groove either, making just 3 shots out of 14 in the two Liga Endesa games.

Jared Harper is here for scoring, and he showed it against Joventut. Before hitting 6 triples last week, Harper was just 2-for-10 from beyond the arc in the two previous games for the team. He's currently viewed as a high-threat spark off the bench but his height (1.80 m) and scoring inconsistency currently provide doubts about his chances of adapting well to EuroLeague basketball.

Valencia isn't necessarily hot right now but we can see the glimpses of what this team can accomplish if the puzzle pieces start to feel right in Alex Mumbru's system.

Preseason results:

Valencia Basket 91:61 Gran Canaria - Friendly game Valencia Basket 75:61 Joventut Badalona - Friendly game Valencia Basket 60:83 Casademont Zaragoza - Memorial Pepe Lazuela Valencia Basket 90:81 Carplus Fuenlabrada - Friendly game Valencia Basket 88:65 FC Bayern Munich - Ciutat de Lliria Tournament Valencia Basket 78:88 Monbus Obradoiro - Ciutat de Valencia Tournament Coosur Real Betis 78:83 Valencia Basket - Liga Endesa Valencia Basket 101:97 Joventut Badalona - Liga Endesa

Panathinaikos Athens

Credit Vangelis Stolis

The biggest vow of returning Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos was to make the club competitive again and subsequently restore order in Greek basketball, the order that previously belonged to PAO and not its eternal rivals Olympiacos.

Panathinaikos starting five features only one familiar name - Georgios Papagiannis. All other four slots have been replaced with new names on the roster. New main shooting guard and small forward, new power forward, and new backups in several positions - that's how the offseason looked in a nutshell.

Due to EuroBasket 2022, Marius Grigonis and the newly-signed Mateusz Ponitka only joined the club's practices in late September. The preparatory period hasn't been that kind for Panathinaikos either.

The biggest summer on-court win against Anadolu Efes was followed by a lackluster performance against Milan. Greek SuperCup's semifinal battle was unnecessarily close throughout the entire match, while the final against Olympiacos was in question only for half the match.

When the team needs to glue, it definitely doesn't help when the guy that was projected to be the starting point guard gets injured. Nate Wolters is still nursing a hip injury and will miss the start of the EuroLeague season.

It definitely won't be easy to start the new 2022-23 year with a bang as Real Madrid arrives at OAKA. When you have a mostly new roster, it's certainly not good when your key players either cannot play or haven't been playing long enough. That's the PAO situation right now.

Preseason results:

Dinamo Sassari 79:75 Panathinaikos Athens - City of Cagliari Trophy Openjobmetis Varese 85:96 Panathinaikos Athens - City of Cagliari Trophy AS Karditsas 89:93 Panathainikos Athens - Friendly game Panathinaikos Athens 86:71 Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Trophy Pavlos Giannakopoulos Panathinaikos Athens 64:77 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan - Trophy Pavlos Giannakopoulos Panathinaikos Athens 72:67 Kolossos Rhodes - Greek SuperCup Panathinaikos Athens 52:67 Olympiacos Piraeus - Greek SuperCup

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Credit Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

One of the more intriguing backcourts in recent memory. That's probably the best way to describe Maccabi Tel Aviv ahead of the EuroLeague season.

10 new players were signed in a total roster rebuild this summer. Lorenzo Brown, Wade Baldwin IV, Darrun Hilliard, and Austin Hollins will share the ball in the backcourt. The entire frontcourt was reshaped as well, leaving the club with just several role players from last year.

As one could probably expect, such projects need time to become successful. Consequently, Maccabi haven't been winning a lot during the EuroLeague preseason. If we throw out the Israeli League Cup, the Israeli powerhouse has won just one game in five tries.

Lorenzo Brown couldn't participate in the preseason due to his obligation to the Spanish national team in EuroBasket 2022. Having won the international trophy, Brown has managed to play just a single game for Maccabi so far, recording a solid double-double of 13 points and 13 assists.

Similar frontcourt towers in Josh Nebo and Alex Poythress are coupled with an athletic power forward Jarell Martin, dictating the thought that everything will be created for them, not by them.

Maccabi currently lacks clear roles on the offensive side of the ball, and Oded Katash has been known as a specialist who gives freedom to his players. Until the understanding of one another comes, Maccabi is currently better suited to win off talent than off meticulous offensive execution.

Preseason results:

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 86:82 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv - Paris European Games Paris Basketball 107:96 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv - Paris European Games Promitheas Patras 78:85 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv - Friendly game EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 80:71 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv - Trophy Pavlos Giannakopoulos Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 81:87 Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Trophy Pavlos Giannakopoulos Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 85:75 Hapoel Gilboa/Galil - Israeli League Cup Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 97:91 Hapoel Holon - Israeli League Cup

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Credit Partizan Belgrade

Head coach Zeljko Obradovic comes back to the EuroLeague once again. He doesn't have to prove anything to anyone anymore, he just does it because he likes the game of basketball. And winning, he likes winning.

Partizan made it clear last year - the goal was to get to the EuroLeague one way or another. The direct way fell short but the high-level core was secured for the upcoming campaign while adding several notable names in Dante Exum, James Nunnally, and Ioannis Papapetrou to fill some holes on the roster.

The roster is built around capable scorers with each of them skilled at exploding offensively at any time. Obviously, Kevin Punter is the main volume shooter on the team.

With great power often comes great responsibility. Partizan have allowed their opponents to score an average of 84.4 points so far this season. Obradovic has been experimenting with tons of different fives on the court, going from five out small-ball to two bigs sharing the court at the same.

It has brought mixed results so far with two top lineups by playing time having a plus-minus ranking of -9 and 14. Interestingly enough, youngster Balsa Koprivica is on both of them. Meanwhile, four of the five most successful fives feature James Nunnally.

Dante Exum is projected to be the point guard, a role he did not play in Barcelona last year. It still remains to be seen how the new additions will bond, especially with Zeljko under the helm. The preseason results haven't been impressive so far.

Preseason results:

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 108:83 KK Sloga - Cacak Tournament Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 84:94 Borac Cacak - Cacak Tournament Carplus Fuenlabrada 98:84 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - Friendly game Joventut Badalona 92:62 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - Friendly game FC Barcelona 75:81 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - Friendly game Basquet Manresa 96:98 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - Friendly game Lokomotiv Kuban Krosnodar 70:92 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - VTB SuperCup Zenit Saint Petersburg 81:65 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - VTB SuperCup Cibona Zagreb 81:105 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - ABA League

Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Credit Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Virtus has a coach that is widely considered to be the best in international basketball - Sergio Scariolo. With all his success with the Spanish national team, Scariolo has won only one major trophy in club competitions.

Similarly to Spain in EuroBasket 2022, the roster here is ready for a rotation-heavy offense with each position having at least several strong options to choose from. Then you also remember that Tornike Shengelia is getting ready to come back after a shoulder injury soon.

Without Scariolo, Virtus lost two preparatory matches out of five. With Scariolo, the team hasn't lost since he began coaching it full-time after the EuroBasket. The most prominent theme of the roster so far has been resilience.

The Supercoppa match against Olimpia Milan was a low-scoring and sometimes painful to watch experience but Virtus ultimately came out on top in overtime in a game they should've won in the regular time. Against Napoli, Scariolo's men were down by 22 at one point but ended up winning by 12, not allowing the opponents to score for the entire second half of the fourth quarter.

Yet still, the team has tremendous untapped potential as Mouhammadou Jaiteh, who became the EuroCup MVP last year, hasn't played for several weeks. The center is ready for a EuroLeague start but it will be interesting to see how he will gel with other teammates.

Without Shengelia, Semi Ojeleye has been a strong presence under the basket, making a difference in each of the games he played. Without Teodosic, Gabriel Lundberg has been establishing his role as the main playmaker. Without Jaiteh, Ismael Bako has shown glimpses of potential to be an impactful player.

This is the main strength of the roster, highlighted by Sergio Scariolo. When everyone gets healthy, this team should be feared by everyone.

Preseason results:

Virtus Segafredo Bologna 93:101 Victoria Libertas Pesaro - Friendly game Virtus Segafredo Bologna 78:67 Umana Reyer Venezia - Trofeo Dalla Riva Sportfloors Nutribullet Treviso 64:90 Virtus Segafredo Bologna - Trofeo Dalla Riva Sportfloors Virtus Segafredo Bologna 76:83 Bertram Derthona Tortona - Trofeo Carlo Lovari Virtus Segafredo Bologna 87:80 Germani Brescia - Trofeo Carol Lovari EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 64:72 Virtus Segafredo Bologna - Italian Supercoppa Virtus Segafredo Bologna 72:69 Dinamo Sassari - Italian Supercoppa GeVi Napoli Basket 77:89 Virtus Segafredo Bologna - Lega Basket

FC Bayern Munich

Credit Stickel

Similarly to its compatriot ALBA, Bayern returns with not much of a change in the roster. However, the several changes that were made addressed several needs of the team. Most importantly, Cassius Winston and Freddie Gillespie were signed from the G-League to lead the team in two of the most crucial positions in basketball - point guard and center.

Winston almost immediately showed his potential when he scored 32 of the team's 65 points with a depleted roster against Valencia. Inspired by the performance, the American guard hasn't stopped since. A 24-point, 4.5-rebound, and 3.5-assist average in the BBL indicates that Winston might be ready for the challenge early on.

With Gillespie, there have been some growing pains. If you looked at his numbers in the friendly game against Pesaro (8 PTS, 18 REB), you'd probably think he's a beast incarnate. If you watched him against Fraport Skyliners just this Monday (0/0 FG, 4 REB, 3 TO), you wouldn't think he's nearly as ready to compete in the EuroLeague

The team is currently set up in hopes of players developing their game. Andreas Obst and Ognjen Jaramaz have been known as role players but when they had no other choice, they stepped up in the last year's playoffs. The same story goes with Corey Walden.

The team has been on the rise recently as well, gaining form slowly but surely. Head coach Andrea Trinchieri is known as one of the best, if not the best, specialists in Europe. Naturally, it takes time for all the pieces to fit right.

The play will still revolve around now-team captain Vladimir Lucic. Since Lucic hasn't been registered for the past two games, Cassius Winston has been the main guy so far but cultivating a relationship both on and off the court with the team's symbol will be key. If the two can co-create on the court, good things are coming for Bayern.

Preseason results:

FC Bayern Munich 66:76 UnaHotels Reggio Emilia - Friendly game FC Bayern Munich 66:62 Dolomiti Energia Trento - Friendly game FC Bayern Munich 67:80 AS Monaco - Friendly game FC Bayern Munich 75:86 Niners Chemnitz - Friendly game FC Bayern Munich 64:66 MoraBanc Andorra - Friendly game Valencia Basket 88:65 FC Bayern Munich - Ciutat de Lluria Tournament FC Bayern Munich 72:38 Victoria Libertas Pesaro - Tournament Teramo FC Bayern Munich 76:59 AEK Athens - Trofeo d'Abruzzo FC Bayern Munich 87:80 ratiopharm Ulm - BBL Fraport Skyliners 74:83 FC Bayern Munich - BBL

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Credit Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Last season ended with mixed emotions for Fenerbahce. Even though the team did not compete for the EuroLeague playoffs, it ended up winning the Turkish league against the reigning EuroLeague champions. In spite of that, the roster was almost completely reshaped in hopes of recapturing the lost glory on the European stage.

Scottie Wilbekin and Nick Calathes arrived to lead the backcourt. Nemanja Bjelica came back from the NBA after winning the title with the Golden State Warriors to join EuroCup sensation Johnathan Motley in the frontcourt.

NBA G-League scoring ace Carsen Edwards was added to provide an additional scoring burst when needed. With all the new signings, the team hasn't been consistent. At times, they even had a really tough time scoring the ball.

Against Efes in the Presidential Cup, for example, the game wasn't close for the majority of the 40 minutes, even though Efes played largely with only 6 people in the rotation.

Due to Turkish league restrictions, it has been difficult for all the new pieces to fit together on the court. Some players are always forced to miss the games due to the foreign player limit. As a consequence, the new head coach Dimitris Itoudis has been trying to give playing time to all his players, sometimes to the detriment of the end result.

It is currently still not clear what role Carsen Edwards has or how the minutes between all frontcourt players will be split when Nemanja Bjelica comes back after fully healing from an injury. At least at the beginning, the EuroLeague stage will become the place where we will all find that out. Not only we, Dimitris Itoudis as well.

Preseason results:

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 77:95 Besiktas - TUBAD Tournament Anadolu Efes Istanbul 92:96 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul - TUBAD Tournament Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 77:67 Bahcesehir Koleji - Friendly game Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 79:93 Olympiacos Piraeus - Istanball Cup Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 88:86 Gaziantep - Cevat Soydas Turnuvasi Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 72:75 Galatasaray NEF - Cevat Soydas Turnuvasi Pinar Karsiyaka 87:98 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul - Pinar Cup Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 89:93 Prometey - Pinar Cup Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 62:71 Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Turkish Presidential Cup Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 78:72 Bahcesehir Koleji - BSL

AS Monaco

Credit AS Monaco

After missing out on the Final Four last year, Monaco comes back stronger than ever to try and make it to the very end of the competition. Securing Mike James for one more year? Done. Adding additional scoring options to help ease James' load? Done. Giving the roster experience but signing potential talent? Done as well.

A significant increase in the club's budget has resulted in one of the more complete rosters in the tournament. The backcourt of Mike James, Elie Okobo, and Jordan Loyd is flat-out sexy while the addition of John Brown III has been one of the more underrated EuroLeague transfers this offseason.

After losing the first game of the preparatory phase, Monaco lost only once, and did it against the league's reigning champions. It was the lowest-scoring match for the team. If you remove that game, Monaco have been scoring in bunches with tons of options on the offensive side.

For example, Jaron Blossomgame's addition was viewed with some reservation as ratiopharm Ulm might not be the strongest of teams to go straight to EuroLeague from. However, his numbers in the French LNB have been more than solid. 20 points and 5 rebounds against Nancy, 11 points and 4 rebounds against Roanne - head coach Sasa Obradovic should have some confidence going into the year.

Jordan Loyd has already shown consistency in scoring, Mike James is still the Mike James we know and love, Alpha Diallo is continuing to grow after a strong last-season finish, and Donta Hall's flying abilities have not diminished one bit.

Elie Okobo is currently the biggest question mark it seems. The player struggled in EuroBasket 2022 gaining consistent minutes from Vincent Collet, he might have to face a similar issue in Monaco as well. He's shown that when he believes in himself and his abilities, Okobo can be a menace on the court. The struggle is now finding this confidence again when you have several other options in front of you in the rotation.

Preseason results:

AS Monaco 95:96 Hapoel Tel Aviv - Trofeo Sassari FC Bayern Munich 67:80 AS Monaco - Friendly game ratiopharm Ulm 72:99 AS Monaco - Friendly game Brose Bamberg 79:99 AS Monaco - Friendly game Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade 88:93 AS Monaco - Friendly game Anadolu Efes Istanbul 84:73 AS Monaco - Friendly game Bahcesehir Koleji 58:76 AS Monaco - Friendly game Nanterre 92 75:78 AS Monaco - LNB SLUC Nancy Basket 76:89 AS Monaco - LNB AS Monaco 109:85 Chorale Roanne Basket - LNB

Olympiacos Piraeus

Credit Olympiacos Piraeus

Georgios Bartzokas found a working formula last year to lead the team to the Final Four. When something works, you shouldn't fix it, at least that's what the proverb tells. Olympiacos took the advice and implemented it to the fullest.

The entire core that brought local trophies and international recognition is back. Isaiah Canaan, Joel Bolomboy, and Alec Peters fill the remaining few holes on the roster, and we're looking at a roster that can quietly make rounds in the EuroLeague once again.

The calmness of the process could be seen in the preparatory process where Olympiacos didn't lose once, beating their opponents by confident margins.

Contrary to many other teams in the tournament, the new additions don't have to be great quickly in order for the team to be great. Olympiacos' signings are additional pieces in the larger puzzle that help add more flare and color to the already-solid scenery.

Panathinaikos didn't have a chance in the Greek SuperCup. The scariest part is that Sasha Vezenkov didn't have a particularly good game in the final and still finished the day with 12 points and 10 rebounds in his account.

Moustapha Fall was largely viewed as an outcast before joining Olympiacos. He's now become an integral part of the team's offense. He's loved by the teammates, he's now the MVP of the SuperCup final.

Just like Fall, Olympiacos isn't flashy. They simply get the job done over and over again leaving you surprised at how it all happened. Final Four might be harder to reach this year but this team is more than ready for the challenge.

Preseason results:

Olympiacos Piraeus 87:58 Apollon Patras - Friendly game Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 79:93 Olympiacos Piraeus - Istanball Cup Promitheas Patras 72:81 Olympiacos Piraeus - Friendly game Olympiacos Piraeus 88:77 Hapoel Holon Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade 55:94 Olympiacos Piraeus - Tournament Neofytos Chandriotis Olympiacos Piraeus 93:65 Promitheas Patras - Greek SuperCup Panathinaikos Athens 52:67 Olympiacos Piraeus - Greek SuperCup

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Credit EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

With Sergio Rodriguez and Malcolm Delany departing the team during the offseason, head coach Ettore Messina searched for their replacement. Kevin Pangos became the answer very quickly. A name that strikes fear in opponents' defensive plans.

Similarly to Bayern Munich, Olimpia's two biggest additions were getting a point guard and a center. Brandon Davies comes from Barcelona to lead the frontcourt in an otherwise-stacked roster.

However, Milan's preseason hasn't given much confidence, at least for the beginning of the year. Luigi Datome, Naz Mitrou-Long, and Shavon Shields are currently out with injuries. Pangos played his first game since September 10th this weekend, where he struggled mightily until finally hitting some clutch shots in the fourth quarter.

After winning everything to start the preseason, the last two games looked shaky at best for Milan. Messina's team fought for every single point in the Supercoppa against Virtus. They struggled against Brescia and let the opponent almost win the game even after mounting a comeback.

When his teammates faced an uphill battle to score, Devon Hall was the knight with shining armor for his team, providing consistent scoring on the floor. 32 points in two games don't sound like a lot but when your team scores 38 points in 3 quarters, it's more than enough to prove that you have the knack for scoring.

Without Shields, Messina will have to look at Nicolo Melli, who is coming back after a star campaign in EuroBasket 2022, to provide leadership on the court. With the Pangos-Davies duo currently not in form, much of the scoring might come down on the shoulders of Hall and Melli. When you look at the options on the bench, it's not that bad of a deal.

Preseason results:

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 111:86 Openjobmetis Varese - City of Cagliari Trophy EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 66:75 Dinamo Sassari - City of Cagliari Trophy EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 100:73 Openjobmetis Varese - Trofeo Lombardia EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 72:70 Victoria Libertas Pesaro - Memorial Bottacin EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 80:71 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv - Trophy Pavlos Giannakopoulos Panathinaikos Athens 64:77 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan - Trophy Pavlos Giannakopoulos EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 64:72 Virtus Segafredo Bologna - Italian Supercoppa EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 78:77 Germani Brescia - Lega Basket

FC Barcelona

Credit FC Barcelona

The team with the most stories surrounding both the roster and the coaching staff. After coming up short and not winning neither the EuroLeague nor the Liga Endesa, Barca was on a shopping spree this summer.

Nick Calathes famously left the team with Tomas Satoransky coming in as his replacement with Jan Vesely joining the fellow Czech. Nikola Kalinic was signed to provide hustle points and leadership on the court while Oscar da Silva was brought in to replace Rolands Smits as the backup for Nikola Mirotic. Until everything collapsed.

Mirotic injured his Achilles in July and will be sidelined for at least a month or two after the EuroLeague season starts. As a remedy, Barca signed Mike Tobey. Sounds funny at first but that's what you have to do when you lose your leader for at least a third of the season.

Without Mirotic, Barca has struggled to find offensive consistency so far. Satoransky has been underwhelming with Rokas Jokubaitis oftentimes playing a larger role in games. Nicolas Laprovittola has been the most productive player so far, a statement that shouldn't inspire Barca fans.

Cory Higgins has been absent from the two Liga Endesa games so far. Even though head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius admitted having a plan for him, it is not encouraging when the guy who should have been one of the main scoring options hasn't been producing on the court for almost a year now.

Despite all that, the roster is as stacked as it can probably get and Saras is a mastermind of a coach, despite recent criticisms of his approach. If the team can show the attitude they demonstrated in the second half against Baskonia this last weekend more often, scary times are coming for the opponents.

On top of that, imagine Satoransky and Vesely bonding to form a pick-and-roll duo to be feared. That's how impressive Barca can be. Whenever this roster finds form, it is a top team in the EuroLeague without any doubt.

Preseason results:

FC Barcelona 87:80 MoraBanc Andorra - Friendly game FC Barcelona 75:81 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - Friendly game FC Barcelona 88:77 Girona Basquet - Lliga Catalana Joventut Badalona 82:92 FC Barcelona - Lliga Catalana FC Barcelona 91:74 Joventut Badalona - Spanish SuperCup Real Madrid 89:83 FC Barcelona - Spanish SuperCup Gran Canaria 88:85 FC Barcelona - Liga Endesa FC Barcelona 89:74 Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz - Liga Endesa

Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Credit Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Anadolu Efes are the current EuroLeague champions. Saying that their offseason was impressive sometimes feels like not saying anything meaningful at all. The team managed to retain Shane Larkin and Vasilije Micic while adding Will Clyburn, Achille Polonara, and Ante Zizic to the roster at the same time.

It marks probably the first time in the tournament's history when three players who are arguably no. 1 in their respective positions are on the same team. However, Efes fans will have to wait for it to fully materialize as Larkin had to undergo surgery in the middle of September and is set to be out for an additional month.

Ergin Ataman's Efes has been known as a team that starts the season on a slower note. It has been the case this year as well. Confident wins were followed by confusing losses to inferior competition. Efes beat Fenerbajce and Monaco but managed to lose against Panathinaikos and Venezia.

Putting Larkin aside, Efes have 8 foreign players on the roster. As it is with their rivals Fenerbahce, Ataman has to navigate the tough waters of registering only a handful of those players for local games in Turkey, hindering the overall process.

Even though Achille Polonara has been struggling to find his rhythm with Amath M'Baye taking his place in the starting rotation at times, one thing can inspire hope of a three-peat for the club's fans.

Will Clyburn has been every bit as great as advertised. Even with Micic coming back, the forward is one of the preferred options on the offensive side. With Rodrigue Beaubois suddenly finding his shooting stroke, the team once again is in no need to search for options with the ball.

Efes replaced a couple of aging veterans with several studs at their respective positions. The three-peat is not only possible, it's probable.

Preseason results:

Anadolu Efes Istanbul 86:70 Bahcesehir Koleji - TUBAD Tournament Anadolu Efes Istanbul 92:96 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul - TUBAD Tournament Anadolu Efes Istanbul 77:76 CSKA Moscow - Friendly game Anadolu Efes Istanbul 74:63 Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar - Friendly game Anadolu Efes Istanbul 75:70 Zenit Saint Petersburg - Friendly game Anadolu Efes Istanbul 83:65 Enisey - Friendly game Anadolu Efes Istanbul 84:73 AS Monaco - Friendly game Anadolu Efes Istanbul 87:78 Parma Pari Perm - Friendly game Umana Reyer Venezia 85:82 Anadolu Efes Istanbul - 150 Years of Reyer Tournament Panathinaikos Athens 86:71 Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Trophy Pavlos Giannakopoulos Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 81:87 Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Trophy Pavlos Giannakopoulos Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 62:71 Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Turkish President Cup Anadolu Efes Istanbul 77:68 Galatasaray NEF - BSL

Real Madrid

Credit Real Madrid

The most solid team however you look at it. If you thought that Real's roster was stacked last year, think again because this year's team is on a whole other level.

All last year's leaders, who won the Liga Endesa and got within a shot or two of winning the EuroLeague, are coming back for one more year. On top of that, Dzanan Musa, Sergio Rodriguez, and Mario Hezonja have signed with the club.

Real has been dominating ever since. After coming back from EuroBasket 2022, Dzanan Musa has continued his strong output, averaging 20.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists playing over 30 minutes multiple times.

The team still has the most dominant center in Europe Edy Tavares, while Guerschon Yabusele has been quietly amazing once again. Gabriel Deck will now play his first full season with the team after coming back from the NBA.

Barcelona had no chance against Real in the Spanish SuperCup. The offensive apparatus has developed so well that there are few teams in Europe that can stop it. If you have a player or two that's struggling that day, there are several options on the bench that are almost as good.

Pablo Laso left the team during the offseason after disagreements with the club's management about the coach's health. His long-time assistant Chus Mateo has overtaken the head coaching position. So far, the specialist's start has been excellent. If there are any weaknesses to grab onto, Mateo might be the only one. Otherwise, get ready because this team is going to win, and it's going to win a lot.

Preseason results:

Unicaja Malaga 91:98 Real Madrid - Torneo Costa del Sol Real Madrid 89:81 Zalgiris Kaunas - Torneo Costa del Sol Real Madrid 91:104 UCAM Murcia - Trofeo Luis Casimiro Coosur Real Betis 69:100 Real Madrid - Spanish SuperCup Real Madrid 89:83 FC Barcelona - Spanish SuperCup Girona Basquet 88:94 Real Madrid - Liga Endesa Real Madrid 93:79 Monbus Obradoiro - Liga Endesa Support BasketNews so we could make even better content.