Top signings: EuroLeague to EuroCup
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4 Mins read
Several 7DAYS EuroCup teams have geared up for the upcoming season by boosting their rosters with players who last year played on Turkish Airlines EuroLeague courts. Some of starred for their teams, while others might have seen limited action, but all bring valuable EuroLeague experience to their new teams:
Jerian Grant, Turk Telekom Ankara
Jerian Grant possesses all kinds of versatility with his length, athleticism and ability to score. On a loaded EA7 Emporio Armani Milan roster last season, Grant carved out a role off the bench, averaging 2.8 points in 26 appearances of 12 minutes per game in what was his first EuroLeague campaign. One of his best performances came in a Game 2 victory in the playoffs over the eventual champion Anadolu Efes Istanbul, when Grant scored 11 points on 3-for-3 from shooting from long range. This big-time player will be one of Turk Telekom's leaders.
Ahmet Duverioglu, Frutti Extra Bursaspor
Bursaspor got both size and big-game experience under the rims when signing Ahmet Duverioglu, who spent the past six years with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, reaching three Final Fours and becoming a EuroLeague champion in 2017. Prior to that, he had played one EuroLeague campaign with Efes. All told, he has 142 appearances in Europe's premier competition and ranks third all-time with 67.9% career two-point accuracy. An offensive-minded force whenever he's on the floor, expect the 29-year-old center to make a big impact in his EuroCup debut season.
William Howard, Joventut Badalona
William Howard returns to the EuroCup with high-level experience after spending the last two seasons with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. Over that span, he made 43 appearances of 20 minutes per game, averaging 7.3 points. His 48.2% rate from three-point range was fifth-best among EuroLeague players over the last two seasons. That includes one of the most memorable game-winners in the history of the competition, too.
Riccardo Moraschini, Umana Reyer Venice
One of Reyer's many off-season additions from the EuroLeague, swingman Riccardo Moraschini, spent the better part of the last three seasons in Milan as a reliable defensive contributor. Offensively, he knocked down 38.4% of his three-point shots while playing 13 minutes per game. All told, he played four Euroleague seasons since debuting as a 17-year-old way back in 2008. Moraschini now makes his EuroCup return eight years after having last played in the competition with Virtus Roma.
Jayson Granger, Umana Reyer Venice
Reyer brings loads of experience to its backcourt with the arrival of Jayson Granger, a veteran of eight EuroLeague seasons. Only one player in the EuroCup – Joventut center Ante Tomic – has played in more games in the EuroLeague than Granger, who has had 206 EuroLeague appearances, with career averages of 8.8 points, 4.1 assists and 2.4 rebounds. Last season he played with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, and he is now poised to use all that know-how to help lift Reyer to another level.
Yigitcan Saybir, Frutti Extra Bursaspor
Bursaspor's other addition from the EuroLeague is a current continental champ, Yigitcan Saybir. He might have made only one brief appearance in the Euroleague last season, but he was still part of the team that defended its crown. Saybir only made six EuroLeague appearances over four different seasons with Efes, but has seen plenty of domestic league action with the back-to-back continental champs and now brings that experience to the EuroCup.
Marco Spissu, Umana Reyer Venice
Even though he did not spend even one full EuroLeague campaign, point guard Marco Spissu left his mark in the EuroLeague last season. Playing for UNICS Kazan, Spissu led the competition with 52.9% three-point accuracy, becoming only the seventh player in the last 10 EuroLeague seasons to shoot such a high percentage from deep in 25 or more appearances. In addition to his sharpshooting, Spissu's playmaking will be a thing to pay attention to in the upcoming season.