Championship Game predictions: Fenerbahce vs. Monaco

The Euroleague.net writers explain who they think will lift the EuroLeague title

At 19:00 CEST, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and AS Monaco meet in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi to determine the 2024-25 EuroLeague champion. Fenerbahce is aiming to lift its second EuroLeague crown after last doing so in 2017, while Monaco is competing in the title decider for the first time.

With that in mind, which team do the Euroleague.net writers think will come out on top?

Javier Gancedo: Monaco

It is arguably the most unpredictable Championship Game in many years. None of the superstars on either team have been at this level before, plus no French League team has got this far in more than three decades. Still, I believe the 2025 Final Four will go down as Mike James's finest moment. James started the season with an injury and has only got better and better since Vassilis Spanoulis was hired as head coach. He understands the game better than ever, has a team-first approach, and can help his side in many ways. It is safe to say that Coach Spanoulis made James a better leader. Jaron Blossomgame and Alpha Diallo are good, solid options to use against Nigel Hayes-Davis, plus Daniel Theis gives Monaco much-needed physicality in the middle. Long story short, Monaco has everything to make history. James is the only player in the All-25 EuroLeague team that never won the competition. That comes to an end tonight. My take: Monaco by 5-7 points, Mike James as Final Four MVP.

Igor Petrinovic: Fenerbahce

I don’t remember the last time I was this torn about making a pick. Whether I was right or wrong in the past, I had an idea about who I thought would win. This time, I see only the strengths of both teams. I would say Fenerbahce is playing better as a team and is arguably EuroLeague’s best team this calendar year. They've got many pieces who seem like role players until they start taking over games, and every player has bought into coach Saras Jasikevicius's team-first mentality a long time ago. But I also believe Monaco has a more star-studded lineup than Fenerbahce, with Mike James leading the way. And James was locked in in the semifinals. Monaco beat Fenerbahce twice this season, and the Roca Team might have just put their best performance of the season on display in the semis. So, with all that in mind, there is only one way this should be decided: overtime. And in the extra session? I am staying with the pick I made in my Playoffs Bracket. My pick: Fenerbahce in OT, Tarik Biberovic as Final Four MVP.

Geoff Gillingham: Fenerbahce

So, it seems that Igor and I speak the same language. Fenerbahce has only got better as the season has gone on and their semifinal performance against Panathinaikos proved that it has learned the lessons of last year. Coach Saras Jasikevicius has also learned from his previous Final Four heartbreaks as a head coach and is the calmest I remember seeing him. My Euroleague.net colleagues know how much I love Mike James, but Fenerbahce's got the defensive nous and offensive quality to make Monaco suffer, despite losing both regular-season games to Vassilis Spanoulis's squad. After an eight-year wait, the EuroLeague title is heading to Istanbul! My prediction: Fenerbahce by 7 points, Wade Baldwin as Final Four MVP.

Frankie Sachs: Monaco

Belief in which team will win tonight comes down to which narrative you believe in more. Is it finally time for Saras to win the EuroLeague as a head coach? Or is Vassilis Spanoulis destined to win it in his first try? Is Mike James going to leave the list of the best players never to win the EuroLeague? Are Nigel Hayes-Davis and Wade Baldwin going to climb the mountain? The players say this game is won by who wants it more. My gut feeling is that Monaco will be that team. And MJ55 will take home the Final Four MVP Trophy.