The 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is about to begin and at the end of the season, we will have a new MVP. Last season's winner Sasha Vezenkov is not in the competition. The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague has had 17 different MVPs since 2006 when Maccabi Tel Aviv legend Anthony Parker became the first and only player to win the award twice. Therefore, it is safe to say that it is one of the hardest awards to predict in sports. Here is my list of MVP candidates heading into this season:

Top 10 MVP candidates for the 2023-24 EuroLeague

The 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is about to begin and at the end of the season, we will have a new MVP. Last season's winner Sasha Vezenkov is not in the competition. The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague has had 17 different MVPs since 2006 when Maccabi Tel Aviv legend Anthony Parker became the first and only player to win the award twice. Therefore, it is safe to say that it is one of the hardest awards to predict in sports. Here is my list of MVP candidates heading into this season:

### 10 – Willy Hernangomez, FC Barcelona

Hernangomez comes to Barca to play a leading role and is an accomplished scorer and rebounder, with quick post moves and great hands. He returns to European basketball right at the prime of his career and was the EuroBasket 2022 MVP.

### 9 – Facu Campazzo, Real Madrid

Campazzo showcased his best version for Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade last season and returns to Real to make the reigning EuroLeague champion even better. His character, outstanding court vision and off-the-charts basketball IQ make him a unique player.

Punter was chosen to the 2022-23 All-EuroLeague Second Team.

2022-23 EuroLeague highlights: Kevin Punter, Partizan

### 8 – Kevin Punter, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Punter comes off a rock-solid season with Partizan, in which it was one win away from reaching the Final Four. He was chosen to the All-EuroLeague Second Team. Punter is set to keep leading Partizan, especially in crunch time.

### 7 – Nikola Milutinov, Olympiacos Piraeus

Olympiacos needs different players to lead the team and Milutinov has all it takes to do so. He is a mobile center with outstanding rebounding skills. If Milutinov becomes the Reds' first option, he could be an MVP contender.

### 6 – Will Clyburn, Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Efes made some roster moves that make Clyburn its first choice on offense from now on. He has been named to All-EuroLeague teams twice and has the complete package: versatility, leadership, character and outstanding one-on-one skills.

### 5 – Mathias Lessort, Panathinaikos Athens

Lessort comes off a solid season with Partizan, in which he dominated at both ends. He may have even more talent around him this season. Lessort's rebounding skills and connection with Panathinaikos fans should be critical for the Greens.

Wade Baldwin earned March 2023 MVP honors and was chosen to the All-EuroLeague Second Team.

2022-23 EuroLeague highlights: Wade Baldwin, Maccabi

### 4 – Wade Baldwin, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Baldwin was chosen to the All-EuroLeague Second Team and was the EuroLeague MVP for March. He took a step forward last season thanks to his great determination and he makes his teammates better. Maccabi trusts him for a Final Four return.

### 3 – Nikola Mirotic, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Mirotic is the only former EuroLeague MVP on the list. He is in a new environment with a great coach in Ettore Messina who knows him well. A great shooter from all angles, Mirotic can help Milan in many different ways.

### 2 – Mike James, AS Monaco

James has been named to the All-EuroLeague teams three times and has earned MVP of the Month honors four times. He has been close to the MVP award many times and is set to keep leading a talented team. Will 2024 be his year?

### 1 – Walter Tavares, Real Madrid

Tavares has been named to the All-EuroLeague First Team in each of the last three seasons. He has taken home the EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy three times and was last season's Final Four MVP. The champs' leader deserves the top spot on this list.

Tavares was chosen to the All-EuroLeague FIrst Team and earned 2023 Final Four MVP honors.

2022-23 EuroLeague highlights: Walter Tavares, Real

Top 10 MVP candidates for the 2023-24 EuroLeague season

As part of the ongoing enhancement of the Euroleague Basketball rulebook to ensure that games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup are both fair to participants and clear to fans, Euroleague Basketball has added and modified several rules ahead of the 2023-24 season. 

2023-24 Euroleague Basketball rule changes

As part of the ongoing enhancement of the Euroleague Basketball rulebook to ensure that games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup are both fair to participants and clear to fans, Euroleague Basketball has added and modified several rules ahead of the 2023-24 season. 

These include an additional coach's challenge for every game, new situations that referees can review during games, and a change in the disqualification rules for players or staff members on the bench during an on-court altercation. 

Head coaches will now get two challenges to use during each game, but must use one of them in the game's first 38 minutes or lose it. In order to help speed up games, referees will now be able to initiate a foul review only in the final 2 minutes of a game or the final 2 minutes in overtime. Coaches may still use a challenge to initiate a foul review at any time.

Two new types of calls will now be open to review: one, whether or not a player was fouled in the act of shooting; and two, whether the shot clock requires resetting or not in situations when there is a review to determine if the ball touched the rim. In both cases, a coach may use a challenge for these calls. The referees may only initiate such reviews in the final 2 minutes of a game or the final 2 minutes in overtime.

Going forward, any player or team staff leaving the bench during an on-court altercation who does not become actively involved in the disturbance will not be disqualified. This assumes that the referees will be able to review footage and confirm that the bench player was not involved. 

Finally, all jump ball situations will now see the ball put into play at the circle (either foul free-throw line or center court) that is nearest to the position where the previous action occurred.

EuroLeague season preview: Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 

Exciting times loom in Belgrade where Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet has a mostly new-look squad and great ambition to get back into the playoffs. Last season Zvezda's 17-17 record left it in 10th place, two wins outside of the playoff zone, however with the current format that would have sent the club into the new Play-In Showdown.

### Look who's back!

Zvezda fans can welcome home some familiar faces as former players Dejan Davidovac and Nemanja Bjelica are both back at the club. While the former was away for one season, the latter returns after 13 years abroad. Then there is former MVP Milos Teodosic, who grew up a Zvezda fan, though he never wore the red-and-white jersey, and Marko Simonovic who returned to Belgrade after two seasons in the NBA.

Altogether, Zvezda penned new 10 players to deals over the summer. There are several veterans, such as reigning champion Adam Hanga and centers Mike Tobey and Joel Bolomboy. The duo of Yago Dos Santos and Shabazz Napier will be a formidable one at point guard. And Rokas Giedraitis packs plenty of scoring punch.

 

### Unprecedented depth

Coach Ivanovic will preside over the deepest roster in club history. Nemanja Nedovic and Branko Lazic remain from the old guard to deliver in the backcourt, Luka Mitrovic and Ognjen Kuzmic can be counted on in the paint and Stefan Lazerevich and Dalibor Ilic will fill out the rotation on the wings. When everyone is healthy, Coach Ivanovic will have some tough decisions to make.

Zvezda has been to the playoffs only once before, in 2016, when it was swept by CSKA Moscow. The club believes a playoff return is long overdue and Zvezda has the right roster - with youth and experience - and support from the fans to end that drought this season.

EuroLeague season preview: Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

EuroLeague season preview: FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona has made it to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in each of the last three seasons, but the Blaugrana have been able to get their hands on the championship title in that time. With star player Nikola Mirotic and head coach Saras Jasikevicius having left the club this summer, a new-look Barca led by first-year boss Roger Grimau hopes to once again be in European basketball's showpiece event.

 

### Four new signings

 

In addition to the arrival of Coach Grimau, Barca has tweaked its roster by bringing in Spain star Willy Hernangomez, who last played in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans, as well as fellow Spaniards Joel Parra and Dario Brizuela. Jabari Parker, the second overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, joined the Blaugrana in the offseason, too.

 

Despite losing the likes of Mirotic, Cory Higgins, Kyle Kuric and Sertac Sanli, Barca is still able to call upon Tomas Satoransky, Rokas Jokubaitis, Nikola Kalinic and Jan Vesely, among others. A new head coach brings new ideas, so it will be fascinating to see how Barca gets on in the coming season.

 

### A tough start to the season

 

On Thursday night, Barca opens its EuroLeague season at home to Anadolu Efes Istanbul in a mouth-watering contest. Both teams have undergone big changes over the summer, and this fixture has provided some compelling contests in the last few years. From there, the Blaugrana have two tricky road games at Olympiacos Piraeus and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in Rounds 2 and 3, respectively.

 

Round 4 will see the return of Pablo Laso, a two-time EuroLeague champion with Real Madrid, to Palau Blaugrana and his FC Bayern Munich side takes on Barca. Then, in Round 5, there is the first clásico of the season against Real Madrid, which takes place at WiZink Center. It is not the easiest of starts for Coach Grimau's group, but if it comes through those games with flying colors, it should be a good sign of what is to come later in the campaign. 

 EuroLeague season preview: ALBA Berlin 

ALBA Berlin has failed to make the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs since returning to the competition in the 2019-20 season, but it will hope to upset the odds in the coming campaign. The 2024 EuroLeague Final Four will take place at ALBA's home, Mercedes-Benz Arena, so there should be added motivation for Israel Gonzalez's side to do the unthinkable and secure a spot in May's Final Four.

 

### Surprising changes to the roster

 

After a couple of years of sticking with more or less the same group of players, this summer saw plenty of changes at ALBA. Guards Maodo Lo, Jaleen Smith and Tamir Blatt have all moved on, as have forwards Luke Sikma and Yovel Zoosman. In short, we will see some different stars on the court for ALBA in the coming season.

 

The new recruits include Italian prodigy Matteo Spagnolo, who arrives at ALBA one year after his compatriot, Gabriele Procida, joined the club. Sterling Brown adds high-level talent after coming from the NBA, while Matt Thomas offers scoring and Ziga Samar will be keen to show what he can do after returning from a loan spell with Veolia Towers Hamburg.

 

Justin Bean has also signed for ALBA, with the hope being that he can emerge as a replacement for Sikma. Some good news for ALBA fans is that small forward Louis Olinde has stayed with the team after getting some interest from NBA teams.

 

### A world champion remains on the books

###  

While Lo departed ALBA for EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, one of his World Cup-winning teammates from the Germany squad has opted to stay in Berlin: Johannes Thiemann. Following a summer in which Thiemann played a crucial role in Germany making it to the World Cup final and then beating Serbia, he enters the 2023-24 EuroLeague season as ALBA's new team captain.

 

ALBA finished 16th last season with a record of 11-23, so Thiemann will hope to use his winning experience from the World Cup with Germany to guide his club side to an unlikely playoff appearance. From there, the dream of playing the Final Four on its home court can start to appear in the players' minds, but there's a long way to go before that.

EuroLeague season preview: ALBA Berlin

The 2023-24 EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge, powered by Ardu Prime, officially gets officially underway this week! Over 100,000 teams are starting down a wild and fun road and the best of them may capture prizes that all basketball fans would love; the grand prize is a VIP trip to the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four.

Fantasy Challenge tips, Round 1: Here we go again!

The 2023-24 [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge, powered by Ardu Prime](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home), officially gets officially underway this week! Over 100,000 teams are starting down a wild and fun road and the best of them may capture prizes that all basketball fans would love; the grand prize is a VIP trip to the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four.

All teams start from scratch and there are some interesting opportunities in the player market. Here are my recommendations for Round 1 – five players who can give you an edge in your private leagues and help you make a good start in the overall standings.

Luka Mitrovic, Joffrey Lauvergne, Uros Trifunovic, Markus Howard and Mario Hezonja are featured in this week's article.

Euroleague Fantasy tips: Round 1

### Joffrey Lauvergne, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (9.0 credits)

Lauvergne has put his injury troubles behind him and has been playing at his best level in the opening weeks of the season. After all, he has recorded a double-digit PIR in each of ASVEL's first four French League games. Lauvergne should be ready to prove he is one of the best big men in the EuroLeague once again.

### Uros Trifunovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (4.6 credits)

All eyes will be on his teammate Aleksa Avramovic, the most-bought player in the game so far – over 30% of teams have picked up the Partizan guard. If you want a more under-the-radar candidate, I recommend Trifunovic based on his versatility and the great pre-season he had. Head coach Zeljko Obradovic should give him a chance to play right away, too.

### Mario Hezonja, Real Madrid (9.9 credits)

Gabriel Deck is not available in Round 1, which gives Mario Hezonja a chance to resume the role he had late last season. En route to Real's EuroLeague title triumph, the Croatian was helping on the boards, playing at either forward position and leading Real's defense with great intensity and hustle. "Super Mario" is in the prime of his career.

### Markus Howard, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (10.0 credits)

He's had a great start of the season in the Spanish League and that is why he is included on this list, even though Baskonia will come up against the reigning champs. Howard opened the Spanish League campaign with a 29-point, 32 PIR effort in Round 1, and through three games is averaging 22.7 points and a PIR of 20. When Howard is this hot, he is a must-have player in fantasy.

### Luka Mitrovic, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (9.0 credits)

Mitrovic enjoyed a fantastic start to the 2022-23 season and I expect him to do the same one year later. He is Zvezda's main reference in the paint, can play well with either Ognjen Kuzmic and Mike Tobey, and has the experience and post skills to do well right away.

Valencia Basket v AS Monaco (2023-10-06T18:30:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Real Madrid (2023-10-06T18:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos Athens v Olympiacos Piraeus (2023-10-06T18:15:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2023-10-06T17:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Zalgiris Kaunas (2023-10-05T18:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v ALBA Berlin (2023-10-05T18:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2023-10-05T18:30:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-10-05T18:05:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2023-10-05T17:00:00.000Z)

The new season is here! With a thrilling set of games coming up on Thursday and Friday, here's your quick guide to all the Round 1 action in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season. 


This week: The 2023-24 EuroLeague season tips off!

The new season is here! With a thrilling set of games coming up on Thursday and Friday, here's your quick guide to all the Round 1 action in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season. 

[**Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade-ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/E2023/1/)

The season's opening tipoff will see Zvezda host ASVEL in the Serbian capital. The hosts flirted with the playoffs last season but fell just short, finishing in 10th position with a 17-17 record. Over the summer, experienced head coach Dusko Ivanovic added proven talent such as Milos Teodosic, Adam Hanga and Joel Bolomboy in an attempt to get even stronger. ASVEL has finished in the bottom two of the standings in each of the last two campaigns, and long-serving head coach TJ Parker will hope to change that dynamic in the 2023-24 season. The team has made some new additions as it looks to do just that, with new recruits Paris Lee, Frank Jackson and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot complementing returning veterans like Nando De Colo and Charles Kahudi. 

[**Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2023/4/)

Maccabi boasted the league's best home record last season (15-2) en route to a fifth-place finish and head coach Oded Kattash will hope his team can again ride the wave of noise at Menora Mivtachim Arena. But visiting Partizan, which claimed an identical 20-14 regular-season finish, will have no fear as Zeljko Obradovic's squad aims to improve upon last season's playoff qualification. Both teams have important familiar returning faces, such as Wade Baldwin and Lorenzo Brown for Maccabi and Kevin Punter and James Nunnally for the visitors. But there is also an interesting array of newcomers – Jasiel Rivero and James Webb for Maccabi, Frank Kaminsky and PJ Dozier for Partizan – who will be eager to make an early mark in a game which will surely have a playoff-style intensity and atmosphere, even on opening night. 

[**Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs Zalgiris Kaunas**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/virtus-segafredo-bologna-zalgiris-kaunas/E2023/5/)

Two teams likely to be in the race for playoff contention will aim to get straight on the winning path as Virtus welcomes Zalgiris. It has been a summer of change for the Italian team, with head coach Sergio Scariolo replaced by Luca Banchi, who returns to the EuroLeague benches after a six-year absence. Virtus also has half a dozen new signings all over the floor, including shooting ace Jaleen Smith, dynamic forward Achille Polonara and veteran big man Bryant Dunston. Zalgiris coach Kazys Maksvytis has retained the majority of last season’s team, and the Greens will continue to rely on the likes of Keenan Evans and homegrown leader Edgaras Ulanovas. 

[**FC Bayern Munich vs ALBA Berlin**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/fc-bayern-munich-alba-berlin/E2023/3/)

World Cup winners go head-to-head as Bayern's triumphant trio of Niels Giffey, Isaac Bongo and Andreas Obst face ALBA's Johannes Thiemann in this German derby. New Bayern head coach Pablo Laso and his revamped roster – now including Serge Ibaka, Carsen Edwards and Leandro Bolmaro – goes up against an ALBA team which has also seen lots of summer changes following unusual roster stability in previous years. But ALBA tactician Israel Gonzalez will make exciting sure new arrivals such as Matteo Spagnolo, Justin Bean and Matt Thomas continue to follow the same free-flowing principles which always make his team fun to watch.

[**FC Barcelona vs Anadolu Efes Istanbul**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/fc-barcelona-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2023/2/)

Another high-octane opening night encounter comes at Palau Blaugrana as two ambitious teams in Barca and Efes look to start their new eras on the front foot. Even with charismatic coaches Sarunas Jasikevicius and Ergin Ataman now departed, new sidelines chiefs Roger Grimau and Erdem Can will set the same high expectations. Barca newcomers Willy Hernangomez, Dario Brizuela, Joel Parra and Jabari Parker are ready to leave their marks in the EuroLeague, while deposed back-to-back champ Efes can still call upon the scoring power of the explosive Shane Larkin but also added plenty of new talent, including assists magician Darius Thompson and high-flying center Tyrique Jones. It will be fascinating to see which direction these two powerhouse teams will take this season, and Thursday night will provide some early clues. 

[**Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs AX Armani Exchange Milan**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2023/6/)

Nikola Mirotic's debut for Milan will be the center of attention following arguably this summer's most high-profile transfer, but Fenerbahce will be determined to spoil the former Barcelona forward's night by defending its home court. The Turkish team's boss, Dimitris Itoudis, has strengthened an already powerful roster with the acquisition of new stars, like experienced big men Georgios Papagiannis and Sertac Sanli, whereas Mirotic is joined at Ettore Messina’s Milan by dangerous playmaker Maodo Lo and athletic forward Alex Poythress for a matchup between two teams with high aspirations. Fenerbahce fans will ensure a red-hot atmosphere for this high-level affair on Friday night. 

[**Panathinaikos Athens vs Olympiacos Piraeus**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/panathinaikos-athens-olympiacos-piraeus/E2023/7/)

Ergin Ataman's reign as Panathinaikos coach could not have had a more explosive start, with his Greens taking on archrival and last season's EuroLeague runner-up, Olympiacos Piraeus, on Friday night. Panathinaikos has practically an entirely new roster, but all eyes will be on Kostas Sloukas as the veteran playmaker debuts against the team he previously represented with distinction for 10 years over two separate spells. The backcourt duel between Sloukas and ex-teammate Thomas Walkup could go a long way towards determining the outcome of this mouth-watering matchup. Olympiacos, which will showcase new signings such as Ignas Brazdeikis and Nikola Milutinov, has dominated this derby recently with four straight wins, but there would be no way for Ataman to make an immediate impact than by changing that statistic on Friday. 

[**Valencia Basket vs AS Monaco**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/valencia-basket-as-monaco/E2023/9/)

After reaching the Final Four for the first time in club history last season, Monaco will attempt to kickstart another title challenge with a testing trip to Valencia, which also has high ambitions to keep on growing. Monaco head coach Sasa Obradovic has seen the majority of last season’s squad return, while the addition of four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker adds further firepower to an already sensational backcourt that contains Mike James, Elie Okobo and Jordan Lloyd. Valencia boss Alex Mumbru will look to contain that threat through several experienced new arrivals, including playmaker Stefan Jovic, all-action Semi Ojeleye and talented big man Brandon Davies. 

[**Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs Real Madrid**](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-real-madrid/E2023/8/)

A fascinating opening round concludes in suitable style with a high-octane Spanish derby, as reigning champ Real Madrid begins its title defense with the trip north to Baskonia. The teams are likely to have very different points of offensive emphasis, with Baskonia relying on the backcourt scoring skills of Markus Howard while Real attempts to establish inside dominance through towering big man Walter Tavares. Chus Mateo’s Real has embarked upon unusually little transfer activity this summer, with 13 members of the title-winning roster returning, while Baskonia – again led by Joan Penarroya – will look for instant impact from newcomers such as Nico Mannion, Chima Moneke and Khalifa Diop.

After winning back-to-back EuroLeague championships in 2021 and 2022, Anadolu Efes Istanbul fell off the mountain last season when it failed to reach the playoffs. What followed was a quick rebuild as Efes hired the EuroCup Coach of the Year, kept several stars from the glory years and enhanced them with a handful of new talents hungry to taste the high life.

 EuroLeague season preview: Anadolu Efes Istanbul 

After winning back-to-back EuroLeague championships in 2021 and 2022, Anadolu Efes Istanbul fell off the mountain last season when it failed to reach the playoffs. What followed was a quick rebuild as Efes hired the EuroCup Coach of the Year, kept several stars from the glory years and enhanced them with a handful of new talents hungry to taste the high life.

### The big guns

The Efes attack begins with the guards where three returnees set the tone. Shane Larkin is a pre-season candidate to lead the league in scoring and claim the MVP trophy. Rodrigue Beaubois and Elijah Bryant are impact players at both ends of the floor who can win games with big shots and defensive stops.

 Center Tibor Pleiss is also a returnee from the championship teams and he will share the paint with Ante Zizic who is back for a second consecutive season in Istanbul. Two-time All-EuroLeague selection Will Clyburn won his championship elsewhere and now looks for one with Efes as a dynamic do-it-all forward.

###  The agents of change

Up and down the roster Efes made changes that should have the team playing in the tough defense, exciting attack image of Coach Erdem Can. Point guard Darius Thompson led the league in assists last season as a EuroLeague rookie with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and was named to the All-EuroLeague team.

Outstanding athletes Tyrique Jones and Derek Willis are both coming up from the EuroCup to leave their marks. Point guard Justus Hollatz entered camp on a high after helping Germany win the Basketball World Cup and swingman Erkan Yilmaz is another EuroLeague newcomer at Coach Can's disposal.

Between the culture of winning that remains from the core players and the hunger of the newcomers, both on the bench and on the hardwood, Efes fans have plenty of reasons for optimism as this season begins.

EuroLeague season preview: Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Quite a lot has changed at Virtus Segafredo Bologna over the last couple of months, but the biggest change of all saw Luca Banchi replace Sergio Scariolo as head coach. However, Banchi's terrific work with the Latvian national team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup has created a sense of optimism among the Italian side's fan base.

 EuroLeague season preview: Virtus Segafredo Bologna 

Quite a lot has changed at Virtus Segafredo Bologna over the last couple of months, but the biggest change of all saw Luca Banchi replace Sergio Scariolo as head coach. However, Banchi's terrific work with the Latvian national team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup has created a sense of optimism among the Italian side's fan base.

On the playing roster, three of the players with the four highest average PIR scores have all departed: Semi Ojeleye, Milos Teodosic and Mam Jaiteh. Other members of the squad to have left this summer include Kyle Weems, Ismael Bako and Nicolo Mannion, so there's a new look to the team heading into the new EuroLeague season. Importantly, though, star forward Tornike Shengelia is healthy and ready to remind the EuroLeague of his talent after an injury-hit season last time out.

### The new signings at Virtus

There are high hopes that 23-year-old Alessandro Pajola can take another step up in his career, while Jaleen Smith and Ognjen Dobric – coming off impressive seasons at ALBA Berlin and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, respectively – have bolstered Virtus's options at the guard positions.

Another new signing at Virtus is Italian forward Achille Polonara, who returned to his country of birth this summer after four years away. Curiously, Polonara will have his first chance to play in the EuroLeague with an Italian team next season, having previously represented teams from Spain (Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, 2019-21), Turkiye (Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, 2021-22; Anadolu Efes Istanbul, 2022-23) and Lithuania (Zalgiris Kaunas, 2022-23).

Guard Bruno Mascolo and forward Devontae Cacok have also joined Virtus, as has veteran center Bryant Dunston. Now 37, Dunston has a ton of experience under his belt and also a winning mentality, which should make him an ideal candidate – along with team captain Marco Belinelli – to lead the locker room. A two-time EuroLeague champion and a two-time winner of the EuroLeague Best Defender prize, the American will be determined to show that he's still got something left in the tank, too.

### Improving on last year

Last season saw Virtus play in the EuroLeague for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign, but despite having high expectations, the team finished 14th with a 14-20 record. The level of quality in the EuroLeague has taken another jump across the board, but Virtus will hope that it can channel the spirit of Coach Banchi's Latvia side and upset the odds. 