Small forward Gabriel Deck enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his career and played a key role for Real Madrid throughout the season, which ended prematurely for him due to a knee injury suffered in the playoffs. 

Tribute to the champs: Gabriel Deck

Small forward [Gabriel Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/gabriel-deck/009005/) enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his career and played a key role for Real Madrid throughout the season, which ended prematurely for him due to a knee injury suffered in the playoffs. Deck set career highs in nearly every statistical category as he averaged 12.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 26:02 minutes over 31 games. His performance index rating of 15.7 ranked 13th in the league.

Deck started the season strong and set a pair of personal bests in the first month of the campaign. On opening night, he collected 13 rebounds in a road win at Panathinaikos Athens. He then poured in 28 points and posted a PIR of 33 in Round 5 against Virtus Segafredo Bologna. Deck would match that PIR total twice more during the season, against FC Barcelona in Round 21 and against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in the first game of their playoff series.

Gabriel Deck's best plays 2022-23

When the pressure was on in the playoffs, Deck proved up to the challenge. He only missed a single shot from the field in Game 1 en route to 24 points plus 8 rebounds in Game 1. Deck was suspended for Game 3 after his role in the altercation at the end of the second game of the series, but returned to the starting lineup for Game 4 and posted 14 points. However, in the closing minutes of that game, Partizan player Zach LeDay collided with Deck while chasing a loose ball. It left Deck with a ruptured internal collateral ligament in his left knee and he could not play again for the remainder of the season.

The 28-year-old Deck has played five seasons with *Los Blancos* and is his collection of skills and willingness to adapt his game to whatever his team needs on a given night or against a given opponent has made a valuable asset to his teammates and coaches. Moreover, thanks to his aggressive style of play, Deck is beloved by the Madrid faithful. All of the above will hope that Deck makes a full recovery in time to open the season with his teammates as a key cog in Real Madrid’s title defense.

Tribute to the champs

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade captured the ABA League crown for the first time since 2013 by blasting archrival Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 96-85 in Game 5 of the finals on Thursday to take the best-of-five series 3-2. 

Partizan wins the ABA League championship

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade captured the ABA League crown for the first time since 2013 by blasting archrival Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 96-85 in Game 5 of the finals on Thursday to take the best-of-five series 3-2. The game set the league record for attendance with 22,198 fans at Stark Arena. Kevin Punter shined with 32 points to lead all scorers and was named MVP of the playoffs. Zach LeDay added 15 for the winners and James Nunnally scored 12. Ognjen Dobric paced Zvezda with 18 points, Ben Bentil had 15, Nemanja Nedovic 12 and Facu Campazzo tallied 10 points, 8 assists and 5 steals in defeat. This marks Partizan’s seventh ABA championship and ends Zvezda’s run of three consecutive crowns.

<center> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="lv" dir="ltr">ŠAMPIONI!🖤🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ABALiga?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ABALiga</a> <a href="https://t.co/gVVMw90YiR">pic.twitter.com/gVVMw90YiR</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1671989206325907457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>



Punter scored the game’s first 6 points and Partizan raced to a 14-6 lead on a triple by Nunnally. A three by LeDay made it 30-18 after 10 minutes and the margin reached 21 points in both the second and third quarters. Zvezda erupted for 34 points in the third quarter and came roaring back to make it 75-68 on a Campazzo triple at the end of the third. It was 79-75 with 6 minutes remaining, but Nunnally and Dante Exum helped Partizan regain the momentum and the hosts held on down the stretch.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PartizanBC</a> captain <a href="https://twitter.com/KPJunior_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KPJunior_</a> is the NLB MVP of the 2023 AdmiralBet <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ABAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ABAPlayoffs</a>. <br><br>Congratulations, Kevin! 👏👏👏<br><br>Read more at: <a href="https://t.co/IxTvUM9DFX">https://t.co/IxTvUM9DFX</a> <a href="https://t.co/IGUkrdl7gP">pic.twitter.com/IGUkrdl7gP</a></p>&mdash; AdmiralBet ABA League (@ABA_League) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABA_League/status/1671985473634328582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, one of the most competitive in modern EuroLeague history, finished fittingly with a championship game thriller at the Zalgirio Arena. However, even before the Final Four drama unfolded in Kaunas, EuroLeague teams and players combined to set several new competition records.

2022-23 featured more offense than ever before

The 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, one of the most competitive in modern EuroLeague history, finished fittingly with a championship game thriller at the Zalgirio Arena. However, even before the Final Four drama unfolded in Kaunas, EuroLeague teams and players combined to set several new competition records.

The fans who filled EuroLeague arenas in record numbers this season as well as those watching at home were witnesses to more points scored and more shots made than any season before in competition history.

EuroLeague teams scored a total of 52,964 points during the 2022-23 campaign. That is nearly 900 points more than the previous record of 52,069, set in the 2020-21 season.

In addition, records have come all across the board. This new scoring mark includes players making more two-point shots (12,831), more three-pointers (5,944) and more free throws (9,470) than in any other season ever before.

And while accumulated numbers certainly benefited from 328 games, tied for the most ever, the long season did not stop the EuroLeague players from producing at near-record rates, too.

EuroLeague games in the 2022-23 campaign saw teams combine to score 161.48 points per game, the third-highest average ever. Only in the 2017-18 campaign, and way back in 2001-02, did teams combine to average more points than this past season.

The 161.48 points is also an increase of nearly 7.5 points per game compared to the season before and nearly 3.0 points more than 2020-21, the only other two completed seasons in the current 18-team round-robin format.

In historic comparisons, teams and players did even better when it came to three-point shooting. The average of 18.12 made triples per game was the highest ever in a completed season. This new mark sits behind only the COVID-shortened 2019-20 campaign.

It is also the culmination of a trend in which players are shooting more and making more long-range shots. The top four marks in average three-pointers made all belong to the last four EuroLeague seasons. Moreover, for the first time in EuroLeague history, fans saw teams fire more than 50 triples per game on average (50.13), which they have knocked down with 36.2% accuracy.

Interestingly, another segment where players fared better than in most other seasons was taking care of basketball. 2022-23 saw 24.6 turnovers per game, the fourth fewest in a season this century.

All combined, the past season was the continuation of a trend that has seen an increase in offensive production and one cannot wait to see what the 2023-24 campaign will have in store.

AS Monaco completed the signing of guard Terry Tarpey on a three-year deal, as the club starts building its roster for next season. Tarpey (29 years old, 1.95 meters) arrives from Le Mans Sarthe Basket. Tarpey has played 22 games for the French national team, having made his debut in 2022.

Monaco signs France international Terry Tarpey

AS Monaco completed the signing of guard Terry Tarpey on a three-year deal, as the club starts building its roster for next season. Tarpey (29 years old, 1.95 meters) arrives from Le Mans Sarthe Basket, where he averaged 8.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 28 French League games last season. In his only game against Monaco last season, he had 10 points and a PIR of 14, leading Le Mans to a 95-101 road win. Tarpey has played 22 games for the French national team, having made his debut in 2022.

Tarpey started his career with Denain ASC Voltaire in the French second division. He joined Le Mans in 2018 and played there for the last six campaigns, helping it reach the French Cup final in 2019. With the French national team, Tarpey was a part of the squad that won a silver medal at EuroBasket 2022. Tarpey is set to make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut with Monaco in the 2023-24 season. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🖋 ᴛᴇʀʀʏ ᴛᴀʀᴘᴇʏ arrive sur le Rocher 🔴⚪️ <br><br>Doté d&#39;un statut JFL 🇫🇷, l&#39;international français signe pour 3 ans 🤝 <br><br>🔋 Le champion de France 2018 apportera toute son énergie et sa détermination à la <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> ⚔️<br><br>Son interview 👇<a href="https://t.co/fLKu7Fhrl9">https://t.co/fLKu7Fhrl9</a> <a href="https://t.co/6qIItu2rkM">pic.twitter.com/6qIItu2rkM</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1671828188350107651?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

New AS Monaco signing Terry Tarpey during a game for the French national team.

Panathinaikos Athens has signed big man Kostas Antetokounmpo to a two-year deal, as the Greens add size and athleticism to its frontcourt. Antetokounmpo (25 years old, 2.08 meters) arrives from Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, where he averaged 2.7 points in 14 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games last season. 

Kostas Antetokounmpo lands at Panathinaikos

Panathinaikos Athens has signed big man [Kostas Antetokounmpo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-antetokounmpo/011221/) to a two-year deal, as the Greens add size and athleticism to its frontcourt. Antetokounmpo (25 years old, 2.08 meters) arrives from Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, where he averaged 2.7 points in 14 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games last season. He started the 2022-23 season with the Windy City Bulls of the G League, averaging 11.7 points in 12 games.

Kostas Antetokounmpo joined Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul midway through the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Kostas Antetokounmpo: 2022-23 EuroLeague highlights

Antetokounmpo spent the 2021-22 season with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, where he averaged 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds across 26 EuroLeague appearances. He was third in the league in two-point accuracy (71.8%) and fourth in blocked shots per minute, with a prorated average of 2.2 per 40 minutes. Prior to his EuroLeague debut with ASVEL, the Greece international played in the NBA for the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers, with which he won the 2020 NBA title. Antetokounmpo has also played for the Texas Legends and the South Bay Lakers of the G League, too. His brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, also played for Panathinaikos from 2017 to 2019, helping it win back-to-back Greek League titles and the 2019 Greek Cup crown.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Join us in welcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/Kostas_ante13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kostas_ante13</a> to Panathinaikos BC! 🤝☘️<br><br>Read More 👉 <a href="https://t.co/iokEADGzIM">https://t.co/iokEADGzIM</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobc</a> <a href="https://t.co/5HKLdFaWpe">pic.twitter.com/5HKLdFaWpe</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/paobcgr/status/1671811933752655872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Kostas Antetokounmpo in action for Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul and swingman Elijah Bryant have reached a new agreement to keep working together until the end of the 2024-25 season, the club announced on Thursday. 

Elijah Bryant renews at Efes until 2025

Anadolu Efes Istanbul and swingman [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/) have reached a new agreement to keep working together until the end of the 2024-25 season, the club announced on Thursday. Bryant (28 years old, 1.96 meters) averaged 8.5 points on 60.5% two-pointers and 86.0% free throws, 4.1 rebounds and a PIR of 9.9 in 34 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games last season, his second with Efes. In the 2021-22 campaign, Bryant helped Efes win its second EuroLeague title, recording 16 points and 6 rebounds in the semifinal against Olympiacos Piraeus. Bryant also became a Turkish League champion with Efes this season. 

Elijah Bryant of Anadolu Efes Istanbul averaged 8.5 points on 60.5% two-pointers and 86.0% free throws, 4.1 rebounds and a PIR of 9.9 in 34 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games last season

Elijah Bryant: 2022-23 EuroLeague highlights

Bryant started his career with Israeli side Hapoel Eliat. He also played for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv of Israel and the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA, which he helped win the NBA title in 2021. That allowed Bryant to join an elite list of 11 NBA and EuroLeague winners, which also features Toni Kukoc, Bob McAdoo and teammate Rodrigue Beaubois, among others. Bryant also helped Maccabi win the Israeli double (league and cup titles) in 2020, before lifting the Israeli Cup trophy in 2021. In 131 EuroLeague career games with Efes and Maccabi, Bryant has amassed 1,037 points and 425 rebounds.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Şampiyon oyuncumuz <a href="https://twitter.com/Elijah_Bryant3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Elijah_Bryant3</a>, iki sezon daha ailemizin parçası olacak! 👊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HouseOfBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HouseOfBlue</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/YqSInwmH4A">pic.twitter.com/YqSInwmH4A</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1671797765930729473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Due to his own regrettable actions, Guerschon Yabusele could only watch as Real Madrid prevailed in the final seconds of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game in Kaunas. But the fact remains that the 27-year-old power forward contributed considerably to the team's success before he was suspended for the remainder of the season –  five games – for his role in a bench-clearing fight during the playoffs. Until then, however, Yabusele had been a versatile staple of Real's season-long run at or near the top of the standings.

Tribute to the champs: Guerschon Yabusele

Due to his own regrettable actions, [Guerschon Yabusele](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/guerschon-yabusele/010357/) could only watch as Real Madrid prevailed in the final seconds of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game in Kaunas. But the fact remains that the 27-year-old power forward contributed considerably to the team's success before he was suspended for the remainder of the season –  five games – for his role in a bench-clearing fight during the playoffs. Until then, however, Yabusele had been a versatile staple of Real's season-long run at or near the top of the standings.

Starting in more than half of his 27 regular season appearances, Yabusele averaged the third-most rebounds (4.0), the fourth-most minutes (23:13) and PIR (11.6), and the fifth-most points (9.8) on the team. Most impressive was Yabusele's ability to make the right play at the right time whether it was a three-point shot, a key rebound, a fastbreak dunk or a big block.

In his fourth EuroLeague season, Yabusele has become an increasingly tough matchup for opposing teams. He's able to back down smaller defenders as easily as he can outrun taller ones, and he can make a solid pass as surely as he'll take a rebound in a crowd. His diverse skills served Yabusele and Real well until his lamentable reaction in the heat of moment jeopardized another player's health. He would up with a trophy, but he most surely was left wishing he had played for it, as well.

Over the last five years, coach Ergin Ataman turned Anadolu Efes Istanbul into a continental force and the same tools that he used in doing so are exactly what made him so attractive to Panathinaikos Athens when it went looking for a new head of bench. 

Ataman’s recipe to rebuild Panathinaikos will feature talent, confidence, teamwork

Over the last five years, coach Ergin Ataman turned Anadolu Efes Istanbul into a continental force and the same tools that he used in doing so are exactly what made him so attractive to Panathinaikos Athens when it went looking for a new head of bench.

Ataman, 57, inherited a last-place team when he rejoined Efes in December 2017. The following season, he had the team playing for the EuroLeague crown.

So what is the magic formula that Ataman used with Efes? And can it work in Athens?

Ataman used three basic concepts to build a winner in Istanbul:

•               Find underappreciated talents and build around them

•               Coach the players in practice so that they feel confident to make decisions in games

•               Make sure that the team works together and gives as much respect to the blue-collar players as it does to the scorers

Ataman built a backcourt for the ages by pairing Shane Larkin and Vasilije Micic together. Before he did so, neither was considered a top-tier player. Larkin had one good season in the EuroLeague with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2016-17. After that, he returned to the United States and played for the Boston Celtics in the NBA. Since he signed with Efes in 2018, he has scored the third most points (2,297) in the EuroLeague.  

Micic reached the 2018 Final Four with Zalgiris Kaunas as a part-time starter. It was his third EuroLeague club and he was generally thought of as a role player. In fact, Ataman originally recruited Micic to Efes with the promise of being a role player. But he thought he saw something special in the player and once Micic was paired with Larkin, magic happened. He has scored the third most points (2,590) and dished the third most assists (862) in the league. 

"Basketball is a simple game. How much you complicate the game will be more difficult for the players to show their potential in the game," Ataman told me last year. 

“I never tell my players not to shoot, to not use an early fastbreak… I want them mentally to feel free on the court,” he explained. “This is my philosophy because I don't want that my players when they come to play on the court will think too much about what coach is asking from them. I like to teach them before, in practice, in the preseason.” 

Indeed, the confidence that he instilled in his players was a big reason that Efes was able to win back-to-back crowns. And that came after his team was considered the clear favorite to take the 2020 crown before COVID-19 ended that season without a champion. 

"It's important that everybody must understand his role and everybody must respect each other... because everybody knows that everybody needs to help his friends," Ataman said about teamwork. “Somebody must work more on defense, somebody will be more responsible to take the rebounds, somebody will be more responsible to play in the open court and fastbreak, somebody will control the game in the five-on-five, in the half-court, somebody must control the locker room of the team. When you build the team, you don't choose only the best players, you must think about everything."

Obviously, it's too early to predict what Panathinaikos will look like on opening night next season. But keep this in mind. Only four rotation players – Dogus Balbay, Bryant Dunston, Brock Motum and Kruno Simon – survived the purge to the Efes roster as Ataman headed into his first full season of the recent Efes golden era. And he is likely to have a completely revamped Panathinaikos roster built according to his plans when the 2023-24 season begins. 

Ataman’s recipe to rebuild Panathinaikos

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv has confirmed that forward Jake Cohen has signed a new contract at the club until the summer of 2025. Cohen (32 years old, 2.10 meters) appeared in 27 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games for Maccabi last season. Cohen also started working for EuroLeague TV last season, hosting 'The Players' View' alongside ex-teammate Michael Roll.

Jake Cohen to stay at Maccabi until 2025

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv has confirmed that forward [Jake Cohen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jake-cohen/005145/) has signed a new contract at the club until the summer of 2025. Cohen (32 years old, 2.10 meters) appeared in 27 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games for Maccabi last season, starting 17 and averaging 3.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and a 3.1 PIR. He played an important role down the final stretch of the season as Maccabi reached the playoffs. Cohen also started working for EuroLeague TV last season, hosting ['The Players' View'](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/jake-cohen-and-michael-roll-join-euroleague-tv-as-commentators/) alongside ex-teammate Michael Roll.

The Players' View: Olympiacos vs. Fenerbahce, Game 4

"It's been a great honor throughout my career to be at Maccabi, so I'm excited to continue with the club that has become my family," Cohen told Maccabi's official website. "I am grateful for the amazing gift of love that the fans, the team, the owners and my teammates gave me this past year to make all of this possible. When you have a special group of people around you, you can do special things. Let's go, Maccabi!"

Cohen's renewal follows a trend at Maccabi, as the club has made an effort to keep together the core of last season's team. In the last few months, key players such as Lorenzo Brown, Wade Baldwin and Bonzie Colson have all penned new deals to remain in Tel Aviv, while the announcement of a new contract for Cohen, who in his third spell at Maccabi, comes one day after John DiBartolomeo signed a new deal to 2025.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">כל הפרטים &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/6kPZcp0lrz">https://t.co/6kPZcp0lrz</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D7%99%D7%97%D7%93%D7%9B%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%93%D7%A8%D7%9A?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#יחדכלהדרך</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jake2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jake2025</a> <a href="https://t.co/ELYe2Jqob9">pic.twitter.com/ELYe2Jqob9</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC (@MaccabitlvBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabitlvBC/status/1671506508754944001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Jake Cohen in action for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.