Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade announced the signing of center Jasiel Rivero, who is the team's eighth reinforcement this summer. 

Zvezda adds Jasiel Rivero to its frontcourt mix

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade announced the signing of center [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jasiel-rivero/011214/), who is the team's eighth reinforcement this summer. Rivero (2.06 meters, 31 years old) has spent the last two seasons with Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv, but comes to a somewhat familiar territory in the Serbian capital where Maccabi has played its EuroLeague games during that two-year period.

Rivero averaged 8.7 points and 3.5 rebounds last EuroLeague season, up from 7.6 points and 3.1 rebounds a year earlier when the Cuban center helped Maccabi reach the 2024 EuroLeague Playoffs.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sr" dir="ltr">Хасиел Риверо је нови члан КК Црвена звезда Меридианбет!<br><br>Доскорашњи играч Макабија ново је појачање црвено-белих и доноси велику борбеност, одличну игру у рекету, осећај за скокове уз огромну физичку снагу коју поседује. <br><br>Welcome to red and white family, Jasiel! 🔴⚪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a>… <a href="https://t.co/GXOoVRr3SY">pic.twitter.com/GXOoVRr3SY</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1946206426507944117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Last season was Rivero's third in the competition, after he made his debut with Valencia Basket in the 2022-23 campaign. The 31-year-old also played with Valencia in the BKT EuroCup in the 2021-22 season, averaging 12.6 points and 4.4 rebounds.

Prior to joining Valencia in the summer of 2021, Rivero spent two years with fellow Spanish side San Pablo Burgos. After starting his professional career with Capitalinos in his native Cuba in the 2014-15 season, Rivero played for Argentinian team Estudiantes Concordia between 2015 and 2018 before signing for another Argentinian side in Boca Juniors, where he remained for one season. He has also been a member of the Cuban national team.

More Crvena Zvezda News

Veteran big man is headed to the red-and-white Belgrade club

Zalgiris Kaunas has signed Azuolas Tubelis to a multi-year deal. The deal is for two seasons for an option for a third. 

Zalgiris tabs Azuolas Tubelis on multi-year deal

[Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/roster/zal/) has signed [Azuolas Tubelis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/azuolas-tubelis/008192/) to a two-year deal with an option for a further year, the club announced on Friday. 

Tubelis (2.08 meters, 23 years old) arrives from Rytas Vilnius, for which he averaged 12.7 points and 6.0 rebounds in the Lithuanian League last season, including 12.2 points and 8.2 boards in the five-game finals against Zalgiris. He also posted 9.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in the Champions League.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zalgiris’ latest addition to the frontcourt is one of the most talented Lithuanian players of his generation - Azuolas Tubelis, who has signed a 2+1 deal with the club. 📷 <a href="https://t.co/arrndIwhF4">pic.twitter.com/arrndIwhF4</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1946132433096638724?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The big man is a product of the Rytas youth system and he made his professional debut with that club. He also spent one season on loan at Perlas Vilnius before heading overseas to play college basketball at the University of Arizona, where he won postseason honors in all three seasons. He was chosen to the Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman team in 2021 and to the all-conference first team in each of the next two seasons.

Upon his return to Lithuania, Tubelis joined Neptunas Klaipeda, with which he averaged 17.5 points and 7 rebounds to earn Lithuanian League MVP honors. He has played for Lithuania at both the junior and senior levels, too.

More Zalgiris News

The Lithuanian international joins the Lithuanian champions

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan has confirmed that Diego Flaccadori has renewed his contract at the club until the end of the 2026-27 season.

Diego Flaccadori re-signs with Milan until 2027

[EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) has confirmed that [Diego Flaccadori](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/diego-flaccadori/005670/) has renewed his contract at the club until the end of the 2026-27 season.

Flaccadori (1.93 meters, 29 years old) signed for Milan in the offseason of 2023 and has spent the last two seasons with the club. In the 2024-25 campaign, he made 13 appearances in the EuroLeague – all off the bench – and posted 1.8 points and 1.1 assists.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">Flaccadori: &quot;Difendere i colori dell&#39;Olimpia è una responsabilità e un onore&quot; 🤍❤️<br><br>La Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano comunica di aver raggiunto un accordo per l’estensione pluriennale del contratto di Diego Flaccadori.<br><br>🇮🇹 Comunicato ufficiale 👉🏻 <a href="https://t.co/SdvMWeDien">https://t.co/SdvMWeDien</a><br>🇬🇧… <a href="https://t.co/MnUWMc56EJ">pic.twitter.com/MnUWMc56EJ</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1946117741145964994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The season before, 2023-24, Flaccadori had a bigger role at Milan as he averaged 4.6 points, 1.0 rebound and 1.1 assists in 26 games.

Having started his career with Dolomiti Energia Trento, he remained with the club between 2014 and 2019 before signing for FC Bayern Munich, which gave him his first taste of EuroLeague basketball. After two years with Bayern, he rejoined Trento and stayed there until his move to Milan in 2023.

More Milan News

The Italian is staying put with the Little Red Shoes

Valencia Basket has announced the signing of Darius Thompson, who joins from Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

Valencia secures Darius Thompson

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) has announced the signing of [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/), who has penned a three-year contract at the club.

Thompson (1.93 meters, 30 years old) arrives from Anadolu Efes Istanbul, where he spent the last two seasons. In the 2024-25 EuroLeague campaign, he posted 9.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 39 games.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🧘🏻‍♂️ <a href="https://t.co/B1TGLjbunZ">pic.twitter.com/B1TGLjbunZ</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1946117696375984477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Following two seasons with Efes, Thompson returns to Spain having played for Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in the 2022-23 campaign. That year, his first in the EuroLeague, he led the league in assists and was named to the All-EuroLeague Second Team.

Thompson also featured in the BKT EuroCup in 2021-22 for Lokomotiv Kuban, while he started his professional career in Belgium with Leiden, where he played between 2017 and 2019, before joining Italian side Brindisi, which was his home between 2019 and 2021.

More Valencia News

The guard returns to Spain after two years away

The latest matchup in our quest to crown the greatest All-EuroLeague First Team of all time pits 2015 against 2025!

Vote for the best All-EuroLeague First Team in history: 2015 vs. 2025

Each season, the top five players in Europe’s premier basketball competition are recognized with All-EuroLeague First Team honors. Over the past quarter century, these elite selections have showcased a who’s who of basketball legends, from rising stars to Hall of Famers and everything in between.

This summer, we're putting them all head-to-head to answer one big question: Which All-EuroLeague First Team stands above the rest?

We’ve seeded all 24 teams into a bracket created by our panel of in-house EuroLeague experts. Several times a week, we’ll reveal a new matchup on the official **EuroLeague Instagram account**, where you can vote for your favorite.

Right here on the official EuroLeague website, you’ll find a quick breakdown of each matchup – and which team we think deserves the edge. This time it's 2015 vs. 2025.

Let the debates begin. Let the voting begin. Let the best team win!

2015

- [Milos Teodosic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/milos-teodosic/jdr/), CSKA Moscow (age 28)
- [Vassilis Spanoulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vassilis-spanoulis/juo/), Olympiacos (age 32)
- [Nemanja Bjelica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nemanja-bjelica/001413/), Fenerbahce (age 27)
- [Felipe Reyes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/felipe-reyes/aax/), Real Madrid (age 35)
- [Boban Marjanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/boban-marjanovic/lmg/), Crvena Zvezda (age 26)

2025

- [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/), Paris (age 27)
- [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/), Bayern (age 27)
- [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/), Panathinaikos (age 29)
- [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), Olympiacos (age 29)
- [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/), Fenerbahce (age 30)

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What a difference a decade makes, right? The All-EuroLeague teams from 2015 and 2025 could not be more different. While the former came in a time when size and power were king, the latter is built on speed and shooting. The 2025 team has no real center and the 2015 team has limited perimeter speed.

So how would I imagine this matchup? I think Shorts, Edwards and Nunn would run their counterparts off the floor. Shorts dives to the basket – when they didn’t result in layups – would lead to open shots for Vezenkov and Hayes-Davis, even if that mean another swing pass to further break the 2015 defense.

There is no questioning that Teodosic would find Marjanovic for easy basket after easy basket with the 2025 forwards struggling to contain the massive center. But when Marjanovic tires, what is the 2015 Plan B? Reyes offers limited offensive upside and then the size advantage is gone. So I would pick 2025 hands down… Now go and vote for your choice!

Dubai Basketball has announced the signing of veteran forward Justin Anderson, who will play in the EuroLeague for a third straight season

Dubai adds Justin Anderson to the mix

[Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/dubai-basketball/roster/dub/) has announced the signing of veteran forward [Justin Anderson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/justin-anderson/012795/), who will play in the EuroLeague for a third straight season. He has penned a contract until the summer of 2027.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Welcome to your new home, <a href="https://twitter.com/JusAnderson1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JusAnderson1</a> 🤎🤍🖤 <a href="https://t.co/ttrg9Myzqv">pic.twitter.com/ttrg9Myzqv</a></p>&mdash; Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket/status/1945785555973034294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Anderson (1.98 meters, 31 years old) arrives from FC Barcelona, where he averaged 7.1 points and 2.8 rebounds over 37 EuroLeague games last season. More than just his numbers, Anderson was a strong defensive presence and made lots of great hustle plays to fuel his team as it came just short of the Final Four.

That was Anderson's second EuroLeague campaign after debuting with Valencia Basket the season before. He began the 2023-24 campaign with Spanish side Rio Breogan before moving to Valencia midseason.

Best of Justin Anderson: 2024-25

A standout college basketball player at the University of Virginia, Anderson was selected in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. Between 2015 and 2022, he would played a total of 257 games in the NBA for Dallas (2015-17), the Philadelphia 76ers (2017-18), Atlanta Hawks (2018-19), Brooklyn Nets (2019-20), Cleveland Cavaliers (2021-22) and Indiana Pacers (2021-22).

The American swingman also spent time in the G League, where he represented the Texas Legends (2015-16), Raptors 905 (2019-20), Long Island Nets (2019-20) and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (2021-23). In the G League, Anderson was named to the All-NBA G League First Team in 2021-22 and the All-NBA G League Third Team in 2019-20 and 2022-23. His next challenge will be to help Dubai in the club's first season in Europe's premier competition.

More Dubai Basketball News

The athletic forward is the latest EuroLeague veteran to bolster the Dubai roster

FC Barcelona announced on Thursday that it has extended contract with its shooting guard Dario Brizuela, who signed to stay with the club until the end of 2027-28 season. Nicknamed 'Basque Mamba', he stepped up in the second part of last season and turned into a key backcourt piece for Barcelona. He has now been rewarded with a new three-year contract, after having one year left on his old one.

Barcelona extends sharpshooter Dario Brizuela

[FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/) announced on Thursday that it has with shooting guard [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/) on a contract extension through the end of 2027-28 season. 

Brizuela (1.88 meters, 30 years old), nicknamed 'Basque Mamba', stepped up in the second part of last season and turned into a key backcourt piece for Barcelona. He has now been rewarded with a new contract, after having one year left on his old one.

Brizuela's rise was one of the silver linings of an injury-riddled season for Barcelona. Before Round 20, his season-high was 19 minutes and 41 seconds. But starting with Round 20, Brizuela turned into one of Barcelona's most dangerous offensive weapons.

Until the end of the regular season, and in five playoff games, Brizuela averaged 13.1 points on 50.0% three-point shooting, scoring in double figures in 16 of his 20 appearances over that span. Having also been asked to play as a point guard due to injuries to Nico Laprovittola and Juan Nunez, he averaged 2.7 assists during that stretch.

Dario Brizuela had to play point guard for the first time in his career, becoming an even more dangerous player.

Brizuela: Barca's X-factor at point guard

For the entire season, in 36 EuroLeague appearances all of the bench, Brizuela finished averaging 10.0 points on a stellar 46.0% three-point shooting, along with 2.2 assists and 1.4 rebounds. He also posted 9.6 points, 2.8 assists and 1.6 rebounds in Spanish League action.

Brizuela arrived to Palau Blaugrana in the summer of 2023 from Unicaja Malaga, where he has established himself as one of Europe's up-and-coming shooting guards.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐢́𝐨 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐚, 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐞𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟖 💙❤ <a href="https://t.co/9gjTCyDAQI">pic.twitter.com/9gjTCyDAQI</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1945770986277683326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Having come through Estudiantes Madrid's youth academy, he made his professional debut with the club in 2013. He was sent to Huesca on loan in the 2014-15 season, but he returned to Estudiantes in the summer of 2015, this time as a starter. Then, in 2019, he signed for Unicaja.

Brizuela is a regular member of the Spanish national team, too, and won the gold medal at EuroBasket 2022. Earlier, he also took a silver medal with the U20 national team at the 2014 European Championship in Greece.

Barcelona News

The guard will remain with Barcelona for another three seasons

The 2025-26 EuroLeague regular-season fixtures have been released, so it’s time for fans to start getting their diaries out and begin planning their evenings from late September through mid-April.

EuroLeague unveils 2025–26 season calendar

The 2025-26 EuroLeague regular-season fixtures have been released, so it’s time for fans to start getting their diaries out and begin planning their evenings from late September through mid-April.

What nights are your favorite team playing on? Which road trips are you hoping to join them on? You can now [DOWNLOAD THE CALENDAR](https://euroleaguebasketball.ecal.com/) to the device of your choice.

[Your device](https://euroleaguebasketball.ecal.com/) | [Printable](https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/5388d334-0c11-46e3-a9e3-40959c2be835.pdf) | [Full season calendar](https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/5388d334-0c11-46e3-a9e3-40959c2be835.pdf) | [Round by round](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/)

While the round-robin format remains, the expansion from 18 teams to 20 means that there will be 38 rounds in the regular season instead of 34. All teams will play each other twice – home and away. Once the regular season comes to a close, there is the Play-In Showdown, then the four best-of-five playoff series before the EuroLeague Final Four, which will see one team crowned as the 2025-26 EuroLeague champion.

EuroLeague newcomers Dubai Basketball and Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv will play their first-ever games in the competition at home in Round 1, with Dubai hosting Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade while Hapoel plays FC Barcelona. Elsewhere in Round 1, reigning champion Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul begins the defense of its crown against Paris Basketball, the team it swept in last season’s playoffs. Valencia Basket, back in the EuroLeague after a one-year absence, starts its campaign on the road at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne before opening its brand-new Roig Arena against Virtus Bologna in Round 2.

The first-ever EuroLeague edition of the Israeli derby takes place in Round 3 as Hapoel faces Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv, then the Turkish derby comes around in Round 6 when Anadolu Efes Istanbul takes on cross-town rival Fenerbahce. El Clásico takes center stage in Round 9 when FC Barcelona hosts Real Madrid, before the Serbian derby sees Partizan and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade go head to head at Belgrade Arena. The first round of 2026 pits Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus together at OAKA in Round 19.

After beginning Round 1 on Tuesday, September 30, the regular season comes to a close on Friday, April 17 with the conclusion of Round 38. The final standings will determine which six teams have guaranteed their spots in the playoffs and which four teams – those positioned seventh through 10th – will fight it out in the Play-In Showdown.

The Play-In games will be played on Tuesday, April 21 and Friday, April 24. The best-of-five playoff series will commence on Tuesday, April 28 and will end no later than Wednesday, May 13. The 2026 EuroLeague Final Four sees the semifinals take place on Friday, May 22 before the Championship Game is held on Sunday, May 24.

The good news for EuroLeague fans is that there is a minimum of 396 games in the 2025-26 season – and that number could rise if there are no sweeps in the playoffs. Start planning now and secure your tickets for what should be another incredible season of EuroLeague basketball, where #EveryGameMatters.

The new campaign gets underway on September 30

The signing of Vasilije Micic is a major statement of intent for Hapoel Tel Aviv, which is looking to become a powerhouse in the EuroLeague.

What does Vasilije Micic bring to Hapoel Tel Aviv?

What a time to be alive for fans of [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/hta/). What has happened over the past few years is simply unthinkable. And [the signing of Vasilije Micic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/vasilije-micic-signs-lucrative-deal-with-hapoel-tel-aviv/) on Wednesday was the cherry on top. 

We have seen teams rise from relative nothingness to greatness. AS Monaco is a perfect example. And Dubai Basketball, formed just two years ago, hopes to be the next. But Hapoel Tel Aviv is a different case.

Hapoel has 90 years of history. And for much of it, the club was second fiddle in its own city to Maccabi. Even in 2023, when Ofer Yannay took ownership of the club, and despite his big promises, few believed that the next two years would go the way they have.

Just a year ago, the signing of Johnathan Motley could have been heralded as the most important in club history. It was a way of showing everyone that Hapoel was serious in its goals to win the BKT EuroCup and reach the EuroLeague. And then came more moves, such as the hiring of Dimitris Itoudis as head coach and bringing Yam Madar back home. 

If those moves were big, what word could possibly explain the importance of landing a two-time champion and former MVP who is still in the prime of his career? 

At Hapoel, they are already trying. "This is an unprecedented achievement in European sports," Yannay said.

So let's look at what Hapoel has been doing, how that helped to bring Micic and what we can expect to see on the court. 

Vasilije Micic after receiving the 2020-21 EuroLeague MVP trophy.

### Hapoel's plan for the 2025-26 season

Since Yannay took charge of the club, Hapoel has played just one game at its home arena. Hapoel blasted Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 100-73 on October 3, 2023. Four days later, war broke out in Israel. Since then, Hapoel's home games have been played abroad, with fans travelling far and wide to support their team last season as it marched to EuroCup glory.

After two years of crisscrossing Europe and countless flights, Hapoel made the decision that with the added games of a EuroLeague season, it could not go on like that. Accordingly, the roster is being constructed in such a way that is deeper than ever and will allow some players to remain abroad in between EuroLeague games and not travel back to Israel for domestic competitions.

Micic is the 16th player added to the Hapoel roster. None of them are youth players. All of them have previous experience in the EuroLeague or EuroCup. And the plan appears to be to sign at least two more players.  

Given the reality of Hapoel's situation, the idea of having two home bases was a creative way to cut down on travel and allow players to rest without sacrificing chemistry and training. When players remain in their “home away from home” in Sofia, Bulgaria, they can do so as a pod and with a coach, to be preparing for the next game while their brothers return to Tel Aviv to compete in the Israeli League.

Moreover, having 18 senior players means there is plenty of cover for potential injuries or to give a player a break if he is in a slump. Coach Itoudis has more players at his disposal than most coaches can dream of.

How it will work remains to be seen, but it surely has contributed to players' increased comfort about signing with the club, knowing from Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv's EuroLeague experiences the last two years just how grueling it can be to play north of 40 road games and the 70-plus flights it may entail.

### More sponsors and a bigger budget

None of this could be possible without ownership opening up its wallet. There has been no cutting of the corners. Hapoel has targeted big names and players with experience. It has also leveraged its success into generating more revenue, such as with its sponsorship deal with the investment house IBI.

In some cases, that has led to overpaying to bring in the players that management wanted. And to their credit, Yannay and minority owners Gili Raanan, and Miki Malka have done what every fan of every club hopes his team's owner would do: they have authorized these signings and at times been personally involved in making them happen.

Yannay revealed on Wednesday night that part of the deal to convince Micic to sign with Hapoel was to offer him shares in the club. And although he did not elaborate on what that meant, it is clear that ownership was willing to go above and beyond the norm to bring a superstar to the club. 

In his comments after the Micic signing, Itoudis said the following:

"I would like to say to Hapoel Tel Aviv fans, as I quoted many times, that they need to sleep tight because we have leaders like Ofer Yannay, Gili Raanan, and Miki Malka, who are trying to build the best possible team for decades. Special thanks, because Gili Raanan and Miki Malka consulted with Ofer and gave their full support to close this deal with Vasa. Special thanks to the management that worked on all the details".

In modern sports, you have to invest to build a winning team. Those investments can be in salary, facilities, time, etc. Hapoel has been willing to spend money to put the team in a position to compete already as EuroLeague debutants.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pt" dir="ltr">Hey Vasa 👋🏽👹 <a href="https://t.co/I8JNKO39NB">pic.twitter.com/I8JNKO39NB</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/1945530801262633028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### What Micic brings

All of the above plans are much more credible now that Micic will be on the floor. The rest of the players get better with Micic there. And the ability to recruit for the remaining roster spots just got easier.

Micic already has one former teammate with him in Elijah Bryant. The two won the EuroLeague together in 2022.

What Micic brings to the court, we already know. His play promises to make Hapoel a playoff contender – at a minimum. And with Itoudis to weld all the pieces together, there is great potential for Hapoel. 

However, more than Micic's scoring or passing or leadership, what he brings to Hapoel Tel Aviv is credibility. And that goes a long way toward building a EuroLeague powerhouse. 

More Vasilije Micic News

Frankie Sachs delves into the Israeli side's high-profile signing of the two-time EuroLeague champion