Name: EuroLeague Round 2: Top 10 plays
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

The excitement continues with Round 3 of the EuroLeague between Wednesday and Friday, with some high-fliers aiming for a 3-0 start while strugglers target a first win. Here’s your look ahead to the action.

At a glance: Three days of EuroLeague fun this week!

The excitement continues with Round 3 of the EuroLeague between Wednesday and Friday, with some high-fliers aiming for a 3-0 start while strugglers target a first win. Here’s your look ahead to the action.

## Wednesday, October 8

### Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (20:05 CEST)

This week’s drama tips off on Wednesday with a local rivalry as a perfect Hapoel (2-0) faces winless Maccabi (0-2) in Sofia, Bulgaria. Dimitris Itoudis’s team has made a stunning start to the season behind the aggressive scoring of Antonio Blakeney, who has made 21-of-23 free-throw attempts in the first two games. Dan Oturu’s power in the paint (15.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game) is another challenge for Maccabi, which has struggled for shooting accuracy with just 48.7% of two-point attempts and 32.8% of triples converted so far. Jaylen Hoard has been a welcome exception with 15 points per game, while the rebounding of summer signing Oshae Brissett (6.5 boards per night) will be important to combat Oturu.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We have Round 3 coming up later this week!<br><br>Round fixtures by <a href="https://twitter.com/Visa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Visa</a> <a href="https://t.co/8l9fUNCU5v">pic.twitter.com/8l9fUNCU5v</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1975108169165873167?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, October 9

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:30 CEST)

Partizan (1-1) is targeting a second consecutive victory as it welcomes Efes (1-1) to Belgrade. Zeljko Obradovic’s men narrowly secured their first success of the campaign by edging out Milan in Round 2, with last season’s key performers Carlik Jones (15 points and 5 assists) and Sterling Brown (20 points) finding a welcome return to form, and that duo faces a major challenge against Efes’s star-studded backcourt. Shane Larkin has averaged 13.5 points despite not yet making a single three-point shot, a statistic which will surely change soon. Isaia Cordinier has suffered similar woes with just 1 three-pointer on 10 attempts, but Jordan Loyd has settled very quickly, netting 16 and 25 points in his first two games.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. AS Monaco (20:30 CEST)

Milan (1-1) will enjoy home comforts for the first time this season with a visit from Monaco (1-1). The visitors will hope that Round 2 MVP Nikola Mirotic can continue shine as he returns to face his former team. Milan will have plenty of hunger after narrowly failing in a big comeback attempt at Partizan last week, where summer signing Marko Guduric showed his first signs of becoming a key presence for Ettore Messina’s men with 12 points and 8 assists. A key battle will take place in the paint: Daniel Theis has made an excellent start to the season with 16.0 points per game on 90.9% two-point shooting, while Milan’s Devin Booker will look to make up for the absence of Josh Nebo, who had a strong start to the season but suffered an injury in Round 2.

Nikola Mirotic returns to Milan for the first time.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (20:30 CEST)

Baskonia (0-2) will aim for its first victory against a Panathinaikos team (1-1) also determined to bounce back from defeat. Loose defense was the Greens’ downfall in last week’s home loss to Barcelona, when even a stunning performance from Juancho Hernangomez – 27 points and 8 rebounds – wasn’t enough. TJ Shorts will hope to kickstart his season after a slow start, but Panathinaikos can still rely on Kostas Sloukas to lead the offense after his double-double (18 points and 11 assists) in Round 2. Baskonia also needs defensive improvement after allowing 102 points in both the first two games, and will hope for another strong performance from forward Hamidou Diallo after averaging 14 points and 6.5 rebounds in his first two games for the club.

### Paris Basketball vs. Virtus Bologna (20:45 CEST)

A second win of the season is up for grabs as Paris (1-1) welcomes Virtus (1-1). The French team roared to its first triumph with an offense-inspired win at Maccabi, where Nadir Hifi again underlined his enormous scoring potential by draining 21 points. Another key performer for Paris is big man Allan Dokossi, who has grabbed 10 and 13 rebounds in two first two games. On this occasion he will go up against Alen Smailagic, who has made a solid start to his time with Virtus (8.5 points per game). Virtus will try to dominate the backcourt through a deep range of options led by Carsen Edwards, who is looking to extend a 15-game double-digit scoring sequence dating back to last season.

### Real Madrid vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (21:00 CEST)

After lifting its spirits with a vital victory over Olympiacos last time out, Real Madrid (1-1) will look to double up by overcoming ASVEL (1-1). Experienced duo Mario Hezonja and Gabriel Deck have been the key performers for *Los Blancos*, averaging 16.0 and 12.5 points per game, while Facu Campazzo has shown he’ll again be among the league’s top distributors by averaging 6.5 assists in the first two games. ASVEL grabbed its first win by blasting 102 points over Baskonia last week, and American big man Zac Seljaas looks like becoming a key performer by registering 16.0 points and 6.5 rebounds over his first two appearances – but now he faces his biggest challenge yet against Real giant Walter Tavares.

## Friday, October 10

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (19:45 CEST)

Winless Zvezda (0-2) will attempt to change that statistic with a trip to Fenerbahce (1-1). The Serbian team must improve defensively after allowing 92 and 97 points in the first two games, while hoping that Jordan Nwora continues his hot streak after averaging 23.0 points and 5.5 rebounds so far. Another key for Zvezda will be the ability of Codi Miller-McIntyre (16 points and 5.0 assists per night) ability to control the tempo in the backcourt, where Fener star Wade Baldwin has made a stellar start to the season with averages of 23.0 points and 7.0 assists. The Turkish team needs more productivity from its big men after Khem Birch and Bonzie Colson netted just 2 points apiece in last week’s loss at Zalgiris.

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Dubai Basketball (20:15 CEST)

In its first home game of the season, Olympiacos (1-1) will look to return to winning ways with a visit from Dubai (1-1). A pleasant surprise for the Reds has been a major upturn in productivity from Tyler Dorsey, netting 21 and 20 points in the first two games, but coach Georgios Bartzokas will be eager to see a collective improvement in long-range shooting with his team making just 28.3% of three-point attempts so far. Dubai leaked 103 points and 27 assists in last week’s loss at Monaco so needs to toughen up defensively, and center Filip Petrusev (14 points and 8 rebounds per night) will be particularly motivated to enjoy a big night as he faces his former club.

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:30 CEST)

Bayern (1-1) is on the hunt for a second straight victory as it faces a visit from high-flying Zalgiris (2-0). The visiting defense will attempt to minimize the threat posed by Andreas Obst, who blasted 9 three-pointers as Bayern defeated Zvezda in Round 2, but Zalgiris is well-placed to subdue his talents after boasting the league’s best perimeter defense with just 26.8% of three-point attempts converted by its opponents. The Lithuanian team’s stunning start has also been propelled by offensive efficiency: Tomas Masiulis’s men have committed just 10 turnovers per night (2nd best in the league) and shown great long-range accuracy including former Bayern guard Sylvain Francisco (13.5 points per game on 55.6% three-point shooting).

### FC Barcelona vs. Valencia Basket (20:30 CEST)

The week concludes with a Spanish east coast derby as Barcelona (1-1) welcomes Valencia (2-0). The Taronjas celebrated the opening of the new Roig Arena by delivering an offensive masterclass to down Virtus last week, with Omari Moore continuing his special start to the season (13.5 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists per game) and teen talent Sergio De Larrea underlining his enormous potential by blazing 23 points on 5-of-7 three-point shooting. He will look to exploit the absence of injured Barcelona guard Nico Laprovittola, but the home team will be confident after also scoring 103 points in Round 2’s impressive victory at Panathinaikos, where summer signings Toko Shengelia and Will Clyburn demonstrated their importance to their new team by combining for 40 points and 11 rebounds.

Andy West looks ahead to Round 3 of the 2025-26 campaign

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2025-10-08T18:05:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-10-09T18:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v AS Monaco (2025-10-09T18:30:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-10-09T18:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Virtus Bologna (2025-10-09T18:45:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-10-09T19:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-10-10T17:45:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Dubai Basketball (2025-10-10T18:15:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Valencia Basket (2025-10-10T18:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-10-10T18:30:00.000Z)

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Rounds 1 and 2 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Rounds 1 and 2

The Taronjas celebrated the opening of the new Roig Arena by delivering an offensive masterclass to down Virtus last week, with Omari Moore continuing his special start to the season (13.5 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists per game) and teen talent Sergio De Larrea underlining his enormous potential by blazing 23 points on 5-of-7 three-point shooting. He will look to exploit the absence of injured Barcelona guard Nico Laprovittola, but the home team will be confident after also scoring 103 points in Round 2’s impressive victory at Panathinaikos, where summer signings Toko Shengelia and Will Clyburn demonstrated their importance to their new team by combining for 40 points and 11 rebounds.

Game Videos

\- Valencia defeated Barcelona 93-81 in the Spanish League on Sunday led by Darius Thompson's 16 points. 

\- The first time Valencia and Barcelona met head-to-head in the EuroLeague was in 2017-18, when they split home games. 

\- Barcelona head coach Joan Penarroya coached Valencia in the 2021-22 season.

\- Valencia guard Darius Thompson played under current Barcelona head coach Penarroya at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in the 2022-23 season.

\- Barcelona forward Tornike Shengelia played at Valencia for two seasons, from 2008 to 2010, and helped the team win the 2009-10 EuroCup.

\- Shengelia tied his career high with 4 steals playing for Virtus Bologna against Valencia in December 2023.

\- Barcelona's Joel Parra and Valencia's Xabi Lopez-Arostegui both grew up at Joventut Badalona and made their professional debuts there, and were teammates from 2017 to 2021.

\- Valencia's Jaime Pradilla and Xabi Lopez-Arostegui were teammates of Willy Hernangomez, Dario Brizuela and Joel Parra on the Spanish national team that won the gold medal at EuroBasket 2022.

\- Valencia’s Sergio De Larrea, Lopez-Arostegui, Pradilla, Josep Puerto and Yankuba Sima were all teammates of Brizuela, Parra and Willy Hernangomez on the Spanish national team at EuroBasket 2025.

\- In December 2023, Barcelona guard Kevin Punter earned MVP of the Round honors playing for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade with a PIR of 25 as he scored 13 points and grabbed a career-high 9 rebounds in a 67-72 road win at Valencia.

\- Valencia center Matthew Costello had his first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds playing for Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in a 94-75 home win over Barcelona in December 2021.

\- Valencia's Xabi Lopez-Arostegui had a career-high 7 rebounds in a 74-70 loss against Barcelona in November 2023.

\- Barcelona's Nicolas Laprovittola scored a career-high 28 points in an 84-83 road loss against Valencia in December 2022.

Game News

The week concludes with a Spanish east coast derby as Barcelona (1-1) welcomes Valencia (2-0). 

Game Notes: Barcelona vs. Valencia

The visiting defense will attempt to minimize the threat posed by Andreas Obst, who blasted 9 three-pointers as Bayern defeated Zvezda in Round 2, but Zalgiris is well-placed to subdue his talents after boasting the league’s best perimeter defense with just 26.8% of three-point attempts converted by its opponents. The Lithuanian team’s stunning start has also been propelled by offensive efficiency: Tomas Masiulis’s men have committed just 10 turnovers per night (2nd best in the league) and shown great long-range accuracy including former Bayern guard Sylvain Francisco (13.5 points per game on 55.6% three-point shooting).

\- Bayern swept Zalgiris last season, including an 82-97 victory in Kaunas in January when Nick Weiler-Babb set Bayern's single-game club record with 13 assists.

\- In that home loss, Zalgiris guard Sylvain Francisco set career highs in PIR (36) and points (33).

\- Bayern and Zalgiris have met 15 times in the EuroLeague with Bayern holding a 9-6 edge, having won the last three games. Nine of the last 10 games have been decided by single digits – and six of those by 3 points or fewer, including Bayern's 77-74 win in Munich last season.

\- In April 2021, Bayern made German basketball history by pulling out a playoff-clinching 71-70 win over Zalgiris. Vladimir Lucic scored 13 points, made the game-winning free throws, and delivered a game-clinching block. That was the first time a German team had reached the EuroLeague Playoffs.

\- In Round 34 of the 2022-23 season, Zalgiris clinched a playoff spot with an 80-83 victory in Munich. Arnas Butkevicius posted career highs in assists (6) and rebounds (9), matching the same amount of rebounds he had against Bayern in Kaunas earlier that season.

\- Zalgiris guard Sylvain Francisco made his EuroLeague debut with Bayern in the 2023-24 season.

\- Bayern sharpshooter Niels Giffey played for Zalgiris during the 2021-22 season.

\- Zalgiris playmaker Maodo Lo spent two seasons with Bayern, from 2018 to 2020. He helped Bayern win the 2019 German championship.

\- Lo was a teammate of Bayern players Johannes Voigtmann, Andreas Obst, Leon Kratzer, Oscar da Silva and Justus Hollatz at EuroBasket 2025, where they won the gold medal with the German national team.

\- Lo was a teammate of Hollatz, Obst, Giffey and Voigtmann, and they all played under Coach Herbert, winning the gold medal at the 2023 Basketball World Cup and the bronze medal at EuroBasket 2022.

\- Bayern forward Oscar da Silva and Lo were teammates at ALBA Berlin during the 2021-22 season.

\- Voigtmann was a teammate of Lo at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan during the 2023-24 season.

\- Lo and Bayern big man Leon Kratzer were teammates last season at Paris Basketball, and also at Brose Bamberg during the 2016-17 season.

\- Lo was also a teammate of Bayern's Elias Harris at Brose Bamberg during the 2016-17 season.

\- Bayern's injured guard Rokas Jokubaitis spent four seasons with Zalgiris, from 2017 to 2021. He made his EuroLeague debut there in 2018 and previously played for Zalgiris in the ANGT Tournament.

\- Zalgiris's Edgaras Ulanovas, Laurynas Birutis, Azuolas Tubelis, Arnas Butkevicius, Deividas Sirvydis and Ignas Brazdeikis have been teammates of Jokubaitis on the Lithuanian national team.

\- Jokubaitis posted his career-high 4 steals playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv against Zalgiris last December.

\- Bayern big man Wenyen Gabriel posted his career highs in PIR (28) and two-pointers made (7) and tied a career best in rebounds (8) playing for Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens against Zalgiris last January.

\- Bayern center David McCormack set career highs in PIR (25) and points (19) playing for ALBA Berlin against Zalgiris last December.

\- Bayern point guard Stefan Jovic scored a career-high 25 points, making a career-best 5 three-pointers, playing for Khimki Moscow Region against Zalgiris in December 2019.

\- Nigel Williams-Goss posted his career high in steals with 5 playing for Olympiacos Piraeus against Bayern last January.

\- Lucic had a career-high 3 steals in Bayern's road win over Zalgiris in October 2021.

Bayern (1-1) is on the hunt for a second straight victory as it faces a visit from high-flying Zalgiris (2-0). 

Game Notes: Bayern vs. Zalgiris

A pleasant surprise for the Reds has been a major upturn in productivity from Tyler Dorsey, netting 21 and 20 points in the first two games, but coach Georgios Bartzokas will be eager to see a collective improvement in long-range shooting with his team making just 28.3% of three-point attempts so far. Dubai leaked 103 points and 27 assists in last week’s loss at Monaco so needs to toughen up defensively, and center Filip Petrusev (14 points and 8 rebounds per night) will be particularly motivated to enjoy a big night as he faces his former club.

\- This is the first-ever official game between these two clubs.

\- Dubai center Filip Petrusev played for Olympiacos in the 2023-24 season and in the first four games of last season before going on loan to Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. He helped Olympiacos reach the 2024 Final Four.

\- Dubai's Aleksa Avramovic and Petrusev and Olympiacos center Nikola Milutinov won the silver medal together with the Serbian national team at the 2023 Basketball World Cup. They also won bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

\- Dubai's Danilo Andjusic and Nemanja Dangubic have also spent time with Milutinov on the Serbian national team.

\- Dubai's Davis Bertans and Andjusic were both teammates of Milutinov's at Partizan during the 2012-13 season. Bertans and Milutinov also played there in the 2013-14 campaign.

\- Dubai's Dwayne Bacon and Andjusic were teammates of Olympiacos center Donta Hall at AS Monaco during the 2021-22 season.

\- Dubai's Dzanan Musa tied a career best with 5 triples while playing for Real Madrid against Olympiacos in December 2023.

\- Filip Petrusev had a career-best 4 blocks playing for Crvena Zvezda in a 86-90 road win over Olympiacos in December 2022.

\- Dwayne Bacon made a career-high 6 three-pointers playing for Panathinaikos Athens against Olympiacos in December 2022.

\- Dubai sharpshooter Klemen Prepelic made a career-high 5 three-pointers playing for Valencia Basket against Olympiacos in February 2023.

In its first home game of the season, Olympiacos (1-1) will look to return to winning ways with a visit from Dubai (1-1). 

Game Notes: Olympiacos vs. Dubai

The Serbian team must improve defensively after allowing 92 and 97 points in the first two games, while hoping that Jordan Nwora continues his hot streak after averaging 23.0 points and 5.5 rebounds so far. Another key for Zvezda will be the ability of Codi Miller-McIntyre (16 points and 5.0 assists per night) ability to control the tempo in the backcourt, where Fener star Wade Baldwin has made a stellar start to the season with averages of 23.0 points and 7.0 assists. The Turkish team needs more productivity from its big men after Khem Birch and Bonzie Colson netted just 2 points apiece in last week’s loss at Zalgiris.

\- Fenerbahce holds a 13-7 edge in meetings against Zvezda. It snapped a four-game losing streak in head-to-head games against Zvezda with a 91-96 win in Belgrade last January.

\- Zvezda has beaten Fenerbahce the last two times they met in Istanbul. Last season, Zvezda crushed Fenerbahce 87-56, while in January 2024, it won 76-85 with Joel Bolomboy scoring a career-high 24 points.

\- Crvena Zvezda forward Nikola Kalinic spent five years with Fenerbahce, from 2015 to 2020, and helped the team win the 2017 EuroLeague and reach five consecutive Final Fours. 

\- Kalinic was a teammate of Melih Mahumutoglu in the title-winning 2016-17 season, and also with Nicolo Melli and Tarik Biberovic during his time with Fenerbahce.

\- Kalinic played under current Fenerbahce head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius at FC Barcelona during the 2022-23 season. Together, they reached the 2023 Final Four.

\- Fenerbahce guard Scotie Wilbekin played under current Zvezda head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos at Maccabi Tel Aviv for four seasons, from 2018 to 2022.

\- Fenerbahce guard Wade Baldwin had career highs in points (38), three-pointers made (6) and free-throws made (10) playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv against Zvezda in February 2023.

\- Ognjen Dobric scored a career-high 22 points in Zvezda's 91-89 win against Fenerbahce in April 2023.

\- Dobric recorded a career-high 4 steals playing for Crvena Zvezda against Fenerbahce in January 2021.

\- Zvezda forward Dejan Davidovac recorded his career-high in performance index rating (25) against Fenerbahce in March 2018.

\- Fenerbahce guard Melih Mahmutoglu set career-highs in points (20), PIR (20) and three-pointers made (5) in a home win over Crvena Zvezda in November 2022.

Winless Zvezda (0-2) will attempt to change that statistic with a trip to Fenerbahce (1-1). 

 Game Notes: Fenerbahce vs. Zvezda 

Experienced duo Mario Hezonja and Gabriel Deck have been the key performers for *Los Blancos*, averaging 16.0 and 12.5 points per game, while Facu Campazzo has shown he’ll again be among the league’s top distributors by averaging 6.5 assists in the first two games. ASVEL grabbed its first win by blasting 102 points over Baskonia last week, and American big man Zac Seljaas looks like becoming a key performer by registering 16.0 points and 6.5 rebounds over his first two appearances – but now he faces his biggest challenge yet against Real giant Walter Tavares.

\- Last season, ASVEL stunned Real on its home floor 80-78 on a buzzer-beating floater from Paris Lee. In that win, Theo Maledon, now with Real Madrid, led ASVEL with 23 points on 5-of-7 two-pointers, 2-of-5 three-pointers and 7-of-7 free throws, adding 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 6 fouls drawn. His PIR of 31 earned him MVP of the Round honor.

\- Maledon joined Real Madrid this summer after spending last season with ASVEL. That was his second stint with the club, after playing there from 2017 to 2020. Maledon was teammates with ASVEL's David Lighty throughout both of his stints with the club. He was also a teammate with Edwin Jackson in 2019-20 as well as last season.

\- Theo Maledon has been teammates on the French national team with ASVEL's Nando De Colo and Thomas Heurtel. Maledon and Heurtel together won silver medals at EuroBasket 2022.

\- ASVEL's only win over Real before last season was a 77-85 triumph, which came in Madrid in February 2003. Real has won the other 12 games between these two teams.

\- ASVEL and Real played each other for the first time in the 1965 European Cup quarterfinals. Real swept ASVEL with a 37-point aggregate victory.

\- ASVEL and Real faced each other in the 2002-03 EuroLeague when they split regular-season road wins. ASVEL won 77-85 in Madrid behind 18 points from Robert Gulyas.

\- Last season, in ASVEL's home win against Real, Mbaye Ndiaye tied his career high with 3 steals.

\- ASVEL guard David Lighty set his career high in steals with 4 in a 77-87 home loss against Real in January 2020.

\- The last time they played, Real's 81-70 win in Madrid, Mario Hezonja posted his career high 4 steals.

\- Real Madrid guard Sergio Llull had a career-high 3 steals against ASVEL in December 2022.

\- Real Madrid's Gabriele Procida posted a career high 3 steals playing for ALBA Berlin against ASVEL in January 2024.

After lifting its spirits with a vital victory over Olympiacos last time out, Real Madrid (1-1) will look to double up by overcoming ASVEL (1-1).

Game Notes: Madrid vs. ASVEL

The French team roared to its first triumph with an offense-inspired win at Maccabi, where Nadir Hifi again underlined his enormous scoring potential by draining 21 points. Another key performer for Paris is big man Allan Dokossi, who has grabbed 10 and 13 rebounds in two first two games. On this occasion he will go up against Alen Smailagic, who has made a solid start to his time with Virtus (8.5 points per game). Virtus will try to dominate the backcourt through a deep range of options led by Carsen Edwards, who is looking to extend a 15-game double-digit scoring sequence dating back to last season.

\- These are two of the last four BKT EuroCup winners. Virtus won the EuroCup in 2022 and Paris in 2024.

\- In their first official game in Round 12 last season, Paris pulled out an 81-78 home win.

\- Last season in Bologna, Paris completed a season-sweep of Virtus with a 77-83 win. In that game, Nadir Hifi had career-highs in PIR (24) and free throws made (8).

\- Paris center Ismael Bako played at Virtus during the 2022-23 season. He was a teammate of Alessandro Pajola and Daniel Hackett.

\- Virtus guard Carsen Edwards made a career high 10 two-pointers playing for FC Bayern Munich against Paris in February of last season.

A second win of the season is up for grabs as Paris (1-1) welcomes Virtus (1-1).

Game Notes: Paris vs. Virtus

Loose defense was the Greens’ downfall in last week’s home loss to Barcelona, when even a stunning performance from Juancho Hernangomez – 27 points and 8 rebounds – wasn’t enough. TJ Shorts will hope to kickstart his season after a slow start, but Panathinaikos can still rely on Kostas Sloukas to lead the offense after his double-double (18 points and 11 assists) in Round 2. Baskonia also needs defensive improvement after allowing 102 points in both the first two games, and will hope for another strong performance from forward Hamidou Diallo after averaging 14 points and 6.5 rebounds in his first two games for the club.

\- Baskonia and Panathinaikos are tied at 18-18 in head-to-head games between them this century; the home team has won the last eight games, including Baskonia's 91-77 victory in January.

\- The last time they played in Athens, Panathinaikos beat Baskonia 104-69, in a game that saw Panathinaikos center Mathias Lessort suffer a broken leg, while Kendrick Nunn paced the Greens with 26 points, 9 assists and a career-high 4 steals.

\- Mathias Lessort earned MVP of the Round honors in October 2023 when he scored 23 points and set career highs with 14 rebounds and 7 offensive rebounds for Panathinaikos as the Greens beat Baskonia 95-91. He had a PIR of 31.

\- Lessort also had 7 offensive rebounds playing for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade against Baskonia in October 2022.

\- Baskonia has won two playoff series against Panathinaikos. It swept the Greens in the 2016 playoffs and eliminated Panathinaikos in 2006 by winning the decisive Game 3 on the road 71-74.

\- Panathinaikos and Baskonia battled in the 2007 EuroLeague Semifinals in Athens, Greece. Panathinaikos downed Baskonia 53-67 behind 15 points each from Sani Becirovic and Mike Batiste. The Greens went on to win the EuroLeague championship.

\- Panathinaikos tied its club record for rebounds in EuroLeague play this century with 51 against Baskonia in April 2016.

\- Panathinaikos set club records with 31 assists against Baskonia in October 2013.

\- Panathinaikos forward Nikos Rogkavopoulos spent the last two seasons with Baskonia before joining Panathinaikos over the summer. He made his EuroLeague debut with Baskonia and appeared in 62 games in the competition.

\- Panathinaikos swingman Marius Grigonis grabbed a career-high 4 steals for Zalgiris Kaunas against Baskonia in February 2019.

Baskonia (0-2) will aim for its first victory against a Panathinaikos team (1-1) also determined to bounce back from defeat. 

Game Notes: Baskonia vs. Panathinaikos

The visitors will hope that Round 2 MVP Nikola Mirotic can continue shine as he returns to face his former team. Milan will have plenty of hunger after narrowly failing in a big comeback attempt at Partizan last week, where summer signing Marko Guduric showed his first signs of becoming a key presence for Ettore Messina’s men with 12 points and 8 assists. A key battle will take place in the paint: Daniel Theis has made an excellent start to the season with 16.0 points per game on 90.9% two-point shooting, while Milan’s Devin Booker will look to make up for the absence of Josh Nebo, who had a strong start to the season but suffered an injury in Round 2.

\- Monaco forward Nikola Mirotic spent the last two seasons with Milan. He helped the team win the 2024 Italian championship.

\- These two teams split home wins last season as well as in the 2022-23 campaign. They split road victories in the 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons.

\- Monaco guard Mike James played for Milan during the 2018-19 season and won the Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy with an average of 19.8 points per game.

\- Monaco guard Nemanja Nedovic spent two seasons with Milan, from 2018 to 2020. He played under Coach Ettore Messina for the second of those seasons.

\- Milan guard Marko Guduric has been a teammate of Monaco's Nemanja Nedovic on the Serbian national team.

\- Milan forward Zach LeDay was a teammate of Monaco head coach Vassilis Spanoulis at Olympiacos Piraeus during the 2018-19 season. That was LeDay's debut season in the EuroLeague.

\- LeDay made a career-high 13 free throws while playing for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade against Monaco in April 2023.

\- Bayern big man Devin Booker was a teammate of Monaco's Nick Calathes at Fenerbahce Istanbul during the 2022-23 season.

\- Milan forward Giampaolo Ricci set career highs with 8 rebounds and 6 offensive rebounds against Monaco in December 2022.

\- Monaco's Kevarrius Hayes pulled down a career high 6 offensive rebounds playing for Paris Basketball against Milan last October.

\- Monaco point guard Nick Calathes earned MVP of the Round honors while playing for Panathinaikos Athens in an 85-93 road win against Milan in March 2019. He made a career-high 12 two-point shots, scored 27 points and recorded a PIR of 39.

Milan (1-1) will enjoy home comforts for the first time this season with a visit from Monaco (1-1). 

Game Notes: Milan vs. Monaco

Zeljko Obradovic’s men narrowly secured their first success of the campaign by edging out Milan in Round 2, with last season’s key performers Carlik Jones (15 points and 5 assists) and Sterling Brown (20 points) finding a welcome return to form, and that duo faces a major challenge against Efes’s star-studded backcourt. Shane Larkin has averaged 13.5 points despite not yet making a single three-point shot, a statistic which will surely change soon. Isaia Cordinier has suffered similar woes with just 1 three-pointer on 10 attempts, but Jordan Loyd has settled very quickly, netting 16 and 25 points in his first two games.

\- Efes swept Partizan last season, including a 65-97 drubbing in Belgrade in March. It was the heaviest home defeat in EuroLeague history for Partizan.

\- In their game in Istanbul last season, Efes beat Partizan 86-77 behind a career game from Ercan Osmani, who had career high in PIR (29) and points (25).

\- In that loss in Istanbul last December, Partizan's Aleksej Pokusevski set his career high and a club-record 6 blocks, and also had a career-best 5 assists.

\- Shane Larkin scored 27 points and earned co-MVP honors with a PIR of 38 when Efes beat Partizan 100-94 in Istanbul in November 2023.

\- When Partizan beat Efes 84-97 in Istanbul in March 2023, it set a club record by making 28 free throws without a miss, which is the second-best perfect total in EuroLeague history. Partizan was also a perfect 16 for 16 on free throws in an 82-79 home win over Efes in December 2022.

\- Partizan center Tyrique Jones spent the 2023-24 season with Efes, where he made his EuroLeague debut.

\- Last season, in December's road loss against Efes, Tyrique Jones scored a career-high 23 points.

\- Efes guard PJ Dozier made his EuroLeague debut at Partizan during the 2024-25 season.

\- Efes guard Jordan Loyd and Partizan sharpshooter Vanja Marinkovic were teammates at Valencia Basket during the 2019-20 season.

\- Partizan's Issac Bonga and Efes guard Nick Weiler Babb were teammates at FC Bayern Munich from 2022 to 2024.

\- Bonga has also been a teammate of Nick Weiler-Babb on the German national team.

\- Efes guard Isaia Cordinier set his career highs in rebounds (10) and offensive rebounds (6) playing for Virtus Bologna in a road win over Partizan last October.

\- Efes guard Rodrigue Beaubois scored a career-high 30 points in an 82-79 loss against Partizan in December 2022.

Partizan (1-1) is targeting a second consecutive victory as it welcomes Efes (1-1) to Belgrade.

Game Notes: Partizan vs. Efes

Dimitris Itoudis’s team has made a stunning start to the season behind the aggressive scoring of Antonio Blakeney, who has made 21-of-23 free-throw attempts in the first two games. Dan Oturu’s power in the paint (15.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game) is another challenge for Maccabi, which has struggled for shooting accuracy with just 48.7% of two-point attempts and 32.8% of triples converted so far. Jaylen Hoard has been a welcome exception with 15 points per game, while the rebounding of summer signing Oshae Brissett (6.5 boards per night) will be important to combat Oturu.

\- This is the first-ever clash between two Israeli teams in the EuroLeague.

\- Maccabi head coach Oded Kattash coached Hapoel for the 2014-15 season and the start of the following campaign. 

\- Hapoel guard Elijah Bryant spent two seasons at Maccabi from 2019 to 2021. He was a teammate there of John DiBartolomeo.

\- Hapoel guard Chris Jones made his EuroLeague debut with Maccabi during the 2020-21 season. He was also a teammate there of DiBartolomeo.

\- Jones grabbed a career-high 8 rebounds while playing for LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne against Maccabi in March 2022.

\- Maccabi point guard Tamir Blatt began his professional career with Hapoel Tel Aviv, where he played from 2014 through 2017.  He was a teammate of Hapoel forward Tomer Ginat in the last of those three seasons. 

\- Maccabi forward Jaylen Hoard played for Hapoel for two seasons, from 2022 to 2024. He was a teammate of current Hapoel players Bar Timor and Tomer Ginat. 

\- Hapoel's Tomer Ginat, Yam Madar, Guy Palatin, Itay Segev and Bar Timor have been teammates with Maccabi's Tamir Blatt and Roman Sorkin on the Israeli national team.

\- Sorkin, Ginat, Madar, Palatin, Timor and Segev played together for Israel over the summer at EuroBasket 2025. 

\- Maccabi's Uros Trifunovic and Hapoel playmaker Vasilije Micic have been teammates on the Serbian national team.

\- Hapoel center Bruno Caboclo and Trifunovic were teammates at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade during the 2024-25 season.

\- Caboclo blocked a career high 4 shots playing for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade against Maccabi in January 2024.

This week’s drama tips off on Wednesday with a local rivalry as a perfect Hapoel (2-0) faces winless Maccabi (0-2) in Sofia, Bulgaria. 

Game Notes: Hapoel vs. Maccabi

A new BKT EuroCup season is upon us bringing with it perhaps a few more new standouts to track as the season goes on than usual. Here is a closer look at which players hit the ground running in Round 1:

Stats review: A EuroCup changing of the guard

A new BKT EuroCup season is upon us bringing with it perhaps a few more new standouts to track as the season goes on than usual.  In last week's opening round, 13 players scored 20 or more points.  Of those 13, only [Jordan Usher](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jordan-usher/013265/) of [Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/turk-telekom-ankara/ttk/) appeared in the EuroCup last season — and that was with a different club.  Here is a closer look at which players hit the ground running in Round 1:

### The scorers

[Cory Davis Jr.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/corey-davis-jr-/013890/) of [NINERS Chemnitz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/niners-chemnitz/nin/) and [Bryce Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/bryce-jones/012621/) of [Aris Thessloniki Betsson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/aris-thessaloniki-betsson/ari/) tied to lead all scorers with 26 points in their respective openers.  Davis is a newcomer not just to the EuroCup, but to Chemnitz as well.  A quick, tough lead guard, he showed his shotmaking prowess and ability to score opportunistically in transition as his team pushed Panionios Athens to the brink in overtime in Greece in their debut.

Jones competed in the EuroCup two seasons ago but appears set for more chances on the ball in his second go-round.  Pulling down 8 rebounds and tallying 6 assists on top of the 14 points he scored out of pick-and-rolls alone; he unsurprisingly led all players in Performance Index Rating in Round 1 to help Aris score a coveted road victory to start the season.

### The shooters

EuroCup rookie [Darius McGhee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/darius-mcghee/013859/) led all players by going 6 of 14 from beyond the arc in Round 1.  His range has been a talking point for nearly his entire career to this point and he was not shy in [Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cosea-jl-bourg-en-bresse/bou/)'s emphatic road win to open the season. [Eric Reed](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/eric-reed/013934/) of [Veolia Towers Hamburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/veolia-towers-hamburg/ham/) shot 5 for 14 in his debut at this level.

### The playmakers

[Arnas Velicka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/arnas-velicka/006326/) dished out a Round 1-best 10 assists in his first appearance in the EuroCup.  Making all manner of reads and unselfish plays for [Neptunas Klaipeda](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/neptunas-klaipeda/kla/), the way he used his size to make passes over the top to rollers from a variety of angles was especially impressive.  EuroCup veteran [Hugo Benitz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/hugo-benitez/010449/) dished out 8 assists for [BAXI Manresa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/baxi-manresa/man/) as he settles into his role playing his first season outside of France.

Thomas Kennedy of Cedevita Olimpija was one of 4 players with 11 rebounds in Round 1

### The rebounders

[Austin Wiley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/austin-wiley/013278/) of [Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-bank-yahav-jerusalem/jer/), [Zacharie Perrin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/zacharie-perrin/011579/) of Hamburg, [Yordan Minchev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yordan-minchev/007423/) of Chemnitz, and [Thomas Kennedy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/thomas-kennedy/013973/) of [Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/cedevita-olimpija-ljubljana/lju/) all pulled down 11 rebounds in Round 1.  In their respective EuroCup debuts, Minchev did a lot of dirty work on the interior for Chemnitz, Kennedy corralled all 11 of his rebounds on the defensive side, and, at just 21 years of age, Perrin pulled down 6 offensive rebounds in his debut for Hamburg.  In his second year with Jerusalem, this was par for the course for Wiley who would have finished among the top 5 rebounders in the EuroCup last season, but did not play enough games to qualify.

### The defenders

Second-year forward [Justin Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/justin-smith/013276/) blocked 3 shots to help Jerusalem to a 100-point effort on the road.  While he is not a classic rim protector, his ability to slide with guards in rotation helped him make multiple plays at the rim in Round 1.  Velicka tied [Michalis Lountzis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/michalis-lountzis/006302/) of [Panionios Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/panionios-athens/nio/), [Malachi Flynn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/malachi-flynn/013908/) of [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/), and [Ty Brewer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ty-brewer/013894/) of Chemnitz with 4 steals in week one.  Lountzis made his EuroCup debut 5 years ago while Flynn is playing in Europe for the first time and Brewer has worked his way up the ranks to make his EuroCup debut.

### Impact players

Jones, Lountzis, Flynn, [Dusan Miletic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/dusan-miletic/009896/) of [U-BT Cluj-Napoca](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/u-bt-cluj-napoca/clu/), and [Mark Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mark-smith/013969/) of [ratiopharm Ulm](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/ratiopharm-ulm/ulm/) took the top 5 spots in PIR. Only Miletic had significant EuroCup experience prior to last week, appearing in three seasons since emerging as a pro eight years ago. Flynn’s dynamic ability with the ball, Miletic’s size and Smith’s versatility at the guard spots figure to play prominent roles in the success of their respective teams.

With a host of newcomers emerging out of the gates this season, it will be fascinating to see which players solidify themselves as stars as the year wears on.

Dusan Miletic had a strong start for Cluj

Let's have a look at which players started the season on the right foot

The EuroLeague is back, and the opening week sustained the league’s most prominent trend on the floor: unmatched offensive efficiency.

Stats review: Offensive efficiency in the EuroLeague continues to rise

The EuroLeague is back, and the early returns are, frankly, spectacular.  While a lot of things changed coming into this season, with three teams added to fill the expanded 20-team field, a few coaching changes, and several marquee signings, the opening week sustained the league’s most prominent trend on the floor: unmatched efficiency.

The graph above shows the number of points per-possession scored since the EuroLeague's inception in the 2000-01 season. 

While there was a ramp-up in the seasons following the pandemic, the EuroLeague has hovered around record levels of efficiency for the last three years, finally breaking the record set during the 2017-18 season last year.  Usually, there are some expected bumps in the road early in the regular season as teams build their chemistry and find a rhythm, but Rounds 1 and 2 set a different tone last week as most teams came sprinting out of the gates executing, shooting the three, and taking care of the ball at high levels.  Given the league’s inclination for parity, the roster quality of the clubs joining this season, and the way the league has steadily raised the bar on offensive efficiency in recent years, it is fair to wonder if last season’s record was more of a stepping stone than the boundary the league’s last two major spikes proved to be.

History can only tell us so much beyond the last decade about the next step in the EuroLeague's offensive progression, as the brand of basketball in the first decade of the competition was very different in a few key facets — notably three-point rate and playcalling.  Early on, the league’s numbers usually ebbed and flowed with how effectively teams translated their group phase efficiency into the Top 16. The teams during the 2003-04 season were so good offensively in the second phase that the 47.6% field goal percentage from that year still stands as the EuroLeague record, with the resulting overall efficiency record holding until the 2017-18 campaign. 

That season’s offensive fireworks came on the heels of the EuroLeague's first season of double round-robin play in 2016-17.  The stabilizing effect the league’s current format has had on offensive performance is obvious, but that season saw positive swings in three-point shooting and turnover rate that have continued into the offensive renaissance that has gotten back on track after being derailed for a time by the pandemic.

While its obviously still very early, it is hard to look at the starts of Zalgiris Kaunas under new head coach Tomas Masiulis, Valencia Basket in their return to the league with a new arena, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv on neutral courts with a former MVP leading the charge, and Dubai Basketball with their stellar shooting performance in Round 1 and not wonder just how high the league can fly offensively this year.  There is no guarantee that the explosive offensive play of the first week will carry on at such a high level all year, but the early returns of the 2025-26 season have done little to suggest that we are not, at least probably, watching a historic standard of professional basketball.

Sportradar shines a light on the great scoring efficiency in the opening rounds of the 2025-26 season

Look back at all the action in Round 1 of the 2025-26 BKT EuroCup season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos from Round 1

Look back at all the action from Round 1 of the 2025-26 BKT EuroCup season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Barcelona’s Nico Laprovittola sidelined with a thigh injury

FC Barcelona came out victorious from Athens, beating Panathinaikos [96-103](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-fc-barcelona/E2025/18/#boxscore) with a help of [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) who had 15 points and 9 assists in 22:30 minutes on the floor. However, it came with a cost.

Veteran point guard felt discomfort in his leg during the game, and then came an announcement from the club on Saturday that Laprovittola will miss three weeks of action due to a thigh injury.

It is an unfortunate setback for a 35-year old guard who missed most of last season with an ACL tear.

This is eighth EuroLeague season for Laprovittola who has appeared in 187 games, all with Spanish clubs – Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">[𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓 𝐌𝐄̀𝐃𝐈𝐂]<br><br>El jugador Nico Laprovittola no jugarà el partit davant el València Basket. <br><br>L’escorta argentí va notar molèsties a l’adductor de la cuixa esquerra en una acció del tram final del partit davant Panathinaikos.<br><br>Les proves realitzades a Barcelona… <a href="https://t.co/3kZwGzPets">pic.twitter.com/3kZwGzPets</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1974491160312737833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He averaged 10.5 points and 6.0 assists in the opening week of the season

After winning two EuroLeague titles together, Shane Larkin and Vasilije Micic faced off for the first time as opponents in the competition – and it was Micic who came away with the win.

Larkin outscored Micic, but former MVP led Hapoel to win over ex-team

After winning two EuroLeague titles together, [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) and [Vasilije Micic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vasilije-micic/002580/) faced off for the first time as opponents in the competition – and it was Micic who came away with the win.

For five seasons, Larkin and Micic formed one of the most dominant backcourts in EuroLeague history, guiding [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) to back-to-back continental championships in 2021 and 2022. On Friday night, the former teammates met again – this time on opposite sides – as Micic’s new club, EuroLeague debutant [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/hta/), defeated Larkin’s Efes [87–81 in Round 2 action](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/hapoel-finishes-perfect-double-round-with-81-87-road-win-at-efes/).

Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv | Round 1 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Though Larkin outscored Micic – finishing with 13 points, 3 assists and 2 steals to Micic’s 9 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds – it was the Serbian star who left the court with the bragging rights and the win.

This marked the first club-level matchup between the two since Micic left Efes for the NBA in 2023. He returned to Europe this season to join Hapoel and he arrived with plenty of pedigree, having been named EuroLeague MVP in 2021 and Final Four MVP in both 2021 and 2022.

<center>
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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CuR2YTJOyvj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Vasilije Micic B.B.I.I.M.H. (@vasamicic13)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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The two did clash earlier this summer at the national team level during the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 group stage. In that encounter, Larkin shined with 23 points and 9 assists in Turkiye’s 95–90 win over Serbia while Micic struggled, finishing with just 5 points and no assists in 12 minutes.

But on Friday in Podgorica, Montenegro, the narrative flipped.

<center>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPYmf50jBI_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPYmf50jBI_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPYmf50jBI_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Vasilije Micic B.B.I.I.M.H. (@vasamicic13)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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Despite the personal histories, the two rarely guarded each other directly. Early in the game, Micic sped past Larkin to assist [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) – another former Efes player – on a three-point play. For much of the contest, Micic was defended by Larkin’s new backcourt partner Nick Weiler-Babb, the reigning EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year.

Still, there were several moments when their paths crossed. Midway through the second quarter, Larkin deflected a cross-court pass from Micic out of bounds. In the third quarter, Micic capitalized on a lapse by Larkin, who lost track of Elijah Bryant in the corner; Micic drove and kicked for a key three-pointer to put Hapoel ahead 52–50. Later, inside the final three minutes, Larkin picked off a pass from Micic in the paint, keeping Efes within striking distance.

Larkin actually faced three of his former teammates on the night. In addition to Micic and Oturu, Hapoel also signed [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/) this offseason. Bryant played four seasons with Efes (2021–2025), winning the EuroLeague title in 2022 alongside Larkin and Micic.

Hapoel's Elijah Bryant gets away from Efes's Shane Larkin in the teams' Round 2 matchup.

Bryant had a strong game with 15 points, including a first-quarter drive past Larkin and a steal that led to a Micic basket. The two guards also spent significant time defending each other. In one light-hearted moment early in the second half, Larkin was whistled for a foul trying to strip the ball from Bryant and responded with a smile to his old teammate.

Oturu added 12 points and 9 rebounds, rounding out a solid performance from Hapoel’s ex-Efes trio. In the end, it was the former Istanbul stars who had the last laugh, celebrating a hard-earned win over their old teammate and club.

The former backcourt mates faced off for the first time in the EuroLeague


Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (2025-10-03T17:30:00.000Z)

Check out the best plays from Round 2, and see who had the best of them!