The former backcourt mates faced off for the first time in the EuroLeague
Larkin outscored Micic, but former MVP led Hapoel to win over ex-team
Artículo
3 Min lectura
Regular Season
Round 2 of 38
Regular Season
Anadolu Efes IstanbulEFS
8187
Hapoel IBI Tel AvivHTA
Overview
l
w
w
w
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.
For five seasons, Larkin and Micic formed one of the most dominant backcourts in EuroLeague history, guiding Anadolu Efes Istanbul 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, defeated Larkin’s Efes 87–81 in Round 2 action.
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.
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.
Despite the personal histories, the two rarely guarded each other directly. Early in the game, Micic sped past Larkin to assist Dan Oturu – 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 this offseason. Bryant played four seasons with Efes (2021–2025), winning the EuroLeague title in 2022 alongside Larkin and Micic.
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.