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2023-24 Roster Rundown: Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

2023-24 Roster Rundown: Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

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19 September 20235 mins read

2023-24 Roster Rundown: Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana enters a new season with nearly a dozen new faces on the roster. Even though several of them have played for this club in the past, fans in the Slovenian capital will be watching a brand-new team. And that squad will be guided by Simone Pianigiani, who returns to coach on the old Continent after three years in China and is back in the EuroCup for the first time since taking Hapoel Jerusalem to the semifinals in 2017. Here's a look at the many new, and a few old, pieces on Cedevita's roster.

BACKCOURT

It is hard to find a team with more experience on the perimeter than Cedevita, which boasts six players at 29 years of age or older. For the new campaign, Cedevita brought three new playmakers in Justin Cobbs, Nikola Radicevic and Sean Armand. All three have previous experience in the EuroCup, including Cobbs and Radicevic, who are each heading into their seventh campaign. Cobbs enters this season ranked 10th on the all-time assists chart.

Next to the playmaking trio will be more veterans, starting with swingmen Jaka Blazic and Zoran Dragic. The two are two players for Cedevita this season, not only because of what each can do on both ends of the floor, but also due to their leadership and longstanding relationship with the fans. The third veteran is sharpshooter Jaka Klobucar. These three have great familiarity with each other, both at the club level and with the Slovenian national team.

Alongside these six, there is a young, hungry trio that is eager to get as many opportunities as possible and prove they can contribute. They are forward Rok Radovic, guard Gregor Glas, who returns from loan, and guard Damian Kruzynski who is set to turn 20 later this month

FRONTCOURT

Compared to the backcourt, Cedevita's frontcourt has far less experience, with power forward Shawn Jones the only one of the three newcomers in this group to have played in the EuroCup before. That was in 2016-17 when he helped Hapoel Jerusalem reach the semifinals. For 23-year-old Alexander Shashkov and 24-year-old Amadou Sow, this will be their first season in the EuroCup, with Sow set to play his second professional season. Both players, however, can play both at the "four" and "five" positions.

One player who should have a more prominent role in Cedevita's frontcourt this season is athletic center Karlo Matkovic, who at 22 years of age hopes to build on his 9.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in his premier season in the competition. One year younger is Luka Scuka, who can play both forward positions and at 2.08 meters, is another youngster hoping for an extended role, especially in the absence of Edo Muric who tore his ACL in June, and has a long road to recovery in front of him.

PLAYER TO WATCH

The last time Jaka Blazic played in the competition and in a Cedevita uniform, he led the team to the EuroCup Quarterfinals. A fan favorite in the Slovenian capital, Blazic previously played for the club between 2011 and 2013 and then again between 2019 and 2022. In the last two of those seasons, he earned a spot on the All-EuroCup Second Team after scoring a total of 599 points and grabbing 170 rebounds over 35 appearances. A relentless defender, Blazic has turned into a prolific scorer and that is exactly what Cedevita will need from him. All eyes will be on the veteran guard to see if he can showcase the form that made him one of the most dangerous offensive players in the EuroCup as recently as 2022.

OUTLOOK

Cedevita never lacks ambition, and this team always aims high, even when the scores don't go their way, which was the case last season when the team disappointed by missing the playoffs. Now, with a new head coach and a revamped roster, loaded with experience both on the floor and on the bench, the Dragons from Ljubljana hope to restore the roar. Cedevita will surely rely heavily on its group of veteran backcourt players, all capable playmakers who can outsmart any opposition. If this team avoids a slow start, and early on uses its home court where, following the season opener, it plays three of four games, Cedevita could be set for another long EuroCup run.