 Season Review | 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague 

By all accounts, the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season was among the most compelling and closest contested on the books. From the overtime dramas in the early rounds through the nail-biting comebacks and three Game 5s in the playoffs until the thrills of the Final Four in Kaunas, the EuroLeague was a nonstop factory for excitement. Let's take a look back at the moments, milestones and protagonists who made the 2022-23 one to remember. 

Season Review | 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

2022-23 season in review

Perhaps no day is longer and more nerve-wracking for a basketball fan than the one leading up to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game. For fans of both Real Madrid and Olympiacos Piraeus who were in Kaunas for the Final Four, the anticipation started as soon as they woke up and grew hour by hour to a fever pitch that persisted until the game’s final seconds. Follow Real fan David Manzano and an Olympiacos father and son duo, Theodoros and Georgios Cholevas, through the day as they helped supply the unique atmosphere surrounding the season’s crowning moment and tried to push their teams to the ultimate glory.

How fans from both sides lived Championship Gameday in Kaunas

Perhaps no day is longer and more nerve-wracking for a basketball fan than the one leading up to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game. For fans of both Real Madrid and Olympiacos Piraeus who were in Kaunas for the Final Four, the anticipation started as soon as they woke up and grew hour by hour to a fever pitch that persisted until the game’s final seconds. Follow Real fan David Manzano and an Olympiacos-supporting father and son duo, Theodoros and Georgios Cholevas, through the day as they helped supply the unique atmosphere surrounding the season’s crowning moment and tried to push their teams to the ultimate glory.

Sergio Llull's deep two-pointer over the outstretched arm of Moustapha Fall saw Real Madrid defeat Olympiacos Piraeus 78-79 in the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game, as Los Blancos become champions of Europe for the 11th time. This century, there have been several shots in the final moments of the championship game that have resulted in a team securing Europe's crown. Some are very well-known, whereas others may have flown under the radar. Sit back and enjoy these decisive title-winning shots. 

 The most decisive title-winning shots in EuroLeague Championship Game history 

Sergio Llull's deep two-pointer over the outstretched arm of Moustapha Fall saw Real Madrid defeat Olympiacos Piraeus 78-79 in the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game, as Los Blancos become champions of Europe for the 11th time. This century, there have been several shots in the final moments of the championship game that have resulted in a team securing Europe's crown. Some are very well-known, whereas others may have flown under the radar. Sit back and enjoy these decisive title-winning shots.

The most decisive title-winning shots in EuroLeague Championship Game history

The final episode of EuroLeague Pick 'Em, Powered by @ArduPrime, for the 2022-23 season sees Dora Panteli review the excitement from the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four and share some of the numbers that made the weekend in Kaunas and Real Madrid's accomplishments so impressive. 

EuroLeague Pick'Em: Looks back on the Final Four!

EuroLeague Pick'Em looks back on the Final Four!

EuroLeague Pick 'Em looks back on the Final Four!

EuroLeague Diaries, Episode 6: Final Four in Kaunas

The EuroLeague Diaries team was on the ground in Kaunas for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four weekend to sample all of what makes this event such a special one both on and off the court. Sofia del Prado and Dane Arlauckas basked in the famous Lithuanian basketball culture and interacted with fans all around the city. Experience the Final Four like never before with Sofia and Dane through the lens of EuroLeague Diaries. 

EuroLeague Diaries at the Final Four in Kaunas

Top 10 Plays | Final Four | 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague 

Top 5 Plays | Championship Game | 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague 

Be sure to take a look at the best five plays of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game!

Top 5 Plays | Championship Game | 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

 All-Access Final Four, Episode 3 

Walter Tavares | Final Four MVP | 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague 

Olympiacos Piraeus v Real Madrid (2023-05-21T17:00:00.000Z)

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game Post-Game Press Conference

Sergio Rodriguez, Real Madrid: 'I've been doing this for a long time'

Fabien Causeur, Real Madrid: 'These guys are contagious'

Final Four MVP Walter Tavares: 'This one I suffered more' 

Trophy Delivery!

MVP Interview: Walter Tavares, Real Madrid

Latest videos

DON'T MISS

•	More than 1 billion accumulated impressions on all SM platforms.
•	EuroLeague's Instagram generates more than 233 million views

EuroLeague social media reaches new heights with record numbers

Interest in the the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague reached record highs this season, with fans – new and old – actively engaging with the league's social media content, resulting in historic numbers. During the 2022-23 season, the EuroLeague's social media team ensured that fans from all corners of the globe got even closer to the action by providing behind-the-scenes access on gamedays, in addition to tailoring the users' experience based on the platform the content was being viewed on.

Looking at the season as a whole, there were double-digit increases across the board, while the total number of accumulated impressions on social media topped the one billion mark – yes, billion! – following a 55% increase on last year's numbers. In terms of engagement, this figure rose by 71% to 40 million. The biggest jump came with video views, as this number shot up by 130% to 393 million. There was a 17% increase in followers as 3.4 million more people decided that they wanted the EuroLeague's posts to appear in their feed.

For the majority of EuroLeague fans, [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/euroleague/) was the favored social network of choice and there was a 50% jump in impressions compared to last year's output as 549 million people saw the EuroLeague's posts. There were 31 million engagements with the publications, too, a 68% increase on the 2021-22 numbers. When it came to video views, this total skyrocketed by 213% to 233 million.

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The platform that had the second-highest number of interactions with the EuroLeague account was [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Euroleague), as the league's posts were seen by 231 million people, an increase of 67%. Some two million engagements took place; this rose by 119% on last year's totals. Video views were once again popular, climbing by 57% to 32 million based on the 2021-22 figures.

EuroLeague posts on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheEuroLeague/) had a reach of 173 million people, an increase of 46%, which matched the engagement on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Euroleague). The 2 million likes or shares on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheEuroLeague/) represented a rise of 88%. [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@euroleague) has become the go-to social media platform for many people from Generation Z, and there was plenty of growth for the EuroLeague's account here, too. There were a total of 69 million impressions, up 166% from last year's figures, while the number of followers rose by 378,000, which is a 92% increase.

Thank you to the EuroLeague’s social media fanbase for their continuous support during this record-setting season!

•	More than 1 billion accumulated impressions on all social media platforms.
•	EuroLeague's Instagram generated more than 233 million views

Dzanan Musa's debut season at Real Madrid could not have gone any better. The 24-year-old had a memorable regular season, establishing himself as an outright starter and averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game, before playing a key role in Los Blancos becoming the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion. This was not Musa's first EuroLeague title success, having also been on the roster for Anadolu Efes Istanbul's triumph in 2021, but this time he was a major contributor and rightly earned plenty of plaudits for his exploits in the 2022-23 campaign. His efforts were recognized by EuroLeague head coaches and team captains, as well as the media and fans, prior to the Final Four as he was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team.

Tribute to the Champs: Dzanan Musa

[Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/)'s debut season at Real Madrid could not have gone any better. The 24-year-old had a memorable regular season, establishing himself as an outright starter and averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game, before playing a key role in Los Blancos becoming the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion. This was not Musa's first EuroLeague title success, having also been on the roster for Anadolu Efes Istanbul's triumph in 2021, but this time he was a major contributor and rightly earned plenty of plaudits for his exploits in the 2022-23 campaign. His efforts were recognized by EuroLeague head coaches and team captains, as well as the media and fans, prior to the Final Four as he was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team.

The best plays of Real Madrid forward Dzanan Musa in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

2022-23 highlights: Dzanan Musa, Real Madrid

During the regular season, Musa earned MVP of the Round honors on three occasions – the second most of any player in the entire league. He joined Real as the Spanish League MVP following a breakthrough season at Rio Breogan and he took his game to another level in 2022-23, becoming one of the most feared players in the competition. He proved decisive in helping Real advance past Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in the playoffs, scoring at least 10 points in four of the five games, including 20 in the do-or-die Game 5.

One of the hallmarks of Musa's play this season was his ability to get to the foul line, where he made a league-record 178 free throws. He also ranked 19th in the EuroLeague for two-pointers made (119) and 14th for three-pointers converted (63), which goes to show the impact that he had on a night-to-night basis. Add in the fact that Musa played all 41 possible games for Real in 2022-23 and there's no denying the impact that the Bosnian had on helping Los Blancos end their five-year wait to lift the EuroLeague trophy.

Real Madrid managed to lift its 11th continental crown in Kaunas, Lithuania. After the Championship Game, the champs dropped by the photo studio at the arena itself to take some photos that will immortalize that night forever.

Real Madrid trophy photo shoot

It started almost as a joke. In Spanish, 'mandarina' was a term for a tough shot that was generally taken with the shot clock running down to avoid a turnover. Only rarely would it go in. Spanish journalist Andres Montes, who passed away in 2009, was the first to use the term regularly. Real Madrid star Sergio Llull changed its meaning forever by making many of those shots, probably more often than any other player in basketball history.

Sergio Llull’s ‘Mandarina’ through the years

It started almost as a joke. In Spanish, 'mandarina' was a term for a tough shot that was generally taken with the shot clock running down to avoid a turnover. Only rarely would it go in. Spanish journalist Andres Montes, who passed away in 2009, was the first to use the term regularly. Real Madrid star [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) changed its meaning forever by making many of those shots, probably more often than any other player in basketball history.

Llull has made so many that now every time he makes a difficult shot at any point during the game, people call it a 'mandarina'. His last such achievement, a go-ahead rainbow jumper over Olympiacos Piraeus center Moustapha Fall that lifted Real to its 11th Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title, can hardly be considered a 'mandarina' but still, you will see the term in newspapers, social media and everywhere else. Llull has made so many amazing shots the 'mandarina' is now his signature shot.

The original 'mandarina' came on February 25, 2010. Llull was in his third season with the club and buried an off-balance, acrobatic three-pointer that allowed Real to earn the tie-break advantage against Montepaschi Siena in that year's Top 16 stage. Indeed, that shot eventually took Real to the playoffs and it was the first of the many incredible shots Llull would make over the years, none bigger than the EuroLeague-winning one against Olympiacos. That shot allowed Llull to win his third EuroLeague crown.

One of the greats of his generation, Llull was the 2016-17 EuroLeague MVP and ranks fifth all-time in scoring (3,691 points) and sixth in assists (1,329). To honor Llull's recent heroics, let us celebrate his EuroLeague 'mandarinas'. In this video, you will find some of Llull's impossible catch-and-shoot jumpers, prayers from beyond midcourt and game-winners because when it comes to Llull, there are plenty of 'mandarinas' to choose from.

Llull’s ‘Mandarina’ through the years

Ambassadors played their part in the Kaunas Final Four

Adam Hanga had to wait longer than he wanted to lift the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague trophy, but when he was finally able to do so last month with Real Madrid, he became the first Hungarian player ever to claim the top continental crown. And he fulfilled a promise he made to himself several years ago. 

The first Hungarian to win the EuroLeague, Adam Hanga made good on his promise

[Adam Hanga](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/adam-hanga/005099/) had to wait longer than he wanted to lift the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague trophy, but when he was finally able to do so last month with Real Madrid, he became the first Hungarian player ever to claim the top continental crown. And he fulfilled a promise he made to himself several years ago. 

Hanga grew up without a father and his grandfather Gyorgy Szep played that role for him until he passed away in April 2019.

"It is even hard to put it in words because he meant so much to me. Everybody knows that I didn't know my father and he was the one who raised me and kind of became my father. He was the person in my family asking for discipline and all that kind of stuff," Hanga said. "He was working two or three jobs. I remember he worked for 48 hours and rested for 24; two days working non-stop and one day off. When he was supposed to sleep, he would still take me to practice and to all of my games."

"This is especially for (my grandfather) and for all the people that believed in me."

Szep worked as a policeman for 35 years and never fined anybody. He was hard to miss, too, being 2 meters tall and weighing around 120 kilos. He was the one who encouraged Hanga to play basketball, often jumping over a fence to rebound for him. Szep used to drive him to practice in a 20-year-old car that always broke down. They were the last to arrive at every game because they were the slowest.

Hanga's achievements on the floor turned Szep into a basketball fan. 

"He never played basketball but acted like he had played for 60 years! He knew everything about it and when I left, he had these VHS cassettes and would still watch me play when I was 8 or 10 years old," Hanga remembered. "I was offering to send him DVDs of my games and see something new, but he insisted on watching me play when I was a kid. He loved to watch those basketball tapes, but until I started to play basketball, I don't think he knew it even existed."

Once he passed away, Hanga's next goal was to win the EuroLeague for him. It was not an easy thing; not many Hungarian players have been successful in basketball at the highest European level over the last 50 years. 

Back in the 1950s, Hungary was one of the basketball superpowers in Europe. Hungary won a gold medal at EuroBasket 1955, led by Tibor Zsiros, and earned silver in that competition two years earlier and bronze at EuroBasket 1946. The country competed at the Olympic Games five times between 1936 to 1964. Honved Budapest reached the semifinals in the original EuroLeague season in 1958. Kornel David was the Hungarian who came closest to winning the EuroLeague when he reached the championship game with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2005.

Adam Hanga helped Real Madrid finish the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season on a five-game winning streak, going for a 0-2 playoffs deficit all the way to the continental crown!

Hanga helps Real finish the season in style

Hanga played his first EuroLeague Championship Game with FC Barcelona in 2021, but Anadolu Efes Istanbul ended his dream with a 91-86 win. He didn't have much of a chance to help: after averaging over 14 minutes in a tough playoff series against Zenit St Petersburg, Hanga played just 7 seconds in the 2021 title decider. A year later, Hanga was back in the EuroLeague Championship Game, this time with Real Madrid. Hanga was on the floor when Efes led 57-58 and had possession with 17.2 seconds left. He guarded Vasilije Micic, but Real opted not to foul and hopped to get the ball back for a shot in the final seconds, but that did not happen.

In the 2023 championship game, Hanga started against Olympiacos Piraeus, played 11 minutes and contributed 2 points, 3 rebounds and great defense on Kostas Papanikolaou. On the game's final play, Hanga guarded Thomas Walkup as he tried to inbound the ball and quickly got back to double-team Kostas Sloukas and contest his potentially game-winning shot. Sloukas missed, which allowed Real to celebrate its 11th title and for Hanga to complete his emotional mission.

"I've been waiting for this for my whole life," Hanga said on the court right after becoming a champion. "This is especially for (my grandfather) and for all the people that believed in me. I received so many messages that today is going to be my day. It would have been hard to lose three in a row and that is why I was so excited on the bench. We got it!" 

When it comes to making it to the Final Four, Real Madrid forward Anthony Randolph has often been in the right place at the right time. Randolph has taken part in six Final Fours since his first appearance with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in 2016. Only three American players have been to more Final Fours: Kyle Hines, J.R. Holden and Derrick Sharp. 

Randolph's resilience was handsomely rewarded

When it comes to making it to the Final Four, Real Madrid forward [Anthony Randolph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/anthony-randolph/005757/) has often been in the right place at the right time. Randolph has taken part in six Final Fours since his first appearance with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in 2016. Only three American players have been to more Final Fours: Kyle Hines, J.R. Holden and Derrick Sharp. 

However, it has not been easy for Randolph, who has battled severe injuries and been largely unavailable for the better part of the last three seasons. Even so, he found ways to contribute at the 2023 Final Four, his fifth with Real, to win his second EuroLeague title with Los Blancos. 

Randolph first played the EuroLeague after a stellar 2014-15 EuroCup season with Lokomotiv and all he did was confirm his star potential right away. He averaged 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in 23 games with Lokomotiv during the 2015-16 campaign, was named to the All-EuroLeague Second Team and led the team to its first-ever Final Four. He even set a Final Four record with 8 offensive rebounds in the semifinal against CSKA Moscow. Randolph joined Real the following season and lifted his first EuroLeague trophy in 2018. 

His fate changed in December 2020, in a game against Olympiacos Piraeus. Randolph suffered a town Achilles' Heel in his left leg, which kept him sidelined for almost one year. He turned around to inbound the ball, a routine movement, but slipped and would not play again for exactly 351 days. Randolph returned in December 2021 and slowly found his rhythm to help Real reach the 2021 EuroLeague Championship Game against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. He had 6 points in 7 minutes in a losing effort. 

Anthony Randolph returned from injury to help Real Madrid win its 11th Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title!

2022-23 EuroLeague season highlights: Anthony Randolph, Real Madrid

A few weeks later, Randolph went down again in Game 1 of the Spanish League finals. It was a torn anterior cruciate ligament in again, his left leg. It required surgery and a long rehab, which Randolph went through with great resilience. He came back in late March and posted 8 points in 18 minutes in a Spanish League home game against Coviran Granada. His size and experience were important to help Real beat Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in the playoffs, especially given his team's lack of frontcourt players. 

People around the league appreciate Randolph's efforts, too. There was a nice interaction between Olympiacos assistant coach Christos Pappas and Randolph at halftime of the recent championship game in Kaunas. While heading from the locker rooms back onto the court, Pappas called out to the Real big man and told Randolph that it was nice to see him back on the floor. Randolph smiled and thanked him, then ran out onto the court. He contributed 3 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal in less than 5 minutes on the court to help Los Blancos win again. 

"Honestly, I am still in shock, I was shaking. To end the EuroLeague season this way, after everything that we have gone through, the ups and the downs, the playoffs series, we just stuck together and pulled it out," Randolph said in the mixed zone after the game. "We were not supposed to win this game but it shows the veteran leadership that we have on this team, how we stuck together as a group." 

Randolph turns 34 years old in July, and this should be his first healthy off-season in a while. Few players are able to come back from two severe injuries and contribute the way Randolph did in Kaunas and he was handsomely rewarded for all the hard work and rehab with his second EuroLeague championship.

Anthony Randolph's resilience was handsomely rewarded

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It was a rollercoaster season for Fabien Causeur who, as always, was ready to deliver when the lights shined brightest. In his 12th Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season and sixth with Real Madrid, Causeur passed the 300-game mark in the competition, becoming the first French player to do so. He took part in 25 regular season games and averaged 4.0 points and 1.3 assists in 13 minutes per night. Causeur was strongest when seeing extended playing time, reaching double digits in scoring three times. He scored 11 points in victories against ALBA Berlin and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and a season-high 14 in a 71-75 road win at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, in which he missed one only shot and reached a PIR of 23. 

Tribute to the Champs: Fabien Causeur

It was a rollercoaster season for [Fabien Causeur](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/fabien-causeur/001392/) who, as always, was ready to deliver when the lights shined brightest. In his 12th Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season and sixth with Real Madrid, Causeur passed the 300-game mark in the competition, becoming the first French player to do so. He took part in 25 regular season games and averaged 4.0 points and 1.3 assists in 13 minutes per night. Causeur was strongest when seeing extended playing time, reaching double digits in scoring three times. He scored 11 points in victories against ALBA Berlin and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and a season-high 14 in a 71-75 road win at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, in which he missed one only shot and reached a PIR of 23. 

Causeur did not play in the last three games of the playoffs as Real rallied to beat Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in five games. He was also held scoreless in the semifinal against FC Barcelona. Before the championship game, Causeur faced some off-court problems: his pregnant wife Lucy was very sick and spent the previous night at the hospital, but recovered in time to be in the stands to see her husband play against Olympiacos Piraeus. Causeur has a reputation for bringing out his best at the Final Four, including a memorable 2018 championship game against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Against Olympiacos, Causeur did it again. 

Fabien Causeur helped Real Madrid win its 11th EuroLeague championship.

2022-23 EuroLeague season highlights: Fabien Causeur, Real Madrid

He came off the bench to contribute 11 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting in less than 18 minutes. He buried back-to-back three-pointers early in the fourth quarter and was on the floor in the final seconds, playing defense on Kostas Sloukas on the game's final play. When Sloukas's shot did not fall in, Causeur broke into tears and looked for his wife to start celebrating with her. It was a emotional game for Causeur but as always, he got the job done when it mattered most. Now, he is a two-time EuroLeague champion!

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