Top 10 photos: 2022 EuroLeague Championship Game: Chris Singleton and Rudy Fernandez battle for a rebound.

Top 10 photos: 2022 EuroLeague Championship Game: Chris Singleton scored 4 points in the championship game, both on two-handed dunks.

Top 10 photos: 2022 EuroLeague Championship Game: Shane Larkin attempts to drive past Guerschon Yabusele in the final minute of the championship game.

Top 10 photos: 2022 EuroLeague Championship Game: Vincent Poirier with a big second-quarter alley-oop dunk.

Top 10 photos: 2022 EuroLeague Championship Game: Tibor Pleiss pulled down 7 rebounds in the championship game, helping Efes finish the game with a 44-40 rebounding advantage.

Top 10 photos: 2022 EuroLeague Championship Game: Final Four MVP Vasilije Micic goes for a layup against Real big man Walter Tavares.

Top 10 photos: 2022 EuroLeague Championship Game: Guerschon Yabusele, in the crowd between Adrien Moerman and Tibor Pleiss, finished the game with 3 points.

Top 10 photos: 2022 EuroLeague Championship Game: Shane Larkin with a pass, defended by Walter Tavares.

Top 10 photos: 2022 EuroLeague Championship Game: Walter Tavares collected 14 points and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes of the championship game.

Top 10 photos: 2022 EuroLeague Championship Game: Micic drives past Alberto Abalde en route to a game-high 23 points.

AWARDS

SEASON IN REVIEW

ALBA Berlin has confirmed the extension of head coach Israel Gonzalez's contract until 2025, the club confirmed on Tuesday.

ALBA, Coach Gonzalez agree to extension

ALBA Berlin has confirmed the extension of head coach [Israel Gonzalez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/ber/gonzalez-israel/)'s contract until 2025, the club confirmed on Tuesday. Gonzalez, 47, led ALBA to a 12-16 record in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague last season. In Germany, ALBA won the league and cup double in the Spanish coach's first season in charge.

Gonzalez began his coaching career in 2004 as an assistant at Cantabria Baloncesto, where he stayed for four years. In the second half of his last season, he became the head coach. He then took charge of the U20 head coach at Gran Canaria in the 2008-09 season before rising to become the assistant coach, a role he held for the next seven years. In 2017 he arrived at ALBA as Aito Garcia Reneses' assistant, but in 2021 he succeeded his compatriot and became the club's new head coach.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Meister, Pokalsieger und die erfolgreichste Euroleague-Saison der Vereinsgeschichte: Für Israel González war es ein großartiges erstes Jahr als Headcoach. Diese ergiebige Zusammenarbeit wird mit einem neuen Vertrag besiegelt: Isra bleibt bis 2025 ALBAs Cheftrainer 💛💙 <a href="https://t.co/elOfZnDMA9">pic.twitter.com/elOfZnDMA9</a></p>&mdash; ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/albaberlin/status/1544246175301341185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"I am very happy that we are continuing this project together. ALBA Berlin is a great club and I am very proud to be part of this team that feels like family every day," Gonzalez said after the agreement. "We have been working with Israel for years now, and this cooperation has always been characterized by an extremely high level of trust. Israel has played a large part in our sporting successes in recent years and is an important part of the ALBA Berlin culture," ALBA managing director Marco Baldi added. "I am very pleased that we are now continuing this fruitful cooperation – not only on a professional level, but also on a personal level."

Anadolu Efes Istanbul finished its 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague campaign. Check this Slide Show with its best 10 pictures! 

Top 10 Photos of the 2021-22 Season: Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Shane Larkin - Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Rodrigue Beaubois - Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Chris Singleton - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Elijah Bryant - Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Adrien Moerman - Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Tibor Pleiss - Anadolu Efes Istanbul 

Vasilije Micic - Anadolu Efes Istanbul 

James Anderson - Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Filip Petrusev - Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Bryant Dunston - Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Bryant Dunston - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - EB21

Shane Larkin - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFS

Rodrigue Beaubois - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - EB21

Chris Singleton - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFF

Adrien Moerman - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - EB21-PO3

Vasilije Micic - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - E21-FFS

James Anderson - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - EB19

Filip Petrusev - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - EB21

It is the end of an era for Real Madrid after Los Blancos announced that head coach Pablo Laso will not coach the team next season due to medical reasons. 

Real removes Pablo Laso as head coach

Pablo Laso, 54, had coached Real for the last 11 seasons during which he restored its status as a continental power and EuroLeague title-contender level. When Laso joined Real in 2011, Los Blancos had last won the EuroLeague in 1995. With Coach Laso running the show, Real reached seven Final Fours out of a maximum of 10, won EuroLeague titles in 2015 and 2018 and competed in three other championship games. In early June, Laso suffered a heart attack during the Spanish League semifinals and did not return to the bench again last season.

In a statement released by the club, Real stated: “Real Madrid has made the decision not to keep Pablo Laso as coach of the first basketball team solely and exclusively for medical reasons.

“After the heart attack that our coach suffered a few weeks ago, Real Madrid has made several consultations with doctors and cardiology specialists and all of them have expressed the obvious risk to his health that continuing as the squad's coach at this time entails… Real Madrid considers that after this acute coronary event that led our coach to undergo surgery and to go to the intensive care unit, not making this decision would be absolutely irresponsible.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Comunicado Oficial: Pablo Laso.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RealMadrid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RealMadrid</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1544023373390413824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In addition to the two EuroLeague crowns, Laso led Real to six Spanish League championships, six Spanish Copa del Rey triumphs and seven Spanish SuperCups in his time in the Spanish capital. He also helped Real win the Intercontinental title in 2015. Laso was named the Alexander Gomelskiy EuroLeague Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2018 and his team's attractive, run-and-gun playing style helped Real to fill the stands both at WiZink Center and on the road. More than 20 players, including Luka Doncic, Willy Hernangomez, Usman Garuba and more recently Tristan Vukcevic and Juan Nuñez made their EuroLeague debuts from Real’s youth program under Laso. 

 

Laso was also a legendary playmaker who still holds the Spanish League career records for assists (2,896) and steals (1,219). He played at the 1996 Final Four with Real, won the 1994-95 Saporta Cup with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and took part in 61 games with the Spanish national team, among other highlights. He has a 238-105 EuroLeague coaching record (69.4%). Laso also coached Castellon, Valencia Basket, Cantabria and Gipuzkoa Basket of Spain. 

Big names are always on the move in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, whether it’s superstars joining new teams or talented newcomers making their arrivals. Here are some of the most-important signings from the past week.

This week in EuroLeague signings

### Former MVPs on the move

The biggest names to switch teams over the past weeks were former MVPs. On Thursday, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne announced that it was bringing 2016 EuroLeague MVP [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/de-colo-makes-switch-to-asvel/) back to France. He will play in his homeland for the first time since 2009. The next day, the 2019 EuroLeague MVP was on the move with FC Barcelona signing [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fc-barcelona-lands-former-mvp-vesely/). Barca will be Vesely’s third club in the competition. De Colo and Vesely were teammates last season at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, which already made moves to replace them by adding [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-lands-scoring-ace-wilbekin/) and [Tonye Jekiri](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-inks-rebounding-ace-jekiri/) to the roster.

### Maccabi continues rebuild 

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv completely redid its perimeter with six new players signing with the club in a matter of six days. First to sign was [Darrun Hilliard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/maccabi-adds-hilliard-to-its-attack) from FC Bayern Munich, then [Austin Hollins](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/maccabi-strengthens-backcourt-with-hollins) from Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade, [Rafi Menco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/maccabi-adds-menco-at-forward) from Israeli side Hapoel Holon, [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/maccabi-lands-playmaker-brown) from UNICS Kazan, [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/maccabi-brings-in-point-guard-baldwin) from Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/maccabi-tabs-nebo-at-center/) from Zalgiris Kaunas. That’s after signing three players and appointing [Oded Kattash](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/kattash-returns-home-to-coach-maccabi/) as head coach the week before. Maccabi has been busy early in the offseason to build a contender.  

### Milan’s new shooting guard tandem

AX Armani Exchange Milan added a pair of top-notch scoring weapons with the signings of shooting guards [Naz Mitrou-Long](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/milan-signs-shooting-guard-mitrou-long/) and [Billy Baron](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/milan-tabs-sharpshooter-baron/). The two make Milan particularly dangerous from the perimeter. While Baron has knocked down 188 three-pointers in the EuroLeague over the past three seasons with Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade and Zenit St Petersburg, Mitrou-Long will make his debut in the competition after a stellar first season in Europe with fellow Italian side Germani Brescia. After placing third at the end of the regular season, Milan is looking good in the off-season.

### Valencia solidifies its backcourt

Valencia Basket extended the contracts of point guards [Sam Van Rossom](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/valencia-van-rossom-together-for-a-10th-season/) and [Martin Hermannsson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/valencia-re-signs-guard-hermannsson/) and signed combo-guard [Chris Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/valencia-signs-jones-from-asvel/?pageTitle=Homepage&historyUrl=/euroleague/) this week in moves that stabilize the team’s backcourt. Jones, who comes off a breakout season with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, brings two years of EuroLeague experience to Valencia, which returns to the EuroLeague after a one-year hiatus. Van Rossom will begin his 10th season with Valencia and fifth in the EuroLeague. They’ll be joined by Hermannsson, who has two seasons of EuroLeague experience.

### Panathinaikos names Radonjic head coach

The Greens of Athens will have a new look this season after naming [Dejan Radonjic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-names-radonjic-as-new-head-coach/) as the team’s head coach. Panathinaikos will be his third EuroLeague team after two stops at Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade and a stint with FC Bayern Munich. He will bring a new plan and outlook to the team and shortly after the club made two key additions with the signings of point guard [Paris Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-sign-paris-lee/) from AS Monaco and forward [Panagiotis Kalaitzakis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/prewrite-greens-bring-in-kalaitzakis/) from Lietkabelis Panevezys.

Featuring Zeljko Obradovic's Partizan NIS Belgrade and Sergio Scariolo's Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Insider EuroLeague Documentary Series: "Road to Greatness"

The dramatic quest to earn a place among the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague elite by surviving the most intense 7DAYS EuroCup season ever lies at the heart of "Road to Greatness", the newest Insider Euroleague Basketball Documentary.

Enjoy a 53-minute journey through the most competitive EuroCup season ever following the introduction of a novel single-elimination, do-or-die playoff system that produced major upsets, Cinderella stories and unpredictability all the way to the championship game.

The filmakers focus their cameras on two favorites to lift the trophy – Partizan NIS Belgrade, led by Zeljko Obradovic, and Virtus Segafredo Bologna, coached by Sergio Scariolo – offering behind-the-scenes footage of both while also following Valencia Basket, Joventut Badalona, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana and Frutti Extra Bursaspor during the thrilling elimination rounds.

Ultimately, only one team could survive.

"Partizan is something special, more than special for me," Obradovic said. "I understand that the job is very tough, very difficult. We have a young team with some experienced players. However, the only way is to be in the gym and continue to work very hard. And I will be happy of all my players come close to have this feeling for Partizan that I have."

Besides exclusive interviews with Obradovic and Scariolo, "Road to Greatness" features star guard Kevin Punter and general manager Zoran Savic of Partizan; former coach Ettore Messina, elite shooter Marco Belinelli and former stars Sandro Abbio and Matjaz Smodis of Virtus; Valencia coach Joan Peñarroya and Bursaspor forward John Holland, who gave a viral halftime interview from the heat of the playoffs battle.

"I was in Virtus Bologna when I was 14-15-16 years old, and then I went to the NBA for 13 years," Belinelli recounts. "To be here with Virtus Bologna, with this organization, for me it is amazing, especially because I had the possibility to stay close to my family... So every practice, every game, I try to be ready and try to give everything for this team."

"Road to Greatness" joins a long list of premium, long-form content from the Euroleague Basketball Originals platform. Among the other features can be found ["Land of MVPs"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMDJsLc01Lg), ["Back to Basketball"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5WV98wT6uw), and ["Limitless: Vassilis Spanoulis"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf2QOa2Mzkg).

Tomas Satoransky is set to start his second stint with FC Barcelona, as he signed a three-year deal with his new club on Monday. 

Barca brings back playmaker Satoransky 

[Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) begins his second stint with FC Barcelona after the sides put pen to paper on a three-year deal. Satoransky (2.01 meters, 30 years old) arrives from Washington of the NBA, where he averaged 4.9 points and 4.9 assists in 22 games last season. He started the 2021-22 campaign with New Orleans and also played one game with San Antonio before joining Washington. Satoransky played two seasons with Barca, for which he made his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut in the 2014-15 campaign. In two EuroLeague seasons with Barca, Satoransky averaged 8.2 points and 3.8 assists in 56 games to help Barca reach the playoffs in both seasons.

Born in the Czech capital, Satoransky started his career with USK Prague before joining Cajasol Sevilla in 2009. He spent five seasons there and helped Cajasol reach the 7DAYS EuroCup Championship Game in 2011 as the team's starting point guard at age 19. Satoransky has also played for Chicago of the NBA and been a regular on the Czech Republic national team. He helped the Czech Republic reach the 2020 Olympic Games. Satoransky returns to the EuroLeague at the prime of his career.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">BEN TORNAT A CASA, <a href="https://twitter.com/satoransky?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@satoransky</a>! 🔵🔴 <a href="https://t.co/vwQ44FKf79">pic.twitter.com/vwQ44FKf79</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1543897652441616385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Bayern keeps Hunter, adds Brankovic 

FC Bayern Munich extended center Othello Hunter for one more year, the club announced Monday. Hunter (2.03 meters, 36 years old) averaged 7.7 points on 57.5% two-point shooting and 5.0 rebounds in 35 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games off the bench last season. He helped Bayern reach the EuroLeague playoffs and the German League finals. Bayern is Hunter's sixth team in the competition, as he is set to start his 10th EuroLeague campaign. In 251 EuroLeague career games, Hunter averages 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds. He ranks third all-time in offensive rebounds (562) and eighth in total boards (1,308).

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">✍️ 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐎 𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐁𝐓<br><br>Othello Hunter verlängert seinen Vertrag und bleibt beim FCBB. Mehr dazu auf <a href=https://t.co/ft4Ac0OCDW>https://t.co/ft4Ac0OCDW</a><a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#FCBB</a> <a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kaderupdate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#Kaderupdate</a> <a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#FCBB2023</a> <a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hunter2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#Hunter2023</a> <a href=https://twitter.com/O_hunter5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>@O_hunter5</a> (c) Eirich</p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href=https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1543884554498457601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>July 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset="utf-8"></script> </center>

He started his professional career with Atlanta of the NBA and also played for Ilysiakos of Greece, Dinamo Sassari and Montepaschi Siena of Italy, Shandong Flaming Bulls and Jiangsu Tongxi of China, Azovmash Mariupol of Ukraine, Baloncesto Valladolid and Real Madrid of Spain, Olympiacos Piraeus of Greece and CSKA Moscow of Russia, to which he helped win the EuroLeague title in 2019. He also reached the EuroLeague Championship Game with Olympiacos in 2015 and made it to two other Final Fours - with Real in 2017 and CSKA in 2018. Hunter helped Olympiacos win the Greek League title in 2015, lifted the Spanish Cup trophy with Real in 2017, claimed back-to-back VTB League crowns with CSKA in 2018 and 2019, and won consecutive Israeli League titles in 2020 and 2021, adding a Israeli Cup title in his final season with the team.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">👋 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄, 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐎<br><br>Wir verpflichten das kroatische Center-Talent Danko Brankovic. Mehr dazu auf <a href=https://t.co/ft4Ac0OCDW>https://t.co/ft4Ac0OCDW</a><a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#FCBB</a> <a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kaderupdate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#Kaderupdate</a> <a href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#FCBB2023</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href=https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1543889971676954626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>July 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset="utf-8"></script> </center>

Bayern also signed center Danko Brankovic to a long-term deal. Brankovic (2.16 meters, 22 years old) arrives from Cibona Zagreb and led the 2021-22 Croatian League in blocks at 1.6 per night. He also averaged 9.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in 41 games, helping Cibona win the title. Brankovic has also been a member of the Croatian national team.

Maccabi brings in Jarell Martin

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv continued its already-busy summer on Monday with the signing of forward Jarell Martin for the coming season. Martin (2.08 meters, 28 years old) arrives from the Sydney Kings, where last season he averaged 15.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 31 Australian League games.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🔥NEW🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FireUp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FireUp</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeJarell?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeJarell</a> <a href="https://t.co/vOaG8SkowT">pic.twitter.com/vOaG8SkowT</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC (@MaccabitlvBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabitlvBC/status/1543885759786192896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Martin made his pro debut with Memphis of the NBA in 2015-16 and stayed three seasons before another with Orlando. In 184 career NBA games, he averaged 5.4 points and 3.5 rebounds. He spent most of the last two seasons with Sydney. Martin will be making his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut in 2022-23.

AS Monaco finished its 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague campaign. Check this Slide Show with its best 10 pictures! 

Top 10 Photos of the 2021-22 Season: AS Monaco

Paris Lee - AS Monaco

Dwyane Bacon - AS Monaco

Will Thomas - AS Monaco

Alpha Diallo - AS Monaco

Yakuba Ouattara - AS Monaco

Donatas Motiejunas - AS Monaco

Danilo Andjusic - AS Monaco

Donta Hall - AS Monaco

Mike James - AS Monaco

Zalgiris Kaunas has made a major addition by bringing in Latvian forward Rolands Smits.

Zalgiris secures arrival of Smits

Zalgiris Kaunas announced the signing of forward [Rolands Smits](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rolands-smits/007109/) to a two-year deal on Sunday. Smits (2.07 meters, 26 years old) joins from FC Barcelona, which he joined in 2017, although he spent the first year of his time at Barca on loan at Urbas Fuenlabrada. Last season saw Smits average 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 36 games for Barca in the 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">From Barcelona, to Kaunas. Welcome to Zalgiris, Rolands Smits! 🤝<br><br>📰: <a href="https://t.co/HEjoGUs9Zg">https://t.co/HEjoGUs9Zg</a> <a href="https://t.co/CkaiMuT8lK">pic.twitter.com/CkaiMuT8lK</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1543586361969623040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Despite being a key member of Barca’s bench unit during his time at the club, Smits stepped up when needed, with his best performances coming during the 2020-21 EuroLeague season. During that campaign, Smits recorded his highest PIR (23, vs. Valencia) and points in a game (20, vs. Fenerbahce). He helped Barca win three Spanish Copa del Rey titles and the 2021 Spanish League championship in his time there, also reaching back-to-back EuroLeague Final Fours in 2021, in which Barca went all the way to the Championship Game, and 2022. Smits started his professional career with Fuenlabrada and was chosen as the 2017 EuroCup Rising Star while playing there. He is also a regular with the Latvian national team.

Rolands Smits Top Plays of the 2021-22 Regular Season and of the 2021-22 Playoffs

2021-22 season highlights Rolands Smits Barca_6078449.mp4

Zalgiris secures the services of Smits

Greens bring in Kalaitzakis

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens has signed small forward [Panagiotis Kalaitzakis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/panagiotis-kalaitzakis/011209/) on a two-year deal with an option for a third season, the club announced Saturday. Kalaitzakis (2.00 meters, 23 years old) arrives from Lietkabelis Panevezys of Lithuania, where last season he had a breakout campaign in the 7DAYS EuroCup. In 19 EuroCup games with Lietkabelis, Kalaitzakis averaged 13.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals in almost 28 minutes on court to help the team reach the playoffs.

"I feel very happy and blessed for the opportunity given to me to play for one of the biggest teams in Europe", Kalaitzakis said. "What I have to do now is to work hard with my teammates and coaches to succeed. A big dream of mine has come true, I am part of the big Panathinaikos family and I can't wait to compete in the green shirt".

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="el" dir="ltr">Η ΚΑΕ Παναθηναϊκός ΟΠΑΠ ανακοινώνει την απόκτηση του Παναγιώτη Καλαϊτζάκη για τα τρία επόμενα χρόνια (2+1). ☘✍<br><br>Διάβασε περισσότερα εδώ: <a href="https://t.co/caj302KMGA">https://t.co/caj302KMGA</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/panathinaikosbcopap?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#panathinaikosbcopap</a> <a href="https://t.co/NJW90VZSLM">pic.twitter.com/NJW90VZSLM</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/paobcgr/status/1543167409099620353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

Kalaitzakis grew up in the Aris Thessaloniki youth system and played there until 2018. After that, he moved to Holargos in Greece and then made the move to Lithuania one season later to Nevezis Kedainiai. In March 2021, Kalaitzakis joined Lietkabelis and made his EuroCup debut last season. He has a twin brother, Georgios Kalaitzakis, who was his teammate at Aris and Nevezis and more recently has played in the NBA. 

Just hours after dismissing Pablo Laso for medical reasons, Real Madrid has found a new head coach in Chus Mateo, who is set to lead the team until the end of the 2023-24 season.

Real promotes assistant Mateo to head coach job

Just hours after dismissing Pablo Laso for medical reasons, Real Madrid has found a new head coach in Chus Mateo, who is set to lead the team until the end of the 2023-24 season. Mateo, 53, finished last season as Real's head coach once Laso had to temporarily step down, following a heart attack he suffered midway through the Spanish League finals against FC Barcelona. He helped Real win the series and lift the Spanish League trophy. Born in Madrid, Mateo coached Real's junior teams and worked as an assistant coach to Sergio Scariolo, the late Javier Imbroda and Julio Lamas. He has been Laso's assistant since 2014, helping Los Blancos win two Turkish Airlines EuroLeague titles in 2015 and 2018.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pt" dir="ltr">Comunicado Oficial. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RMBaloncesto?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RMBaloncesto</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1544284030279073795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Mateo has won six other Spanish League and five Spanish Cup titles as Real's assistant coach. As head coach, Mateo has worked for Baloncesto Zaragoza, Unicaja Malaga and Baloncesto Fuenlabrada of Spain, as well as for Shanxi Zhongyu of China. Mateo coached Unicaja for the best part of two EuroLeague seasons, 2010-11 and 2011-12, with a 5-17 record. Mateo is also 3-0 with Real in EuroLeague action when Laso was unavailable. 

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