Two of the most exciting guards in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague come up against one another in Round 1, as Virtus Segafredo Bologna's Iffe Lundberg and AS Monaco's Mike James look to lead their respective teams to an opening-round victory.
Marquee matchup: Virtus's Lundberg vs Monaco's James
Lundberg made an instant impression in his debut EuroLeague season with CSKA Moscow in 2020-21, as he averaged 11.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 15 appearances. He saw his role with CSKA increase last year before the Russian teams' suspension from the competition, which led to him seeing out the campaign with Phoenix of the NBA. Now, back in the EuroLeague once again, Lundberg will be looking to make an instant impact on his Virtus debut when it hosts Monaco in Round 1.
James, however, is someone who knows how to steal the show. After finishing as the runner-up in the EuroLeague MVP race last year, he is going to be on a mission to remind everyone of his quality once again. There were times last season when James almost single-handedly led Monaco to wins, but now he has an all-star cast of players that should help him on his way to his – and Monaco's – first EuroLeague Final Four appearance. Expect James to go right at Lundberg in search of points.