2025 Final Four: The case for... Monaco

Frankie Sachs explains why you should believe in Vassilis Spanoulis's men too

Can you imagine a scenario where Mike James plays his best basketball at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four?

Can you envision Alpha Diallo and Matthew Strazel's defense wreaking havoc on the opponents' top scorers?

Can you see Daniel Theis's savvy making things difficult for the opposition in the paint?

What about Georgios Papagiannis and Mam Jaiteh standing tall? And Jaron Blossomgame doing the blue-collar work? And Elie Okobo and Jordan Loyd making clutch shots?

If this seems feasible to you, then making a case for AS Monaco as the 2025 EuroLeague champion isn't much of a stretch at all.

Monaco’s winning record vs. the Final Four teams

Monaco defeated each of the other three Final Four teams – Olympiacos Piraeus, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens – on the road this season. And whatever atmosphere their fans create this weekend at Etihad Arena, it is sure to be less intimidating than what the Roca team experienced at Peace & Friendship Stadium or Ulker Sports and Event Hall or OAKA Altion.

Just about whatever you think it takes to win a championship, Monaco has it.

Defense wins championships? Diallo was third in voting for the 2025 Best Defender Award and Papagiannis led the league in blocked shots.

For you is it about offensive firepower? The Monaco attack begins with the EuroLeague's all-time leading scorer, Mike James, and continues with three more players averaging double figures in points.

Experience? This team has seven players remaining from its previous Final Four run in 2023 as well as former champs on the bench in Nick Calathes and Petr Cornelie.

The only real Monaco question mark

Vassilis Spanoulis is in his first season coaching in the EuroLeague. Thus, this will be his first Final Four on the sidelines, after five as a player. His semifinals counterpart, Georgios Bartzokas, won the EuroLeague with Spanoulis as his star player in 2013. Another coach in the semis, Ergin Ataman, has hoisted the trophy in three of the last four seasons. And Sarunas Jasikevicius is coaching at his fifth straight Final Four.

Spanoulis is the outsider. That said, there is no reason to doubt his coaching acumen. Or his heart. Or the magic that he managed to conjure up as a player. Can he sprinkle that fairy dust on Mike James and co.? If so, Monaco is a sure thing!

The argument that Spanoulis would be Monaco's weak link is just that. A weak argument. He indeed lacks Final Four experience as a coach, but his overall experience and basketball IQ were taken into account when Monaco hired him. Who would be surprised to see Spanoulis translate his talents into a EuroLeague crown as a coach?

I could go on and on singing Monaco's praises, but the bottom line is that the team reached Abu Dhabi deservedly. The other three teams did as well. Monaco may not be the overwhelming favorite to celebrate on Sunday. But it is by no means a massive underdog, either.