There are just over two months left before the most exciting basketball competition on the continent begins and the drums of war are already resounding throughout the confines of the Euroleague. The summer is being frantic in terms of signings and an edition to remember is being drawn, more open than ever. The music keeps playing and nobody wants to be left without a chair. In fact, the 18 teams that will make up the tournament next season have been strengthened. The one that has moved the least has signed three new players... so far.
If the exclusion of the three Russian teams for one more season due to the war in Ukraine led us to think of a step back in terms of competitiveness, the way in which all the teams are being strengthened suggests the opposite. In addition, the suspension of CSKA, Unics Kazan and Zenit Saint Petersburg has caused many of their players to choose to pack their bags and land in other teams.
The first stop on the tour of the Euroleague to come is a must. On the shores of the Bosphorus, the champion of the last two editions did not want to be left behind and managed to improve what was already a wonderful team. Anadolu Efes has hit the table with weight moves. With the future of Shane Larkin or Bryant Dunston assured, Ataman's team has secured the services of Will Clyburn, snatched from CSKA, and the giant Ante Zizic, both looking like starters. But it is that the Turks have also managed to improve their rotation with Polonara. The champion is scary before you start.
The cartel of main alternatives to Efes clearly falls on the two greats of the ACB. Real Madrid, finalist in the last final four in Belgrade, has managed to maintain the block by renewing Llull, Rudy and Causeur, but at the same time has rounded out its squad with four high-level signings: Musa, Sergio Rodríguez, Cornelie and Mario Hezonja . With Chus Mateo making his managerial debut, the Whites should be on the same level as Efes in terms of favouritism. A level that Jasikevicius's new Barça must also reach, which has transformed his face, especially in the paint with the arrivals of Jan Vesely, Mike Tobey and Oscar da Silva. Signings to which to add those of Tomas Satoransky and Nikola Kalinic, which make him take a huge leap in quality.
The madness of this summer market has been led by Maccabi, always a competitor in the Euroleague, which has signed ten new players, including the Spanish Lorenzo Brown. But there have been many movements that attract attention. Messina's Olimpia, for example, has been reinforced by Brandon Davies, Kevin Pangos and Billy Baron, among others. Fenerbahçe has put itself in the hands of Dimitri Itoudis, who has been pleased with the arrivals of Wilbekin or the former Barça player Nigel Hayes. Villeurbanne will have Nando de Colo in charge next year and Virtus Bologna will boast of having Iffe Lundberg in their squad. In Athens, one of the European basket capitals, Panathinaikos has revolutionized its squad with eight new players and Olympiacos has signed its own with Bolomboy, Canaan and Peters.
It hasn't even started and the EuroLeague dance is already quite a show.
