Valencia Basket is the most successful club in 7DAYS EuroCup history and the Spanish team goes into 2021-22 shooting for its record fifth title. Valencia will have a new man patrolling the sidelines after Joan Penarroya took over as head coach from Jaume Ponsarnau. But the team is still loaded with much of the roster still intact from last season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

### BACKCOURT

The core of the backcourt is back with the excellent trio of Klemen Prepelic, Martin Hermannsson and Sam Van Rossom. Prepelic remains one of the deadliest outside shooters in Europe and the 28-year-old comes back to Valencia after helping Slovenia qualify for the 2020 Olympics and then reach the semifinals in Japan. Just like Prepelic, Hermannsson was new to the club last season and the Icelandic playmaker shined setting up his teammates while also making defenses pay for letting him shoot from long range. Van Rossom has been one of the faces of Valencia for ages and he still can lead an offense over stretches at 35 years of age. The main addition to the backcourt was Nenad Dimitrijevic on a four-year deal from Joventut Badalona. The playmaker averaged double figures in scoring plus more than 3.5 assists in both of the last two EuroCup seasons with Joventut, flashing a strong drive to the basket.

### FRONTCOURT

The frontcourt is rock solid with Bojan Dubljevic, Louis Labeyrie and Mike Tobey all back while the team also added Victor Claver, Xabi Lopez-Arostegui and Jasiel Rivero. Dubljevic is the EuroCup’s all-time leading scorer (1,445 points) and rebounder (648) and ranks sixth in games played (119) - despite the fact that he only turns 30 on October 24. Power forward Labeyrie showed he can take over games offensively at times, having scored 15 points or more 10 times in the EuroLeague and Spanish League. Tobey had eight such games and also gained the invaluable experience of playing for Slovenia at the Olympics alongside Prepelic. As if that trio wasn’t strong enough, Valencia added some major reinforcements. Rivero comes from San Pablos Burgos and will be making his EuroCup debut in the blocks, where he is a beast. Claver brings a wealth of experience and at 32 can still help his former team, with which he won the 2010 EuroCup crown. Valencia also added Lopez-Arostegui on a long-term deal and he will thrive on the wing as he does his thing: draining open three-pointers.

### PLAYER TO WATCH

Jasiel Rivero is a new face for the EuroCup, but the Cuban big man is no stranger to European basketball as he played a major role in Burgos winning back-to-back Basketball Champions League titles. Even though the 27-year-old is joining a new club, Coach Joan Penarroya knows Rivero very well as he was Burgos’s coach the past two seasons. Rivero is highly efficient around the basket and also has some flair. Expect him to have a big role in the Valencia frontcourt.

### OUTLOOK

Valencia has won the EuroCup four times (2003, 2010, 2014 and 2019) and reached the finals two more times (2012 and 2017), which has meant going back and forth between the EuroCup and EuroLeague. In its 12 seasons in the EuroCup, Valencia only once failed to reach at least the quarterfinals (the Last 32 in 2016) and the team’s goal going into 2021-22 is nothing less than getting back to the finals. Penarroya has shown he’s a winning coach and also comes to a Valencia team with eight players back from the team that played in the EuroLeague last season. Accordingly, Valencia should be considered a favorite to challenge for the title.

Roster rundown: Valencia Basket

This season saw more than its fair share of big men join 7DAYS EuroCup squads. Whether they are EuroCup stars looking for a different challenge or Turkish Airlines EuroLeague vets trying out the EuroCup, these are players who could change the course for their teams. From that long list, here are 10 frontcourt players who should have big impacts this season.

### David Dudzinski, Frutti Extra Bursaspor

David Dudzinski made his EuroCup debut with Telenet Giants Antwerp last season, his fourth with the Belgian powerhouse. He has joined Bursaspor to play a similar role as a stretch power forward. Dudzinski is a great three-point shooter (47.1% on 3.4 three-point shots per game last season) who also helps on the boards (5.5 rpg.) and runs the floor well for a player his size. On a team full of EuroCup veterans, Dudzinski may become Bursaspor's X-factor due to his shooting range and character.

### Octavius Ellis, Turk Telekom Ankara

Octavius Ellis led the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague in two-point shooting percentage last season when he made 77 of 106 attempts (72.6%) for Olympiacos Piraeus. Ellis was worth 5.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in 33 games despite averaging less than 15 minutes per night. Ellis is now expected to see significant playing time with Turk Telekom Ankara as its main frontcourt reference. A strong rebounder and shot blocker, Ellis is used to playing above the rim. Expect him to see him often on the Top 10 plays of the round.

### Melvin Ejim, Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

Melvin Ejim knows all about the competition: this is his sixth EuroCup season after previous experiences with Virtus Roma, UNICS Kazan, Unicaja Malaga and Buducnost VOLI Podgorica. He is a versatile player who can take smaller defenders to the low post for easy points in the paint or open the floor as a stretch power forward. A career 86.1% free throw shooter, Ejim steps up in crunch time and is set to help Cedevita in many aspects of the game, thus making the Slovenian powerhouse more competitive.

### Kevin Hervey, Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Ekpe Udoh went down with a severe injury, which means that Kevin Hervey should have an even bigger role. A mobile power forward who plays with outstanding energy, Hervey can run the floor like a guard and shoot with unlimited range. He can use his great athleticism to run to the basket and his physicality to beat his defenders, thus getting a lot of three-point play opportunities. Fully adjusted to the EuroCup after a season with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, Hervey should contribute from Day One.

### Vince Hunter, Boulogne Metropolitans 92

Vince Hunter arrives to Metropolitans after two good EuroCup seasons with Virtus Segafredo Bologna. He was chosen as the 2020-21 EuroCup Top 16 MVP after averaging 13.3 points and 7.2 rebounds in that phase. Hunter also made it to the All-EuroCup Second Team last season. Metropolitans should know what to expect: a strong, physical presence in the paint at both ends. Hunter is a great finisher who plays above the rim, but can also change any game on defense with his blocked shots and overall energy.

### Kerem Kanter, Slask Wroclaw

Big man Kerem Kanter comes off a strong season with Greek side Kolossos, where he averaged a league third-best 17.9 points and fourth-best 7.5 rebounds. He played in the 7DAYS EuroCup in the 2019-20 season with Joventut Badalona for a total 13 games with averages of 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds. Kanter is instant offense, as he knows how to use his body in the paint to score and has polished post moves to be even harder to stop down low. Expect him to play a leading role in Slask's frontcourt.

### Zach LeDay, Partizan NIS Belgrade

Partizan looked for experienced leaders and found one in Zach LeDay, who last season helped AX Armani Exchange Milan reach the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four for the first time since 1992. LeDay is a good mid-range shooter who never hides in crunch time. He is also an energy player with a strong set of post skills, highlighted by a very effective, hard-to-guard turnaround jumper. After three EuroLeague season, LeDay makes his EuroCup debut with the goal of bringing Partizan as close to the title as possible.

### Artem Pustovyi, Gran Canaria

This old-school center gives Gran Canaria a physical presence in the paint. Artem Pustovyi saw limited playing time in his three years with EuroLeague powerhouse FC Barcelona but gained valuable experience and has already shown in pre-season that his willingness, post skills, power and overall effectiveness are still intact. By signing Pustovyi, Gran Canaria keeps the same team structure that saw the team to get to the semifinals last season. He should play an important role going forward.

### JaCorey Williams, JL Bourg en Bresse

Dolomiti Energia Trento was close to reaching the EuroCup playoffs last season mainly due to JaCorey Williams's explosiveness. Williams impressed EuroCup fans and experts alike with his intensity, power and effectiveness. He averaged 15.0 points and 7.4 rebounds in 14 games. He ranked eighth overall in PIR average (17.1) and should use his recently-gained EuroCup experience to do better with Bourg. Expect him to be a force on the boards and make plenty of plays that bring Bourg fans to their feet.

### Johnathan Williams, Dolomiti Energia Trento

An athletic center and an excellent rebounder, Johnathan Williams hopes to become one of the best big men in EuroCup this season. Williams brings in some EuroCup experience; he played the competition with Maccabi Rishon LeZion in the 2019-20 campaign and averaged 11.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in 9 games. Williams is set to do what he does best, play above the rim and power the boards, especially at the offensive end. He is a team-oriented player, which matches Trento's blue-collar mentality.

EuroCup signings: Frontcourt moves

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It is hard to find a place in the basketball world that has been surrounded by more excitement in recent months than Partizan NIS Belgrade. The proud Serbian powerhouse and army of its devoted fans have lived to see the return to the bench of Zeljko Obradovic, the most decorated head coach in EuroLeague history. Expectations are as high as ever with a revamped roster that is expected to contend for all the trophies.

### BACKCOURT

Partizan signed playmakers Dallas Moore and rookie Yam Madar to run its offense. Madar is a young point guard with incredible talent, while Moore has the ability to set up his teammates, but is also known to score in bunches. Player Partizan brought Kevin Punter to be its go-to guy. Punter is a scoring machine who is expected to do just that – loads of scoring. Aleksa Avramovic is another potent offensive perimeter weapon who can make the difference with his aggressiveness on the defensive end, too. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Uros Trifunovic hopes to continue to grow in his third season in the competition with the Serbian club. Youngsters Djordjije Jovanovic and Mihailo Petrovic will be looking to make the most out of their opportunities.

### FRONTCOURT

Partizan is as deep at forward as any team in the competition. Three newcomers, Zach LeDay, Alen Smailagic and Rodions Kurucs, give Coach Obradovic a great deal of versatility. LeDay can score inside and outside, rebound and play high-level defense. He joined Partizan after three EuroLeague seasons. Smailagic is a prolific scoring forward, while Kurucs brings athleticism and great shooting range to the power forward position. Partizan has more size with a pair of wingers in small forwards Rade Zagorac and Nemanja Dangubic, who have the ability to contribute and win matchups on both ends of the floor, while youngster Aleksa Stepanovic is a stretch-four. With the availability of center Will Mosley up in the air, Partizan also has youngsters under the rims. Dusan Miletic is a big man who can stretch the floor with his long-distance shots, while Balsa Koprivica does the work inside.

### PLAYER TO WATCH

Small forward Rade Zagorac is one of the few Partizan players left on the team from last season. It is no secret Zagorac is coming off a campaign during which his performances left a lot to be desired, but he is poised to get back to his old self, which is a versatile, do-it-all forward who can score in bunches, make a big contribution on the glass and make plays on both ends of the floor. Zagorac possesses a big basketball IQ, something every coach likes to see with his players, but he has also turned into an off-court leader and is now the new team captain. Still only 26 years old, and with a ton of talent in his hands, Zagorac is ready for a bounce-back season.

### OUTLOOK

There is no hiding the expectation in the Serbian capital this year. Partizan has brought the coach it has always wanted and built a team with the aim to contend for every trophy. Partizan has loads of talent, size, depth and experience. The majority of the latter will come from the bench, of course, where Obradovic will try to use the players he handpicked and mold the team to its strengths, something he has done so masterfully his entire career. With weapons both inside and on the perimeter, and with the support of the fans starving for success, Partizan will be chasing all the glory this season in the 7DAYS EuroCup.

Photo: Partizan NIS Belgrade

Roster rundown: Partizan NIS Belgrade

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Lietkabelis Panevezys is back for a second consecutive season in the 7DAYS EuroCup after collecting just two victories in 2020-21. Head coach Nenad Canak is back at the helm and the roster has been shaken up as the Lithuanian side faces a tough challenge this season.

### BACKCOURT

Canak will rely heavily on the tandem of Dovydas Giedraitis and Nikola Radicevic in the backcourt. Giedraitis will be making his EuroCup debut as he plays on loan for Lietkabelis from Spanish side Movistar Estudiantes. Point guard Radicevic started last season with Promitheas Patras and played in the EuroCup before finishing the season as a leader for Polish club Trefl Sopot. The Serbian playmaker also brings with him some experience in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague from his time with Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade. The backcourt also will have Karolis Gietraitis, who played in the EuroCup with Rytas Vilnius in 2019-20, and Kristupas Zemaitis, who will be playing in the competition for the first time.

### FRONTCOURT

One of the leaders of the frontcourt will be returning in swingman Vytenis Lipkevicius, who played five years in the EuroLeague with Zalgiris Kaunas before appearing in the EuroCup for the first time in 2020-21. Greek forward Panagiotis Kalaitzakis is back as well after a strong campaign and gives the team a reliable outside threat. There is also the talented duo of Tadas Vaiciunas and Grantas Vasiliauskas to help. The leader of the low post will be Djordje Gagic, who can still dominate games at times at 30 years of age and really excelled when he rejoined forces with Cenak, who was his coach for two seasons at Partizan NIS Belgrade. Power forward Gediminas Orelik has a history of success in the EuroCup, three times averaging in double figures in scoring for the season. Kaspars Berzins meanwhile gives the team a massive presence in the paint at 2.13 meters and Gravrielius Maldunas rounds out the frontcourt.

### PLAYER TO WATCH

The 2021-22 season will not only be a homecoming for Dovydas Giedraitis but it will also be a debut as the guard will be playing in the EuroCup for the first time. The 21-year-old Giedraitis left Lithuania for Spain in 2017 to play in the capital for Estudiantes. He made his Spanish League debut at just 18 years, 7 months and 14 days in March 2019. The sharpshooter played 16 games in the league last season and averaged 6.4 points while hitting 37.0 percent of his shots from long range. Giedraitis, who has a good basketball IQ and understands how to find open spots, will be returning to his homeland on loan from Estudiantes and he will be ready to show off just what he can do.


### OUTLOOK

Lithuania is well known for having great basketball fans and Lietkabelis missed the support last season when it struggled to collect just two wins in the EuroCup. Having fans back in the arena will surely help the team. Lietkablis does not have a particularly deep roster so any injuries would likely have a major impact. Among the team's keys to success will be playing smart and disciplined basketball at both ends while also hitting a high percentage of three-pointers.

Roster rundown: Lietkabelis Panevezys

There will be many new faces on the sidelines this season with no less than eight 7DAYS EuroCup squads having signed new head coaches over the summer. The list includes several big names – including former EuroLeague and EuroBasket winners – alongside one coach taking part in the EuroCup for the first time. Here's a look at these influential coaches, who will have major impacts on how this season plays out.

### Luis Casimiro, Promitheas Patras

By hiring Luis Casimiro, one of the youngest teams in the EuroCup gained a ton of experience. Promitheas Patras enters its third EuroCup campaign and has yet to play a game in the quarterfinals. Casimiro has a career 60% winning percentage in the EuroCup and has been to the quarterfinals five times. This could be the perfect match to take Promitheas to the next level.

### Vincent Collet, Boulogne Metropolitans 92

Vincent Collet is one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in France and has eight seasons of EuroCup experience as well as several more in the EuroLeague. He guided Strasbourg to the 2016 EuroCup Finals and has won the French League with two different clubs. Collet also led the French national team to a EuroBasket title and medals at both the Olympics and the World Cup. His arrival at Boulogne Metropolitans 92 could be a turning point for the club which reached the quarterfinals last season.

### Aleksandar Dzikic, Buducnost VOLI Podgorica

This will be Aleksandar Dzikic's second stint with Buducnost VOLI Podgorica and the first one went quite well. He led the team to the EuroCup Quarterfinals and the championships in both the ABA and Montenegrin Leagues in 2018, thus clinching a ticket to the EuroLeague for the following season. In his only other EuroCup campaign. Dzikic guided Rytas Vilnius to the semifinals in 2012. Things look promising for 2021-22.

### Laurent Legname, Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse

Laurent Legname came to Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse after six seasons with JDA Dijon, which he led to the best record in the French League with the league's best defense last season. The season before, he helped Dijon place third in the Basketball Champions League. A point guard as a player, Legname is only 44 years of age and eager to prove himself with Bourg under the spotlight of the EuroCup.

### Petar Mijovic, Slask Wroclaw

After spending almost all of his career in his native Montenegro or nearby Kosovo, Petar Mijovic takes a head coaching position somewhere else in Europe. He coached the EuroCup in each of the past two seasons with Buducnost VOLI Podgorica. Only 39 years old, Mijovic signed a three-year deal in June with Slask Wroclaw and will put all his efforts into helping the club become a perennial power at home and in Europe.

### Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan NIS Belgrade

The winningest coach in EuroLeague history will coach in the EuroCup for the first time. The first of Zeljko Obradovic's record nine EuroLeague titles came with Partizan in 1992 – at the end of his first season as a head coach. This season he returns to his beloved club after nearly three decades away and his mere presence caused a battery of talents to line up to play for Partizan. With Obradovic on the bench, Partizan instantly became a title-contender.

### Joan Penarroya, Valencia Basket

Valencia Basket is the winningest club in EuroCup history and now will be led by Joan Penarroya, whose shares have been rising from season to season. After a long run with MoraBanc Andorra, which he led from the third division in Spain to a EuroCup berth, Penarroya took San Pablo Burgos to new heights by capturing back-to-back Basketball Champions League crowns. Valencia fans have reasons to be excited.

### Sergio Scariolo, Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Sergio Scariolo is back coaching a club in Europe for the first time since 2014, but he's been working on the global stage throughout that time, during which he led the Spanish national team to gold medals at both the EuroBasket and World Cup and won the NBA crown as an assistant coach with Toronto. In Scariolo's only previous season in the EuroCup, he led Khimki Moscow Region to the finals in 2009.

EuroCup signings: Head coaches

With a heavy heart, Euroleague Basketball joins the world basketball family in mourning Dusan "Duda" Ivkovic, the two-time EuroLeague champion and dean of the coaching profession, who died in his hometown of Belgrade, Serbia, on Thursday, six weeks before his 78th birthday.

After following his late older brother Slobodan into coaching at age 25 in 1968, Mr. Ivkovic served at the head of benches around Europe in different five decades from 1978 to 2017. He coached at 12 pro clubs in his native Serbia, Croatia, Greece, Russia and Turkey, as well as leading the Yugoslav and Serbian national teams in three different decades. His impact on the sport and his status among his fellow coaches was such that he served as president of the World Association of Basketball Coaches in the mid-2000s.

"We at Euroleague Basketball are beyond sad to know that a close friend and a true giant of our sport, Duda Ivkovic, has left us too soon," Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball CEO, said. "It is no exaggeration to say that Duda impacted European basketball as much as any coach ever, growing up in one of the cradles of the sport, Belgrade, and taking many teams to the heights of success. Even more than his accomplishments, however, Duda will be remembered as a true leader to his thousands of players and to generations of coaches. Basketball has lost one of its pioneers, but Coach Ivkovic's legacy lives on in a thriving European game that he helped lift to where it is today."

Mr. Ivkovic, a relative of the world-renowned inventor Nikola Tesla, grew up on the same street in the Belgrade neighborhood of Crveni Krst as the open basketball courts belonging to Radnicki, the club where he would coach youth categories from 1968 to 1978, when he moved across town to Partizan, with whom he won the Yugoslav League and Cup, as well as the FIBA Korac Cup, in his first season at the head of a bench.

Mr. Ivkovic alternated between Serbia and Greece for the next decades, then started winning titles in bunches with four Greek teams in between 1990 and 2001. His first Greek League title came with PAOK in 1992 and his first EuroLeague crown with Olympiacos in 1997, when he won the national league and cup, as well, for a triple crown. He then added a FIBA Saporta Cup title in 2000 with AEK Athens.

In 2002, Mr. Ivkovic moved to Russia and led CSKA Moscow into three consecutive EuroLeague Final Fours while winning the national title each of those seasons. He moved next to Dynamo Moscow, with whom he won the 2006 EuroCup, making him the only coach ever to collect four different European competition trophies. But he was far from done.

Younger generations will remember Mr. Ivkovic as the mastermind behind one of the most unlikely EuroLeague titles ever won, when he guided Olympiacos to an upset of his old team, CSKA, in the 2012 championship game despite trailing by 19 points with 11 minutes left to play. He took a break from coaching after that but came back to lead Anadolu Efes Istanbul for two seasons before retiring officially in 2017. He was honored soon after as the first and still-only coach to be named an official Euroleague Basketball Legend.

In addition to his long list of championship victories as a club coach, Mr. Ivkovic had another one as head coach of Yugoslav and Serbian national teams, starting with a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Yugoslavia went on to win FIBA EuroBasket gold medals in 1989 and 1992 with Mr. Ivkovic on the bench, while in between his team climbed to the top of the sport globally by winning the 1990 FIBA World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He would add another EuroBasket title with FR Yugoslavia in 1995.

Rest in peace, Duda.

Euroleague Basketball mourns Dusan Ivkovic

Hamburg Towers is the only 7DAYS EuroCup debutant in the 2021-22 campaign and it arrives with big ambitions and a solid structure. Head coach Pedro Calles earned a reputation for putting together physical, hard-nosed teams that never give up. Expect Hamburg to fight at all times.

### BACKCOURT

Opposing teams will take notice of all the weapons assembled in Coach Calles's backcourt. Jabril Durham played in Sweden, Hungary, Greece, Latvia and Belgium before getting the opportunity to make his EuroCup debut. He is a pass-first playmaker with a great feel for steals, who plays with high intensity. Jaylon Brown is expected to see most of the minutes at shooting guard. He is an explosive player with deep shooting range and good one-on-one skills. Zach Brown is an all-around scorer, who can pull the trigger from downtown, attack the rim to go to the foul line often, and use his high energy to be effective on defense. Caleb Homesley was the final addition to the squad. A do-it-all small forward, Homesley can let the game come to him and make an impact wherever needed. At age 20, point guard Justus Hollatz has already played for the German national team and is only improving. He should change games with his high basketball IQ, quick hands and ability to make open shots. Playmaker Max DiLeo is set to come off the bench to offer defense, energy and a team-first approach. Osaro Rich is another energy player and an athletic guard who rebounds well. Teenage talent Leif Moeller should also see some playing time during the season.

### FRONTCOURT

Hamburg has a versatile, deep frontcourt in which many players will be expected to contribute. Eddy Edigin has never played at this level - he was in the German second division last season - but has all it takes to be successful in this team - intensity, hustle, effectiveness in the paint and good rebounding skills. Lukas Meisner is an interesting forward with deep shooting range (43.6% 3FG last season), size and court sense. Seth Hinrichs, one of the few Hamburg players with previous EuroCup experience, already played for Coach Calles at Rasta Vechta. He offers much-needed experience, deep shooting range and leadership. Maik Kotsar is the team's main reference at center due to his size, post skills and aggressiveness. Kotsar is a great rebounder, especially on the offensive end. Robin Christen also played for Coach Calles in the past. He came back after a 16-month absence that caused him to miss the entire 2019-20 season due to a knee injury and an appendectomy. Young Hendrik Drescher is expected to come off the bench and make an impact, too.

### PLAYER TO WATCH

Jaylon Brown had three strong seasons with Spanish side Bilbao Basket and by joining an ambitious EuroCup team, has taken a step forward in his career. He has a very good ability to create his own shot off the dribble. Brown has worked on his three-point shot, too, improving from 26.1% in the 2019-20 campaign (18 of 69) to 34.2% (53 of 155) last season. He knows how to use his athleticism to draw fouls and get easy points from the foul line. His quick first step and leaping ability allow Brown to attack the rim and finish strong. He is expected to have a leading role with Hamburg due to his experience, determination and work ethic. It won’t surprise anybody if Brown has the ball in his hands when Hamburg needs a game-winning shot.

### OUTLOOK

Hamburg is not a well-known team in Europe, but it is really well organized and that should help it surprise a lot of opponents. Coach Calles and sports director Marvin Willoughby – who played three EuroCup seasons with RheinEnergie Cologne – have put together a strong squad, with a lot of physical players. There are great rebounders in Hamburg and for Coach Calles, defense and intensity come first and foremost. If Hamburg is loyal to its own standards on defense, offense should come with players like Kotsar, Jaylen Brown, Meisner and Durham. Don't expect Hamburg to be your average EuroCup newcomer, as it will be a tough opponent on a nightly basis.

Roster rundown: Hamburg Towers

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Buducnost VOLI Podgorica was one win away from getting through the 7DAYS EuroCup Quarterfinals last season, but ended up ousted by the eventual champion AS Monaco. Now, with the return of head coach Aleksandar Dzikic, who authored one of the most successful seasons in club history back in 2018, Buducnost is poised to make another long EuroCup run.

### BACKCOURT

Buducnost will again have plenty of experience and leadership at the point guard position with Justin Cobbs running the offense for the third consecutive season. This time he will be joined by D.J. Seeley, who returns to the competition for the first time in three years. Behind the duo will be promising 21-year-old Igor Drobnjak's to provide depth as he gets his first chance in the competition. Former EuroCup champ Vladimir Micov returned to the Montenegrin capital after more than a decade and will be one of the team's go-to guys. Homegrown shooting guard Petar Popovic will bring energy on both ends of the floor, while long-time team-captain Suad Sehovic adds depth on the wings and steady leadership in the locker room.

### FRONTCOURT

The return of the All-EuroCup center Willie Reed headlines Buducnost's front line. The veteran center will be an anchor in the paint, but this time around, the Montenegrin powerhouse has quite a few quality pieces in the frontcourt. High-flying big man Jacob Wiley has a way around and above the rims. He is a proven rebounder, just like power forward Marko Jagodic-Kuridza, a summer addition who brings plenty of toughness to Podgorica. Jagodic-Kuridza can also knock down shots from long range, which is something that stretch-four Danilo Nikolic does as well as any big man in the competition. Edin Atic has offensive talent, but also length that will be of great use for Buducnost on the defensive end, while center Zoran Nikolic will continue to be a reliable option under the rims in his sixth season with the club.

### PLAYER TO WATCH

What does Willie Reed have in store for his encore, after shining so brightly last season in his first campaign in the competition? Reed scored in double figures in 13 of his 17 appearances last season and had seven performances with 8 or more rebounds. He was not only productive, ranking seventh in average PIR, but he was a go-to-guy with games on the line as well. With his inside presence often drawing multiple defenders, Reed kept opening things up for his teammates last season. Now, with an All-EuroCup tag next to his name, expectations will rise dramatically for the veteran big man. But if he keeps producing at the same level, Buducnost will be a dangerous group.

### OUTLOOK

Buducnost once again stayed the course and managed to keep a big part of the core of its roster intact. This time, most of new faces bring vast experience of playing at elite level and some even have familiarity with either the club or Coach Dzikic, who himself returns to a place of a great success. In the Montenegrin capital they know very well what it takes to be successful in the EuroCup, having been to the quarterfinals twice since 2018. With quality and depth at every position, Buducnost is positioned to make another run and, if things fall their way, to rewrite the club's history books.

Roster rundown: Buducnost VOLI Podgorica

Umana Reyer Venice will play its third consecutive 7DAYS EuroCup campaign eager to bounce back after only winning two games last season. Reyer made sure to sign players with a lot of experience in the competition to be as competitive as possible from the very beginning of the season.

### BACKCOURT

Tarik Phillip and Julyan Stone are set to share the point guard duties for Coach Walter De Raffaele's side with Andrea De Nicolao and Bruno Cerella ready to help off the bench. Phillip already played in the competition with Tofas Bursa. He is a good shooter with great court vision, who also helps on defense with his intensity and determination. Stone is a physical, team-oriented player who helps on the boards and gets his team going in transition. De Nicolao can change games with his high basketball IQ and shots from beyond the arc. Cerella is an experienced defensive player who rarely makes mistakes. Stefano Tonut was chosen as the Italian League MVP last season and is expected to play a leading role in the 2021-22 EuroCup. Swingman Victor Sanders is a perfect fit for Reyer due to his quickness, athleticism and aggressiveness. The club also signed Michele Vitali, a tall guard who knows how to use his size and ballhandling to find advantages on offense and can also play a big role on defense due to his overall toughness.

### FRONTCOURT

Veteran three-point bomber Michael Bramos is back for a seventh consecutive campaign with Reyer. Other than being ready to pull the trigger from downtown, Bramos offers leadership, experience and plenty of intensity. In an interesting move, Reyer signed Vasilis Charalampopoulos, a great basketball talent who has not yet fulfilled his potential. He has the size, skills and shooting range to become a very important player. Reyer will rely on Austin Daye and Jeff Brooks at power forward. Daye is an all-around player with great one-on-one skills and is a nightmare matchup due to his size, ballhandling ability and calmness in clutch situations. Brooks, a EuroCup champion in 2017, is a blue-collar player who runs the floor like a guard and can help the team in many ways thanks to his experience and winning mentality. Mitchell Watt returns as Reyer's main frontcourt reference to offer rebounding and post skills. Martynas Echodas, the 2018-19 EuroCup Rising Star, is a great rebounder who runs the floor well for a player his size and position and is never afraid to attack the rim. Center Valerio Mazzola is back to help off the bench.

### PLAYER TO WATCH

Stefano Tonut played sensational basketball at the end of the Italian League season and was chosen as the competition's MVP after averaging 15.6 points and 2.9 assists in 33 games. Tonut struggled in the 2020-21 EuroCup, however, averaging 10.7 points on 44.7% two-point shooting and 2.3 assists in seven games. Tonut, whose father Alberto also played professional basketball, turns 28 in November and is at the prime of his career. He has developed into an all-around scorer and a strong pick-and-roll player. It is only a matter of time before out becomes one of the best shooting guards in the EuroCup and with more talent around him, he should be confident enough to lead Reyer to another good EuroCup season.

### OUTLOOK

Last season, Reyer did not get past the regular season, finishing the EuroCup with a disappointing 2-8 record. The Italian powerhouse did its homework in the off-season market, bringing in players like Brooks, Phillip and Echodas, who know what it takes to succeed in the EuroCup. It also managed to keep a solid core of players such as Tonut, Watt, Bramos and Daye, who have been playing together for Coach de Raffaele for some years now. In other words, Reyer has all it takes to compete well at this level, should reach the playoffs and due to its competitive nature, be a tough opponent for everyone out there.

Roster rundown: Umana Reyer Venice

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