Roster rundown: Buducnost VOLI Podgorica

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.