With a largely unchanged roster supplemented by a couple of major summer signings, Coach Dimitris Itoudis is ready to lead CSKA Moscow on another serious title challenge.
BACKCOURT
CSKA made a major move in the summer by bringing back Alexey Shved, who started his career with the club and now returns nine years later firmly established as one of European basketball’s biggest stars. Another new arrival in the backcourt is Marius Grigonis. The 27-year-old swingman has been getting better in practically every statistical category over the last few seasons and his versatility should serve as the perfect counterpoint to Shved in an exciting pairing. The new signings are joined by Iffe Lundberg and Daniel Hackett. Lundberg was excellent in his first half-season in the competition, becoming an increasingly trusted member of Coach Itoudis’s lineup over the course of his 15 appearances and the Dane will now aim to maintain that standard throughout the coming campaign. Hackett, of course, has already done and seen everything over the course of his 10 seasons in the competition and his experience and determined defense will continue to be important for CSKA. The backcourt is completed by Ivan Ukhov and Alexander Khomenko, who both made regular contributions off the bench last season and can expect to do the same this year.