Both Arvydas Sabonis and Walter Tavares will be in the same building, Zalgirio Arena, this weekend, which sparks the imagination to wonder: What if they played each other? 

Imagine that: Sabonis vs. Tavares

One was raised up in Kaunas, Lithuania, perhaps the one city in the world where basketball is indisputably the king of sports.

The other was discovered on a sparsely populated island in Cape Verde that is dedicated to salt production. He didn't touch a basketball until age 17.

Both grew to be more than 2.20 meters tall and came to dominate either end of the court at basketball cathedrals across Europe.

Arvydas Sabonis is widely considered the greatest offensive player his size in European basketball history. The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four takes place this week in his home city, where he is an icon like no other.

Walter Tavares continues making a claim as the greatest defensive player his size that the EuroLeague has known. He will aim for his second continental title this week for the team with whom Sabonis lifted his only such trophy, Real Madrid.

Both will be in the same building, Zalgirio Arena, this weekend, which sparks the imagination to wonder: What if they played each other?

### The legend of Sabonis

Sabonis dominated in three different decades. In the mid-1980s, in his early 20s, he was a freak of nature, a super-sized center who could run the floor like a guard and jump through the roof. He led Zalgiris Kaunas to the 1986 EuroLeague championship game, but lost to Cibona Zagreb.

A series of injuries, including two Achilles tendon tears, limited his explosiveness and mobility. Still, Sabonis made the most out of his magic passing skills and extremely deep shooting range to find other ways to be dominant. After moving to Spain, he would become the 1995 Final Four MVP for what was Real's only EuroLeague title between 1981 and 2015. After going to the NBA to average 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in 420 career games with Portland, he returned to Zalgiris for his final season, in 2003-04. About to turn 40 years old, he averaged 16.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 blocks in 18 games, coming up seconds short of taking his hometown team back to the Final Four.

In his international career, Sabonis won three Olympic medals: gold with Soviet Union in 1988, bronze with Lithuania in 1992 and 1996. He has been honored as a member of both the FIBA Hall of Fame and Basketball Hall of Fame.

Arvydas Sabonis Highlights

### The odyssey of Tavares

From being discovered by chance in Cape Verde, the teenage Tavares learned basketball with Gran Canaria, the club that recently won the 7DAYS EuroCup, and made the All-EuroCup First Team in his debut 2015-16 season in that competition, at age 23. He went from Gran Canaria to the NBA for a couple of years before returning to Europe with Real as an injury replacement early in the 2017-18 season. Six months later, he and Real were lifting the EuroLeague trophy together.

Tavares arrives to Kaunas in the prime of his career and in a very sweet moment. He was just tabbed as the EuroLeague MVP for April and May, was voted to the All-EuroLeague First Team for the third consecutive season, and was chosen by EuroLeague head coaches for his third Best Defender Trophy in six seasons.

### Sabonis: many ways to attack Tavares

Sabonis was a much better defender than most people remember, using his big body to box out and making the most out of his extremely high basketball IQ to find advantages. Tavares is an elite rim protector, so Sabonis would have to make the most out of his passing skills and mid-range shooting to keep Tavares honest. He would also probably find ways to put Tavares in foul trouble. Curiosly, however, Sabonis rarely played against taller opponents in Europe, and when he faced a taller player, his numbers weren't as great.

That happened in the 1992-93 season, when Real played against Pau-Orthez and 22-year-old center Gheorghe Muresan twice. At 2.30 meters, Muresan was likely the tallest opponent Sabonis ever faced. Real won both games, but Sabonis was outpowered by Muresan. Sabonis averaged 11.0 points and 11.5 rebounds to Muresan's 22.0 and 12.5, respectively, over those two games.

### Tavares: an underrated offensive player

Tavares would match up, size-wise, against Sabonis and could match his mobility even at his prime. This season, he set a single-season EuroLeague mark with 84 blocks and moved into first place all-time with 368 -- and counting. His quick feet and great timing to block shots would work in Tavares's favor, but he's also better and better on offense.

Tavares ranks third overall in two-point shooting percentage (69.0%) all-time in the EuroLeague. That includes loads of dunks, yes, but Tavares developed a nice array of effective shots in the paint, from mid-range jumpers to jump hooks. He has also improved his free throw shooting percentage to reach 79.0% this season.

Walter Tavares of Real Madrid has been chosen as the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Best Defender for the third time in his career.

2022-23 EuroLeague Best Defender: Walter Tavares

### What if they met on the floor?

Tavares is in the prime of his career and beginning to establish himself as an all-time great and perhaps the greatest defensive center in EuroLeague history. If ever there was a player who an opposing coach might tap to stop Sabonis, it would be Tavares. However, no player in EuroLeague history has ever stopped Sabonis.

 More than an all-time great, Sabonis is a living legend. The numbers he posted as a 39-year-old with limited mobility far exceed those of the best season of Tavares's career. Sabonis fused a combination – never seen before or since – of size, strength, understanding of the game, passing ability and overall skills. While it's true Tavares would challenge Sabonis, if they met in their primes, no one could ever stop Sabonis. 

For some players competing in the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four, returning to Zalgirio Arena will bring back good memories. Kaunas is the hometown of FC Barcelona head coach Saras Jasikevicius and Zalgiris – the team of the city – is where the likes of Barca's Rokas Jokubaitis, Olympiacos Piraeus's Thomas Walkup and AS Monaco's Donatas Motiejunas all played, yet for a select few players, they had performances to remember at Zalgirio Arena. Here are the top five!

 

### No. 5: John Brown stole the show

Going into his first EuroLeague Final Four in his second year in the competition, Monaco big man John Brown returns to a venue where he had one of the best games of his career. In February 2022, while playing for UNICS Kazan, Brown led his team to a [67-76](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2021-22/zalgiris-kaunas-unics-kazan/E2021/223/) win at Zalgirio Arena and amassed 15 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and also 5 steals. To this day, it is Brown's only double-double in EuroLeague action. He scored 15 points by shooting 7-of-14 from the field, while he was the tone setter on defense for UNICS, which allowed just 41 points over the final 30 minutes of the game. Brown finished the game with a team-high PIR of 23. This display is one of Brown's best four performances in road games when it comes to PIR and two-point shots made, and he's never beaten the 5 steals he recorded when playing away from home.

John Brown stole the show at Zalgirio Arena

### No. 4: Rudy caught fire at Zalgirio Arena in crunch time

Real Madrid has had its fair share of success when playing at Zalgirio Arena, and veteran forward Rudy Fernandez is a big reason why. One of his most impressive performances came in Round 5 of the 2018-19 season, as the then-defending champs rolled into Kaunas. Real never led through the first three quarters, but the game was tied at 73-73 with 5 minutes to go. At that moment Fernandez had 3 points to his tally, but before the game's final buzzer, Rudy buried 4 more triples on as many attempts, helping Real pull away to a [79-90](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2018-19/zalgiris-kaunas-real-madrid/E2018/38/) win. Fernandez finished with 15 points on 5-for-7 three-point shooting and 7 assists, one of which came in that final 5-minute span. It was one of the best road games in Rudy's career in terms of three-point shooting and assists. Interestingly, Fernandez set his career high of 9 assists five years earlier during Real's 2013-14 season-opening [63-83](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2013-14/zalgiris-kaunas-real-madrid/E2013/6/) win.

Rudy got hot in Zalgirio Arena clutch-time

### No. 3: Vezenkov's two-point best and a game-winner

The last time Olympiacos Piraeus and Sasha Vezenkov visited Zalgirio Arena, exactly two months ago in Round 29, they pulled out a thrilling [72-74](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/zalgiris-kaunas-olympiacos-piraeus/E2022/255/) win over the Lithuanian hosts. Vezenkov was the Reds' hero that day, not only helping the Reds rally in a game that they trailed but hitting the game-winning shot, too. With the game tied at 72-72, Vezenkov buried a contested baseline jumper with 6.7 seconds remaining, and finished the game with 25 points, shooting a career-best 9-of-9 on two-pointers as well as making 2-of-7 three-pointers and making his sole free-throw attempt. He also added 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals for a PIR of 32. During that game at Zalgirio Arena, Vezenkov also passed the 2,000-point mark in his EuroLeague career. Now, he returns to that same venue, hoping to lead Olympiacos to its fourth EuroLeague crown.

Sasha Vezenkov (25 points) highlights vs. Zalgiris Kaunas, 03/16/2023

Vezenkov leads Olympiacos to a big road win

### No. 2: James's career high in assists

The first-ever meeting between AS Monaco and Zalgiris on December 15, 2021 – the French side's first visit to Zalgirio Arena – produced a dramatic 98-107 overtime win, led by star guard Mike James, who dished a career-high 14 assists in the victory. James played almost 38 minutes in that Round 15 contest, scoring 20 points, making 6-of-11 twos, 1-of-4 threes and 5-of-6 free throws. He also pulled down 5 rebounds and had 1 steal for a PIR of 31, earning co-MVP of the Round honors in the process. However, the most impressive of all was the 14 assists produced by James, which is not only his personal best but is also the most recorded by any player in a EuroLeague game at Zalgirio Arena. What's more, it is the most assists a player has dished against Zalgiris in the EuroLeague this century!

James's career-high in assists

### No. 1: Mirotic sets all-time free throw marks

The first time Zalgirio Arena saw an overtime game in the EuroLeague came on March 7, 2013, when Real Madrid came to town for a Top 16 Round 10 showdown. *Los Blancos* won [104-105](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2012-13/zalgiris-kaunas-real-madrid/E2012/194/), led by current FC Barcelona star Nikola Mirotic, who had one of his best and memorable performances of his career. Mirotic finished with 31 points, which he has matched once in his career but still stands as his career high in scoring, along with 11 rebounds and 2 assists. It was Mirotic's lone double-double of that 2012-13 season, his third full campaign in the EuroLeague. He earned the second MVP of the Round honor of his career, too. Mirotic was 2-for-6 on two-pointers and 3-for-9 on threes in that contest, but was also perfect 18-for-18 from the free throw line. He made 6 free throws in the final 33 seconds of the regulation, including a pair with 3.4 seconds left, to send the game into overtime. In that game, Mirotic set two free-throw shooting records that no one has ever matched in a EuroLeague game, making the most-ever free throws in a single game and also the most free throws without a miss in a single game.

Top five performances at Zalgirio Arena by 2023 Final Four attendees

FC Barcelona v Real Madrid (2023-05-19T18:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v AS Monaco (2023-05-19T15:00:00.000Z)

"I thought we were gonna win it," Olympiacos Piraeus guard Thomas Walkup recalled when thinking back to last year's semifinal defeat against Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the 2022 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four. Olympiacos lost in heartbreaking fashion to a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Vasilije Micic, meaning that Efes booked its place in the championship game at the Reds' expense. However, fast-forward one year and Olympiacos has the chance to make amends during the 2023 Final Four in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Olympiacos seeks redemption after last year's Final Four heartbreak

Vasilije Micic sends Efes to the Championship Game with a wild three-pointer - WOW!

7DAYS Magic Moment of the Night: Micic wins it!

In terms of the story, being triumphant during last year's Final Four would have meant so much to Olympiacos. Prior to the 2022 Final Four at Stark Arena in Belgrade, Serbia, the Reds had gone five years without reaching Europe's showpiece club basketball event – an eternity for a club their size. Plus, it marked the last-ever Final Four for legendary player Georgios Printezis, the author of the most consequential shot in basketball history, a game-winning floater at the buzzer in the 2012 championship game. With 12,000 Olympiacos fans in the stands for the semifinals, everything was set up for a memorable occasion… until Micic decided to tear up the script.

Yet, having now achieved successive Final Four appearances for the first time since winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, the club has plenty of reason to feel optimistic about marking the 10th anniversary of its last EuroLeague title with another European crown. Rather than feel down in the dumps about losing to Efes in last season's semifinals, Olympiacos had a league-best 24-10 record in the 2022-23 regular season before downing Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 3-2 in the playoffs to secure its spot at the Final Four.

The Reds have been arguably the best team in the EuroLeague this season, but the Final Four is a different beast; one shot going in or not can decide an entire season's work. Unfortunately for Olympiacos, it learned that lesson the hard way last year, courtesy of Mr. Micic.

"We had 12,000 red and white \[fans\] in there. I thought we were gonna win it. That was a difficult game to play in, emotionally I would say," Walkup continued.

From 21/22,  the point guard completely bought into a new system and become an integral part of the team's return to the Final Four and push to go even further as soon as possible.

Thomas Walkup: 'We're just a pack of hungry dogs'

Once again, the Olympiacos fans are set to travel en masse to cheer on their team, with thousands expected to arrive in Kaunas for the Final Four. These supporters were just as upset as the players last season following the semifinal loss to Efes, but their love for the Reds means that they are ready to once again act as the sixth man on the floor. There are always high expectations at Olympiacos, and that is something that Walkup has discovered is part of the club's DNA.

"Right away \[when joining Olympiacos\], I could tell what the standard was, and the standard was Final Four," he stated. "It's always \[to be\] EuroLeague champs, it's always what we're striving for. To be a part of that and be a part of those high expectations were great, but now it's to another level. Now, I feel like we're just a pack of hungry dogs going for it."

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tl" dir="ltr">Opaaaaa!!! Kalimera! Kalispera! Kalinixta! And… Hello Kaunas! 😜<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://t.co/bGbNGwRYgz">pic.twitter.com/bGbNGwRYgz</a></p>&mdash; OLYMPIACOS BC (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1656094854244454403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Coach Bartzokas has not only instilled an offensive scheme that has helped Olympiacos return to its former heights, but he has also helped cultivate a group that plays as a team. Always. Led by MVP candidate Sasha Vezenkov and with the always impressive Kostas Sloukas coming off the bench, it would be easy to point to those two, but the secret to Olympiacos's success is its team-first approach; anybody can be the star on any given night.

"One of the things I feel like has worked very well is the fact that we have a lot of veteran guys, guys who have played for years who have understanding and experience in the EuroLeague," explained Tarik Black. "Not only in the EuroLeague but just have been playing basketball for a long time, and we all respect each other. We don't look down on each other, but we have an even playing field with each other and we all look forward to filling our roles of what we need to do to help us win as a whole and I think that has worked very well.

"Obviously, Coach implemented that culture – he wanted that, right? He pushed it forward, he implemented that and he got guys, then we have guys on this team that bought into it. That's the beautiful part about it and, honestly, that's what has led us to the Final Four."

For Turkish Airlines EuroLeague players, there is nothing like reaching your first Final Four. Tarik Black of Olympiacos Piraeus talks about that accomplishment, what got him and his team there, and how much he is looking forward to the 2023 Final Four in Kaunas, Lithuania.

First-time feelings: Tarik Black, Olympiacos

At the Final Four, Olympiacos takes on AS Monaco in the semifinals – the side it defeated 3-2 in a dramatic five-game series in the 2022 EuroLeague Playoffs – before a potential championship game matchup with either FC Barcelona or Real Madrid. Curiously, Olympiacos went 4-0 in the regular season against Barca and Real, the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, but it was 0-2 against Monaco, the No. 4 seed. Nevertheless, Olympiacos heads into the Final Four with redemption on its mind – and there's very few who would bet against Coach Bartzokas and his squad.

Whether or not you are in Kaunas for the festivities, you can find out all about the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four by accessing the digital Final Four Magazine here. Learn all about the on- and off-court events that will be turning Lithuania's second-biggest city into a world basketball party all weekend long.

 Check out the digital Final Four Magazine! 

Whether or not you are in Kaunas for the festivities, you can find out all about the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four by accessing the digital Final Four Magazine [here](https://publications.euroleague.net/). Learn all about the on- and off-court events that will be turning Lithuania's second-biggest city into a world basketball party all weekend long.

Check out the digital Final Four Magazine!

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four bracket is set with teams that separated themselves during the regular season surviving the playoffs to advance to Kaunas. With the Spanish derby on one side and AS Monaco making its Final Four debut against an Olympiacos Piraeus team seeking its first championship since 2013 on the other, this season's semifinals hold no shortage of intrigue.

How the semifinalists did against each other this season

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four bracket is set with teams that separated themselves during the regular season surviving the playoffs to advance to Kaunas. With the Spanish derby on one side and AS Monaco making its Final Four debut against an Olympiacos Piraeus team seeking its first championship since 2013 on the other, this season's semifinals hold no shortage of intrigue.

The regular season matchups between these teams also add an interesting layer of depth to both games. The statistics below show how each team fared against their peers still playing for a chance to lift the EuroLeague trophy.

As the team at the top of the regular season standings and the lone member of the cohort headed to Lithuania who secured a winning record against the remaining field, Olympiacos would seem to hold the upper hand coming into the weekend on paper. That would overlook, however, that Monaco was the lone team that the Reds did not beat at least once during the regular season. While they went 4-0 against the Spanish powerhouses, Monaco beat them by 5 and 4 points in Rounds 5 and 18, respectively.

That sets up a fascinating opportunity for Monaco in its first Final Four run. Not only did Monaco manage to beat Olympiacos twice in the regular season, but it did so with neither Mike James nor Jordan Loyd playing particularly well on the offensive end. The Monaco defense rose to the occasion both times, holding Sasha Vezenkov to just 17 points over two games – well below his EuroLeague-best 17.2 points-per-game standard on the season. As a result, Monaco was one of the few teams to get the best of Olympiacos on that side of the floor, holding the Reds to just 0.87 points per possession – a far cry from the third-ranked 1.05 per possession that the team from Piraeus averaged overall.

Monaco's ability to lean on defense in those victories stands in stark contrast to how its hard-fought five-game series with Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv played out. James and Loyd combined for 39 points per game in Monaco's three wins but only 17 on average in the team's two playoff losses. The offensive output of James and Loyd was the clear-cut x-factor in nearly every game.

Which version of Monaco shows up in Kaunas figures to play an influential role in what this weekend's opening game looks like against an Olympiacos team that otherwise was this season's most dominant unit.

The Spanish derby has delivered drama twice this season already, with the first matchup between these teams, in Round 2, resulting in a 2-point win for Barcelona and the second ending in an overtime victory for Madrid. Defense was a factor in both games as these usually prolific teams combined to score just 0.95 points per possession – well off their near-1.00 per possession pace the rest of the season.

That puts a spotlight on the contrast in styles between Barca and Real on the defensive end of the floor. While both finished among the five best teams in overall defensive efficiency, Barcelona did so by limiting opponents to a league-low 15.4 points per game on catch-and-shoot jump shots. Not only did Barca do a stellar job chasing opposing shooters off the three-point line, but contested at a high level whatever shots those opponents did manage to release. Real, by comparison, allowed a league-low 24.9 points per game in finishing situations.

With their defensive merits falling on opposite ends of the spectrum but both teams doing a similarly good job limiting the other's offense, it will be interesting to see how the unique level of familiarity these teams have with one another plays out. This figures to be a chess match for the ages as Barcelona seeks to gain a measure of revenge for its Final Four loss to Real last year.

FC Barcelona booked its place in the 2023 edition of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four after defeating Zalgiris Kaunas 3-0 in their playoff series. The Blaugrana were the only team to not have to play a Game 4 or a Game 5 in the postseason, having recorded a sweep in the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14. Here are some other 'Did you know…' facts.

FC Barcelona: Did you know that…

[FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/?season=2022-23) booked its place in the 2023 edition of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four after defeating Zalgiris Kaunas 3-0 in their playoff series. The Blaugrana were the only team to not have to play a Game 4 or a Game 5 in the postseason, having recorded a sweep in the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14. Here are some other 'Did you know?' facts.

**Barca** will compete in its 17th Final Four. Only CSKA Moscow (19) has more appearances in the Final Four era, which began in 1988.

**Barca** is looking for its third Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title. It previously lifted the trophy in 2003 and 2010 and lost championship games in 1984, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997 and 2021.

[Saras Jasikevicius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/jasikevicius-saras/?season=E2022) has a chance to become the fourth person to win the EuroLeague as a player and coach. Jasikevicius won four EuroLeague titles as a player. Armenak Alachachan, Lolo Sainz and Svetislav Pesic are the only three members of this exclusive club.

**Saras Jasikevicius** is still the only player to win the EuroLeague with three different teams. Jasikevicius lifted the trophy with Barca in 2003, Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004 and 2005, and Panathinaikos Athens in 2009.

[Cory Higgins](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/cory-higgins/006450/) can win his third EuroLeague title. He previously lifted the trophy with CSKA in 2016 and 2019. No player ever has won the EuroLeague with both CSKA and Barcelona. Higgins won’t play in the Final Four due to injury.

[Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/) and [Nikola Kalinic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-kalinic/004866/) won the EuroLeague with Fenerbahce Istanbul in 2017. They have a chance to win their second EuroLeague crown. Vesely is in his seventh Final Four, while Kalinic is in his fifth.

**Jan Vesely** has made it to the Final Four with three different teams: Partizan Belgrade, Fenerbahce and now Barca.

[Sertac Sanli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sertac-sanli/002968/) lifted the EuroLeague trophy with Efes in 2021, and he now has a chance to do it again with Barca.

[Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) and **Jan Vesely** are two of the four EuroLeague MVPs present at the 2023 Final Four. Mirotic was chosen as the 2021-22 EuroLeague MVP and Vesely was named the 2018-19 EuroLeague MVP. Sergio Llull (2016-17 MVP) and Sergio Rodriguez (2013-14) are the other MVPs set to take part in the Final Four.

**Nikola Mirotic** will play in his sixth Final Four. Milos Teodosic is the only other player to have gone to six Final Fours without lifting the trophy, but he did so at the seventh attempt.

[Alex Abrines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alex-abrines/003478/) is the only Barcelona player who has been a part of the team's last four Final Four appearances. Abrines is in his fifth Final Four with Barcelona.

[Rokas Jokubaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rokas-jokubaitis/007519/), **Nikola Mirotic** and **Alex Abrines** are three of the five Rising Star trophy winners present at the 2023 Final Four. Mirotic won the award twice – in 2011 and 2012 – and Abrines was the recipient of the honor in 2016. Rudy Fernandez of Real Madrid (2007) and Kostas Papanikolaou (2013) also secured this prize in the past.

**Tomas Masiulis**, Barca’s assistant coach, won the EuroLeague as a player. He lifted the trophy with Zalgiris in 1999.

[James Nnaji](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/james-nnaji/010641/) could become the first Nigerian-born player to win the EuroLeague. Ekpe Udoh, born in the USA with Nigerian roots, led Fenerbahce to the 2017 EuroLeague title. Another Nigerian, Chima Moneke, is in this year’s Final Four with AS Monaco.

FC Barcelona: Did you know?

Olympiacos Piraeus, the team that had the best record in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season at 24-10, made it to the Final Four after being victorious in Game 5 of the playoffs for the season year in a row. Last season, the Reds defeated AS Monaco 3-2 and this year they beat Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 3-2, with both Game 5s taking place at Peace and Friendship Stadium. Here are some other 'Did you know…' facts.

Olympiacos Piraeus: Did you know that….

[Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/roster/oly/?season=2022-23), the team that had the best record in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season at 24-10, made it to the Final Four after being victorious in Game 5 of the playoffs for the season year in a row. Last season, the Reds defeated AS Monaco 3-2 and this year they beat Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 3-2, with both Game 5s taking place at Peace and Friendship Stadium. Here are some other 'Did you know?' facts.

**Olympiacos** is at its 12th Final Four. Its last eight appearances have come over the last 14 years: 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2022 and 2023. Olympiacos has the chance to win its fourth EuroLeague title, having previously become champion in 1997, 2012 and 2013.

**Olympiacos** is one of five teams that have successfully defended their EuroLeague crown in the Final Four era. The Reds won back-to-back EuroLeague titles in 2012 and 2013, while Olimpia Milano (1987 and 1988), KK Split (1989, 1990 and 1991), Maccabi Tel Aviv (2004 and 2005) and Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2022 and 2023) are also in this exclusive list.

**Olympiacos** is 8-3 in the semifinals. Only Maccabi (10-2) has a better semifinals record.

Two current Olympiacos players have won back-to-back EuroLeague titles together, as [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) and [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) won the competition with the Reds in 2012 and 2013.

**Kostas Papanikolaou** and **Kostas Sloukas** played against one another in the 2017 EuroLeague Championship Game. Sloukas helped Fenerbahce win the title against Olympiacos. Sloukas was Papanikolaou's teammate when Olympiacos appeared in the 2015 EuroLeague Championship Game, too.

**Kostas Papanikolaou** is one of five Rising Star Trophy winners at this Final Four. He is joined by Rokas Jokubaitis, Alex Abrines and Nikola Mirotic of FC Barcelona, as well as Rudy Fernandez of Real Madrid.  

**Kostas Sloukas** has the chance to win his fourth Euroleague title. Sloukas won two titles with Olympiacos in 2012 and 2013 and then lifted the trophy again with Fenerbahce in 2017.

**Kostas Sloukas** is 6-2 in the EuroLeague Semifinals. Sloukas registered six consecutive wins (with Olympiacos in 2012, 2013 and 2015; and Fenerbahce in 2016, 2017 and 2018), but he lost at this stage against Efes on his last two trips with Fenerbahce in 2019 and with Olympiacos in 2022.

**Kostas Sloukas** can join a list of four-time winners with different teams. Dino Meneghin (five titles with Varese and two with Milan), leads the table. Fausto Bargna (two with Cantu and two with Milan), Kyle Hines (two with Olympiacos and two with CSKA) and Saras Jasikevicius (one with Barcelona, two with Maccabi and one with Panathinaikos) also belong to this group.

**Kostas Sloukas** is in his ninth Final Four. He is tied with Theo Papaloukas, Kyle Hines, Andrey Vorontsevich and Sergio Llull for second place when it comes to the most Final Four appearances. Victor Khryapa leads the way with 12 Final Four appearances.

If he makes it to the championship game, **Kostas Sloukas** will tie Matjaz Smodis for the most finals appearances this century. Smodis played in seven EuroLeague finals: two with Virtus Bologna (2001 and 2002) one with Fortitudo Bologna (2004) and four with CSKA (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009).

**Kostas Sloukas** is fourth all-time in assists at 1,501. Nick Calathes leads the standings with 1,902 assists.

Head coach [Georgios Bartzokas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/bartzokas-georgios/?season=E2022) is in his fourth Final Four. He won the EuroLeague title with Olympiacos Piraeus in 2013, he took Lokomotiv Kuban to the 2016 Final Four and he returned to this stage with the Reds last season.

**Georgios Bartzokas** is one of two Greek coaches to have won the EuroLeague. He led Olympiacos to the 2013 crown. Dimitris Itoudis (CSKA 2015 and 2018) is the other.

[Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) ranks first in PIR this season (21.2). He is also the competition’s top scorer (17.2 ppg.) and ranks second for rebounds (6.8 rpg.).

[Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) is first in steals at 1.8 per night. He also ranks fourth in assists (5.6 apg.).

**Kostas Sloukas** ranks third in assists this season. He dishes 5.6 helpers per might.

[Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) leads the 2022-23 EuroLeague in two-point shooting percentage (73.1%).

[Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) and [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) won a EuroLeague title as CSKA Moscow teammates in 2019… and they could go all the way again with Olympiacos in 2023.

**Olympiacos** leads the EuroLeague in assists (20.9 apg.) and steals (7.5 spg.). It is second in PIR (100.9), too.

**Olympiacos** ranks first overall in two-point shooting percentage. At 60.1%, it is the competition’s highest percentage ever. Real Madrid holds the record for a full season, having made 59.2% of its shots inside the arc in the 2001-02 campaign.

Olympiacos Piraeus: Did you know?

In just its second season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, AS Monaco qualified for the 2023 Final Four after beating Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in a do-or-die Game 5 in their playoff series. One year after losing in a Game 5 to Olympiacos Piraeus, Monaco made amends this time around. Here are some other 'Did you know…' facts.

AS Monaco: Did you know that…

In just its second season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/roster/mco/?season=2022-23) qualified for the 2023 Final Four after beating Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in a do-or-die Game 5 in their playoff series. One year after losing in a Game 5 to Olympiacos Piraeus, Monaco made amends this time around. Here are some other 'Did you know?' facts.

**Monaco** is going to its first Final Four. Monaco is the 29th team to reach the Final Four since the format was chosen in 1988.

**Monaco** reached the Final Four in just its second EuroLeague season. The last team to do so was Lokomotiv Kuban in 2016.

**Monaco** is the third French League team to make it to the Final Four? Limoges CSP made it three times – in 1990, 1993 and 1995 – and it became the champion in the middle of that run, in 1993. ASVEL Villeurbanne reached the 1997 Final Four.

[Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) is the only Monaco player with previous Final Four experience. James played in the 2016 Final Four with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

[Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) can join the list of 11 players that have won the championship in the NBA and EuroLeague. Loyd won the NBA title with Toronto in 2019. The list includes names such as Manu Ginobili, Toni Kukoc and Bill Bradley.

[Donatas Motiejunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donatas-motiejunas/lcz/) can join an exclusive list of Adidas Next Generation Tournament MVPs who have also won the EuroLeague title. Motiejunas was the ANGT MVP in 2007 with Zalgiris. Luka Doncic is the only previous player to have achieved this feat: he was the ANGT MVP in 2015 and won the EuroLeague in 2018 with Real Madrid. Alberto Abalde and Eli Ndiaye, the ANGT MVPs in 2013 and 2021, respectively, are also in this year’s Final Four with Real Madrid.

Coach [Sasa Obradovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/obradovic-sasa/?season=E2022) won a Korac Cup title with ALBA Berlin in 1995. He is also an Olympic medalist, having helped Yugoslavia achieve silver at the 1996 Olympic Games.

[John Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/john-brown/010588/) played a 7DAYS EuroCup final with UNICS Kazan in 2021 and lost it against his current team, Monaco.

[Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) could become the first Nigerian-born player to win the EuroLeague. Ekpe Udoh led Fenerbahace to the EuroLeague title in the 2016-17 season. Another Nigerian, James Nnaji, is in this year’s Final Four with FC Barcelona.

**Monaco** leads the 2022-23 EuroLeague in two-point shots made at 22.6 per game. Its 833 two-pointers rank third all-time. FC Barcelona set the all-time record with 855 two-pointers made in the 2020-21 campaign.

**Monaco** is also first in offensive rebounds (12.3 orpg.). Monaco has pulled down 478 offensive boards and has a good chance to set a new all-time record in the Final Four. CSKA Moscow pulled down 485 offensive boards in the 2020-21 season. Monaco is currently second all-time.

**Mike James** is fourth in the EuroLeague's all-time scoring list. He has scored 3,903 points in 241 career games. Vassilis Spanoulis leads the way with 4,455 points.

**Mike James** is 10th all-time in assists. He has dished 1,083 assists in his EuroLeague career. His former Panathinaikos Athens teammate, Nick Calathes, is first overall with 1,902 assists.

**John Brown** has the record for most steals in a EuroLeague season. He had 69 steals for UNICS in the 2021-22 campaign.

AS Monaco: Did you know?

Real Madrid, the most successful team in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history, is back at the Final Four for the second year in succession and the seventh time in the last decade. Los Blancos overcame Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in a five-game series in the playoffs, winning Game 5 in miraculous fashion after being down 18 points late in the third quarter.  Here are some other 'Did you know…' facts.

Real Madrid: Did you know that...

[Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/roster/mad/?season=2022-23), the most successful team in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history, is back at the Final Four for the second year in succession and the seventh time in the last decade. *Los Blancos* overcame Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in a five-game series in the playoffs, winning Game 5 in miraculous fashion after being down 18 points late in the third quarter.  Here are some other 'Did you know?' facts.

**Real** has the chance to win its 11th EuroLeague title. It leads the all-time standings with 10 titles, but only three of them have come in the last 35 years. Real has been crowned European champion in 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1995, 2015 and 2018.

**Real** is making its 12th Final Four appearance since the format was adopted in 1988. Los Blancos previously reached the Final Four in 1993, 1995, 1996, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022.

**Real** is attempting to reach the EuroLeague Championship Game for the 20th time. It leads the all-time list with 19 championship game appearances. Maccabi Tel Aviv has been to 14 EuroLeague Championship Games and one SuproLeague title game. CSKA Moscow has reached the EuroLeague Championship Game 14 times.

**Real** has the chance to lift its 17th continental trophy. In addition to its 10 EuroLeague titles, Real has won four Saporta Cups, a Korac Cup and a ULEB Cup, which is nowadays known as the 7DAYS EuroCup.

[Rudy Fernandez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rudy-fernandez/bmt/) belongs to a select group of players to have won both the EuroLeague and the EuroCup titles. Fernandez won the EuroCup with Joventut Badalona in 2008 and has two EuroLeague crowns with Real in 2015 and 2018. The list includes two other Spanish players – Felipe Reyes and Ricky Rubio – and it also features stars like Nando De Colo, Nick Calathes and Romain Sato.

**Rudy Fernandez**, [Sergio Rodriguez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sergio-rodriguez/cvm/) and [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) belong to a group of 24 players who have won the EuroLeague, EuroBasket and World Championship titles. Llull, Rodriguez and Fernandez are three of the five players on the list not hailing from the former Soviet Union or former Yugoslavia; Felipe Reyes and Juan Carlos Navarro are the others. The list includes all-time greats such as Arvydas Sabonis, Drazen Petrovic and Toni Kukoc.

**Sergio Llull** is at his ninth Final Four. All of his previous Final Four appearances have come with Real: in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022. Victor Khryapa leads the list with 12 Final Four appearances. Llull is now the Spanish player with the most trips to the Final Four.

**Rudy Fernandez** and **Sergio Rodriguez** are at their eighth Final Four. Fernandez has played in the Final Four with Real in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022. Rodriguez has made four Final Four appearances with Real – in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015 – as well as two with CSKA in 2018 and 2019 and one with Milan in 2021.

**Sergio Llull** and **Sergio Rodriguez** are two of four EuroLeague MVPs present at the 2023 Final Four. Llull earned that honor in the 2016-17 season, while Rodriguez was the 2013-14 EuroLeague MVP. FC Barcelona duo Nikola Mirotic (2021-22) and Jan Vesely (2018-19) are the other two MVPs.

**Sergio Llull** is the fifth-best scorer in EuroLeague history. He has amassed 3,684 points in 372 EuroLeague career games. Llull ranks sixth for assists (1,324), too.

**Rudy Fernandez** ranks third all-time for steals. He has recorded 343 in 323 games. Dimitris Diamantidis leads the way with 434 steals.

[Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) is the all-time leader for blocks. He has 368 blocked shots in 200 games.

[Fabien Causeur](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/fabien-causeur/001392/) is the only French player to have reached the Final Four with two different foreign teams. Causeur made it to the Final Four with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2016 and with Real in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

**Rudy Fernandez**, **Sergio Rodriguez** and **Sergio Llull** won the EuroLeague title with Real in 2015 and are still with the team. Rodriguez returned to the club last summer and is now in his second stint with the club.

[Adam Hanga](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/adam-hanga/005099/) can become the first Hungarian player to win the EuroLeague title? Kornel David came closest when he reached the championship game with Baskonia in 2005.

**Sergio Llull** ranks third on the Final Four's career scoring list. Llull has 191 points and could climb at least one spot in Kaunas. Nikos Galis leads the list with 231 points, followed by J.R. Holden with 194.

**Sergio Llull** ranks first for assists in Final Four history. He has dished 62 helpers. Sergio Rodriguez ranks third with 56 assists.

**Sergio Rodriguez** is the only Spanish-born player to win the EuroLeague with a non-Spanish team (CSKA in 2019). He is also the only Spanish player to win the EuroLeague with different teams.

**Sergio Rodriguez** ranks sixth in scoring (3,603), second in assists (1,724), third in three-point shots made (574) and eighth in PIR (3,914) in EuroLeague history.

**Rudy Fernandez** is tied for third place in steals in Final Four history. He has collected 18, just like Dimitris Diamantidis. J.R. Holden ranks first (24), followed by Victor Khryapa (22).

**Rudy Fernandez**, **Sergio Rodriguez** and **Sergio Llull** can win their third EuroLeague title. The last Spanish players to win three EuroLeague titles were Rafael Rullan, Juan Antonio Corbalan and Luis Maria Prada with Real in 1974, 1978 and 1980.

**Walter Tavares** ranks third all-time in two-point shooting percentage this season (69.0%, 748 of 1,084). Moustapha Fall is first overall (71.2% 2FG), followed by Sasha Kaun (70.2% 2FG).

[Alberto Abalde](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alberto-abalde/003733/) and [Eli Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/eli-ndiaye/009213/) can join an exclusive list of Adidas Next Generation Tournament MVPs who also won the EuroLeague title. Abalde was the ANGT MVP in 2013 with Joventut Badalona. Ndiaye was chosen as the 2022 ANGT MVP with Real. Luka Doncic is the only previous player to have achieved this feat: he was the ANGT MVP in 2015 and won the EuroLeague in 2018 with Real.

Imagine that: Sabonis vs. Tavares

Top five performances at Zalgirio Arena by 2023 Final Four attendees

Olympiacos seeks redemption after last year's Final Four heartbreak

Check out the digital Final Four Magazine!

How the semifinalists did against each other this season

FC Barcelona: Did you know?

Olympiacos Piraeus: Did you know?

AS Monaco: Did you know?

Real Madrid: Did you know?