 	Bugrahan Tuncer's experience came in handy for Anadolu Efes Istanbul as it successfully defended its EuroLeague championship.

Tribute to the Champs: Bugrahan Tuncer

Tuncer, who has been with Efes since 2018 and has made 46 EuroLeague appearances for the team, signed a new two-year contract shortly after Efes’s triumphant return from the Final Four in Belgrade. He appeared in EuroLeague 10 games during the 2021-22 campaign, which included minutes in the decisive Games 3 and 4 of the playoffs series against AX Armani Exchange Milan. Tuncer scored his first basket of the series with a three-pointer towards the end of the first half of Game 3 that gave his team a double-digit lead on the way to a 77-65 victory.

Tribute to the Champs Bugrahan Tuncer

The 29-year-old received a season-high 12 minutes on the floor in an 81-76 victory over FC Bayern Munich near the end of the regular season in April, showing his versatility as he registered 2 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 2 steals. He was also part of Coach Ergin Ataman’s 12-man roster for the Final Four and, although he did not play any minutes in the semifinal against Olympiacos Piraeus or the championship game against Real Madrid, his presence on the bench was confirmation that he is trusted to add shooting skills and strong defense whenever the team needs.

 

Tuncer also demonstrated his talents in domestic action, averaging 9.3 points and 4.2 assists in 34 regular-season games in the Turkish League, and with his future at the club since secured, he will be aiming to make the 2022-23 campaign his real breakthrough in the EuroLeague.

Bugrahan Tuncer's experience came in handy for Anadolu Efes Istanbul as it successfully defended its EuroLeague championship.

Top photos 2022 Final Four - Valilije Micic, MVP! 

Vasilije Micic and Anadolu Efes Istanbul arrive at the Final Four headquarters hotel in Belgrade

Micic got the Alphonso Fort Trophy as the best scorer for the 2021-22 season

Vasilije Micic and Kostas Papanikolaou hustle for the ball in semifinals

Micic guarded by Olympiacos' Thomas Walkup in the semifinals

Vasilije Micic takes the three that would put Efes in its third straight championship game

Anadolu Efes teammates run to congratulate Micic, on the floor, after his winning three

Vasilije Micic and Guerschon Yabusele at the Championship Game Press Conference

Micic stretching in the Efes official practice for the final game

Vasilije Micic attacks the Real Madrid defense during the Championship Game

Vasilije Micic against Alberto Abalde of Real in the Championship Game

Vasilije Micic celebrates Efes' second EuroLeague title in a row

Also for the second time in a row, Micic was named Final Four MVP

Micic points to the sky remembering the loved ones after winning the title

Micic at the Championship Game press conference after winning the title

Micic celebrating with his Efes teammates at the lockerroom

Vasilije Micic walks away with the cup!

Micic poses with the EuroLeague trophy

Shane Larkin, coach Ergin Ataman and Vasilije Micic, the Efes trio that sparked the full team

Top photos 2022 Final Four - Vasilije Micic, MVP! 

Even though he joined the champs after the season started, Elijah Bryant wasted no time in finding his role and helping Anadolu Efes Istanbul successfully defend its title. 

Tribute to the Champs: Elijah Bryant

When veteran Krunoslav Simon went down injured in the early stages of the season, Anadolu Efes Istanbul reacted by bringing in a new signing with the fresh glow of title glory: Elijah Bryant, who had first appeared in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv before returning to his native United States to help Milwaukee Bucks take the NBA title. Bryant arrived at a tough time after Efes had lost its first four games of the season, but he made an immediate impact by scoring 14 points in his debut – including 7 in the final quarter - as his new team came from behind to gain its first win, edging out UNICS Kazan. 

Elijah Bryant ! Season Highlights | 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

The versatile guard continued to impress in the following weeks, reaching double digits in scoring in each of his first four games, before hitting a mid-season slump which saw his productivity dramatically dip – especially between Rounds 20 and 25 when he totaled just 4 points in five games. Bryant continued to get good minutes, though, and towards the end of the regular season, he enjoyed a resurgence in form. He carried that into the playoffs, making 7 of his 14 field goal attempts during the triumphant series against AX Armani Exchange Milan and further helping the team with averages of 2.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.8 steals per game.

 

But it was on the biggest stage that Bryant delivered his biggest contribution of the season, scoring 16 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting and adding 6 rebounds to help Efes past Olympiacos Piraeus in the semifinal. And although he didn’t get on the scoreboard in the title decider against Real Madrid, the importance of Bryant within the team was shown by the fact that he spent nearly 29 minutes on the floor, more than playing his part in the win by grabbing a team-high 8 rebounds. In doing so, Bryant joined a select number of just 11 players to become champions of both the NBA and EuroLeague - and only the second to do so in consecutive seasons.

Even though he joined the champs after the season started, Elijah Bryant wasted no time in finding his role and helping Anadolu Efes Istanbul successfully defend its title.

Top photos 2022 Final Four - Best of FanZone

Savski Square hosted the FanZone this year in Belgrade.

Fans always get to experience the Final Four up close and personal at the FanZone.

Basketball time all the time at the FanZone!

Anadolu Efes fans having a goot time at the FanZone.

The balls are always bouncing at the FanZone once the fans start pouring in!

One if the FanZone highlights every year is the Slam Dunk contest!

More basketball at the Belgrade FanZone.

Friendly competitions are a great way to challenge friends while at the FanZone.

As always, Turkish Airlines is the main sponsor of the FanZone at the Final Four!

Some participants warm up before performing at the FanZone.

FanZone - Final Four Belgrade 2022

A gorgeous aerial drone shot of the FanZone in Belgrade.

One Team also had its customary session at the FanZone.

One Team Session at FanZone - Final Four Belgrade 2022

FanZone contest - Next Generation Tournament Final Four Belgrade 2022

Top photos 2022 Final Four - Best of FanZone!

Tribute to the Champs: Vasilije Micic 

Micic was this season's Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy winner after leading the regular season with 18.1 points per game and then leading the playoffs with 18.5 points. In addition, Micic finished the season ranked sixth in assists (4.7 apg.) and fifth in three-pointers made (2.2 per game). He earned All-EuroLeague Second Team honors before going on to do some of his finest work of the season when playing for all the glory, at the Final Four in his city, Belgrade.

Vasilije Micic | Season Highlights | 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

In the semifinals against Olympiacos Piraeus, Micic hit one of the most memorable shots in Final Four history, a game-winning triple that left just 0.5 seconds on the clock to lift Efes to a 74-77 win. In the championship game versus Real Madrid, Micic overcame an injury to top all scorers with 23 points on 4-for-7 three-point shooting in a 58-57 triumph. Those performances had Micic re-writing the basketball history books. He became only the fourth player ever to win back-to-back EuroLeague Final Four MVP awards and, more importantly, he can call himself a two-time EuroLeague champion.

Vasilije Micic not only played a leading role for Anadolu Efes Istanbul, but he again found a way to shine brightest when it mattered the most, elevating his game to another level at the 2022 Final Four and leading his club to a successful title defense.

Even though he missed the 2022 Final Four due to a season-ending knee injury sustained in the final practice before the trip to Belgrade, make no mistake that [Krunoslav Simon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/krunoslav-simon/cpr/) was an instrumental part in Anadolu Efes Istanbul getting back to the throne.

Injuries were not Simon's friend during the 2021-22 season and the team felt his absence. During the regular season, Efes had a 3-6 record in games that Simon missed, including opening the season with a 0-4 record as Simon missed four of the first five games and needed time to get going.

Tribute to the Champs Krunoslav Simon

Simon has been a glue guy for Efes and its overpowering offense over the years and it was no different this season. A crafty and intelligent player, the 36-year-old Croatian native contributed in many ways despite playing a career-low 21:20 minutes per game. He posted 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists, scoring in double figures in nine of his 27 appearances. However, Simon's contributions go beyond the numbers he posted.

Not only has he been an integral part of the team on the court, but off of it as well. In his five seasons with Efes, Simon played 152 games - more than any other player during that span. He is one of only three players – along with team captain Dogus Balbay and Bryant Dunston – who were part of the team that finished at the bottom of the EuroLeague standings in 2018 only to go on to dominate the next four seasons. And now Simon is proud to be called a back-to-back EuroLeague champion. 

Tribute to the Champs: Krunoslav Simon

Krunoslav Simon - Anadolu Efes Istanbul photo shoot - Final Four Belgrade 2022 (photo Efes) - EB21

Krunoslav Simon - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - EB21-RS33

Adrien Moerman, one of the stalwarts of Anadolu Efes Istanbul's recent rise to glory, filled a key role again in the 2021-22 season, playing in every single game and mustering more than solid averages of 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Tribute to the Champs: Adrien Moerman

[Adrien Moerman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/adrien-moerman/001833/), one of the stalwarts of Anadolu Efes Istanbul's recent rise to glory, filled a key role again in the 2021-22 season, playing in every single game and mustering more than solid averages of 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

The trust shown in Moerman by Efes head coach Ergin Ataman is reflected in the fact that he spent at least 19 minutes on the court in 36 of Efes's 40 games this season and was given more than 30 minutes on nine occasions. That meant that Moerman ranked seventh in the league in minutes played (989:39) – a list topped by his teammate Shane Larkin – and he became the only Efes player to have appeared in all 81 games during the Turkish team's back-to-back title triumphs.

Adrien Moerman | Season Highlights | 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Throughout his long EuroLeague career, which now spans nine seasons and 223 games, Moerman has always been lauded for two prime qualities: rebounding and three-point shooting. The 2021-22 campaign was more of the same, as he ranked 12th in the league in boards while shooting threes at an impressive 41.5%, the 14th-best conversion rate in the competition.

The Frenchman's personal highlight of the campaign came in Round 22 as he settled a thriller against Panathinaikos OPAP Athens with a nerveless game-winning three-pointer on the final buzzer, sending fans inside the Sinan Erdem Sports Hall wild and taking his personal tallies for the night to 15 points, 2 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocked shots.

Adrien Moerman was the hero for Efes against Panathinaikos

He finished the regular season by making at least 1 triple and grabbing at least 5 boards in eight consecutive games, again underlining the fundamental part he has played in making Efes repeat champs.

Adrien Moerman - Anadolu Efes Istanbul photo shoot - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Top photos 2022 Final Four - One Team Final Four review

One Team Welcome Session for Final Four volunteers - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Joe Arlauckas and Dusko Savanovic with the volunteers - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Stefan Lazarevic of Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade with the volunteers - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Joe Arlauckas - One Team Welcome Session for Final Four volunteers - Final Four Belgrade 2022

One Team Session & Ambassadors Unified Tournament at the FanZone's main court - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Ibrahim Kutluay - One Team Session & Ambassadors Unified Tournament in the FanZone - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Final Four Ambassadors - Joe Arlauckas, Ramunas Siskauskas, Matjaz Smodis, Ibrahim Kutluay, Dusko Savanovic, David Rivers, Dejan Tomasevic and Patrick Femerling during One Team Session & Ambassadors Unified Tournament - Final Four Belgrade 2022

David Rivers - One Team Session & Ambassadors Unified Tournament in the FanZone at Savski Square - Final Four Belgrade 2022

One Team Session & Ambassadors Unified Tournament - Final Four Belgrade 2022

One Team session in the FanZone - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Dusko Savanovic - One Team Session & Ambassadors Unified Tournament - Final Four Belgrade 2022

Patrick Femerling - One Team Session & Ambassadors Unified Tournament - Final Four Belgrade 2022

David Rivers during the One Team session - Final Four Belgrade 2022

The youngest player on the Anadolu Efes Istanbul roster, Filip Petrusev made most of his on-court contributions early in his first EuroLeague season, which finished with him celebrating on the podium.

Tribute to the Champs: Filip Petrusev

The youngest player on the Anadolu Efes Istanbul roster, [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) made most of his on-court contributions early in his first EuroLeague season, which finished with him celebrating on the podium.

There were high expectations of Petrusev, who was the Adriatic League MVP the season before, and he came out of the gate firing. Petrusev scored 17 on 6-of-8 two-point shooting in his debut on opening night at Real Madrid. He added 10 points, 5 boards and 2 blocks against AX Armani Exchange Milan in Round 4 and netted 14 points with 6 boards and 3 assists against Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 7.

In the second half of the regular season, Petrusev’s role diminished as Tibor Pleiss and Bryant Dunston rolled into form and the team relied more on the veterans who got the job done the season before. For the season, Petrusev averaged 5.2 points on 61.1% two-point shooting and 1.6 rebounds in 9:18 minutes over 22 appearances, all in the regular season.

Filip Petrusev Top Plays from 09/01/2021 to 06/07/2022

Tribute to the Champs Filip Petrusev.mp4

He ranked fifth in the league in scoring on a per-minute basis with a prorated average of 22.5 points per 40 minutes. That alone shows the vast potential Petrusev has and even though it wasn’t needed in the playoffs or the Final Four, his constant inclusion in the roster gave the team comfort that they had another weapon in the paint if needed. Already a EuroLeague champion at age 22, Filip Petrusev has a bright future ahead of him.

Filip Petrusev - Anadolu Efes Istanbul photo shoot - Final Four Belgrade 2022 - EB21

Filip Petrusev - Anadolu Efes Istanbul - EB21