On the eve of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Semifinals, the Olympiacos Piraeus and AS Monaco players spoke with the media before and after the practice sessions at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena. Here's what some of the stars had to say.

Semifinals pregame quotes: Olympiacos vs. Monaco

On the eve of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Semifinals, the [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) and [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) players spoke with the media before and after the practice sessions at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena. Here's what some of the stars had to say.

### Evan Fournier, Olympiacos Piraeus forward

"It's great, I am looking forward to my first Final Four and the opportunity to make something special happen for this team. And I think we are all excited. We are all happy, but we know we have a lot of work to do. I'm not sure how many people are going to be there, because obviously it's extremely far, but we are extremely thankful to all the fans that are showing up. Monaco is a very good team. They have a lot of talent, so it should be a good, interesting matchup against two experienced teams. It's win or go home. I mean, we have two more games, whatever happens, happens. But obviously, if we lose tomorrow the season is over, so one step at a time. Our focus is on Monaco and then we will see."

### Mam Jaiteh, AS Monaco center 

"I think there are different players \[compared to 2023\] so the context will be completely different. But still, many of the guys stayed with the team, so we have learned from it as a team. I think we have enough experience now to not fall into the trap that this team had two years ago. Being here is a very nice feeling, because I feel like everything is ready to welcome us. Everything is ready for the game, for the challenge, so it is now up to us to be on point and to and to respond to it. It is all about being able to play a 40-minute game. We know it is going to be very closer and that they have all this experience, so it is up to us to be consistent, to play with extremely high intensity, and hopefully we are going to be able to reach something. I am enjoying every single moment because many great players haven't had the chance to play a Final four and win the EuroLeague. So you never know what can happen tomorrow. The mood is to enjoy every second, which means that you need to give everything, no matter what the score is. You can leave the court with the feeling that you did and gave everything. That's what we want to feel when we leave the court."

### Shaquielle McKissic, Olympiacos Piraeus forward

"We've got a few first-timers, that’s a bit different \[compared to previous\] semifinals, but as far as the atmosphere it’s getting better and better every year. I know how smart Coach \[Spanoulis\] is just from playing with him and being around him for so many years. I don’t know what their game plan is, but all we can do is focus on our game plan, have confidence in it and execute it. We are one of the best teams in the world, it’s time to live up to that. Having a lot of guards like they have, they are able to manipulate their offense to do what they wanna do and try to get what they want to get. There’s pros and cons to every offense. They have such good players all it takes one of those guys to take over and have a good night and things can go south for us. But we also have a good roster and personnel, that hopefully works out in our favor."

### Jordan Loyd, AS Monaco guard

“We don’t look at ourselves as underdogs, but having that mentality that people are counting you out is a good thing. That’s a good thing for me, I’ve been like that my whole life. So, as far as our team and know what we can achieve, I think we can win the entire EuroLeague, and that’s why we are here. But that mentality and having that focus is not necessarily bad. It’s not bad to have a little bit of underdog mentality. I am sure, in all of Europe, everybody wants a Greek final. But we are not worried about that, all we can do is go out and play our game. We’ve been playing Olympiacos for a long time now. It’s fun, it is something we look forward to, and I think the underdog mentality is a good thing for us. It’s one game, anything can happen in one game. It’s 40 minutes – once the ball goes up, you never know. I think we are really locked in, I keep saying we have a great chance, and I am really confident in our team. The biggest thing \[Coach Spanoulis said\] was clear head. He was like, 'Have a clean head, don’t worry about anything, play aggressive, play confident and enjoy the moment. Don’t put too much extra stress or extra stuff in your head, whether it is good or bad, and stay even keel.' I learned a lot from him already from the time being here. He’s a legendary player. I played against him, as well, and now being coached by him is pretty awesome. It’s pretty cool to have him, and his experience, especially against a team like Olympiacos, who he is familiar with. We are excited."

### Moses Wright, Olympiacos Piraeus center

“Two for two! If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Hopefully we’ll get it done this year. We’ve got a lot of great pieces and a lot of great players, so I trust in Coach B \[Bartzokas\] to get everyone in the right position. He’s a chess master, so he’s got to use the pieces he needs.

“We had a lot of people come back, so we all knew how it felt to get there and be so close to winning one. We went into the new season with vets like Sasha, who played in the league and got to the Final Four, Sasha was the MVP, Evan has been in the NBA for 13 years and been around great players, so they came and brought a whole new mentality to the team and competition. It’s great to have more competitive pieces and it’s dope to go up against them in practice.”

Game News

Check out what the stars said during media availability on Thursday

Olympiacos Piraeus v AS Monaco (2025-05-23T18:00:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos BC star Mathias Lessort could make his long-awaited return from injury at the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four.

Mathias Lessort ready for potential return in semifinal

It was just over five months ago, on December 19 last year, when the basketball world was shocked by [a gruesome leg injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/) All-EuroLeague center [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) suffered in a Round 17 game against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

The most optimistic prognosis after a fractured fibula was that the Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens big man might be able to return before the end of this campaign, even though the situation certainly looked like a season-ending injury.

Well, here we are, at the EuroLeague Final Four in Abu Dhabi, and Lessort is back with the team and ready to play.

“It’s no spoiler”, Lessort told large groups of media members who kept surrounding him during the media availability at Etihad Arena on Thursday afternoon. “I’ve been working really hard for five months to come back. I’ve been in the gym 5-6 hours a day every day for 6-7 days a week, so I really worked hard to be here.”

Lessort’s injury happened after he came down badly on his left ankle. The injury left Lessort lying on the floor in agony, while everyone at OAKA Altion was in shock. The game came to a halt as players from both teams grabbed their heads in disbelief, while fans were seen crying in the stands.

Now, five months later, the All-EuroLeague center might be putting it all behind him.

“I had a lot of people around me, whether it’s my family, my trainer, the coaches, the medical staff, so it’s a team effort and everybody contributes”, the big man said in sharing the credit for being available to play again.

Kendrick Nunn and Mathias Lessort at practice on Thursday in Abu Dhabi

However, with Panathinaikos fighting for another EuroLeague crown, Lessort has been trying to stay out of the spotlight and is giving praise to his teammates.

“My teammates fought to get to this position. They fought for five months without me, so I got to respect their work. It’s their moment. They earned their ticket here and I’m here just to help the team.”

Before the injury, Lessort had averaged 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in this, his second in Athens. At the moment of the injury, he was second in the league in rebounds and sixth in average PIR (20.5).

“I’ve come here with a cool head”, Lessort claimed. “Obviously, I helped them for half the season, but for the other half and then the playoffs, they did it without me. I don’t want to come in and just \[mess\] up everything that they’re doing. They won last year with me, but they got here this year without me.”

Lessort had already traveled with the team to road games and was seen lifting the team up with his energy in recent weeks, standing and jumping behind the bench.

“I’m just here to try to help them in whatever way I can. Whatever I can do to help my teammates and this organization, I’ll do it.”

Whether Lessort actually plays, however, will be up to coach Ergin Ataman.

“My teammates saw me in practice last week. They’ve seen what I can do, what I can bring to the team. The coaches, too. We’ll see tomorrow how they decide to use me, how many minutes if they do use me.

“But like I said, these guys got here without me so I really respect that and this is their Final Four, not mine”, Lessort concluded.

The Panathinaikos center missed the last five months with a broken leg

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-05-23T15:00:00.000Z)

At his first EuroLeague Final Four, the 37-year-old Errick McCollum is out to leave his mark in Abu Dhabi.

Errick McCollum looks to ‘enjoy the ride’ at Final Four

Now in his 15th season overseas, [Errick McCollum](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/errick-mccollum/005216/) has seen a lot. But one thing he lacks is a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championship.

McCollum started the season with Turkish side Pinar Karsiyaka and it seemed like his time among Europe’s very best was a thing of the past, having last featured in the EuroLeague in the 2020-21 season – his second campaign in the competition.

On January 10 of this year, however, everything changed. [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) signed McCollum to help with a growing injury list, particularly in its backcourt, and it gave the veteran a chance to show that he’s still able to compete at the highest level.

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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DExrz3joWDW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Errick McCollum (@errickm3)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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Fast-forward four and a half months and McCollum – who has averaged 11.5 points across 16 EuroLeague games – is now preparing to take on Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in the semifinals, with this being the first Final Four he has reached as a player.

“Sometimes life is just unpredictable,” McCollum told [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net)’s Geoff Gillingham during Fenerbahce’s media availability, one day before the EuroLeague Semifinals. “You get to that point and you learn to adapt. You have a plan, you have an idea of how things maybe should go or will go, then life throws a curveball.

“I think the rollercoaster was winding down and now it’s on the way up again. Once we start the Final Four, it’s a thrill. I’m just happy to be here, I’m happy I was able to find a situation like Fenerbahce where I could come in, help the team and be a part of this. I tried to make the best of it with my performances and helping the team, and I think I did that.”

In the stands cheering on McCollum at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena will be his two best friends – his wife, Brittny, and his brother, CJ. Back in 2016, Brittny was there to see Errick lift the BKT EuroCup title with Galatasaray Istanbul, but CJ was unable to as he was competing in the NBA Playoffs with the Portland Trail Blazers. This time, assuming Fenerbahce goes all the way, it’ll be different.

“My wife was there \[for the 2016 EuroCup Final\]. My brother couldn’t make it to that, but he came that same season when we started the Turkish League Playoffs when I was at Gala in the semifinals,” he said. “Ironically, we played Fenerbahce and in the first round we played Darussafaka, and he was there. It’s special to have him here and to just take in these moments and enjoy the ride. I’m 37 years old, I’m still in good shape, I feel fit, I feel like I have years, but you never know if you’ll get back to this stage.”

For the elder McCollum brother, he has the chance to further add to his legacy in Abu Dhabi with a EuroLeague title, but his impact in basketball will be long-lasting.

“I represent the Fenerbahce jersey, so when you put that on there’s a responsibility, there’s a duty,” he said. “On top of that, on the back of my jersey there’s McCollum, so I represent my family every time I play.

“I try to put forward my best effort, I want to set a good example for my kids, and just represent all the older guys out there who have still got some energy left, who’ve still got juice, just to show that your effort and your energy can open up doors for others. That’s how I looked at it when I was a young guy coming in from a small school – my performance could maybe give another guy a chance. That’s how I look at it.

“It’s not just about you – it’s about your club, your family, and also opening up opportunities for others.”

The 37-year-old has seen a lot in his career, but a EuroLeague title could be the cherry on top

On the eve of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Semifinals, the Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens players spoke with the media before and after the practice sessions at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena. Here's what some of the stars had to say.

Semifinals pregame quotes: Fenerbahce vs. Panathinaikos

On the eve of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Semifinals, the [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) and [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) players spoke with the media before and after the practice sessions at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena. Here's what some of the stars had to say.

### Wade Baldwin, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard

"This \[matchup with Jerian Grant\] isn't an individual thing. It's made out to be. It's fun, you know, it's all about talking sh\*t shit a little bit before, during, and afterward. We're all competitors here. This is what the game's about. It may make it a little more fun for the media, but this is Fenerbahce against Panathinaikos. They're a team that beat us two times in the regular season. Not too many teams have. And we just want to get that revenge game back in a way. Fresh from last year, losing in the Final Four to this team and in the same atmosphere. We take it on that approach.

"A lot of is ball control. You take a look at the last two games \[against Panathinaikos\]. At home, a ton of them by myself late in the game. At Panathinaikos, Marko \[Guduric\] had a turnover late in the game that was a deciding factor, so taking care of the ball is always the most important thing.

"It feels like it's about time for me \[to play in the Final Four\] and that was the goal in the move \[from Maccabi\], coming to a team that has a history of being there with a coach that’s been here now five, six times in a row. That's where I wanted to be. I'm here and now, it's time to show what I can do and what our team can do." 

### Mathias Lessort, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens center

"I think we got better \[than last year\], yeah. We are in the same position as we were last year – semifinal of the Final Four against Fenerbahce. It’s not going to matter who’s the best team, just who’s gonna be the best in those 40 minutes. They got a good frontline, experienced guys who have been here before, a guy who won the EuroLeague already. We've got to be ready, but it’s going to be a big battle. Everyone fought the whole year to be here, it’s going to be a battle, for sure.”

### Nicolo Melli, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul big man

"It is nice to be back in the Final Four. Hopefully it's a luckier one than the previous ones I have been to, but it's nice. This is a new venue, I have never been here before, so I'm very excited. I think it goes beyond just the opponent. It is just about the Final Four being super intense. We have to leave everything out, play with a lot of energy and be focused. We played against them already twice this year. We know what they do, they know what we do, so it's just a matter of being precise, focused and playing with a lot of energy.

"\[Mathias\] Lessort is a very good player, an incredible player. But again, they arrived here without him, so they are an incredible team even without him. We will see what's going to be tomorrow. Whatever it will be, we will try to be ready. It is very nice to be here. This was one of the reasons why I came back to Fenerbahce. We are one step away from the finish line and hopefully we will be able to take this extra step."

### Cedi Osman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward

"Obviously, we are expecting a tough battle tomorrow, another tough game. But it’s just like another game, everybody is motivated, everybody is really excited and we are ready to go. I am very hungry. I am definitely excited and ready to play.

"This is something I’ve been dreaming of for a long time. Before the NBA, this was my goal: to go to the EuroLeague Final Four and win a EuroLeague title. I was not lucky to do it, but I am lucky to do it now. It feels great, but it’s just another game that we need to win, and that we are going to win. We believe in ourselves, but we know how great they are. They had a great season. We are just ready and just motivated. I am sure they prepared something, we are going to prepare something. It will be like a chess battle."

### Errick McCollum, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard

"I feel like every year is a different year, a different team. Even though they have some of the same players, roles change, people evolve, and I think the style that Fener plays now is a little bit different to last year.

"If we can slow down \[Kendrick\] Nunn and \[Kostas\] Sloukas, make things a little difficult for them, you have to find a way to slow them down. I'm sure on our end they'll want to slow down Nigel \[Hayes-Davis\], Marko \[Guduric\], Wade \[Baldwin\], so we'll see the battle of that. Sometimes the best players and the key players are always going to do what they do, but the others... I think the role players make the difference in these types of games."

### Konstantinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward

"So far, it has been amazing: the hospitality, the hotel we are staying, the food, the people... the people are very hospitable, generous. Their whole tradition is amazing. The facilities and the court are amazing, and basketball-wise, we are preparing for a very difficult game which we hope to win tomorrow. The trickiest, most difficult and most challenging part is to beat a team three times in a row. Fenerbahce went 3-0 in the playoffs, so they had more time to prepare for us. They had more time to go over more tactics on us and our key players. I mean, it is going to be difficult. We are ready. We got prepared physically and mentally for this game and I think it's going to go to whoever wants it more. This feeling \[of winning the EuroLeague\] doesn't compare to anything else in the world, for sure. It tells you that all your hard work is paying off, but the past is the past. This just needs to stay in your in our minds to motivate us more to win the games."

The 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four Magazine is here!

Whether you're courtside at Etihad Arena or following the action from afar, the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four Magazine is your ultimate guide to the biggest weekend in European basketball.

Now available at <https://publications.euroleague.net/en/2025>, the magazine is packed with everything you need to know: from the road to Abu Dhabi, team profiles, key stats, and breakdowns of the off-court entertainment lighting up the city.

Download your free copy and dive into the stories, the spectacle, and the spirit of the Final Four!

With what is traditionally considered the opening act of the greatest weekend in basketball, the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four opened its doors on Thursday morning. The Louvre Abu Dhabi hosted the Opening Press Conference with Coach Sarunas Jasikevicius and Nigel Hayes-Davis representing Fenerbahce, Coach Ergin Ataman and EuroLeague MVP Kendrick Nunn for Panathinaikos, Coach Georgios Bartzokas and Sasha Vezenkov for Olympiacos and Coach Vassilis Spanoulis and Mike James for Monaco. 

Highlights from the Opening Press Conference

With what is traditionally considered the opening act of the greatest weekend in basketball, the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four opened its doors on Thursday morning. The Louvre Abu Dhabi hosted the Opening Press Conference, which for the first time included a red carpet event with Shani Blatt and Deniz Aksoy, plus a pair of very informative panel conversations about the history and future of the league with Olivia Harlan Dekker serving as the moderator.

The first panel was made up of executives. Euroleague Basketball CEO Paulius Motiejunas showed great confidence in the competition: "Every game matters is not just a slogan. If you are not a fan and turn on a TV, you get sucked into it. If we keep this, we can go for another 250 years."

Motiejunas was joined by Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul general manager Maurizio Gheradini and his FC Bayern Munich counterpart Marko Pesic.

Gheradini agreed with Motiejunas's optimism regarding the future and said: "The EuroLeague as a product has history, an incredible fan base… We have whatever is needed to grow."

The second panel consisted of three members of the All-25 EuroLeague team – Kyle Hines, Nando De Colo and Dejan Bodiroga – and nine-time champion coach Zeljko Obradovic. There was some levity during the conversation with Hines, who retired just last season, claiming that he was "trying to see if I can get a weekend contract to play at this Final Four!" He doubled down and added, "Yeah, I’m ready."

Obradovic, who is the coach of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, asked if he could count this visit to Abu Dhabi on his résumé as a Final Four appearance. The coach then spoke of the difference in the league from today and in its early years, noting that today teams play more games and practice less, which the players prefer.

"My players in Belgrade are happy today because I am not there," Obradovic joked.

"My experience as a player taught me what makes European basketball special: intensity in every game, passionate fans and a unique club culture that cannot be copied anywhere else in the world," said Bodiroga, who serves as the Euroleague Basketball President.

"We have to protect what makes us special. We are strong, have the most passionate fans, the most competitive games, tradition... I think we need to keep this. Maybe what we need to change is the ability to share this unique product with the world."

Then the Opening Press Conference began with coach Sarunas Jasikevicius and Nigel Hayes-Davis representing Fenerbahce, coach Ergin Ataman and EuroLeague MVP Kendrick Nunn for Panathinaikos, coach Georgios Bartzokas and Sasha Vezenkov for Olympiacos, and coach Vassilis Spanoulis and Mike James for Monaco.

Among the laughs at the event were Hayes-Davis explaining why Jasikevicius is such a great coach by saying "He’s so good at yelling at you" and Spanoulis joking about who his kids will support at the Final Four.

Live from 9:30am CEST, the Red Carpet event and the Opening Press Conference will take place. As well as the head coaches and an All-EuroLeague First Team member from each of the Final Four teams, there will be a number of special guests. Tune in now!

Tune in for the Red Carpet and Opening Press Conference!

With the arrival of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul to Abu Dhabi, the lineup for the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four is complete

Fenerbahce receives joyous welcome to Abu Dhabi 

With the arrival of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul to Abu Dhabi, the lineup for the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four is complete. The Turkish champs joined Olympiacos Piraeus, AS Monaco, and their semifinals opponents Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, all of whom arrived on Tuesday.

Like for the first three teams, the locals rolled out the proverbial red carpet for their guests with the Al-Ayyala, a traditional Emirati cultural performance. Members of the Mubarak Al Atiba Group, complete with singers, drummers and two falcons with their handlers, performed the ritual.

Fenerbahce's big men in particular seemed intrigued by the welcome with Jilson Bango and Khem Birch among those who pulled out their phones to record the moment, while Nicolo Melli accepted the traditional Arab coffee that was poured for him.

The falcons were a big draw for some with Wade Baldwin, Bonzie Colson and head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius all stopping to hold the birds. 

Originally a ceremony used to welcome victorious warriors home from battle, today the Al-Ayyala is often performed to greet honored guests, such as the teams coming to Abu Dhabi to compete for the EuroLeague crown.

And with Fenerbahce now on the ground, the focus in Abu Dhabi is about to switch to basketball. The first official event of the Final Four, the Opening Press Conference, will take place on Thursday morning. And the semifinals are less than 48 hours away!

With the Turkish champs on the ground, the Final Four is set

Making a case for AS Monaco as the 2025 EuroLeague champion isn't much of a stretch at all.

2025 Final Four: The case for... Monaco

Can you imagine a scenario where [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) plays his best basketball at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four?

Can you envision [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) and [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/)'s defense wreaking havoc on the opponents' top scorers?

Can you see [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/)'s savvy making things difficult for the opposition in the paint?

What about [Georgios Papagiannis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/georgios-papagiannis/005844/) and [Mam Jaiteh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mam-jaiteh/002581/) standing tall? And [Jaron Blossomgame](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaron-blossomgame/011231/) doing the blue-collar work? And [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) and [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) making clutch shots?

If this seems feasible to you, then making a case for [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) as the 2025 EuroLeague champion isn't much of a stretch at all.

### Monaco’s winning record vs. the Final Four teams

Monaco defeated each of the other three Final Four teams – Olympiacos Piraeus, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens – on the road this season. And whatever atmosphere their fans create this weekend at Etihad Arena, it is sure to be less intimidating than what the Roca team experienced at Peace & Friendship Stadium or Ulker Sports and Event Hall or OAKA Altion.

Just about whatever you think it takes to win a championship, Monaco has it.

Defense wins championships? Diallo was third in voting for the 2025 Best Defender Award and Papagiannis led the league in blocked shots.

For you is it about offensive firepower? The Monaco attack begins with the EuroLeague's all-time leading scorer, Mike James, and continues with three more players averaging double figures in points.

Experience? This team has seven players remaining from its previous Final Four run in 2023 as well as former champs on the bench in [Nick Calathes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-calathes/001932/) and [Petr Cornelie](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/petr-cornelie/004790/).

### The only real Monaco question mark

Vassilis Spanoulis is in his first season coaching in the EuroLeague. Thus, this will be his first Final Four on the sidelines, after five as a player. His semifinals counterpart, Georgios Bartzokas, won the EuroLeague with Spanoulis as his star player in 2013. Another coach in the semis, Ergin Ataman, has hoisted the trophy in three of the last four seasons. And Sarunas Jasikevicius is coaching at his fifth straight Final Four.

Spanoulis is the outsider. That said, there is no reason to doubt his coaching acumen. Or his heart. Or the magic that he managed to conjure up as a player. Can he sprinkle that fairy dust on Mike James and co.? If so, Monaco is a sure thing!

The argument that Spanoulis would be Monaco's weak link is just that. A weak argument. He indeed lacks Final Four experience as a coach, but his overall experience and basketball IQ were taken into account when Monaco hired him. Who would be surprised to see Spanoulis translate his talents into a EuroLeague crown as a coach?

I could go on and on singing Monaco's praises, but the bottom line is that the team reached Abu Dhabi deservedly. The other three teams did as well. Monaco may not be the overwhelming favorite to celebrate on Sunday. But it is by no means a massive underdog, either.

More Monaco News

Frankie Sachs explains why you should believe in Vassilis Spanoulis's men too