The excitement continues with Round 3 of the EuroLeague between Wednesday and Friday, with some high-fliers aiming for a 3-0 start while strugglers target a first win. Here’s your look ahead to the action.

At a glance: Three days of EuroLeague fun this week!

The excitement continues with Round 3 of the EuroLeague between Wednesday and Friday, with some high-fliers aiming for a 3-0 start while strugglers target a first win. Here’s your look ahead to the action.

## Wednesday, October 8

### Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (20:05 CEST)

This week’s drama tips off on Wednesday with a local rivalry as a perfect Hapoel (2-0) faces winless Maccabi (0-2) in Sofia, Bulgaria. Dimitris Itoudis’s team has made a stunning start to the season behind the aggressive scoring of Antonio Blakeney, who has made 21-of-23 free-throw attempts in the first two games. Dan Oturu’s power in the paint (15.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game) is another challenge for Maccabi, which has struggled for shooting accuracy with just 48.7% of two-point attempts and 32.8% of triples converted so far. Jaylen Hoard has been a welcome exception with 15 points per game, while the rebounding of summer signing Oshae Brissett (6.5 boards per night) will be important to combat Oturu.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We have Round 3 coming up later this week!<br><br>Round fixtures by <a href="https://twitter.com/Visa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Visa</a> <a href="https://t.co/8l9fUNCU5v">pic.twitter.com/8l9fUNCU5v</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1975108169165873167?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, October 9

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:30 CEST)

Partizan (1-1) is targeting a second consecutive victory as it welcomes Efes (1-1) to Belgrade. Zeljko Obradovic’s men narrowly secured their first success of the campaign by edging out Milan in Round 2, with last season’s key performers Carlik Jones (15 points and 5 assists) and Sterling Brown (20 points) finding a welcome return to form, and that duo faces a major challenge against Efes’s star-studded backcourt. Shane Larkin has averaged 13.5 points despite not yet making a single three-point shot, a statistic which will surely change soon. Isaia Cordinier has suffered similar woes with just 1 three-pointer on 10 attempts, but Jordan Loyd has settled very quickly, netting 16 and 25 points in his first two games.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. AS Monaco (20:30 CEST)

Milan (1-1) will enjoy home comforts for the first time this season with a visit from Monaco (1-1). The visitors will hope that Round 2 MVP Nikola Mirotic can continue shine as he returns to face his former team. Milan will have plenty of hunger after narrowly failing in a big comeback attempt at Partizan last week, where summer signing Marko Guduric showed his first signs of becoming a key presence for Ettore Messina’s men with 12 points and 8 assists. A key battle will take place in the paint: Daniel Theis has made an excellent start to the season with 16.0 points per game on 90.9% two-point shooting, while Milan’s Devin Booker will look to make up for the absence of Josh Nebo, who had a strong start to the season but suffered an injury in Round 2.

Nikola Mirotic returns to Milan for the first time.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (20:30 CEST)

Baskonia (0-2) will aim for its first victory against a Panathinaikos team (1-1) also determined to bounce back from defeat. Loose defense was the Greens’ downfall in last week’s home loss to Barcelona, when even a stunning performance from Juancho Hernangomez – 27 points and 8 rebounds – wasn’t enough. TJ Shorts will hope to kickstart his season after a slow start, but Panathinaikos can still rely on Kostas Sloukas to lead the offense after his double-double (18 points and 11 assists) in Round 2. Baskonia also needs defensive improvement after allowing 102 points in both the first two games, and will hope for another strong performance from forward Hamidou Diallo after averaging 14 points and 6.5 rebounds in his first two games for the club.

### Paris Basketball vs. Virtus Bologna (20:45 CEST)

A second win of the season is up for grabs as Paris (1-1) welcomes Virtus (1-1). The French team roared to its first triumph with an offense-inspired win at Maccabi, where Nadir Hifi again underlined his enormous scoring potential by draining 21 points. Another key performer for Paris is big man Allan Dokossi, who has grabbed 10 and 13 rebounds in two first two games. On this occasion he will go up against Alen Smailagic, who has made a solid start to his time with Virtus (8.5 points per game). Virtus will try to dominate the backcourt through a deep range of options led by Carsen Edwards, who is looking to extend a 15-game double-digit scoring sequence dating back to last season.

### Real Madrid vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (21:00 CEST)

After lifting its spirits with a vital victory over Olympiacos last time out, Real Madrid (1-1) will look to double up by overcoming ASVEL (1-1). Experienced duo Mario Hezonja and Gabriel Deck have been the key performers for *Los Blancos*, averaging 16.0 and 12.5 points per game, while Facu Campazzo has shown he’ll again be among the league’s top distributors by averaging 6.5 assists in the first two games. ASVEL grabbed its first win by blasting 102 points over Baskonia last week, and American big man Zac Seljaas looks like becoming a key performer by registering 16.0 points and 6.5 rebounds over his first two appearances – but now he faces his biggest challenge yet against Real giant Walter Tavares.

## Friday, October 10

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (19:45 CEST)

Winless Zvezda (0-2) will attempt to change that statistic with a trip to Fenerbahce (1-1). The Serbian team must improve defensively after allowing 92 and 97 points in the first two games, while hoping that Jordan Nwora continues his hot streak after averaging 23.0 points and 5.5 rebounds so far. Another key for Zvezda will be the ability of Codi Miller-McIntyre (16 points and 5.0 assists per night) ability to control the tempo in the backcourt, where Fener star Wade Baldwin has made a stellar start to the season with averages of 23.0 points and 7.0 assists. The Turkish team needs more productivity from its big men after Khem Birch and Bonzie Colson netted just 2 points apiece in last week’s loss at Zalgiris.

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Dubai Basketball (20:15 CEST)

In its first home game of the season, Olympiacos (1-1) will look to return to winning ways with a visit from Dubai (1-1). A pleasant surprise for the Reds has been a major upturn in productivity from Tyler Dorsey, netting 21 and 20 points in the first two games, but coach Georgios Bartzokas will be eager to see a collective improvement in long-range shooting with his team making just 28.3% of three-point attempts so far. Dubai leaked 103 points and 27 assists in last week’s loss at Monaco so needs to toughen up defensively, and center Filip Petrusev (14 points and 8 rebounds per night) will be particularly motivated to enjoy a big night as he faces his former club.

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:30 CEST)

Bayern (1-1) is on the hunt for a second straight victory as it faces a visit from high-flying Zalgiris (2-0). The visiting defense will attempt to minimize the threat posed by Andreas Obst, who blasted 9 three-pointers as Bayern defeated Zvezda in Round 2, but Zalgiris is well-placed to subdue his talents after boasting the league’s best perimeter defense with just 26.8% of three-point attempts converted by its opponents. The Lithuanian team’s stunning start has also been propelled by offensive efficiency: Tomas Masiulis’s men have committed just 10 turnovers per night (2nd best in the league) and shown great long-range accuracy including former Bayern guard Sylvain Francisco (13.5 points per game on 55.6% three-point shooting).

### FC Barcelona vs. Valencia Basket (20:30 CEST)

The week concludes with a Spanish east coast derby as Barcelona (1-1) welcomes Valencia (2-0). The Taronjas celebrated the opening of the new Roig Arena by delivering an offensive masterclass to down Virtus last week, with Omari Moore continuing his special start to the season (13.5 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists per game) and teen talent Sergio De Larrea underlining his enormous potential by blazing 23 points on 5-of-7 three-point shooting. He will look to exploit the absence of injured Barcelona guard Nico Laprovittola, but the home team will be confident after also scoring 103 points in Round 2’s impressive victory at Panathinaikos, where summer signings Toko Shengelia and Will Clyburn demonstrated their importance to their new team by combining for 40 points and 11 rebounds.

Andy West looks ahead to Round 3 of the 2025-26 campaign

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2025-10-08T18:05:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-10-09T18:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v AS Monaco (2025-10-09T18:30:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-10-09T18:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Virtus Bologna (2025-10-09T18:45:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-10-09T19:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-10-10T17:45:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Dubai Basketball (2025-10-10T18:15:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Valencia Basket (2025-10-10T18:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-10-10T18:30:00.000Z)

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Rounds 1 and 2 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Rounds 1 and 2

The EuroLeague is back, and the opening week sustained the league’s most prominent trend on the floor: unmatched offensive efficiency.

Stats review: Offensive efficiency in the EuroLeague continues to rise

The EuroLeague is back, and the early returns are, frankly, spectacular.  While a lot of things changed coming into this season, with three teams added to fill the expanded 20-team field, a few coaching changes, and several marquee signings, the opening week sustained the league’s most prominent trend on the floor: unmatched efficiency.

The graph above shows the number of points per-possession scored since the EuroLeague's inception in the 2000-01 season. 

While there was a ramp-up in the seasons following the pandemic, the EuroLeague has hovered around record levels of efficiency for the last three years, finally breaking the record set during the 2017-18 season last year.  Usually, there are some expected bumps in the road early in the regular season as teams build their chemistry and find a rhythm, but Rounds 1 and 2 set a different tone last week as most teams came sprinting out of the gates executing, shooting the three, and taking care of the ball at high levels.  Given the league’s inclination for parity, the roster quality of the clubs joining this season, and the way the league has steadily raised the bar on offensive efficiency in recent years, it is fair to wonder if last season’s record was more of a stepping stone than the boundary the league’s last two major spikes proved to be.

History can only tell us so much beyond the last decade about the next step in the EuroLeague's offensive progression, as the brand of basketball in the first decade of the competition was very different in a few key facets — notably three-point rate and playcalling.  Early on, the league’s numbers usually ebbed and flowed with how effectively teams translated their group phase efficiency into the Top 16. The teams during the 2003-04 season were so good offensively in the second phase that the 47.6% field goal percentage from that year still stands as the EuroLeague record, with the resulting overall efficiency record holding until the 2017-18 campaign. 

That season’s offensive fireworks came on the heels of the EuroLeague's first season of double round-robin play in 2016-17.  The stabilizing effect the league’s current format has had on offensive performance is obvious, but that season saw positive swings in three-point shooting and turnover rate that have continued into the offensive renaissance that has gotten back on track after being derailed for a time by the pandemic.

While its obviously still very early, it is hard to look at the starts of Zalgiris Kaunas under new head coach Tomas Masiulis, Valencia Basket in their return to the league with a new arena, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv on neutral courts with a former MVP leading the charge, and Dubai Basketball with their stellar shooting performance in Round 1 and not wonder just how high the league can fly offensively this year.  There is no guarantee that the explosive offensive play of the first week will carry on at such a high level all year, but the early returns of the 2025-26 season have done little to suggest that we are not, at least probably, watching a historic standard of professional basketball.

Sportradar shines a light on the great scoring efficiency in the opening rounds of the 2025-26 season

Barcelona’s Nico Laprovittola sidelined with a thigh injury

FC Barcelona came out victorious from Athens, beating Panathinaikos [96-103](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-fc-barcelona/E2025/18/#boxscore) with a help of [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) who had 15 points and 9 assists in 22:30 minutes on the floor. However, it came with a cost.

Veteran point guard felt discomfort in his leg during the game, and then came an announcement from the club on Saturday that Laprovittola will miss three weeks of action due to a thigh injury.

It is an unfortunate setback for a 35-year old guard who missed most of last season with an ACL tear.

This is eighth EuroLeague season for Laprovittola who has appeared in 187 games, all with Spanish clubs – Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">[𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓 𝐌𝐄̀𝐃𝐈𝐂]<br><br>El jugador Nico Laprovittola no jugarà el partit davant el València Basket. <br><br>L’escorta argentí va notar molèsties a l’adductor de la cuixa esquerra en una acció del tram final del partit davant Panathinaikos.<br><br>Les proves realitzades a Barcelona… <a href="https://t.co/3kZwGzPets">pic.twitter.com/3kZwGzPets</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1974491160312737833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He averaged 10.5 points and 6.0 assists in the opening week of the season

After winning two EuroLeague titles together, Shane Larkin and Vasilije Micic faced off for the first time as opponents in the competition – and it was Micic who came away with the win.

Larkin outscored Micic, but former MVP led Hapoel to win over ex-team

After winning two EuroLeague titles together, [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) and [Vasilije Micic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vasilije-micic/002580/) faced off for the first time as opponents in the competition – and it was Micic who came away with the win.

For five seasons, Larkin and Micic formed one of the most dominant backcourts in EuroLeague history, guiding [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) to back-to-back continental championships in 2021 and 2022. On Friday night, the former teammates met again – this time on opposite sides – as Micic’s new club, EuroLeague debutant [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv/hta/), defeated Larkin’s Efes [87–81 in Round 2 action](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/hapoel-finishes-perfect-double-round-with-81-87-road-win-at-efes/).

Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv | Round 1 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Though Larkin outscored Micic – finishing with 13 points, 3 assists and 2 steals to Micic’s 9 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds – it was the Serbian star who left the court with the bragging rights and the win.

This marked the first club-level matchup between the two since Micic left Efes for the NBA in 2023. He returned to Europe this season to join Hapoel and he arrived with plenty of pedigree, having been named EuroLeague MVP in 2021 and Final Four MVP in both 2021 and 2022.

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CuR2YTJOyvj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CuR2YTJOyvj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; 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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/CuR2YTJOyvj/?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 Vasilije Micic B.B.I.I.M.H. 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The two did clash earlier this summer at the national team level during the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 group stage. In that encounter, Larkin shined with 23 points and 9 assists in Turkiye’s 95–90 win over Serbia while Micic struggled, finishing with just 5 points and no assists in 12 minutes.

But on Friday in Podgorica, Montenegro, the narrative flipped.

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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/DPYmf50jBI_/?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 Vasilije Micic B.B.I.I.M.H. (@vasamicic13)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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Despite the personal histories, the two rarely guarded each other directly. Early in the game, Micic sped past Larkin to assist [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) – another former Efes player – on a three-point play. For much of the contest, Micic was defended by Larkin’s new backcourt partner Nick Weiler-Babb, the reigning EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year.

Still, there were several moments when their paths crossed. Midway through the second quarter, Larkin deflected a cross-court pass from Micic out of bounds. In the third quarter, Micic capitalized on a lapse by Larkin, who lost track of Elijah Bryant in the corner; Micic drove and kicked for a key three-pointer to put Hapoel ahead 52–50. Later, inside the final three minutes, Larkin picked off a pass from Micic in the paint, keeping Efes within striking distance.

Larkin actually faced three of his former teammates on the night. In addition to Micic and Oturu, Hapoel also signed [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/) this offseason. Bryant played four seasons with Efes (2021–2025), winning the EuroLeague title in 2022 alongside Larkin and Micic.

Hapoel's Elijah Bryant gets away from Efes's Shane Larkin in the teams' Round 2 matchup.

Bryant had a strong game with 15 points, including a first-quarter drive past Larkin and a steal that led to a Micic basket. The two guards also spent significant time defending each other. In one light-hearted moment early in the second half, Larkin was whistled for a foul trying to strip the ball from Bryant and responded with a smile to his old teammate.

Oturu added 12 points and 9 rebounds, rounding out a solid performance from Hapoel’s ex-Efes trio. In the end, it was the former Istanbul stars who had the last laugh, celebrating a hard-earned win over their old teammate and club.

Game News

The former backcourt mates faced off for the first time in the EuroLeague


Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (2025-10-03T17:30:00.000Z)

AS Monaco forward Nikola Mirotic has been named MVP of Round 2 in the 2025–26 EuroLeague season after delivering a highly efficient all-around performance in his team’s 103–81 home win over Dubai Basketball.

Round 2 MVP: Nikola Mirotic, AS Monaco

AS Monaco forward [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vasilije-micic/002580/) has been named MVP of Round 2 in the 2025–26 EuroLeague season after delivering a highly efficient all-around performance in his team’s 103–81 home win over Dubai Basketball.

Mirotic needed just 20 minutes and 16 seconds on the court to register a performance index rating (PIR) of 32, the highest among players on winning teams this round. He finished with 19 points, shooting 5 of 7 on two-pointers, 1 of 2 from three-point range and 6 of 8 at the free-throw line. In addition, he collected 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and drew 9 fouls. This marks the 11th MVP of the Round honor in Mirotic’s EuroLeague career, tying him for fifth-most all-time in league history. 

The highest PIR of Round 2, however, belongs to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens’s [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/), who amassed a PIR of 39 in a 96–103 home loss to FC Barcelona. Hernangomez had 27 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and drew 8 fouls. Another standout in defeat was [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/baldwin-iv-wade/009863/) of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. In an 84–81 road loss to Zalgiris Kaunas, Baldwin scored 36 points, adding 4 assists and 2 rebounds for a PIR of 34. Rounding out the top performers of Round 2 were FC Bayern Munich’s [Andreas Obst](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/andreas-obst/004508/) and Panathinaikos’s [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/), who each recorded a PIR of 30. Obst scored 31 points on 9-of-16 three-point shooting, along with 3 rebounds and 1 steal. Sloukas contributed 18 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in the loss to Barcelona.

### Individual highs: Wade Baldwin, Fenerbahce, 36 points

Wade Baldwin (Fenerbahce) led all scorers in Round 2 with 36 points. After two rounds, Baldwin, [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/) (FC Barcelona) and [Jordan Nwora](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-nwora/013363/) (Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade) are tied for the league lead, each averaging 23.0 points per game.

[Allan Dokossi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/allan-dokossi/014010/) (Paris Basketball) pulled down 13 rebounds, the most in Round 2. Dokossi and [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) (Olympiacos Piraeus) are the league’s co-leaders in this category, each averaging 11.5 rebounds per game.

Kostas Sloukas (Panathinaikos) dished a round-high 11 assists. After two rounds, [Omari Moore](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/omari-moore/014115/) (Valencia Basket) and [Trent Forrest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/) (Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz) share the overall lead with 8.0 assists per game.

[Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) (Paris) and [Jimmy Clark](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jimmy-clark-iii/013699/) (Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv) each recorded 5 steals in their head-to-head matchup, the most in Round 2. Clark leads the league with an average of 4.0 steals per game.

Five players finished with 2 blocks in Round 2: [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) (Zalgiris), [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/) (Zalgiris), [Mikael Jantunen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mikael-jantunen/012613/) (Fenerbahce), [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/) (Monaco) and [Bastien Vautier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bastien-vautier/014014/) (LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne). Francisco and [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) (Real Madrid) currently lead the league in blocks, each averaging 2.0 per game.

Sloukas was the only player to register a double-double in Round 2, finishing with 18 points and 11 assists.

We have our second winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge!

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 2 winner

EuroLeague fans, we have our second winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Igor Cebic beat everyone else in Round 2 with his team Cvetko Utd, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 239.75.

Igor had the following lineup: team captain Nikola Mirotic of AS Monaco, then Wade Baldwin of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Filip Petrusev of Dubai Basketball, Andreas Obst of FC Bayern Munich and Nikola Milutinov of Olympiacos Piraeus as his starters. Jordan Loyd of Anadolu Efes Istanbul was his sixth man. Igor's bench players were Edwin Jackson of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Sergio Llull of Real Madrid and Bryant Dunston of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Monaco's Vassilis Spanoulis was the head coach.

The prize for finishing first in Round 2 is a VIP EuroLeague TV Subscription for the 2026-27 Season, and an automatic entry to a lottery to win 2x Tickets to the 2027 Final Four.

Trades are now open for Round 3 of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/). Remember, four trades are allowed before each round until the end of the regular season. You can either trade up to four players, or a head coach and three players.

The first game of Round 3, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv, is scheduled to tip off on Wednesday, October 8 at 20:05 CEST, and thus marks next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner! To help with that, watch the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge podcast weekly on the [EuroLeague's YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@euroleague) and on all audio platforms.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 

Valencia Basket made a flying start in its shining new palace, Roig Arena, romping to a 103-94 win over Virtus Segafredo Bologna in the EuroLeague on a night the Spanish club’s fans will savor for a long time.

Roig Arena inspired Valencia to impressive victory over Virtus 

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) made a flying start in its shining new palace, Roig Arena, romping to [a 103-94 win over Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/rampant-valencia-throws-house-warming-party-to-beat-virtus-103-94/) in the EuroLeague on a night the Spanish club’s fans will savor for a long time.

Having bid farewell to their iconic La Fonteta with Valencia competing in the BKT EuroCup last season while the glittering new palace was being built, joyous fans gave club president Juan Roig a standing ovation after he made his way into the gym.

Valencia, whose season is going from strength to strength as it won the Spanish Super Cup and beat LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in the EuroLeague’s opening round, was clearly inspired by a festive atmosphere to dismantle battling Virtus.

Valencia Basket-Virtus Bologna | Round 1 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Having carved out a 49-46 first-half lead despite shooting a mere 3 of 15 from downtown in the opening 20 minutes, Valencia made 9-of-15 long-range efforts in the second as 19-year-old [Sergio De Larrea](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sergio-de-larrea/010750/) showcased his immense talent.

The teenager, tipped to become the next big thing in Spanish basketball with the national team going through a painful transition, drained 23 points in just 21 minutes on the court as he nailed 5-of-7 shots from beyond the three-point arc.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">1️⃣4️⃣.6️⃣0️⃣6️⃣🧡<br><br>GRÀCIES 🧡<br>GRACIAS 🧡<br>THANK YOU 🧡<br><br>📷 <a href="https://twitter.com/miguelangelpo67?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@miguelangelpo67</a> <a href="https://t.co/PfQltabUTZ">pic.twitter.com/PfQltabUTZ</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1974224411747045428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With a near capacity crowd of 14,606 setting a new club record for attendance, De Larrea served up the energy of a youngster coupled with the maturity of a stalwart as he hit some clutch shots while showing the utmost humility in his postgame comments.

 “All the people of Valencia cheered and encouraged us, making me very proud that we played here tonight,” he said in a courtside interview. “It’s all about team work, one time it’s one player who steps up to the plate, another time it’s someone else. The important thing is that we played as a team and won the game.”

[Omari Moore](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/omari-moore/014115/), who marked his home debut for Valencia with an impressive effort of 15 points, 6 assists and 4 boards, was galvanized by the electrifying atmosphere generated by the home faithful, whose joy in the Roig Arena was everywhere to be seen.

“The fans did a super job as everybody was very loud,” he said. “We made runs when we needed to and we got a good team win. We needed to stay poised because we played against a really good team but we stayed solid and found a way to win the game.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">SE ME ESTÁ CAYENDO UNA LAGRIMITA, <a href="https://twitter.com/RoigArena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RoigArena</a> 🧡😢 <a href="https://t.co/KvJzcZai38">pic.twitter.com/KvJzcZai38</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1974209252353855796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Valencia head coach Pedro Martinez duly reminded his players there was no time to rest on laurels in the midst of a grueling schedule comprising Europe’s toughest national league and the EuroLeague, with Valencia up next against one of its perennial Spanish rivals.

“We played with a lot of rhythm in the second half and when you score some three-pointers everything looks easier,” Martinez elaborated.

“We had a lot of players who stepped up in crucial moments. We have to stay focused because we’ve got a big game against Barcelona in the Spanish League on Sunday, meaning that there is no room for us to dwell on our good start to the season.”  

The Spanish side clearly enjoyed its debut in a brand-new venue, producing a vintage performance 

Valencia Basket v Virtus Bologna (2025-10-03T18:30:00.000Z)

Most Paris Basketball fans expected it — and now it’s happening. Nadir Hifi has become the team’s go-to scorer and emotional leader on the court. 

Nadir Hifi: The Prince of Paris is now King   

Most [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) fans expected it — and now it’s happening. [Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) has become the team’s go-to scorer and emotional leader on the court. 

After a busy offseason that saw several key players move on — including TJ Shorts, Tyson Ward, Mikael Jantunen, Leon Kratzer, Maodo Lo, Kevarrius Hayes, and Collin Malcolm — Hifi chose to stay and honor his contract, even releasing a lighthearted video on social media to announce it.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Merci <a href="https://twitter.com/thenadirhifi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thenadirhifi</a> 🖤❤️💙 <a href="https://t.co/jZAirVnwd3">pic.twitter.com/jZAirVnwd3</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1942917068912726338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

That decision is already paying off. Hifi played a key role in [Paris’s 94–101 road win over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nadir-hifi-leads-paris-past-maccabi-for-first-win-94-101/) in Round 2, delivering a complete performance that showed why he’s now the centerpiece of Francesco Tabellini’s squad.

Coming off the bench, Hifi immediately made an impact, burying back-to-back three-pointers during a 2–17 run that gave Paris control for good at 11–19. He struck twice more from beyond the arc — once just before halftime, and again to close the third quarter — to give Paris a 63–75 lead heading into the final frame.

But Hifi’s impact wasn’t just on offense. The young guard was constantly communicating with teammates, acting as an on-court extension of his coach, and disrupting Maccabi's rhythm with 5 steals. He finished with 21 points, 3 assists, and the look of a player ready to lead.

"I am satisfied with the energy and effort we put into the game for 40 minutes,” Hifi said. “We showed improvement since our game two days ago, and I’m happy to take this win.”

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv-Paris Basketball | Round 1 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

And the story doesn’t end there. On Thursday night — just 24 hours before facing Maccabi — Hifi showed his love for the game by attending the matchup between Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan as a fan. Rather than asking for VIP access, Hifi bought a regular ticket and sat among the Partizan supporters to soak up the Belgrade basketball atmosphere.

“It was amazing!” he said. “I always dreamed of experiencing that kind of energy. It’s always special to play in Belgrade — that’s why I went to the game.”

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From staying loyal in the off-season to stepping up when it counts — and even cheering in the stands like any other fan — Nadir Hifi is becoming a fan favorite not just in Paris, but across the EuroLeague. The Prince of Paris is well on his way to becoming a king.

The 23-year-old guard, who attended Partizan's game on Thursday, inspired his team past Maccabi on Friday

Nadir Hifi: The Prince of Paris is now King 

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv v Paris Basketball (2025-10-03T19:30:00.000Z)