Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul announces the return of Nando De Colo for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. The two-time EuroLeague champion and former MVP rejoins from ASVEL to boost the team’s playoff push.

Nando De Colo’s return provides experience and excellence for Fenerbahce 

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) has announced the signing of star guard [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. 

De Colo (1.96 meters, 38 years old), who arrives from [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/), returns to Fenerbahce for a second stint after previously starring for the club between 2019 and 2022.

De Colo has been in excellent form for ASVEL this season. He has averaged 13.6 points, 4.7 assists and 1.0 steal in 13 games for a PIR of 17.8. He is 11th in both average assists and PIR. De Colo is second in the league in per-minute PIR, with a prorated average of 34.4 per 40 minutes. He also leads the league in free throw shooting at 98.3.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Pardon, bu saatte başka bir iletişim planımız vardı 😏<br><br>Nando De Colo yeniden Fenerbahçe Beko’da! 💛💙✍️ <a href="https://t.co/xFHZLJUAj2">pic.twitter.com/xFHZLJUAj2</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/2007906096439275851?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The French playmaker brings a wealth of experience and versatility to Fenerbahce’s backcourt. A two-time EuroLeague champion and the 2016 EuroLeague MVP, De Colo is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished guards in European basketball. His ability to score, create for teammates, and lead on both ends of the floor makes him a valuable addition as Fenerbahce looks to strengthen its position in the EuroLeague standings.

De Colo spent the last two seasons with ASVEL, where he continued to showcase his trademark efficiency and leadership. He is the EuroLeague’s all-time leader in free-throw accuracy (93.4%); ranks second in career scoring with (5,026 points), PIR (5,704), and free throws made (1,240); fourth place in steals (373); eighth in two-point shots made (1,095); and ninth in assists (1,265) and three-pointers made (532).

From the archive: Nando De Colo highlights

Now in his 13th EuroLeague season, De Colo has played for four clubs in the competition. He debuted with Valencia Basket in 2010. After a detour to the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors, he returned to the EuroLeague with CSKA Moscow in 2014 and spent five seasons there.

De Colo helped CSKA reach the Final Four in all five campaigns and was an All-EuroLeague selection in all of them, including three times on the All-EuroLeague First Team. In 2015-16, De Colo had a season for the ages as he was named the EuroLeague MVP, Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy winner, and Final Four MVP after leading CSKA to the crown. He won his second championship with CSKA in 2019. 

De Colo also won the EuroCup with Valencia in 2010. He helped CSKA to five domestic championships, captured a league title and the Turkish Cup with Fenerbahce and won the French Cup with ASVEL.

As a long-time member of the French national team, De Colo won the gold medal at EuroBasket 2013, twice captured Olympic silver medals among his six medals at major competitions.

More from Fenerbahce

The French star rejoins Fenerbahce after three and a half seasons with ASVEL, adding leadership and scoring for the playoff race

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Round 19 of the regular season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos of the week: Round 19

A rock-solid individual effort in an impressive road victory earned Wade Baldwin of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul the honor of being the Round 19 MVP with a PIR of 29.

Round 19 MVP: Wade Baldwin, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

A rock-solid individual effort in an impressive road victory earned [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul the honor of being the Round 19 MVP with a PIR of 29.

Baldwin helped Fenerbahce secure a 93-108 road victory over Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, finishing with 24 points on 7-of-14 two-pointers, 2-of-4 three-pointers, and 4-of-5 free throws. He also contributed 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block and 5 fouls drawn. This performance marked Baldwin’s eighth MVP award with four different teams: FC Bayern Munich, Baskonia, Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv, and now Fenerbahce.

Despite [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens posting the highest PIR of the round (40), his team lost 82-87 at home to archrival Olympiacos Piraeus. Nunn scored 32 points on 8-of-8 two-pointers, 3-of-8 three-pointers, and 7-of-7 free throws, adding 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 6 fouls drawn.

[Nadir Hifi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nadir-hifi/012640/) of Paris Basketball recorded a PIR of 30 in his team's 94-89 road loss against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, scoring 26 points. Hifi also added 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 10 fouls drawn.

Other top individual performances in Round 19 include [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) of Anadolu Efes Istanbul with a PIR of 28, as well as [Jordan Nwora](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-nwora/013363/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, [David McCormack](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/david-mccormack/013386/) of FC Bayern Munich and [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) of Olympiacos, each with a PIR of 27. Weiler-Babb had 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals and 4 fouls drawn in Efes’s 65-87 defeat to Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, a game that saw Nwora post 24 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 fouls drawn for the visitors. McCormack amassed 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 8 fouls drawn as Bayern beat Maccabi 95-71, while Milutinov recorded 10 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 4 fouls drawn in Olympiacos’s 82-87 win at Panathinaikos in the Greek derby.

### Individual highs: Kendrick Nunn, Panathinaikos, 32 points

Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos was the top scorer of the round with 32 points. Nadir Hifi of Paris currently leads the competition in scoring with an average of 20.0 points per game.

Three players grabbed 9 rebounds in Round 19: Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos, his teammate Nikola Milutinov, and Mbaye Ndiaye of ASVEL. Milutinov and Chima Moneke of Crvena Zvezda are tied for the lead in rebounds per game, each averaging 7.7.

Codi Miller-McIntyre of Crvena Zvezda dished out 9 assists, the most of anyone in Round 19. McKinley Wright of Dubai Basketball leads the EuroLeague in assists this season, averaging 6.9 per game.

Nick Weiler-Babb of Efes recorded 5 steals, leading the category for Round 19. Alpha Diallo of AS Monaco is currently ranked first overall with 1.7 steals per game.

Walter Tavares of Real Madrid had 4 blocks in this round. He also leads the league in blocks, averaging 2.1 per game.

There were no double-doubles in Round 19.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul signs Gabonese big man Chris Silva after standout stints with AEK Athens and Bnei Herzliya.

Fenerbahce fortifies frontcourt with Chris Silva signing 

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) has bolstered its interior rotation by signing big man Chris Silva for the remainder of the season, with an option for another year. 

Silva (2.06 meters, 29 years old) brings size, athleticism, and versatility to the reigning champions as they continue their push up the standings.

The Gabonese native arrives from AEK Athens, where he averaged 16.2 points and 7.3 rebounds in the Greek League and posted 14.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in the Basketball Champions League earlier this season. His ability to impact both ends of the floor made him one of AEK’s most reliable performers.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Chris Silva Fenerbahçe Beko’da! 💛💙✍️<br><br>👉 <a href="https://t.co/q2epry4xnj">https://t.co/q2epry4xnj</a> <a href="https://t.co/xwno5M9EXe">pic.twitter.com/xwno5M9EXe</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/2007369250521203138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Last season, Silva starred in Israel for Bnei Herzliya, producing 15.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game for a PIR of 19.7. He ranked sixth in the league in PIR, fifth in blocks, and sixth in rebounds, underscoring his all-around impact.

A First Team All-SEC selection at the University of South Carolina, Silva began his professional career in the NBA with the Miami Heat. He also played for the Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks in the NBA; for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Iowa Wolves and College Park Skyhawks in the G League; Piratas de Quebradillas and Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico; Herzliya in Israel; and AEK in Greece.

Silva is now poised to make his EuroLeague debut with Fenerbahce.

More Fenerbahce news

The 29-year-old big man ranked among the leaders in PIR and rebounds in Israel last season and started this season strong in Greece

EuroLeague fans, we have our 19th winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! Slobodan Majkic beat everyone else in Round 19 with his team Roda Stjarnan, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 247.45.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 19 winner

EuroLeague fans, we have our 19th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Slobodan Majkic beat everyone else in Round 19 with his team Roda Stjarnan, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 247.45.

Slobodan had the following lineup: Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens as team captain, Olympiacos Piraeus duo of Sasha Vezenkov and Nikola Milutinov, Valencia Basket's Nate Reuvers and Nick Weiler-Babb of Anadolu Efes Istanbul as his starters. Sylvain Francisco of Zalgiris Kaunas was his sixth man. Slobodan's bench players were FC Bayern Munich's David McCormack, Paris Basketball's Sebastian Herrera, Virtus Bologna's Nicola Akele and LDLC ASVEL Vileurbanne's Edwin Jackson. Bayern play-caller Svetislav Pesic was Slobodan's head coach.

The prize for finishing first in Round 19 is a VIP EuroLeague TV Subscription for the 2026-27 Season, and an automatic entry to a lottery to win two tickets to the 2027 Final Four.

Trades are now open for Round 20 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 20, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Olympiacos Piraeus, is scheduled to tip off on Tuesday, January 6 at 18:45 CET. This marks the 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. 

Real Madrid opened the new calendar year with a win, but the final 107-93 scoreline against Dubai Basketball hardly tells the full story.

‘No freakin’ excuses’: Real Madrid scores 63 after halftime, rallies past Dubai

[Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) opened the new calendar year with a win, but the final 107-93 scoreline against [Dubai Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/dubai-basketball/dub/) hardly tells the full story.

This was a classic tale of two halves. Real was outplayed for much of the first half, then flipped the game completely after the break as we witnessed a good old-fashioned rout in the second.

The numbers underline just how dramatic the turnaround was. Real scored 63 points in the second half after struggling offensively before halftime. Defensively, it clamped down after conceding 34 points in the second quarter, allowing just 35 total points over the final two quarters.

“The guys came out extremely committed and extremely focused in the third quarter,” Real head coach Sergio Scariolo said in his postgame interview with EuroLeague TV.

Real Madrid-Dubai Basketball | Round 19 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

There may have been raised voices in the locker room at halftime, but from the opening possession of the third quarter, it was clear *Los Blancos* had a different mindset.

“\[Coach Scariolo\] is one of the best,” said [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/), who scored 13 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter. “He knows how to get us going. He had a clear message, and video never lies. He said, ‘No freaking excuses – just go out there and do it.’”

Two decisive runs turned the game.

Real opened the second half with an 11-0 burst, fueled by [Trey Lyles](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/trey-lyles/014117/) and [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/), nearly wiping out a 44-58 halftime deficit. Lyles did not start the game, but Scariolo inserted him – along with [Gabriel Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/gabriel-deck/009005/) – to open the third quarter, a move that paid immediate dividends.

Then, early in the fourth quarter, another 11-0 run – this time sparked by Hezonja – gave Real its first double-digit lead at 90-80. Dubai never recovered.

Scariolo’s trust in his rotation was evident throughout. He stayed with Hezonja despite a quiet stretch that followed his early scoring, leaned on [Usman Garuba](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/usman-garuba/007630/) in key moments over [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/), and received an energetic performance from [Alberto Abalde](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alberto-abalde/003733/).

“Trey Lyles was great in that moment, and Facu obviously,” Scariolo said. “Hezonja had an up-and-down first half, but he was excellent in the second half – not just offensively, but defensively as well, especially against [\[Davis\] Bertans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/davis-bertans/003458/).

“These kinds of wins are important because they give the team the feeling that we can come back.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">✨ <a href="https://twitter.com/TreyLyles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TreyLyles</a> <br>🔝MVP del partido vs <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dubaibasket</a> <a href="https://t.co/EC679kNj4g">pic.twitter.com/EC679kNj4g</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/2007215347217379535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In addition to Hezonja's 20 points, Campazzo finished with 17 points and 6 assists, while Lyles also scored 17. Abalde added 14, Deck had 12 and [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) chipped in 10. Tavares contributed 6 rebounds and 4 blocks. All seven finished with a PIR of 15 or higher, marking just the third time in EuroLeague history that a team has achieved that feat.

“Overall, a good team win,” Scariolo said.

Still, the comeback masked a growing concern. This marked the fourth straight game in which Real trailed at halftime.

“We have to improve our first half,” Campazzo said. “Every game it’s been really hard for us. We’re not playing good basketball early.

“As soon as we smell danger, we change our mentality. But we can’t wait for that. We have to start better. Dubai played an aggressive first half, we didn’t. Once we became aggressive defensively, it helped our offense and our transition game.”

From 14 points down to a 14-point win, Real improved to 11-8 at the midpoint of the regular season. With four of its next five games at home – where it has not lost since early November – *Los Blancos* have a prime opportunity to climb the standings, especially if more second halves resemble this one.

Game News

Los Blancos erupted after the break, overturning a 14-point deficit to defeat Dubai Basketball

Real Madrid v Dubai Basketball (2026-01-02T19:45:00.000Z)

The Svetislav Pesic effect at FC Bayern Munich has officially tipped off, with the German team ending a nine-game losing run by blasting Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv, 95-71, on Friday night.

David McCormack dominates as the Pesic era gets underway in Munich

The Svetislav Pesic effect at [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) has officially tipped off, with the German team ending a nine-game losing run by blasting [Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv/tel/), 95-71, on Friday night.

And although the efficient offensive performance will have delighted Bayern fans, as far as new coach Pesic is concerned it’s clear that the blueprint for further future success has been laid down: defense, defense and more defense.

Maccabi headed into the game as the third-highest scoring team in the EuroLeague, averaging 90.3 points per game, also ranked as the third-best ball circulators (20.2 assists per game), third-best offensive rebounding unit (12.7 per night), and one of the least turnover-prone (11.5 per game).

FC Bayern Munich-Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv | Round 19 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

But the Israeli team could not even approach its usual numbers on this occasion, restricted by Bayern’s intense defense to just 71 points while dishing only 15 assists, claiming just 8 offensive boards and committing 17 turnovers.

Those numbers are enough to explain how Bayern took control, especially during the second and third quarters when Maccabi was held to just 31 points, and Pesic – who was taking charge of just his second game – left no margin for doubt about what he will demand from his players in the weeks ahead.

“It was a very important game for us, an important win,” the veteran coach told EuroLeague TV.

“For everybody – the fans, the players, the club – it’s always important to win. But for me it’s \[more important\] how we win. And tonight everything we tried on defense to stop transition points from one of the best teams in the EuroLeague we played excellent.

“Excellence defense on the ball, excellent rotation, sometimes switching defense, boxing out, rebounds…a complete game. Now it’s important to repeat this game.”

On an individual level, it looks like the biggest beneficiary of the recent coaching change will be center [David McCormack](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/david-mccormack/013386/).

The former ALBA Berlin player was a peripheral presence under previous coach Gordie Herbert, sometimes omitted entirely from the 12-man roster, but he is enjoying a fresh lease of life under Pesic. 

After scoring a season-high 12 points in the new coach’s debut against Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv last week, McCormack followed up with an action-packed display to spearhead the victory over Maccabi, delivering 18 points on 7-of-9 two-point shooting, 7 rebounds and 3 assists for a personal-best PIR of 27.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FINAL SCORE: First game in 2026, first W in 2026! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeBallTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeBallTogether</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAYMTA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BAYMTA</a> <a href="https://t.co/OeRGedmUty">pic.twitter.com/OeRGedmUty</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/2007211389971222865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Clearly excited both by the victory and his enhanced role, McCormack enthused: “It was a fun game, honestly. My confidence has definitely grown, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates – great chemistry on the floor.

“It was a major win for us, to change the momentum and change our mindset. It was the perfect start to 2026 and I’m hoping to keep it that way.”

The intensity of Bayern’s defensive performance left visiting coach Oded Kattash with no complaints about the outcome, as he acknowledged: “The better team won. They were more aggressive than us. We lost our spark offensively, but it’s a good lesson for the future.”

Following this big win, Bayern has every reason to feel optimistic as it prepares for a run of four home games out of the next five – starting with Wednesday’s visit of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

After suffering a seven-game losing stretch on the road in November and December, an extended period of home comfort will be even more welcome for the German team. And if those nights result in more performances like Friday’s, perhaps Bayern’s chances of pushing towards the playoffs might still be alive.

Bayern snapped a nine-game losing streak with a commanding home victory over Maccabi

FC Bayern Munich v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2026-01-02T20:00:00.000Z)

Another Greek derby, another Olympiacos Piraeus victory against Panathinaikos BC. The matchup offered a head-to-head showcase of two of the league’s elite players: Kendrick Nunn for Panathinaikos and Sasha Vezenkov for Olympiacos. Both delivered MVP-level performances, but Vezenkov received more support from his teammates – and that proved decisive.

Greek derby: Two MVP performances, one winner

Another Greek derby, another [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) victory.

Unlike domestic competition, Olympiacos has dominated [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) in the EuroLeague, and that trend continued Friday night. Olympiacos held on for an 82-87 road win at Telekom Center Athens, extending its EuroLeague winning streak over the Greens to 10 games. Panathinaikos’s last victory against Olympiacos in the competition came nearly five years ago, on February 5, 2021 (77-88).

The matchup offered a head-to-head showcase of two of the league’s elite players: [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) for Panathinaikos and [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) for Olympiacos. Both delivered MVP-level performances, but Vezenkov received more support from his teammates – and that proved decisive.

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Olympiacos Piraeus | Round 19 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

Nunn’s night did not begin smoothly. He went scoreless in the first quarter, missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. Everything changed after that.

He buried back-to-back three-pointers early in the second quarter, then punctuated his surge with a one-handed put-back dunk. By halftime, Nunn had already scored 14 points. He continued to attack at all three levels, mixing midrange jumpers, deep shooting and aggressive drives to the rim while consistently drawing fouls.

After the opening quarter, Nunn made 12 of his next 13 shots and went a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line. He finished with 32 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and a PIR of 40 in a losing effort.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Serious HANGTIME I <a href="https://twitter.com/nunnbetter_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nunnbetter_</a> 🥶<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MotorolaMagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MotorolaMagicMoment</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Moto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Moto</a> <a href="https://t.co/gjD1zF75fT">pic.twitter.com/gjD1zF75fT</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2007179850356814066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Vezenkov, by contrast, was steady throughout. His first basket – a three-pointer – capped an early Olympiacos surge and helped establish control. He scored in all four quarters and saved some of his best work for late, adding eight of his 24 points in the fourth quarter.

Vezenkov also secured Olympiacos’s final two rebounds to help close the game. He finished with 24 points on 4-of-7 shooting inside the arc, 4-of-8 from deep and 4-of-4 at the line, along with 9 rebounds and a PIR of 25, drawing just one foul.

Crucially for Olympiacos, others followed Vezenkov’s lead.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Throw it down Sasha 🫣<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/tEm2XgboAV">pic.twitter.com/tEm2XgboAV</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2007188886859194526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

[Tyler Dorsey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyler-dorsey/009849/) delivered 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 fouls drawn for a PIR of 23. [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) came one missed free throw short of a perfect statistical night, posting 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the field, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and no turnovers or fouls committed for a PIR of 27. [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) added 8 points and 7 rebounds.

Olympiacos consistently found its centers and paired that interior presence with Vezenkov’s efficiency and Dorsey’s shot-making, allowing the Reds to lead for most of the night.

“We knew it was a big game,” Dorsey said. “There’s no extra motivation needed – the atmosphere and the feel of the game take care of that. I’m proud of our team. We’ve won three in a row now and we have more road games coming. This one felt good.

“It’s a long game. We had one bad lapse in the second quarter, and without that, we could’ve made it easier. But we made big plays at the end and got it done.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/VtmJ2mI8dY">https://t.co/VtmJ2mI8dY</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/2007203162256748938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Olympiacos claimed the result, but the MVP debate remains wide open. What looks certain is that when voting time arrives for coaches, media, team captains and fans, both Nunn and Vezenkov will be firmly in the conversation – especially if they continue performing as they did in their first game of 2026.

“We have a good team, and I don’t think anyone doubts that,” Olympiacos coach Georgios Bartzokas said. “We stayed with the plan, although we were a bit nervous at the end and turned the ball over a few times. We also missed some free throws we usually make.

“But it’s a big win. I’m grateful to our players and I really believe in them. It’s not just about winning or losing – it’s about stability, spirit and unselfishness. Every game is difficult, but we have the philosophy to keep going.”

After a stretch of inconsistency, Olympiacos has now won three straight and will face the only team it has yet to play this EuroLeague season, visiting defending champion Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul on Tuesday, January 6.

Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos and Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos showed why they are firmly in the 2025–26 EuroLeague MVP conversation

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Olympiacos Piraeus (2026-01-02T19:15:00.000Z)

Virtus Bologna celebrated a memorable 97-85 home win over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in an enthralling Derby d'Italia after Matt Morgan and Derrick Alston combined for 42 points and the hosts roared back from a 15-point deficit.

Matt Morgan, Derrick Alston shine as Virtus overpowers Milan in Derby d’Italia

[Virtus Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) celebrated a memorable 97-85 home win over [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) in an enthralling Derby d'Italia after [Matt Morgan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-morgan/012585/) and [Derrick Alston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/derrick-alston-jr--/014005/) combined for 42 points and the hosts roared back from a 15-point deficit.

Trailing 23-38 in the second quarter, Virtus went on a 16-1 run after 38-year-old veteran [Daniel Hackett](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/daniel-hackett/001844/) came off the bench and got the home team firing on all cylinders with a burst of energy which also galvanized the passionate Bologna crowd.

Virtus, which missed its injured pack leader [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/), enjoyed an impressive night from downtown as Morgan, the game’s top scorer on 22 points, sank 5-of-8 beyond the three-point arc and Alston (20) netted 4-of-5, with the hosts draining 12-of-24 while their relentless hustle held Milan to 6-of-25 at the other end.

Virtus Bologna-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | Round 19 Highlights | 2025-26 EuroLeague

That made all the difference as Virtus kept its EuroLeague home record intact against Milan, notching a fourth successive win over its perennial Italian rival in a fast-paced game. Alston revealed that he had put in a lot of hard work to improve his long-range shooting, as he scored multiple threes for the eighth successive game.  

“We put a lot of work over the summer to be more consistent from three-point range as being efficient has always been a big thing,” he said. “I am thankful to my coaches who are shooting with me every day after practice as consistency is the name of the game and I’m just trying to keep that up.” 

With Virtus also missing big man [Alen Smailagic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alen-smailagic/011051/) through injury, Alston acknowledged the whole team went the extra mile to compensate for the absence of several key players.

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the heart in the dog. Everybody had belief that we could win this game and it was always the next man mentality. The energy was so great from everybody tonight; the team, the crowd. It’s a great environment to play in.”

Morgan dished out 7 assists, too, while [Saliou Niang](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/saliou-niang/012687/) constituted a wall in the paint at both ends as he racked up 11 points and 8 boards. [Karim Jallow](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/karim-jallow/005422/) chipped in with 12 points and 5 rebounds, [Luca Vildoza](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luca-vildoza/007947/) netted 10 points, and the inspirational Hackett added 8, making some crunch shots from deep.  

“We fought too hard to lose this game,” Morgan said in his postgame comments. “We were down a few people and we fought way too hard to take that lead and keep it. In the last four minutes we produced a great end to the game. We knew what we had to do, we came out and handled the business to protect the home court. Our fans gave us a huge boost of energy and we needed it, so on to the next one.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="in" dir="ltr">ITALIAN DERBY ☑️⚪️⚫️ <a href="https://t.co/sDJVFpO3Au">pic.twitter.com/sDJVFpO3Au</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Bologna (@VirtusBo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusBo/status/2007206832079872401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With the rivals level 47-47 at halftime, Virtus found two extra gears in the third quarter and romped into a 77-66 lead ahead of the final 10 minutes. Milan had any hopes of a comeback vanquished by Virtus as the home outfit carved out an insurmountable 89-74 advantage in the home stretch, leaving head coach Dusko Ivanovic purring with delight after the final buzzer.

“The players did an excellent job with so much energy,” the Montenegrin tactician said. “It was a difficult game but the players showed patience and focus on offense, having also displayed good chemistry and a good mentality. You can win or lose a game, but we played as a team and that’s very good. “

Ivanovic’s Milan counterpart Pepe Poeta was realistic after tasting defeat in his first derby, acknowledging that his team’s porous defense let in too many points. 

“We only played how we’re supposed to play for 15 minutes,” he said. “The rest of the game we played poor defense and we have to know that you cannot allow the opponents to score \[almost\] 100 points, especially when we are on the road. There’s no way you can win if you concede that many, that’s what it’s all about.” 

The duo made light of top scorer Carsen Edwards’s absence

Virtus Bologna v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2026-01-02T19:30:00.000Z)