Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has announced the signing of Chima Moneke on a two-year deal. Moneke (1.96 meters, 27 years old) joined AS Monaco halfway through last season and made his EuroLeague debut. The charismatic forward returns to Spain after having a breakout season with Manresa in the 2021-22 campaign. Baskonia will now be hoping to unleash this version of Moneke in next season's EuroLeague.

Chima Moneke heads back to Spain, joins Baskonia

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has announced the signing of [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) on a two-year deal. Moneke (1.96 meters, 27 years old) joined AS Monaco halfway through last season and made his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut, averaging 3.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and a 4.6 PIR across 16 appearances, most of which were from the bench. The charismatic forward returns to Spain after having a breakout season with Manresa in the 2021-22 campaign, posting 14.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.6 steals in 36 Spanish League fixtures, in addition to 13.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 15 Basketball Champions League games. Baskonia will now be hoping to unleash this version of Moneke in next season's EuroLeague.

The best plays of new Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz signing Chima Moneke during his time at AS Monaco in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Chima Moneke's top plays in 2022-23

### Moneke shined at Buesa Arena last season

 

In what was comfortably Moneke's best performance in a Monaco jersey last season, the 27-year-old shared Round 28 MVP honors with Real Madrid's Gabriel Deck after a stellar performance against Baskonia at Buesa Arena. In 23:47 minutes on the floor, Moneke scored 14 points, he grabbed 13 rebounds, he dished 2 assists, he recorded 1 steal, he blocked 1 shot and didn't commit a single turnover, giving him a PIR of 26, which was comfortably his career high. In that game, he displayed all of his best characteristics as he came to the fore on a night in which Mike James, Monaco's leader, was absent. Should Moneke repeat that type of display at Buesa Arena on a regular basis next season, he will quickly become a fans' favorite.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🖼️ En un museo hay mucho artista😎😎😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OngiEtorriMoneke?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OngiEtorriMoneke</a> 🔵🔴 <a href="https://t.co/ebElvQ9I7O">pic.twitter.com/ebElvQ9I7O</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1681680129343254530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Moneke's journey to Baskonia

 

The Nigeria international made his professional debut with French second division side Rouen Metropole Basket at the start of the 2018-19 season, but he ended up moving to Denain Voltaire Basket – also in the French second tier – in November 2018 and saw out the campaign there. The following summer, Moneke signed for another French second division team, UJAP Quimper 29, before he got his first break in the French top flight with Orleans in the 2020-21 season. Moneke handled the jump up to the first division with aplomb, posting 13.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals through 31 games.

Then came another season in which he put himself on the map, as he made himself known outside of France thanks to a great season with Manresa in 2021-22. That campaign caught the attention of NBA franchise the Sacramento Kings, which signed Moneke in the summer of 2022. Moneke played just two NBA games for Sacramento, though, instead spending the majority of his time with its G League team, the Stockton Kings. Then, with several EuroLeague offers on the table, Moneke joined Monaco in late January and played a role as the team reached its first-ever Final Four.

Baskonia News

New Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz signing Chima Moneke reacts during a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game for AS Monaco in the 2022-23 season.

ALBA Berlin has announced the arrival of Justin Bean on a three-year deal. Bean (2.01 meters, 26 years old) only made his professional debut last season, averaging 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals for the Memphis Hustle in the G League. The American forward now heads outside of the United States for the first time in his career, as he embarks upon a new journey in the EuroLeague with ALBA.

ALBA Berlin wraps up Justin Bean signing

ALBA Berlin has announced the signing of Justin Bean to a three-year deal. Bean (2.01 meters, 26 years old) made his professional debut last season and averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals for the Memphis Hustle in the G League. The American forward now heads outside of the United States for the first time in his career, as he embarks upon a new journey in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with ALBA.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Willkommen, Justin! 🙌🤝 Power Forward <a href="https://twitter.com/justinbean34?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@justinbean34</a> verstärkt unser Team und hat einen Dreijahresvertrag erhalten.<br><br>Der 26 Jahre alte US-Amerikaner kam im Senior-Jahr für <a href="https://twitter.com/USUBasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USUBasketball</a> auf 17,4 ppg &amp; 9,9 rpg und in der letzten Saison bei @MemphisHustleauf 10,3 ppg &amp; 7,4 rpg. <a href="https://t.co/b8jEkw3o5j">pic.twitter.com/b8jEkw3o5j</a></p>&mdash; ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/albaberlin/status/1681645745819070467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Justin Bean's historic college numbers

At Utah State University, Bean became something of a double-double machine, recording 46 – the second-highest figure in school history – across his four years there. In fact, Bean's numbers at Utah State are incredibly impressive as he has the school record for most games with 10+ rebounds (57), he's second all-time in rebounds (1,027), fifth in steals (161) and tied for eighth for games played (126).

In his freshman year, the 2018-19 season, the American played a total of 28 games and averaged just 4.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in just over 12 and a half minutes per night. The following campaign, however, saw a big change for Bean, as his minutes increased to just shy of 30 minutes per game, while his averages also improved to 11.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals through 34 appearances.

With Bean having established himself as one of Utah State's best players, his third year with the team resulted in him posting 11.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 29 fixtures. Bean's final year at Utah State was his most productive from a scoring point of view, as he averaged 17.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals across 34 games.

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZQbKVWMLWn/?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/CZQbKVWMLWn/?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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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZQbKVWMLWn/?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 Justin Bean (@justinbean34)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

### What to expect in the EuroLeague

With ALBA having said [goodbye to Luke Sikma](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/olympiacos-piraeus-adds-playmaking-forward-luke-sikma/), there are extra minutes to go around at the forward positions. ALBA has a good track record of developing players and turning them into EuroLeague-ready players and Bean will be hoping to follow that same path. After an impressive college career at Utah State and a year's experience in the G League, Bean now has a chance to prove himself on the old continent.

ALBA Berlin News

Justin Bean, ALBA Berlin's new signing, celebrates a three-pointer during his college days at Utah State University.

ALBA wraps up Justin Bean signing

Olimpia Milano has announced the arrival of center Ismael Kamagate on a two-year deal. Kamagate (22 years old, 2.11 meters) arrives from Paris Basketball. The talented big man led the 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup in blocked shots (1.5 bpg.), while he also ranked fourth in rebounds (8.4 rpg.) and second in two-point shooting percentage (76.3%), averaging 9.2 points in 20 games. He will make his EuroLeague debut next season. 

Ismael Kamagate seals move to Olimpia Milano

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan has announced the signing of center [Ismael Kamagate](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/ismael-kamagate/011926/) on a two-year deal. Kamagate (22 years old, 2.11 meters) arrives from Paris Basketball, where he had a breakout season. The talented big man led the 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup in blocked shots (1.5 bpg.) and ranked fourth in rebounds (8.4 rpg.) and second in two-point shooting percentage (76.3%). He also averaged 9.2 points in 20 games. Kamagate posted solid numbers in the French League, too, averaging 9.9 points on 74.3% two-point shooting, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. He will make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut next season.

Ismael Kamagate of Paris Basketball led the 2022-23 7DAYS EuroCup in blocked shot. This is why.

Kamagate's block party

Kamagate started his professional career with Orleans Loiret Basket in his native France and he also played for Centre Federal de Basket-Ball, formerly known as INSEP. Despite his young age, he has already been a member of the French national team, too. Last season, Kamagate helped Paris reach the EuroCup Quarterfinals and he earned Round 6 MVP honors, getting 12 points, 19 rebounds and 4 blocks for a career-high PIR of 41 in a home win against Veolia Hamburg Towers. Now, Kamagate is leaving his native France for the first time in his career, and it will be fascinating to see if he can translate his high-level defensive play to the next level in his rookie EuroLeague season.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">La Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano comunica di aver raggiunto un accordo fino al 2025 con Ismael Kamagate.<br><br>Welcome IK! ⚪️🔴 <br><br>➡️ <a href="https://t.co/G3W8rBfm12">https://t.co/G3W8rBfm12</a> <a href="https://t.co/LEpqE3dtMv">pic.twitter.com/LEpqE3dtMv</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1681593594585534464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More Milan news

Ismael Kamagate, a new signing for EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, dunks during a 7DAYS EuroCup game for Paris Basketball.

Ismael Kamagate seals move to Milan 

FC Bayern Munich has announced the arrival of Leandro Bolmaro on a two-year deal. Bolmaro (22 years old, 1.98 meters) joins Pablo Laso's project at Bayern after spending the final part of the 2022-23 season with Lenovo Tenerife. The swingman returns to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague after playing 36 games across two seasons – 2019-20 and 2020-21 – with FC Barcelona.

Leandro Bolmaro completes move to Bayern

FC Bayern Munich on Wednesday announced the signing of [Leandro Bolmaro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/leandro-bolmaro/008985/) to a two-year deal. Bolmaro (22 years old, 1.98 meters) joins Pablo Laso's project at Bayern after spending the final part of the 2022-23 season with Lenovo Tenerife, where he averaged 6.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 16 Spanish League games and 6.0 points and 1.6 rebounds in seven Basketball Champions League fixtures. The swingman returns to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague after playing 36 games across the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with FC Barcelona, during which he averaged 2.8 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 9:42 minutes on the floor.

The best plays of Leandro Bolmaro with FC Barcelona in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

Leandro Bolmaro's EuroLeague highlights

Bolmaro, who made his professional debut with Bahia Basket in his native Argentina in 2017-18, was drafted with the No. 23 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. One year later, in the summer of 2021, he left Barca to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA. Following a season in which he split time between Minnesota and its G League team, the Iowa Wolves, the Argentina international was traded to the Utah Jazz. 

Bolmaro once again played in both the NBA and the G League, suiting up for Utah and the Salt Lake City Stars, before being cut in February 2023. He joined Tenerife soon after, and he now has an opportunity to display his obvious potential once again on the EuroLeague stage, this time under the tutelage of Coach Laso at Bayern.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">👋 Willkommen in München, <a href="https://twitter.com/BolmaroLeandro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BolmaroLeandro</a>! Der argentinische Nationalspieler 🇦🇷 ist unser erster Neuzugang für die kommende Spielzeit! Alle Infos ⤵️<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></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1681577111507865600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More FC Bayern Munich news

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade has extended the contract of Balsa Koprivica until the end of the 2024-25 season. Koprivica (2.15 meters, 23 years old) appeared in six games for Partizan in his rookie Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season last year, averaging 1.0 points and 1.3 rebounds in 4:35 minutes on the floor. 

Balsa Koprivica renews at Partizan Belgrade until 2025

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade has extended the contract of [Balsa Koprivica](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/balsa-koprivica/011050/) until the end of the 2024-25 season. Koprivica (2.15 meters, 23 years old) appeared in six games for Partizan in his rookie Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season last year, averaging 1.0 points and 1.3 rebounds in 4:35 minutes on the floor.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Balša će nastaviti da nosi crno-beli dres! Mladi centar je danas produžio ugovor do leta 2025!✊🏽🖤🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://t.co/Lb1Xj5jKQh">pic.twitter.com/Lb1Xj5jKQh</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1681380411732000771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Koprivica's difficult season

The young big man appeared in five of Partizan's first six games of the campaign, but in the last of those – against Panathinaikos Athens on November 3, 2022 – he broke his hand and was forced to miss some time. Then, in January 2023, Koprivica was diagnosed with mononucleosis, which kept him on the sidelines until the playoffs. Koprivica made his long-awaited return in Game 3 against Real Madrid, playing just over one minute.

The top plays of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade center Balsa Koprivica in the 2021-22 BKT EuroCup season.

Balsa Koprivica's best EuroCup plays

### An impressive EuroCup campaign

Just two seasons ago in 2021-22, Koprivica started in 10 of his 17 appearances in the BKT EuroCup for Partizan, posting 6.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and a 10.1 PIR in 16:09 minutes on the floor. The youngster had a few noteworthy performances in the EuroCup, including scoring 12 points against Lietkabelis Panevezys in Round 5 as he reached double figures for points for the first time.

In Round 9, against Dolomiti Energia Trento, he shined with 7 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 blocks, the same total of rejections he achieved two rounds prior against Slask Wroclaw. Then, in Round 15, Koprivica achieved his first double-double in the competition after pairing 14 points with 13 rebounds against Metropolitans 92. That night, he also had 1 assist and 3 blocks.

Heading into the 2023-24 EuroLeague season, Koprivica will be hoping that he can put a turbulent 2022-23 campaign behind him and begin to show what he can do, having clearly demonstrated his potential in the 2021-22 EuroCup. If Partizan head coach Zeljko Obradovic can get Koprivica playing at that level once again, it will be like a new signing for the Serbian club.

Partizan News

Balsa Koprivica renews at Partizan until 2025

No team has been discussed more so far this summer than Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, which has already made 10 signings ahead of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season. Notably, Zvezda has signed three guards – Milos Teodosic, Shabazz Napier and Yago Dos Santos – that should make its game a must-watch for any basketball fan right across the globe.

Crvena Zvezda's guards should be box office next season

No team has been discussed more so far this summer than Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, which has already made 10 signings ahead of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season. Notably, Zvezda has signed three guards – [Milos Teodosic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-brings-home-legend-milos-teodosic/), [Shabazz Napier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/shabazz-napier-joins-crvena-zvezda/) and [Yago Dos Santos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/yago-dos-santos-makes-jump-to-euroleague-with-zvezda/) – that should make its games a must-watch for any basketball fan right across the globe.

When it became clear that star guards [Luca Vildoza](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-signs-playmaker-luca-vildoza/) and [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/real-madrid-reunites-with-star-guard-facu-campazzo/) would be moving on from Zvezda, with the Argentine duo signing for Panathinaikos Athens and Real Madrid, respectively, it would have been easy for the panic alarms to sound at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall. Well, instead, the club's management has acted brilliantly to ensure that Zvezda's fans can look ahead to the upcoming season with optimism.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">They&#39;ve been busy lately 🔴⚪️ <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kkcrvenazvezda</a> <br><br>Rate these signings out of 10 ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/C9gfGlUV5v">pic.twitter.com/C9gfGlUV5v</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1680912557899382786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Teodosic got the ball rolling

The first guard to join Zvezda this summer was none other than Teodosic, who signed for the club on July 11, which already feels like an eternity ago. He was the third player to arrive at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, and you may recall reading a piece by this writer about how [he and fellow new recruit Marko Simonovic may link up on the court](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/new-crvena-zvezda-signings-milos-teodosic-marko-simonovic-return-to-serbia-with-one-thing-in-mind/). Since then, a further seven players have moved to Zvezda, which has helped to create a better picture of what we may see next season.

At the age of 36, Teodosic may not have the legs that he once had, but his mind is just as quick as ever. Over the last four seasons with Virtus Segafredo Bologna, the Serbian Point God has regularly put on a show for those in attendance, as well as those watching at home. Now, he will get to do so in front of his fellow compatriots on a regular basis for the first time since leaving FMP in 2007.

What's more, with Teodosic being a die-hard Zvezda supporter, he will also be suiting up for the club that both he and the fans have a shared love for. After averaging 10.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, 6.0 assists and a 10.5 PIR in 19:29 minutes across 26 games for Virtus last season, most of which were from the bench, Teodosic is in a perfect position to continue to influence games at the highest level, even if it is from more of a reserve role.

The best plays of new Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade guard Milos Teodosic during the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Milos Teodosic's top plays of the 2022-23 season

### Napier and Dos Santos show that Zvezda means business

There was already a lot of excitement among Zvezda supporters following the announcement of Teodosic's return to Serbia, but the signings of Shabazz Napier and Yago Dos Santos saw the hype machine go into overdrive.

Napier became the talk of Europe following his arrival at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in late January 2023, as the 32-year-old American point guard took to the EuroLeague like a duck to water. In 12 appearances he posted impressive averages of 15.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and a 16.4 PIR, but it was his leadership that also stood out, with the Napier-led Milan almost securing an unlikely spot in the playoffs.

The best plays of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan guard Shabazz Napier in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Shabazz Napier's best plays, 2022-23

Meanwhile, it was a similar story for Dos Santos at ratiopharm Ulm in last season's BKT EuroCup. The 24-year-old Brazilian, whose passing style is not too dissimilar to Teodosic, made Ulm one of the most exciting teams in the competition, averaging 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists and a 17.6 PIR en route to a quarterfinal finish. His joyful play on the court was reminiscent of the samba style seen in Brazil's soccer teams, too.

Both players had impressive shooting numbers last season, with Napier going 45.2% on two-pointers, 45.6% from three-point territory and 87.5% on free throws, while Dos Santos shot 49.2% inside the arc, 39.1% on triples and 88.7% from the charity stripe. Given that Teodosic has similar shooting splits – 43.5% on two-pointers, 39.4% on three-pointers and 89.7% on free throws – there should be a collective sense of panic among the other 17 EuroLeague head coaches about what these three new recruits could do for Zvezda next season.

The best plays of new Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade signing Yago Dos Santos during his time with ratiopharm Ulm in the 2022-23 BKT EuroCup season.

Yago Dos Santos's top plays in 2022-23

### Don't forget about Nemanja Nedovic

While the focus has been on Zvezda's new signings, one player who has been somewhat overlooked is last summer's star arrival, [Nemanja Nedovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nemanja-nedovic/000848/). The 32-year-old returned to his native Serbia last year and went on to average 13.3 points, 1.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and an 11.2 PIR across 27 games, with four being as a starter. Notably, he hit the game-winning shot as Zvezda defeated archrival Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 73-76 at Stark Arena in the first-ever EuroLeague edition of the Belgrade derby.

Zvezda was unable to reach the playoffs last season with its guard trio of Nedovic, Vildoza and Campazzo, meaning that its wait to return to the postseason – having last got there in 2016 – extended by a further year. The hope is that Teodosic, Napier, Dos Santos and Nedovic can help bring that run to an end. Importantly, all four will begin the campaign under contract; last year, Vildoza and Campazzo joined mid-season and Zvezda was left playing catch-up.

Nemanja Nedovic | Best Plays | 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

### Nikola Topic heads to university

While he has the aforementioned four players ahead of him in the pecking order, 17-year-old prodigy [Nikola Topic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-invests-in-the-future-with-angt-star-nikola-topic/) has signed his first professional contract with Zvezda and could get a few chances to play here and there. For Topic, it will be an excellent learning experience after shining at several of the Adidas Next Generation Tournaments with Zvezda's under-18s, as he can now learn from the likes of Teodosic, Napier, Dos Santos and Nedovic on a day-to-day basis.

Particularly in the case of Teodosic, an idol in Serbia, Topic should act like a sponge around the veteran point guard, soaking up any information that he has to offer. Napier, too, will provide plenty of stories and tips for the youngster, having been a star in college at the University of Connecticut and then spent six seasons in the NBA with various teams.

Speaking with Basket News's Donatas Urbonas, Nico Mannion, Teodosic's former teammate at Virtus, explained what it is like to learn under the Point God.

"To me, Milos is the best passer I've ever seen," said Mannion. "He's almost difficult to learn from because it's so natural to him, but he's taught me a couple of things, just some passing tricks about spots and angles. He's a basketball genius and he makes it look so effortless.

"He's been great with me. He played in the EuroLeague when he was young as well, so he knows how difficult it is. He's been nothing but positive with me, he helps me out all the time. He's demanding, but he's also just a great person, like he genuinely cares about you. Last year \[the 2021-22 season\] was rough for me and he was always helping me out, giving me little pointers."

For Topic, next year is a chance for him to not only work with the first-team roster but, if all goes well, get more minutes on the court and show what he can do. Fans of both Zvezda and the Serbian national team will be keeping a close eye on Topic's development in the upcoming campaign.

Crvena Zvezda News

Yago Dos Santos, one of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade's new guard signings, in action for ratiopharm Ulm in the 2022-23 BKT EuroCup season.

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade has confirmed that Stefan Lazarevic has penned a new three-year deal with the club, keeping him under contract until the end of the 2025-26 season. Lazarevic (1.98 meters, 26 years old) is a graduate of Zvezda's academy, but he has only spent the last two seasons in the first-team squad. During the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, Lazarevic averaged 2.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and a 2.5 PIR in 17:54 minutes on the floor.

Stefan Lazarevic extends stay at Crvena Zvezda to 2026

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade has confirmed that [Stefan Lazarevic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/stefan-lazarevic/004720/) has penned a new three-year deal with the club, keeping him under contract until the end of the 2025-26 season. Lazarevic (1.98 meters, 26 years old) is a graduate of Zvezda's academy, but he has only spent the last two seasons in the first-team squad. During the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, Lazarevic made 30 appearances, starting 18 times, and averaged 2.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and a 2.5 PIR in 17:54 minutes on the floor.

The best plays of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward Stefan Lazarevic in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague seasons.

Stefan Lazarevic's top plays between 2021 and 2023

### A patient journey to Zvezda's first team

 

Lazarevic first became known among Zvezda fans after winning the Adidas Next Generation Tournament in 2014, as the club's under-18 side defeated Real Madrid's juniors 55-42 in Italy. That day, a 17-year-old Lazarevic had 2 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. After making his professional debut with Zvezda's first team in March 2014 during an ABA League fixture, the summer of 2014 saw him move on loan to FMP, where he remained for three seasons.

Upon his return to Zvezda in 2017, Lazarevic went on to make his EuroLeague debut in the 2017-18 campaign, playing limited minutes across four appearances at the start of the season. The following campaign saw Lazarevic return to FMP on another loan deal, as he continued his development there between 2018 and 2021.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Prvotimac KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet Stefan Lazarević produžio je ugovor sa klubom! <br> <br>Lazarević je dete Crvene zvezde gde je pravio prve korake u mlađim kategorijama još 2014. godine i bio deo čuvene generacije koja je osvojila juniorsku Evroligu u Milanu.<br> <br>Ostankom… <a href="https://t.co/0jpxatdOqZ">pic.twitter.com/0jpxatdOqZ</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1681304410511785984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Then, since the summer of 2021, Lazarevic has been a regular member of Zvezda's first-team roster, appearing in 51 EuroLeague games over the last two seasons. In the 2021-22 campaign, he averaged 2.8 points, 1.4 rebounds and a 2.3 PIR in 12:26 minutes through 21 games, of which five were as a starter. Last season, he set personal highs for games played (30), games started (21), total minutes (537:10), total points (82), total rebounds (83), total assists (16) and accumulated PIR (76).

Stefan Lazarevic dunks the basketball during a Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade game in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Stefan Lazarevic extends stay at Zvezda to 2026

Real Madrid has strengthened its backcourt by inking playmaker Facu Campazzo to a four-year deal, the club announced on Tuesday. This will mark a third stint with Los Blancos for Campazzo (1.81 meters, 31 years old), having spent the 2014-15 season with the team and also from 2017 to 2020, with a loan spell at UCAM Murcia from 2015 to 2017 in between. He arrives from Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade.

Real Madrid reunites with star guard Facu Campazzo

Real Madrid has strengthened its backcourt by inking playmaker [Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) to a four-year deal, the club announced on Tuesday. This will mark a third stint with *Los Blancos* for Campazzo (1.81 meters, 31 years old), having spent the 2014-15 season with the team and also from 2017 to 2020, with a loan spell at UCAM Murcia from 2015 to 2017 in between. He arrives from Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, where he averaged 15.0 points, 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals in nine Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games last season. Campazzo also helped the team win the Serbian League and Cup double and reach the ABA League final. He started the 2022-23 season with the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA, where he appeared in eight games before joining Zvezda.

Facundo Campazzo returned to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague last season, averaging 15.0 points, 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals in 9 games with Crvena Zvezda MeridianBet Belgrade.

Facundo Campazzo: 2022-23 EuroLeague highlights

### A EuroLeague champ with Real Madrid

Campazzo started his career with Penarol Mar del Plata of his native Argentina and led it to four league titles before joining Real in 2014. In his first season with *Los Blancos*, 2014-15, Campazzo helped Real win the triple, lifting the Spanish League, Spanish Cup and EuroLeague trophies. Campazzo was sent on loan to another Spanish team, UCAM Murcia, for two years. He returned for a second stint with Real, in which he added a second EuroLeague title in 2018, as well as two Spanish League championships and a Spanish Cup. Campazzo has also played for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Comunicado Oficial: Campazzo.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FacuIsBack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FacuIsBack</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1681273715890241566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Career highlights

He has been very successful with the Argentinean national team, too. Camapzzo captured gold medals at the 2012 South American Championship, the 2019 Pan American Games and the 2022 FIBA Americas Championship. He led Argentina to a silver medal at the 2018 World Cup, and won four more medals at different championships.

In 122 EuroLeague career games with Real and Zvezda, Campazzo has averaged 8.8 points, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals in less than 23 minutes per night. He ranks second all-time in assists per 40 minutes (9.4), only trailing Thomas Heurtel, and is also second in assists per game (5.3) among those players who have been in at least 100 EuroLeague games.

More on Facu Campazzo

You can begin counting the days until every game matters again with the release of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game calendar for the upcoming regular season.

Get the 2023-24 EuroLeague calendar now!

**You can begin counting the days until every game matters again with the release of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game calendar for the upcoming regular season.**

Unpredictability filled last season right up until the moment when Real Madrid seized the trophy in the closing seconds of the Final Four. The new season promises even more drama with the addition of [the new Play-In Showdown phase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-introduces-play-in-showdown/) between the regular season and the playoffs.

You can now [DOWNLOAD THE CALENDAR](https://euroleague.roktcalendar.com/2023-24) to the device of your choice and keep your club's biggest dates of the season close at hand at all times.

[Your Device](https://euroleague.roktcalendar.com/2023-24) | [Printable](https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a1c5b79d-869f-4798-ae37-a14ffdefc8e4.pdf) | [Full season calendar](https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/99f9f668-65bc-444b-9aad-cf34744c779a.pdf) | [Round-by-Round](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/)

In less than three months, the EuroLeague will be back in full swing, with opening games set for the first week of October. There will be 34 rounds of round-robin action in which all teams play all others twice, home and away. Then comes the Play-In Showdown, followed by four best-of-five playoff series and then the world-renowned Final Four, to be held at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.

The season arrives with a bang with Round 1 derbies, the first between FC Bayern Munich and ALBA Berlin on Thursday, October 5. A night later, one of the greatest rivalries in basketball, Panathinaikos Athens vs. Olympiacos Piraeus, last season's runner-up, takes the stage. Less than a week later, in Round 2, get ready for the last two EuroLeague champions to lock horns as Anadolu Efes Istanbul hosts Real Madrid.

The first of eight double-round weeks runs from Tuesday, October 17 to Friday, October 20. Seven of those double-round weeks will fall by February 2, including an unprecedented two consecutively as all teams play four games between Tuesday, January 2 and Friday, January 12.

Be sure to circle Thursday, October 26 on your calendars, too. On that night, two of most passionate derbies anywhere are scheduled: Partizan Mozzart Bet vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet meet in the Belgrade derby and Real hosts FC Barcelona the first *Clasico* of the season.

The Italian derby comes next as EA7 Emporio Armani Milan will visit Virtus Segafredo Bologna on Thursday, November 14. The Turkish derby will wait until the end of the first leg of the regular season, in Round 17, when Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul crosses the Bosphorus to face Efes on Thursday, December 29. One night later, the last scheduled game of 2023 and the first lap of the regular season pits Partizan against Virtus.

Between February 3 and the last date of the regular season, Friday, April 12, there will be just one more double-round week, from March 19 to 22. The next-to-last round features the last scheduled derby of the regular season as Efes visits Fenerbahce on Friday, April 5.

[The new Play-In Showdown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-introduces-play-in-showdown/) will take place from Tuesday, April 16 until Friday, April 19, and then the best-of-five playoffs get rolling on the following Tuesday, April 23. If any series reaches five games, the playoffs will end on Wednesday, May 8, setting the stage for the Final Four from Thursday, May 23 to Sunday, May 26 in the German capital, with the semifinals being played on May 24 and the Third-Place and Championship Games on the 26th.

It all adds up to a minimum of 326 games, more if all playoff series are not sweeps, and like always, every one matters -- even more so thanks to the new Play-In Showdown.