Valencia Basket bolstered its frontcourt by signing center Boubacar Toure to a two-year deal on Tuesday. 

Valencia inks center Boubacar Toure to multi-year deal

##### Valencia Basket bolstered its frontcourt by signing center Boubacar Toure to a two-year deal on Tuesday.

Toure (2.13 meters, 27 years old) arrives from Tofas Bursa, where he averaged 12.5 points in 32 Turkish League games last season. He ranked fourth in the league in rebounds (8.2 rpg.) and fifth in blocked shots (1.0 bpg.). Toure is now set to make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut in Valencia.

<center> <center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pt" dir="ltr">🚗🧡 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoubacarBoubacar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoubacarBoubacar</a> <br><br>Cas 👉 Boubacar Touré, poderío interior para Valencia Basket<a href="https://t.co/f4Kkkq46Jb">https://t.co/f4Kkkq46Jb</a><br><br>Val 👉 Boubacar Touré, poder interior per a Valencia Basket<a href="https://t.co/KkntQc8iBP">https://t.co/KkntQc8iBP</a><br><br>Eng 👉 Boubacar Touré, inside power for Valencia Basket<a href="https://t.co/id8k16P5sm">https://t.co/id8k16P5sm</a> <a href="https://t.co/rkJ5mbkXlq">pic.twitter.com/rkJ5mbkXlq</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1676179490127466497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Toure played college basketball at Grand Canyon State University and Eastern Michigan University, where he averaged 10.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in 32 NCAA games in the 2019-20 season. He started his professional career with French side Chorale de Roanne before joining Tofas in 2022. Toure has also been a member of the Senegalese national team, which he helped win a bronze medal at AfroBasket 2022.

He finished the 2022-23 season strong, leading Tofas to the Turkish League playoffs and stepping up in the quarterfinals against EuroLeague powerhouse Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Even though Tofas was swept in the best-of-three series, Toure was outstanding, going for 23 points on 10-of-14 two-point shooting and 9 rebounds in Game 1, and following that up with 24 points on 9-of-12 two-point shooting and 9 rebounds in Game 2. A late bloomer and an accomplished defensive player, Toure arrives to Valencia as he enters the prime of his career. 

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne added depth at point guard signing Boris Diallo

ASVEL tabs point guard Dallo

**LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne added depth at point guard signing [Boris Diallo ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/boris-dallo/003274/)to a deal, the club announced Tuesday.**

Dallo (1.93 meters, 29 years old) spent the past two years with a fellow French side Cholet, where last year he posted 10.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists in French League action. Dallo returns to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague for the first time since he debuted in the 2013-14 season and made 22 appearances with Partizan Belgrade. There he played alongside big man Joffrey Lauvergne, who he reunites with at ASVEL.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Boris DALLO rejoint LDLC ASVEL ✍️<br><br>Capitaine de Cholet Basket la saison dernière, Boris DALLO (29 ans, 1m97) a signé avec le club villeurbannais pour la prochaine saison.<br><br>🗞️ Plus d’infos : <a href="https://t.co/2rBaXI1SLg">https://t.co/2rBaXI1SLg</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LDLCASVEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LDLCASVEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/ECeVfNfsbM">pic.twitter.com/ECeVfNfsbM</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1676171389168918529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That EuroLeague debut campaign was the first of two seasons that Dallo spent with Partizan. Since then, he has played for Long Island in the G-League, Panionios and Aris Thessaloniki in Greece, as well as Antibes, Sluc Nancy, Strasbourg and Le Portel in France. Dallo attended the French training institute INSEP Paris and made his professional debut with Poitiers in 2012, before joining Partizan which he helped win a domestic triple crown in 2014.

"His great strength is his versatility, it can be used in all positions", ASVEL head coach T.J. Parker said. "His knowledge of the game is a big asset, his quality of passes, too."

A decade after making his competition debut, Dallo will now have a chance to add to his EuroLeague career tallies of 198 minutes, 25 points, 21 rebounds and 17 assists.

ASVEL tabs point guard Boris Dallo

After Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade completed an impressive run that saw it come within a game of the Final Four and then win the ABA League championship, the future of several members of the team's core was in doubt. The contracts of the team's top five scorers were all up this summer. 

Re-signing of Punter, LeDay sends message that Partizan is aiming high

The vultures were circling.

After Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade completed an impressive run that saw it come within a game of the Final Four and then win the ABA League championship, the future of several members of the team's core was in doubt. The contracts of the team's top five scorers were all up this summer.

Rumors were swirling that clubs with deeper pockets were waiting for the likes of [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/), Mathias Lessort, [Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/zach-leday/008987/) and Dante Exum. In fact, reports had Punter agreeing to a two-year deal with Punter just last week.

Things look a lot different today after both Punter and LeDay committed their futures to Coach Zeljko Obradovic's squad. With EuroLeague Rising Star Yam Madar, Alen Smailagic, Balsa Koprivica and Danilo Andjusic also all under contract for the 2023-24 season, Partizan fans have reasons to rejoice.

Having that core together is vital for success, as Punter explained in [an interview over the weekend with BN Sports in Greece](https://www.bnsports.gr/face-to-face/articles/642222/o-kevin-panter-sto-bn-sports-emeina-stin-partizan-gia-xari-tou-omprantovits).

The Partizan Belgrade duo speak of their chemistry inside and outside of basketball and how their game compliments one another in the hope of achieving shared ambitions.

Kevin Punter & Zach Leday: Friends On & Off the Court

"What I always wanted was to feel comfortable, to feel good about everything. What I'm thinking of are those old teams of Fener, Efes, CSKA with \[Sasha\] Kaun and \[Victor\] Khryapa, which maintained a core trunk for many years. Or Olympiacos of Spanoulis which had its constants. Or Panathinaikos earlier," Punter said.

"One wonders how teams succeed over time. That's how they succeed. Through the experience - at the highest level - of the core. Growing up I want to be in a good team, stay with the same teammates for three-four years. It's important. You keep building, you don't start from scratch. You are stepping on… foundations. All the successful teams over the years did that."

The ties for Punter and some of the players go even deeper. Punter and LeDay were teammates already in 2020-21, when they helped EA7 Emporio Armani Milan reach the Final Four. And they have a very close relationship off the court, too. 

While the returning core and the passionate Belgrade fans were factors in Punter and LeDay signing new deals with Partizan, a chief reason was Coach Obradovic. 

"Zeliko's presence played an important role in my decision to stay. We have already built something. He improved me, I played under his instructions in the Euroleague. I am the captain and it is without a doubt part of my decision," Punter said. 

"I've been playing for him for two years and we'll be working together for another two. He demands a lot, he requires you to be great. When they ask me what Zeliko is like, the first thing I say is that he is a fantastic person. He is terribly humble, completely modest despite his achievements, his titles. And he tries to make you better all the time. He works to become better himself, he wants to keep improving."

Partizan sporting director Zoran Savic still has his work cut out if the team is to repeat last season’s success. Lessort has already penned a deal with Panathinaikos Athens and Exum is reportedly heading overseas. James Nunnally remains a free agent. 

The direction that Partizan will take to fill those spots is as of yet unknown, but having Punter and LeDay back not only puts the team back on track, but gives other potential high-profile options the knowledge that this team has set its sights high and has a lot of key pieces in place to take a shot at the crown.

Rumors were swirling that clubs with deeper pockets were waiting for the likes of Kevin Punter, Mathias Lessort, Zach LeDay and Dante Exum. In fact, reports had Punter agreeing to a two-year deal with Punter just last week.

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has added size and three-point shooting to its roster by signing versatile forward Nikos Rogkavopoulos. Rogkavopoulos (21 years old, 2.03 meters) arrives from Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket, where he averaged 15.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 28 Turkish League games last season, his first outside his native Greece.

Baskonia tabs forward Nikos Rogkavopoulos

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has added size and three-point shooting to its roster by signing versatile forward [Nikos Rogkavopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/nikolaos-rogkavopoulos/011085/) to a three-year deal, the club announced on Monday. Rogkavopoulos (21 years old, 2.03 meters) arrives from Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket, where he averaged 15.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 28 Turkish League games last season, his first outside his native Greece. He is Baskonia's second signing this summer, following the [arrival of Italian point guard Nico Mannion](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/baskonia-puts-mannion-in-the-backcourt/).

Nikos Rogkavopoulos is set to make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut next season.

Nikos Rogkavopoulos: 2021-22 EuroCup highlights

Rogkavopoulos started his career with Ase Doukas Athens, before joining AEK Athens in 2017. He helped AEK win the Greek Cup title in 2020. The young sharpshooter made his 7DAYS EuroCup debut in the 2021-22 campaign, averaging 8.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 16 games with Promitheas Patras. Rogkavopoulos has also been a member of the Greek national team, and he is set to make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut with Baskonia next season.

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🖌️🖼️🇬🇷 <a href="https://t.co/G0yQRF0CDv">pic.twitter.com/G0yQRF0CDv</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1675874564763467776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

New Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz signing Nikos Rogkavopoulos in action for Promitheas Patras in the 2021-22 7DAYS EuroCup season.

Zalgiris Kaunas has tabbed forward Danielius Lavrinovicius to join the Lithuanian champions on a one-plus-one deal that will see him make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut in the 2023-24 season. Lavrinovicius (2.06 meters, 24 years old) from another Lithuanian club, Nevezis, where he averaged 10.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 34 games last season. He is the second addition to the Zalgiris roster after the team signed guard Naz Mitrou-Long last week.

 Zalgiris tabs forward Danielius Lavrinovicius 

##### Zalgiris Kaunas has tabbed forward [Danielius Lavrinovicius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/players/danielius-lavrinovicius/006860/) to join the Lithuanian champions on a one-plus-one deal that will see him make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut in the 2023-24 season. 

Lavrinovicius (2.06 meters, 24 years old) from another Lithuanian club, Nevezis, where he averaged 10.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 34 games last season. He posted solid shooting numbers across the board: 64.8% on two-point shots, 35.5% on threes and 74.8% at the foul line. Lavrinovicius is the second addition to the Zalgiris roster after [the team signed guard Naz Mitrou-Long last week.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/zalgiris-signs-naz-mitrou-long/)

“Joining Zalgiris is a dream come true," Lavrinovicius said. "There is no doubt who is number one in Lithuania and all players want to play here. This is a big step forward in my career, so I’m eager to get to work and introduce myself to the fans."

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Official: newest member of Zalgiris – Danielius Lavrinovicius! Contract: 1+1. ✍️ <a href="https://t.co/qzq79f8NVA">pic.twitter.com/qzq79f8NVA</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1675759031233773570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

Lavrinovicius has spend most of his career in Germany, turning pro with Artland Dragons as a 17-year-old and going from the second to first division with that club two years later, in the 2018-19 season. As a starter for Artland between 2018 and 2020, he posted 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds over 50 games. He stayed one more season before joining Nevezis in 2021.

Lavrinovicius has been a member of several Lithuanian national teams, last with the U20 squad in 2019, when he put up 7.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He also played five games in Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament qualifiers, one with Lietuvos Rytas and four with Ludwigsburg between 2015 and 2017, averaging 5.4 points and 3.6 rebounds.

Zalgiris tabs forward Danielius Lavrinovicius

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Zach LeDay have agreed to terms on a new deal, the club announced. 

Partizan and LeDay pen deal to remain together 

No player spent more time on the court last season than [Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/zach-leday/profile/008987/) (2.02 meters, 29 years old) did for Partizan and now Coach Zeljko Obradovic will be able to rely on the veteran big man to lead his front court for another season. LeDay's 1,206:07 minutes played were the second-most in EuroLeague history! He averaged 11.4 points and 5.1 rebounds while appearing in all 39 EuroLeague games for Partizan as it came within one win of reaching the Final Four. LeDay, who first joined Partizan in 2021, also helped the club win the ABA League championship.

Best of Zach LeDay, 2022-23

LeDay has played four EuroLeague seasons for as many different teams. He debuted with Olympiacos Piraeus in 2018, spent the next season with Zalgiris Kaunas and then joined EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in 2020. LeDay started his professional career with Hapoel Galil Gilboa of Israel after playing college basketball at South Florida and Virginia Tech. Last season, LeDay cracked the all-time top 100 in rebounding and enters 2023-24 with 613, which is 97th in competition history.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Zek Ledej nastaviće da nosi crno-beli dres i naredne dve godine!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://t.co/qMStqB1Qsh">pic.twitter.com/qMStqB1Qsh</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1675534392230281216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

More on Zach LeDay

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Zach LeDay have agreed to terms on a new two-year deal, the club announced Sunday.

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade announced on Saturday that big man Luka Mitrovic has signed a new two-year contract with an option for one more. A Zvezda fan favorite, Mitrovic (2.06 meters, 30 years old) has played a total of seven seasons with the club, including the last two. His first stint with Zvezda was from 2012 to 2017. He has won more than a dozen domestic titles with the club, including four ABA League titles and five Serbian League championships.

Crvena Zvezda re-signs fan favorite Luka Mitrovic

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade announced on Saturday that big man [Luka Mitrovic has ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luka-mitrovic/002553/)signed a new two-year contract with an option for one more. A Zvezda fan favorite, Mitrovic (2.06 meters, 30 years old) has played a total of seven seasons with the club, including the last two. His first stint with Zvezda was from 2012 to 2017. He has won more than a dozen domestic titles with the club, including four ABA League titles and five Serbian League championships.

Luka Mitrovic's top plays since 2021-22 season

Luka Mitrovic highlights in Crvena Zvezda uniform

Last season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, Mitrovic averaged 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in a mostly substitute role. The veteran power forward also averaged 9.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in the Adriatic League last season as Zvezda won the Serbian League and Cup double.

Of Mitrovic's seven EuroLeague seasons, six have come with Zvezda, and one with German side Bamberg, in the 2018-19 season. In that span, he has averaged 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 141 career EuroLeague games. Mitrovic made his pro debut at Hemofarm Vrsac of Serbia in 2011. During his career he has also played with Murcia and Manresa of Spain, Hapoel Jerusalem of Israel and Buducnost VOLI Podgorica of Montenegro. Mitrovic has also been a member of the Serbian national team.

<center<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Krilni centar Crvene zvezde Meridianbet <a href="https://twitter.com/mitar_mitar9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mitar_mitar9</a> ostaje u svom klubu i naredne tri sezone! 🔴⚪️🙌🏼<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeCan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeCan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://t.co/a8LIINc67l">pic.twitter.com/a8LIINc67l</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1675199440208945152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> >

Valencia Basket added physicality and versatility to its roster by signing forward Semi Ojeleye, the club announced. 

Valencia signs forward Semi Ojeleye

Valencia Basket added physicality and versatility to its roster by signing forward Semi Ojeleye, the club announced Saturday. Ojeleye (1.98 meters, 28 years old) is set to spend the next two years with Valencia. Ojeleye arrives from Virtus Segafredo Bologna, where he averaged 10.5 points on 46.1% three-point shooting and 3.8 rebounds in 24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games last season. 

Ojeleye boosted his scoring average to 17.5 points in his two games against Valencia, including career-highs of 21 points and a PIR of 28 at La Fonteta. 

In this edition of the "one-word interview", Virtus Segafredo Bologna forward Semi Ojeleye takes specific words and explains what they mean to him. From ‘home’ to ‘mentality’ to ‘gratitude’, we find out what makes him tick both as a person and as a player.

 "The reason I started playing basketball is because of my brother," Ojeleye explains. "I remember many a night I’d run back into the house crying because he beat me again… The first time I beat him, it felt like I just beat Michael Jordan one on one."

 Only 28 years of age, Ojeleye is well-traveled despite this being his first season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, and he has come to appreciate the blessings the game of basketball has bestowed upon him.

 "I'm so grateful that this opportunity presented itself, that God put me here and that I'm on this team," he says. "Believe it or not, it's been one of the best experiences of my life."

Semi Ojeleye, Virtus: 'One of the best experiences of my life'

Ojeleye comes off his first season in European basketball. Before that, he played for five seasons in the NBA with the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers. Ojeleye helped Boston reach the conference finals in both 2018 and 2020. Before that, Ojeleye played college basketball at Duke and Southern Methodist University. He was the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2017 when he led SMU to win the conference tournament. Last season, he helped Virtus reach the Italian League and the Italian Cup finals.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🧡 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SemiEsLaClave?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SemiEsLaClave</a><br><br>Cas 👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/semi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Semi</a> Ojeleye, experiencia <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a> y <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> para Valencia Basket<a href="https://t.co/zFs5TkmALQ">https://t.co/zFs5TkmALQ</a><br><br>Val 👉 Semi Ojeleye, experiència NBA i Eurolliga per a Valencia Basket<a href="https://t.co/Z5jJtawZrk">https://t.co/Z5jJtawZrk</a><br><br>Eng 👉 <a href="https://t.co/GBLtyQPh3g">https://t.co/GBLtyQPh3g</a> <a href="https://t.co/7IrMbvqx7b">pic.twitter.com/7IrMbvqx7b</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1675089365444247552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

Players come and players go, but to have a pair of them return to their former team in one week, as Olympiacos Piraeus did with the signings of prime-time pros Nikola Milutinov and Nigel Williams-Goss, merits a closer look.

Olympiacos went back to the future for Milutinov, Williams-Goss

Players come and players go, but to have a pair of them return to their former team in one week, as Olympiacos Piraeus did with the signings of prime-time pros [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) and [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/), merits a closer look.

### Twin anchors in the paint

Milutinov may have started his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague career with Partizan Belgrade, but he came of age with Olympiacos between 2015 and 2020, establishing himself as a force at center during an era when players his size, 2.13 meters, were being encouraged to diversify their games by moving outside and shooting from distance. Instead, Milutinov perfected the lost arts of his position, pick-and-rolls and rebounding, ensuring that the Reds' opponents always had to focus attention inside.

Between 2016-17, when he started playing full-time, and 2019-20, when he left for CSKA Moscow, no player pulled more offensive boards in the EuroLeague than Milutinov's 310. Only one player had more total boards than his 701. He was also sixth overall in PIR in that span, with 1,638. In other words, Milutinov was an anchor for Olympiacos in every sense.

At first glance, Milutinov's re-joining Olympiacos begs the question of how he will fit with another old-school center, [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/), who has been instrumental in the Reds reaching two Final Fours since his arrival in 2021. Between them, they have attempted just 2 three-pointers in seven seasons in Piraeus, so the notion that Milutinov and Fall will play together much is remote.

Together, however, they will give Olympiacos a dominant presence at center that lasts 40 minutes per night. Milutinov will rebound more, especially on the offensive glass, while Fall blocks and passes better. But with either in the game, Olympiacos has the kind of presence under the rim that opponents cannot ignore. As a result, their teammates can expect to defend more closely and run in transition more freely.

Nigel Williams-Goss and Nikola Milutinov highlights

Williams-Goss and Milutinov back together

### Twin ball hawks on the perimeter

Williams-Goss is another interesting fit. He played just one season with the Reds, in 2018-19, but started most games and averaged 9.2 points and 4.2 assists in an offense that still revolved around now-retired Vassilis Spanoulis and Georgios Printezis. He won the EuroLeague this season with Real Madrid in a largely defensive role that he will replicate in Piraeus alongside starting point guard [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/), the league's second-best stealer over the last two seasons. Opponents will not get a minute of peace when trying to start their offenses while at least one of them is on the floor.

With two sentinels in the paint and two ball hawks at the point, the Reds' already-potent defense, ranked second in the last regular season, stands to become even stronger. And since all four are signed through at least 2025, that is a recipe we can expect to persist.

### The choice to return

Above all, it says something about Olympiacos that two of its high-caliber former players wanted to come back to Piraeus.

With a relative scarcity of starter-ready point guards and centers, either could easily have been marquee signings elsewhere in the EuroLeague. But since Fall and Walkup have started every EuroLeague game but one together in two seasons under head coach Georgios Bartzokas, it is a distinct possibility that both Milutinov and Williams-Goss could come off the bench next season.

But remember, they know something that matters more than starter's minutes – the culture they are walking into.

Having been with the Reds before, long enough to know better, neither lingered long when it came time to weigh up their options last week. The opportunity to play for a EuroLeague power that came within a shot of the title last month is attractive enough. The opportunity to do so in a place you know and are known in makes it a more informed decision. That these two stars have chosen to return in the primes of their careers to chase EuroLeague titles with Olympiacos says they value what they found there the first time around.