Championship Sunday in Kaunas was the third time that Adam Hanga woke up in the morning with a chance to become a EuroLeague champion that day and this time he finally sealed the deal to win his first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague crown. Hanga had previously played in three Final Fours, one each with Baskonia, FC Barcelona and Real, and lost in the championship games in both 2021 and 2022. 

Tribute to the champs: Adam Hanga

Championship Sunday in Kaunas was the third time that [Adam Hanga](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/adam-hanga/005099/) woke up in the morning with a chance to become a EuroLeague champion that day and this time he finally sealed the deal to win his first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague crown. Hanga had previously played in three Final Fours, one each with Baskonia, FC Barcelona and Real, and lost in the championship games in both 2021 and 2022. 

"Finally, right? Now I can retire", an elated Hanga jokingly said, still in disbelief, holding his trophy in Real Madri's locker room at Zalgirio Arena after the championship game win over Olympiacos Piraeus.

The 34-year-old do-it-all guard, a veteran of nine EuroLeague campaigns, had to make quite an adjustment this season because Hanga played the fewest minutes since his rookie season in 2013-14, and had statistically his worst season since then. But Hanga, a former EuroLeague Best Defender, adjusted on the fly and used his experience, both on and off the floor, to provide Los Blancos numerous times with a timely spark, whether as a starter or in limited minutes off the bench, making plays on either end of the floor. And when Real's season was hanging by a thread, Coach Chus Mateo turned to Hanga to start Game 4 of the best-of-five series against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, a move that immediately paid off. Hanga responded with 15 points on 3-for-6 two-point shooting, 3-for-5 on three-pointers and 3 assists in 21 minutes on the floor.

It was fourth time the charm at the Final Four for Adam Hanga.

Tribute to the Champs: Adam Hanga

Hanga remained in that starting role for the rest of the season, with Mateo leaning on Hanga's toughness, calm and veteran savvy, as well as his ability to disrupt the flow of opposing offenses. Hanga also had important contributions, like scoring 7 points in Game 5 of the playoffs and collecting 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a block in the Final Four semifinals against his former club Barcelona. 

Naturally, Hanga was on the floor for Real's final defensive stand in the championship game, defending the inbound pass and helping deny the ball to the hot hand of EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov. When the final buzzer sounded, Hanga had made history as the first Hungarian to become a EuroLeague champion!

Tribute to the champs

The 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season has seen players produce like never before, with more than a half-dozen single-season individual records broken, while many other players came close to rewriting the statistical history books.

Single-season records were aplenty in 2022-23

The 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season has seen players produce like never before, with more than a half-dozen single-season individual records broken, while many other players came close to rewriting the statistical history books.

No player was busier breaking records than the MVP himself, [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/). The Olympiacos Piraeus forward first broke the single-season mark in total PIR. In his 40 appearances during the 2022-23 campaign, Vezenkov accumulated 859 index rating points, trashing the previous mark of 765 set by [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) of FC Barcelona from a season before. [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) of Real Madrid also finished with top 5 single-season PIR marks.

Vezenkov also set a single-season record for field goals made, sinking a total of 261 shots from the field during the 2022-23 season. The previous best was 239, set by Khimki Moscow Region's Alexey Shved in 2017-18.

The Reds' forward surpassed Mirotic's and Shved's previous PIR and field goals made records during the playoffs, then set one more single-season mark at the Final Four in Kaunas when Vezenkov grabbed 10 defensive rebounds to finish the season with 210, more than any other player before him. The previous season-long mark was held by Ioannis Bourousis, who grabbed 202 defensive boards playing for Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz during the 2015-16 season.

Vezenkov's teammate [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) also set a record by finishing the season with 73 steals, besting the previous record, which belonged to [John Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/john-brown/010588/) who had 69 in the 2021-22 campaign while playing for UNICS Kazan.

Walter Tavares's top blocks of the 2022-23 season

Tavares had a single-season record 88 blocks in 2022-23

Tavares also etched his name into the record books while leading his team to the crown. The Real Madrid center blocked 88 shots in the just-finished campaign, 77 of which came during the regular season. No player before blocked more than 68 shots in one season, which Ekpe Udoh did with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in 2016-17.

Tavares was not the only 2023 champion who broke a single-season record. His teammate [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) shattered two all-time marks. Musa made 178 free throws during the 2022-23 season, topping the previous single-season record of 168 set by Keith Langford with UNICS in the 2016-17 season. Musa attempted 207 foul shots, which was also a new record, but one that he shares with AS Monaco guard [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/), who also attempted that many free throws during the 2022-23 season.

James made 162 free throws, which is third most behind Musa and Langford. He was one of a handful of EuroLeague players who recorded top-five single-season marks this season.

Vezenkov finished the season with 703 points, becoming only the second man in EuroLeague history to score at least 700 points in a single season. Shved remains the all-time leader with 740 in the 2017-18 campaign.

Fenerbahce's first-year center [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johnathan-motley/011157/) made 204 two-point shots, which was second-most behind only Jalen Reynolds, who had 222 in an FC Bayern Munich jersey in 2020-21. No other player ever made at least 200 two-pointers in a season. However, this season Vezenkov scored 182, which made him fourth all-time, while Tavares had 173 (seventh) and Lessort 163 (10th).

Tavares corraled the third-best single-season mark in rebounds (276), with Vezenkov's 274 being fourth and Lessort's 268 fifth most in a single season. Lessort also came just 2 offensive rebounds shy of a single-season record, posting the third-best mark ever of 116, while Tavares's 106 offensive rebounds were fifth-best.

Lessort's Partizan teammate Zach LeDay played a total of 1,206:07 minutes in the 2022-23 season, the second most ever behind only Shane Larkin's 1243:51, which he set during the 2021-22 season with Anadolu Efes Istanbul.  Fenerbahce's Nigel Hayes-Davis played 1188:10 minutes this season, which was the fourth-most ever, Vezenkov played a sixth-most 1169:44 minutes, James spent 1153:27 on the floor, which is seventh all-time, and Lessort was ninth all-time having played 1146:52 minutes this season.

ALBA Berlin has confirmed that young guard [Jonas Mattisseck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jonas-mattisseck/007025/) has signed a new contract that lasts until the end of the 2025-26 season. Mattisseck (23 years old, 1.94 meters) made 16 appearances for ALBA in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague last season, starting once and averaging 2.5 points. His standout performance of the campaign came against AS Monaco in Round 22, when he scored 8 points, grabbed 2 rebounds, dished 2 assists and didn't record a single turnover in 15:57 minutes on the court.

Jonas Mattisseck re-signed his contract with ALBA Berlin until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Jonas Mattisseck: 2022-23 EuroLeague highlights

Mattisseck came through ALBA's youth system and made his debut in European competition in the 2017-18 season, when he played 4:23 against Galatasaray Istanbul on January 10, 2018, in the 7DAYS EuroCup. He ended up playing in three EuroCup games that year and then five in the following season, all of which were from the bench. Mattisseck – and ALBA – made the jump to the EuroLeague in 2019-20 and the guard earned more playing time, starting seven of his 28 appearances. Over the last four seasons in the EuroLeague, Mattisseck has played 101 games with ALBA, averaging 2.7 points and 1.1 rebounds. Now, following this extension, he will continue to represent ALBA in Europe's premier club basketball competition. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Wir freuen uns riesig auf drei weitere Jahre mit Jonas Mattisseck! 🤩🚀<br><br>Nach Ablauf seines Vierjahresvertrags hat unser Co-Kapitän einen neuen Vertrag für drei weitere Saisons unterzeichnet. Alle Infos 👉 <a href="https://t.co/m2ZRQz5yC1">https://t.co/m2ZRQz5yC1</a> <a href="https://t.co/mqnGIb4anH">pic.twitter.com/mqnGIb4anH</a></p>&mdash; ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/albaberlin/status/1668951455108063233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Jonas Mattisseck signs new contract at ALBA

Now in his sixth season with Los Blancos, Anthony Randolph has come to represent many of the things that Real Madrid takes pride in. He is a top-tier talent who puts team play first. Randolph has shown tremendous determination by coming back from serious injuries several times. He is always ready for big moments. And he is a winner.

Tribute to the champs: Anthony Randolph

Now in his sixth season with *Los Blancos*, [Anthony Randolph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/anthony-randolph/005757/) has come to represent many of the things that Real Madrid takes pride in. He is a top-tier talent who puts team play first. Randolph has shown tremendous determination by coming back from serious injuries several times. He is always ready for big moments. And he is a winner.

Randolph’s role has changed much since his first years with Real. An All-EuroLeague selection in his first season in Europe’s premier competition in 2015-16, Randolph joined Los Blancos that summer after leading Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar to the club’s only Final Four berth. He proceeded to put up big numbers with Real while reaching Final Fours in each of his first three seasons in the Spanish capital, including winning the crown in 2018.

The 2018-19 was the last time Randolph played a full season. The next season was cut short by an injury to his shooting hand. Then he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in December 2020 and missed nearly an entire year. Randolph returned for the second half of that season and played a contributing role off the bench as the team got back to the Final Four. He even drained a pair of three-pointers in the second quarter of the championship game to stake Real to a 5-point halftime lead against Anadolu Efes Istanbul, though Efes ultimately prevailed.

Anthony Randolph highlights 2022-23

Randolph was knocked out by injury again, this time a torn ACL in the 2022 Spanish League finals. This time he was sidelined for nearly 10 months, but again made himself ready for the season’s home stretch. Though he only appeared in one regular season game, Randolph saw action on all seven of Real’s post-season games – five in the playoffs and both games at the Final Four. Randolph totaled 9 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steal for a PIR of 10 in 11:49 of playing time in Kaunas to help Real to the club’s record 11th EuroLeague championship.   

At age 33, Randolph is no longer the mobile do-it-all big man who joined Real seven years ago and wreaked havoc on the league with his long arms, athleticism and ability to score from near and far. But he will always be a winner, as his two Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championship trophies attest to.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv is back on top of the Israeli League after surviving an epic rally by local rival Hapoel Tel Aviv to win 94-90 in the deciding third game of their final series before a sellout home crowd on Tuesday. Maccabi lost all of a 15-point fourth-quarter lead as Hapoel went on a five-minute, 0-17 run to lead 83-85. From there, however, Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin shared all of Maccabi's 11 points in the final 2 minutes to nail down a victory worth the club's 56th national title. Maccabi's backcourt duo scored 22 points each while Roman Sorkin added 13 and Alex Poythress 12. J'Covan Brown poured in 31 points for Hapoel.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">56 ⭐️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreMaccabi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreMaccabi</a> <a href="https://t.co/Cbaye497GI">pic.twitter.com/Cbaye497GI</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC (@MaccabitlvBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabitlvBC/status/1668717115635904514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
 



The visitors followed J'Covan Brown to early leads of 0-7 and 12-17. Lorenzo Brown's 6 consecutive points provided Maccabi's first advantage, 18-17, and his triple kept the hosts ahead 26-23 after 10 minutes. Maccabi led 31-25 before J'Covan Brown single-handedly tied the score and Idan Zalmanson hit a go-ahead basket for Hapoel at 37-38. Lorenzo Brown and Rafi Menco scored the next 5 points, however, as Maccabi recouped a 42-38 halftime edge.

Maccabi expanded its lead to 57-48 on a basket by Sorkin midway through the third quarter. A jumper by Baldwin made for the game's first double-digit lead and his free throw held it at 75-64 after 30 minutes. Bonzie Colson lifted the difference to 83-68 early in the fourth quarter, but Hapoel reeled off the next 17 points, including 5 in a row from Tomer Ginat before J'Covan Brown hit the go-ahead three-pointer at 83-85 with under 3 minutes left. Maccabi put the ball in the hands of Brown and Baldwin the rest of the way, and they delivered.

Maccabi takes Israeli title in a 94-90 do-or-die thriller!

The 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season was one of the most competitive campaigns in history, and it featured some first-year players who took to the competition like ducks to water. These seven EuroLeague rookies stood out all season long – or in the final part of the season in one case – and they will no doubt be looking to go to the next level again in the coming season.

Revelations from the 2022-23 EuroLeague season

The 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season was one of the most competitive campaigns in history, with twists and turns at every corner, and it featured some first-year players who took to the competition like ducks to water. The end-of-season honors list featured a couple of these individuals, while others didn't take long to establish themselves as stars of both the present and the future. These seven EuroLeague rookies stood out all season long – or in the final part of the season in one case – and they will no doubt be looking to go to the next level again in the coming season.

### Darius Thompson, Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

One of the most elegant players in the EuroLeague this season was Baskonia guard [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/). The Spanish side came up just short in its push to make the playoffs, but the 28-year-old guard had a campaign to remember, averaging 12.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.7 steals and a 17.1 PIR, the seventh-best mark in this season's EuroLeague. Thompson ended his rookie year with six double-doubles, two MVP of the Round honors and a place in the All-EuroLeague Second Team, thanks in large part to his playmaking and the way he made Baskonia tick. What's more, his 227 assists this season mean that he comfortably ended the campaign with the second-highest total in the EuroLeague, just 4 behind Thomas Walkup of Olympiacos Piraeus.

The best plays of Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz guard Darius Thompson in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Darius Thompson's best plays, 2022-23

### Johnathan Motley, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

At the center position, it is not always easy to make an instant impact in the EuroLeague, but that's exactly what [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johnathan-motley/011157/) did at Fenerbahce. The 28-year-old is not your typical big man, and he concluded his rookie campaign with averages of 14.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and a 16.0 PIR. Motley was twice named MVP of the Round in the regular season and he was key in Fenerbahce making the playoffs, reaching double figures for points in 11 of the team's final 12 games. He continued his double-digit scoring in the postseason, scoring 15 points in both Games 1 and 2 at Olympiacos, as well as 14 in Game 5, once again in Piraeus. Motley scored a total of 521 points in the 2022-23 campaign, the eighth-best figure of any player and the most by any center.

The best plays of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul center Johnathan Motley in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season and Playoffs.

Johnathan Motley's best plays, 2022-23

### Bonzie Colson, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

While some of Maccabi's other players drew more headlines, [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/) played an instrumental role in helping the Israeli side make the playoffs. The 27-year-old forward shined bright in his first year in Europe's premier basketball competition, displaying non-stop energy and averaging 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals and a PIR of 13.1. Colson played all 39 of Maccabi's games this season and he helped form part of the team's Killer Bs, which consisted of Bonzie, Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin. His do-it-all approach to the game saw him endear himself to the Maccabi faithful, and he has been rewarded for his play on the court with a contract extension until 2025.

The best plays of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv forward Bonzie Colson in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season and Playoffs.

Bonzie Colson's best plays, 2022-23

### Yam Madar, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Winner of the 2022-23 Rising Star Award, this has been some season for Partizan guard [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/yam-madar/011052/). The 22-year-old point guard handled the jump from the 7DAYS EuroCup to the EuroLeague with aplomb, reaching double figures for points in 10 of his 33 regular-season appearances. Typically playing in more of a reserve role, with his highest minutes total being the 24:50 he played against archrival Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in Round 12, Madar also impressed with his defense, pressuring the opposition high up the floor. One sign of this pressure paying off was the fact that the Israeli had 2 or more steals in six games, including the playoffs. Don't be surprised if you hear even more of Madar's name next year.

The best plays of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard Yam Madar in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season and Playoffs.

Yam Madar's best plays, 2022-23

### Shabazz Napier, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Prior to the mid-season arrival of [Shabazz Napier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shabazz-napier/011224/), Milan looked lost at sea. Having had to deal with a plethora of injuries, Milan found itself way outside the playoff picture, but Napier inspired hope among the fan base. The American point guard averaged 15.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and a 16.4 PIR in 12 games, having never played in the EuroLeague previously. Over that period, Milan went 9-3, yet the Italian side fell just short of making the playoffs. If Napier opts to stay in Milan and is able to keep up this level of play next season, a postseason berth could be a very real possibility.

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

### Maik Kotsar, Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Like Madar, [Maik Kotsar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/maik-kotsar/004603/) is another player who successfully dealt with the transition from the EuroCup to the EuroLeague. But, perhaps more impressively, he did so while changing clubs. Kotsar immediately caught the attention of EuroLeague fans with an MVP of the Round-level performance in Round 1, while he later shared MVP honors with Panathinaikos Athens big man Georgios Papagiannis in Round 31. The 26-year-old Estonian averaged 9.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and a 13.3 PIR for Baskonia in the 2022-23 campaign, and he played in all 34 of the team's regular-season fixtures. In fact, in 22 of his 34 appearances, Kotsar had a double-digit PIR, which demonstrated his importance to the team.

The best plays of Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz center Maik Kotsar in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Maik Kotsar's best plays, 2022-23

### Ignas Brazdeikis, Zalgiris Kaunas

When [Ignas Brazdeikis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ignas-brazdeikis/011983/) decided to change the NBA for Zalgiris last summer, it was a chance to not only return to his birthplace of Kaunas but to also test himself in the EuroLeague. The 24-year-old ended up having a great debut season with Zalgiris, averaging 11.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and an 8.8 PIR while helping his side reach the playoffs. Zalgiris ended up losing 0-3 to FC Barcelona, but Brazdeikis was very impressive, scoring 14 and 20 points on the road in Games 1 and 2, respectively. Now a Lithuania international, having switched his international allegiance from Canada to Lithuania in May 2021, Brazdeikis became even more of a fan favorite thanks to his exploits with Zalgiris this season.

The best plays of Zalgiris Kaunas guard Ignas Brazdeikis in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season and Playoffs.

Ignas Brazdeikis's best plays, 2022-23

To get to the next level, Bayern general manager Marko Pesic turned to a man who has taken on this sort of project before and found the ultimate success: Pablo Laso.

Coach Laso gives Bayern a reason to believe

Over the last few seasons, FC Bayern Munich emerged as a continental force in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. It made back-to-back playoff appearances in 2021 and 2022 and took its respective series against AX Armani Exchange Milan and FC Barcelona the maximum five games. In fact, in the first of those it came within a shot of the Final Four.

To get to the next level, Bayern general manager [Marko Pesic turned to a man who has taken on this sort of project before and found the ultimate success: Pablo Laso](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/pablo-laso-a-two-time-euroleague-champ-becomes-bayern-head-coach/). The last time we saw Laso on the sidelines, he was the maestro leading Real Madrid to a golden age that included seven EuroLeague Final Four appearances, two continental crowns, six Spanish championships and six Spanish Cups in 11 seasons. That run came to an end after a health scare in June 2022, but Laso, 55, is ready to take on the challenge in Munich.

There are similarities between the project he is inheriting now and the state of Real Madrid when he first arrived in 2011. Both are teams that had been in the shadows of their sister football clubs, but showed promise under well-respected Italian coaches. While Andrea Trinchieri oversaw Bayern's recent three-year run, Ettore Messina guided Real in the seasons before Laso was hired.

Laso also walks into a situation that is promising both in terms of personnel and economics. Bayern will soon move to a bigger arena that should benefit the team in terms of fan support and budget. There are also several key players under contract, such as two-time All-EuroLeague selection Vladimir Lucic, Andreas Obst, Isaac Bonga and Nick Weiler-Babb.

Bonga comes off a tough EuroLeague rookie season and one of Coach Laso's first duties should be to bring out his star potential. At only 23 years of age, Bonga oozes untapped potential and could be a difference-maker.

It will be interesting to see how Obst fits in Laso's system. One can imagine Obst taking on a role similar to the one Jaycee Carroll played with great success as a shooting specialist with *Los Blancos* for a full decade.

What can Bayern fans expect from Laso in terms of coaching philosophy? In Madrid, Laso had clear guidelines over the years. First and foremost was that strong defense must lead to offense, and controlling the defensive boards is the key to getting going in transition. When Laso joined Real, his run-and-gun style was praised by fans and experts alike.

Even though good coaches must adjust to the players available, the fact that Bayern does not have a lot of players under contract suggests that Laso may be able to seek out the pieces that he needs for his personal basketball puzzle: power forwards who can open the floor with three-point shooting, pass-first playmakers, shooting specialists who come off screens and rim-protectors the paint.

"Of course, I would be happy to achieve similar success as in the past, but success is not solely defined by winning the EuroLeague, that should be clear to everyone. I am 100 percent committed and ready to help Bayern reach the next level of this exciting project," Laso said after signing with Bayern.

Laso started to win as soon as he arrived in Madrid, where also spent two seasons as a player and won the 1997 Saporta Cup. In his first season coaching Los Blancos, they won the Spanish Copa del Rey, finished atop their EuroLeague regular season group and (under a different format) missed the playoffs due to a tiebreaker. In his second season, Real won the Spanish League and reached the EuroLeague Championship Game.

The last time Laso coached a visiting team in Madrid was November 7, 2010. Real, then coached by Ettore Messina, pounded Laso's Lagun Aro GBC 83-53. No one would have imagined Laso taking over in Madrid and turning the club into a perennial EuroLeague contender, yet he defied all expectations.

Of course, it will be tough for Laso to do the same in Munich, but he has been there before. Time will tell if he is able to do it again. What's certain is that the fans in Munich all hope that can be the case.

There's a famous saying about how certain things age like fine wine. That can certainly be applied to Sergio "Chacho" Rodriguez, who, at the age of 36, played the role of conductor as Real Madrid became the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion. The legendary point guard not only orchestrated Real's offense but he also stepped up with points at crucial moments, particularly in the playoffs and at the Final Four. When the business end of the campaign arrived, Chacho was ready.

Tribute to the Champs: Sergio Rodriguez

The best plays of Real Madrid guard Sergio Rodriguez in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

2022-23 highlights: Sergio Rodriguez, Real Madrid

While his regular-season statistics are not much to marvel at, with averages of 4.2 points, 1.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and a 5.9 PIR across 33 appearances, most of which were from the bench, Rodriguez went up a gear in the postseason. He had a slow start in the first three games of Real's playoff series against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, but 'Chachismo' came into full effect in Games 4 and 5. First, he paired 8 points with 7 assists as Real won in Belgrade to force a Game 5. Then, Rodriguez scored a season-high 19 points – 13 of which came in the fourth quarter – and provided 6 assists as *Los Blancos* secured their place at the Final Four.

Chacho continued to do his thing in Kaunas, scoring 12 points, dishing 5 assists and recording 2 steals as Real defeated archrival FC Barcelona 66-78 in the semifinals. With *Los Blancos* looking to end their five-year wait to lift the EuroLeague title once again, Rodriguez stepped up to the plate in the championship game with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists and 1 steal in an incredibly complete performance as Real beat Olympiacos 78-79.

Together with fellow veterans Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Llull, with whom Rodriguez became a EuroLeague champion for the first time in 2015, the playmaker can look back on the 2022-23 season as one in which age proved to be nothing but a number. Rodriguez, now a three-time champ having also won in 2019 with CSKA Moscow, provided many Magic Moments during the campaign with his incredible passing and here's hoping that we'll see just as many highlight-worthy plays from Chacho next season.

Tribute to the champs: Sergio Rodriguez

FC Bayern Munich has named Pablo Laso as the team's new head coach, with the 55-year-old Spaniard signing a contract at the club until the end of the 2024-25 season. This is Laso's first job since leaving Real Madrid, where he was in charge between 2011 and 2022 and won two Turkish Airlines EuroLeague titles. Under the stewardship of Laso, Los Blancos reached seven out of a possible 10 Final Fours. Bayern hopes that he will have a similar level of success in Munich.

Bayern appoints two-time EuroLeague champ Pablo Laso as head coach

FC Bayern Munich has named Pablo Laso as the team's new head coach, with the 55-year-old Spaniard signing a contract at the club until the end of the 2024-25 season. This is Laso's first job since leaving Real Madrid, where he was in charge between 2011 and 2022 and won two Turkish Airlines EuroLeague titles. Under the stewardship of Laso, *Los Blancos* reached seven out of a possible 10 Final Fours. Bayern hopes that he will have a similar level of success in Munich.

"He has tremendous experience, has celebrated great successes with Real Madrid and is one of the most recognized coaches in the EuroLeague," Bayern president Herbert Hainer said of Laso. "Now a new challenge awaits him at FC Bayern, and we are very happy that he believes in our vision."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">👋 𝙒𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%F0%9D%98%BD%F0%9D%99%9A%F0%9D%99%A1%F0%9D%99%9E%F0%9D%99%9A%F0%9D%99%AB%F0%9D%99%9A?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#𝘽𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚</a>. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙤.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Laso2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Laso2025</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PabloLaso?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PabloLaso</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/marca?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@marca</a> <a href="https://t.co/hSj0gth4Vr">pic.twitter.com/hSj0gth4Vr</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1668184081882832899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Laso arrives at Bayern as the replacement for Andrea Trinchieri, who parted ways with the club at the end of the 2022-23 season following three years in charge. Bayern made the playoffs in two of Trinchieri's three seasons at the helm, but each time it lost in Game 5, first to AX Armani Exchange Milan in 2020-21 and then to FC Barcelona in 2021-22. Those two playoff appearances are the only times that Bayern has competed in the postseason, and Laso is now tasked with trying to turn the German club into a perennial playoff team.

 

After all, Laso already has experience in this regard, having helped shape the modern history of Real. When he joined *Los Blancos* in 2011, for example, they had last won the EuroLeague in 1995. Real lost back-to-back championship games in 2013 and 2014 under Laso, but in 2015 he guided the club to its ninth EuroLeague title. Then, Laso's Real became the European champion once again in 2018. In his final year on the Real bench, the 2021-22 campaign, Laso saw his team come up just short to Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the championship game.

He can’t play anymore, so Pablo Laso is doing what he likes best: coaching. Proud of what he’s already accomplished with Real Madrid, Laso has his team aiming high again this season.

Focus on: Pablo Laso, Real Madrid

Bayern has a brand-new arena, SAP Garden, that is getting closer to completion with each day that passes, and the goal is that the arrival of Laso, in addition to this new arena, will help the German side reach new heights both domestically and in the EuroLeague. Bayern wants to become a major force in European basketball and, with Laso at the helm, the club will fancy its chances of making that reality.