The final standings of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season will come down to the outcomes in seven of the nine games to be played in Round 34 on Thursday and Friday. Three playoff berths and seven of the eight playoff positions are to be determined in the last round of the regular season. Only one place is assured, AS Monaco finishing fourth.

Round 34 playoff possibilities and seedings scenarios

The final standings of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season will come down to the outcomes in seven of the nine games to be played in Round 34 on Thursday and Friday. Three playoff berths and seven of the eight playoff positions are to be determined in the last round of the regular season. Only one place is assured, AS Monaco finishing fourth.

### Top three seeding scenarios

[Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/roster/oly/?season=2022-23) (23-10) clinches first place with a win vs. Baskonia.

Olympiacos clinches first place if Real (23-10) loses at Maccabi.

Olympiacos will be second if it loses and Real wins.

[Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/roster/mad/?season=2022-23) (23-10) will clinch first place if it wins vs. Maccabi and Olympiacos loses.

Real will finish second if it wins and Olympiacos wins.

Real will finish third if it loses and Barcelona (22-11) wins.

[FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/?season=2022-23) (22-10) will finish second if it wins vs. Valencia and Real loses.

Barcelona will be third if it loses.

Barcelona will be third if Real wins.

[AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/roster/mco/?season=2022-23) (21-12) has finished in fourth place.

### Playoff qualification

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/roster/ulk/?season=2022-23) (19-14) will qualify for the playoffs and finish fifth with a win at Zvezda.

Fenerbahce will qualify for the playoffs if Baskonia (18-15) or Zalgiris (18-15) lose.

Fenerbahce will be eliminated if loses and Baskonia and Zalgiris both win.

[Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/bitci-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/roster/bas/?season=2022-23) (18-15) will qualify for the playoffs with a win at Olympiacos.

Baskonia will qualify for the playoffs if Zalgiris (18-15) loses.

Baskonia is eliminated if it loses and Zalgiris wins.

[Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/roster/zal/?season=2022-23) (18-15) will qualify for the playoffs with a win at Bayern if Baskonia or Fenerbahce lose.

Zalgiris is eliminated if it loses.

### Fifth through eighth seeding scenarios

[Fenerbahce](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/roster/ulk/?season=2022-23) will finish fifth if it wins vs. Zvezda

Fenerbahce will finish fifth if it loses and Partizan, Maccabi, Zalgiris and Baskonia all lose.

Fenerbahce will finish sixth if it loses, Partizan or Maccabi wins, and Zalgiris and Baskonia both lose.

Fenerbahce will finish sixth if it loses, Zalgiris wins, and Baskonia, Maccabi and Partizan all lose.

Fenerbahce will finish seventh if it loses, Maccabi and Partizan both win, and Zalgiris and Baskonia both lose.

Fenerbahce will finish seventh if it loses, Partizan or Maccabi wins, Zalgiris wins, and Baskonia loses.

Fenerbahce will finish eighth if it loses, Baskonia wins and Zalgiris loses.

Fenerbahce will finish eighth if it loses, Baskonia loses, and Partizan, Maccabi and Zalgiris all win.

Fenerbahce will finish ninth if it loses and Baskonia and Zalgiris both win.

[Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/roster/tel/?season=2022-23) (19-14) will finish fifth if it wins vs. Real AND Fenerbahce loses

Maccabi will finish sixth if it wins, Fenerbahce wins and Partizan loses.

Maccabi will finish sixth if it loses, Fenerbahce wins, and Partizan, Baskonia and Zalgiris all lose.

Maccabi will finish sixth if it loses, Baskonia wins and Partizan, Fenerbahce and Zalgiris all lose.

Maccabi will finish seventh if it wins and Fenerbahce and Partizan both win.

Maccabi will finish seventh if it loses, Partizan wins, and Baskonia and Zalgiris both lose.

Maccabi will finish seventh if it loses, Partizan and Baskonia both lose, and Fenerbahce and Zalgiris both win.

Maccabi will finish seventh if it loses, Baskonia loses, and Partizan, Fenerbahce and Zalgiris all win, and the combined margins of Maccabi's loss and Zalgiris's win add up to 122 points or fewer.

Maccabi will finish seventh if it loses, and Fenerbahce, Baskonia and Zalgiris all lose.

Maccabi will finish seventh if it loses, Zalgiris wins, and Partizan and Baskonia both lose.

Maccabi will finish seventh if it loses, Fenerbahce and Partizan lose, and Baskonia and Zalgiris both win.

Maccabi will finish seventh if it loses, Fenerbahce loses, and Partizan, Baskonia and Zalgiris all win, and the combined margins of Maccabi's loss and Zalgiris's win add up to 122 points or fewer.

Maccabi will finish seventh if it loses, and Fenerbahce and Zalgiris both lose, and Partizan and Baskonia both win.

Maccabi will finish eight if it loses, Baskonia loses, and Partizan, Fenerbahce and Zalgiris all win, and the combined margins of Maccabi's loss and Zalgiris's win add up to 123 or more points.

Maccabi will finish eighth if it loses, Fenerbahce loses, and Partizan, Baskonia and Zalgiris all win, and the combined margins of Maccabi's loss and Zalgiris's win add up to 123 or more points.

Maccabi will finish eighth if it loses, Fenerbahce and Baskonia both lose, and Partizan and Zalgiris both win.

Maccabi will finish eighth if it loses, Fenerbahce wins and Baskonia wins.

[Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/partizan-nis-belgrade/roster/par/?season=2022-23) (19-14) will finish fifth if it wins vs. Panathinaikos and both Fenerbahce and Maccabi lose.

Partizan will finish fifth if it loses, Zalgiris wins, and Fenerbahce and Maccabi both lose.

Partizan will finish sixth if it wins and at least one of Fenerbahce or Maccabi wins.

Partizan will finish sixth if it loses, Fenerbahce loses, and Maccabi and Zalgiris both win.

Partizan will finish sixth if it loses and Fenerbahce, Maccabi, Baskonia and Zalgiris all lose.

Partizan will finish sixth if it loses, Maccabi loses, and Fenerbahce and Zalgiris both win.

Partizan will finish sixth if it loses, Fenerbahce and Baskonia both win, and Maccabi and Zalgiris both lose.

Partizan will finish seventh if it loses, Maccabi wins and Zalgiris loses.

Partizan will finish seventh if it loses and Fenerbahce and Maccabi both win.

Partizan will finish seventh if it loses, Baskonia wins, and Fenerbahce, Zalgiris and Maccabi all lose.

Partizan will finish seventh if it loses, at least one of Fenerbahce or Maccabi wins, and Baskonia and Zalgiris both lose.

[Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/bitci-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/roster/bas/?season=2022-23) (18-15) will finish fifth if it wins and Fenerbahce, Maccabi, Partizan and Zalgiris all lose.

Baskonia will finish sixth if it wins, Zalgiris and Fenerbahce both lose, and one of Maccabi or Partizan wins.

Baskonia will finish sixth if it wins, Zalgiris wins, and Maccabi and Fenerbahce both lose.

Baskonia will finish seventh if it wins, Fenerbahce loses, and Maccabi and Zalgiris both win.

Baskonia will finish seventh if it wins, Fenerbahce and Zalgiris both lose, and Maccabi and Partizan both win.

Baskonia will finish seventh if it wins, Fenerbahce wins and Maccabi loses.

Baskonia will finish eighth if it loses and Zalgiris loses.

Baskonia will finish eighth if it wins and Fenerbahce and Maccabi both win.

Baskonia will finish ninth if it loses and Zalgiris wins.

[Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/roster/zal/?season=2022-23) (18-15) will finish sixth if it wins at Bayern, Partizan wins, and Maccabi, Baskonia and Fenerbahce all lose.

Zalgiris will finish seventh if it wins, Partizan and Maccabi both win, and Baskonia and Fenerbahce both lose.

Zalgiris will finish seventh if it wins, Fenerbahce and Partizan both win, Baskonia and Maccabi both lose, the combined margins of Maccabi's loss and Zalgiris's win add up to more than 122 points.

Zalgiris will finish seventh if it wins, Fenerbahce and Maccabi both lose, Partizan and Baskonia both win, and the combined margins of Maccabi's loss and Zalgiris's win add up to more than 122 points.

Zalgiris will finish eighth if it wins, Fenerbahce and Partizan both win, Baskonia and Maccabi both lose, and the combined margins of Maccabi's loss add up to 122 points or fewer.

Zalgiris will finish eighth if it wins and one of Fenerbahce or Baskonia loses.

Zalgiris will finish eighth if it wins, and Fenerbahce, Baskonia and Partizan all lose.

Zalgiris will finish ninth if it loses.

Zalgiris will finish ninth if Fenerbahce and Baskonia both win.

FC Bayern Munich v Zalgiris Kaunas (2023-04-14T18:30:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Panathinaikos Athens (2023-04-14T18:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Valencia Basket (2023-04-14T18:30:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v AS Monaco (2023-04-14T17:30:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2023-04-13T18:45:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Real Madrid (2023-04-13T18:05:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2023-04-13T18:00:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2023-04-13T17:00:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2023-04-13T17:00:00.000Z)

Yanni Wetzell is having a successful Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut season with ALBA Berlin. Wetzell is the fourth New Zealander to play in the EuroLeague, after Kirk Penney, Mark Dickel and Tai Webster. Growing up in Auckland, Wetzell played many sports and chose to be a professional sportsman at age 13.

Yanni Wetzell, ALBA: 'I just followed my heart'

[Yanni Wetzell](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/yanni-wetzell/011934/) is having a successful Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut season with ALBA Berlin. Wetzell is the fourth New Zealander to play in the EuroLeague, after Kirk Penney, Mark Dickel and Tai Webster. Growing up in Auckland, Wetzell played many sports and chose to be a professional sportsman at age 13.

Basketball, however, was not his first choice. 

"I played a ton of sports growing up. Rugby, tennis and basketball were probably the most prominent ones. I started my high school career doing those three, and at the age of about 13, I dropped off the other two and focused on tennis, and I did so until about the age of 17," Wetzell said. "I was all tennis-based. I wanted to go to America on a tennis scholarship." 

"My mom was a little devastated when I made the switch."

Wetzell changed his mind partly due to a growth spurt, and also because he had a lot of fun playing around teammates, as opposed to tennis, in which you are basically on your own. 

"In my second to last year of high school, I grew 6 or 7 inches, started playing some social basketball, fell in love with the game, really enjoyed the team camaraderie aspect, being around the guys, the locker room, the buses. So thoroughly enjoyed that," he recalls. "And obviously my height was a massive attribute, a big reason for the switch over and yeah, so I just decided to switch late, pursue basketball. I joined the high school team my senior year of high school, played some representative stuff, made the junior national team, and then decided to go to university on a college scholarship in America for basketball."

It was not an easy decision, as his family had invested a lot of time and money for Wetzell to pursue a tennis career. Still, he found the way to use some of his tennis skills to his advantage in basketball. He still does today, as ALBA head coach Israel Gonzalez usually plays him at center to make the most out of his versatility and coordination. 

"I had put in a lot of hours for tennis. My parents had made a massive effort to put me with good coaches and the several hours they had driven to practices and tournaments. My mom was a little devastated when I made the switch over," Wetzell says. "But I just followed my heart. In hindsight, looking back, it wasn't that tough of a decision. I just followed what I desired, and it worked out pretty good. And tennis really translated well with the footwork aspect and the hand-eye coordination. So these things really translated well and they are a big reason why I am the player I am today."

Switching to basketball at age 17 didn't allow Wetzell to be a big name for American colleges. Again, he had to follow a different path, recruiting an agency to get to a Division II college, eventually making the jump to a Division I university, Vanderbilt, where he finished his career. 

"Starting basketball \[in\] my last year of high school, I didn't have options. I didn't have the Division I nor the high majors calling me, so I had to go through a different route if I wanted to get to America, which was my dream. And so I went through an international recruiting agency, and essentially they just act as the middleman," Wetzell said. "I was fortunate enough that a small Division II school in Texas, Saint Mary's, found my film and reached out and they flew me over for a visit of 48 hours in San Antonio, Texas. And I signed the deal."

Wetzell believes that other than certain skills, playing tennis made him mentally stronger, and that is another advantage he gets in basketball. 

"As a professional these last two years, I've made massive leaps."

"You're alone. You're by yourself out there. It's very demanding and you're always playing under high, very high pressure situations alone out there. You have a lot to put on yourself," Wetzell said. "I mean, you're the only person to blame. So that definitely put me in good stead and helped me in terms of playing under pressure situations as a basketball player."

Wetzell has been a solid addition for ALBA in his first EuroLeague season. Despite playing under 13 minutes per game, he is averaging 6.5 points, which puts him in the league's top 25 players in scoring per 40 minutes. He had a high of 17 points against AS Monaco among his nine double-digit scoring games in 30 total appearances. As he has played basketball for less than a decade and is quickly entering the prime of his career, Wetzell is sure that his best is yet to come. 

"I'm 26, but I don't look at it like that. As a professional basketballer, I started at 17, so I started very late and I've made massive leaps every single year that I've played. I still am a firm believer that my ceiling is high and I'm not near reaching it. Even as a professional these last two years, I've made massive leaps," he said. "So it hasn't slowed down at all and I don't plan on it slowing down. So I'm just continuing to showcase what I can do, especially at this high level in the EuroLeague."

Olympiacos Piraeus announced a new deal with swingman Shaquielle McKissic, whose contract was extended until the end of the 2024-25 season. McKissic (1.96 meters, 32 years old) is in his fourth season with Olympiacos, averaging 8.7 points in 33 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games in the present campaign.

 Olympiacos extends swingman McKissic 

Olympiacos Piraeus announced a new deal with swingman [Shaquielle McKissic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shaquielle-mckissic/007853/), whose contract was extended until the end of the 2024-25 season. McKissic (1.96 meters, 32 years old) is in his fourth season with Olympiacos, averaging 8.7 points in 33 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games in the present campaign, in which he already helped the Reds lift the Greek Cup trophy. He ranks fifth among all EuroLeague players in two-point shooting percentage (71.6% 2FG), hitting 78 of 109 attempts inside the arc. Last season, McKissic helped Olympiacos win the Greek double (league and cup titles) and make it to the EuroLeague Final Four for the first time since 2017. In 106 EuroLeague career games with Olympiacos, he has amassed 940 points, 194 rebounds and 189 assists.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">💻✍️🏾📸 Olympiacos BC announces the extension of its cooperation with <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaqInTheBox?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShaqInTheBox</a> until 2025!<br><br>New Account on Twitter <a href="https://t.co/twqdrbcMzK">https://t.co/twqdrbcMzK</a><br>Follow US!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a><a href="https://t.co/x4FnGijJQL">https://t.co/x4FnGijJQL</a></p>&mdash; OLYMPIACOS BC (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1645779858243616768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

McKissic started his professional basketball career with Victoria Libertas Pesaro of Italy, and also played for Changwon LG Sakers of South Korea, Usak Sportif, Besiktas Istanbul and Gaziantep Basketbol of Turkey, Gran Canaria of Spain, and Avtodor Saratov of Russia before joining Olympiacos in February 2020.  

Shaquielle Mckissic Top Plays of the 2022-23 Regular Season

2022-23 EuroLeague highlights: Shaquielle McKissic, Olympiacos

Olympiacos extends swingman McKissic until 2025

The 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season comes to an end this week and three teams are fighting for two remaining playoffs spot. All eyes will be on Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and Zalgiris Kaunas, but there is more, as Olympiacos Piraeus and Real Madrid battle for first place. All that should have an impact on the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge powered by Ardu Prime](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/es/home?_ga=2.70899920.1731050278.1681152655-884385655.1669721726). Here are our recommendations before Round 34: 

[Maik Kotsar, Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/maik-kotsar/004603/) (13.5 credits) – Baskonia visits Olympiacos and would qualify to the playoffs with a win. Kotsar has been outstanding lately, averaging 15.3 points on 16-for-22 two-point shooting, 7.3 rebounds and a PIR of 27.7 in his last three games. Baskonia needs him to stay dominant in this critical showdown. 

[Facu Campazzo, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) (15.1 credits) – Zvezda is eliminated but Campazzo is keeping his team on the right track. In the last three games, Campazzo has averaged 15.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 3.3 steals and a PIR of 25.0. He is surely not going to make things easy for Fenerbahce in Round 34. 

Maik Kotsar, Facundo Campazzo, Dyshawn Pierre, Semi Ojeleye and Dzanan Musa are featured in this week's article.

EuroLeague Fantasy tips: Round 34

[Dyshawn Pierre, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dyshawn-pierre/010560/) (9.6 credits) – Pierre played all 40 minutes in Round 33, getting 17 points, 8 rebounds and a PIR of 27. In the last five games, Pierre has buried 14 of 22 three-pointers. Fenerbahce may well need a win to advance to the playoffs, so all of its stars will be ready to contribute. 

[Semi Ojeleye, Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/) (9.8 credits) – Virtus may be eliminated, but Ojeleye has been unstoppable lately. He has averaged 16.2 points and a PIR of 17.2 in Virtus's last five games. In Round 33, Ojeleye had career-highs of 21 points and a PIR of 28. Expect him to keep it going in the Italian derby.  

[Dzanan Musa, Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) (14.8 credits) – Musa is having a fantastic season, averaging 15.3 points and a PIR of 16.5. It is always a challenge for any shooter to play on the road against a physical team like Maccabi and Musa surely wants to use that game to get momentum for the upcoming playoffs.

Fantasy tips, Round 34: Anything can happen!

#RememberTheWhy with Luigi Datome: 'Basketball gave me teaching moments every day' 

Luigi Datome of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan is the next player to step into the spotlight as part of the "Remember The Why" series, a Euroleague Basketball and Adidas collaboration in which Turkish Airlines EuroLeague stars discuss their journeys in in-depth interviews.

A EuroLeague champion in 2017 with Fenerbahce Istanbul, Datome is in his 13th season in the competition, with a pair of NBA seasons in between. Over his 272 appearances, he played in three championship games and a total of five EuroLeague Final Fours, all since 2016.

"I still love to compete really. I think to have the opportunity to play in great arenas, against great teams, with great players with great teammates, and be able to fight for titles. I think there's nothing better in sport, and this is why I'm still doing it," Datome said.

Datome's journey as a professional player started nearly two decades ago, as soon as he left his native island of Sardinia at the age of 15 as one of the best young players in all of Europe. The beginning, leaving home at such a young age, was tough, but it tested him, and he has embraced the challenge ever since.

"The impact was tough, from playing basketball with your friends and then playing basketball with the pros, being treated as a pro, and expected to perform as a pro. It was hard at the beginning. But it was a good test to understand if I could fit in this world."

In Datome's opinion, his five years in Rome between ages 20 and 25, and his growth and development there, set a foundation for him that allowed him to have the career he has, going on to play with the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics in the NBA, Fenerbahce in Istanbul and finally Milan in his native Italy. 

His career, however, might be remembered most by his time with Fenerbahce and their five-year run that featured four Final Four appearances and the 2017 EuroLeague crown. Apart from all that success on the basketball floor, Datome has taken a lot more from his time in Istanbul.

"When Fenerbahce called me, and Obradovic and Gherardini, the team was pretty good already. And I saw myself very good in the situation. But I didn't know how nice those years would be. I was, of course, excited to play at another level, a higher level than I ever played before. But I really embraced the culture there. And I loved the experience. I love the club. I love the city, the country. I made one of the best decisions of my life," he said.

Datome also spoke about his many off-court interests, as well as his time in the NBA. He also discussed his return to Milan and how he has embraced the pressure and high expectations.

The Milan forward looked back at his career, the practices, hours in the gym, and the things he missed off the court, but stated he regrets nothing. Just the opposite. It is hard for him to imagine his life without basketball, because of the things it has given him, both good and bad.

"The game of basketball has been my life for the last 30-plus years. It is really tough to imagine my life without basketball. It gave me goals, gave me joy, gave me sadness sometimes, gave me frustration at times. But you know, this is life," Datome concluded. "And I think the biggest thing the basketball gave me, the game gave me, is teaching moments every day. And that made me grow, not only as a basketball player but also as a human being. And that's why I'm very grateful that my life really was connected with the sport and specifically basketball."

Luigi Datome of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan is the next player to step into the spotlight as part of the "Remember The Why" series, a Euroleague Basketball and Adidas collaboration in which Turkish Airlines EuroLeague stars discuss their personal journeys in an in-depth interview.

A EuroLeague champion in 2017 with Fenerbahce, Datome is in his 13th season in the competition, with a pair of NBA seasons in between. Over his 272 appearances, he played in three championship games and in total of five EuroLeague Final Fours, all since 2016.

When the biggest earthquake in Türkiye's recent history hit 11 cities including the province of Hatay, the whole world showed its solidarity with the thousands of people affected by it. The basketball community was no exception, with clubs, players, coaches, referees and fans all doing their part to help out. 

A ‘Basketball Village’ gives shelter to hundreds of families affected by Türkiye's earthquake

***•	Euroleague Basketball family supports Bidev’s "Basketball Village"***

***•	100 equipped containers have already been installed in the Hatay province*** 

When the biggest earthquake in Türkiye's recent history hit 11 cities including the province of Hatay, the whole world showed its solidarity with the thousands of people affected by it. The basketball community was no exception, with clubs, players, coaches, referees and fans all doing their part to help out. 

At a time when the first set of support started to reach the affected families, the Turkish Basketball Solidarity and Education Foundation (BIDEV) quickly started to plan for a long-term solution for the thousands of people that were suddenly left without a home, all while receiving immediate support from Euroleague Basketball, together with its clubs, partners and associations. BIDEV’s "Basketball Village" project seeks to support those who have lost their homes due to the earthquake by installing 100 equipped containers in an area of 11,397 square meters. Inside these containers, there is basic living furniture and the necessary day-to-day utilities, such as a toilet, gas, water and internet. The "Basketball Village" will also accommodate specific social spaces for education, health care and sport, including one basketball court, which should be fully functional and ready for the arrival of the first families during April.

This initiative is taking place in the district of Belen in the province of Hatay, which was one of the most affected areas following the multiple earthquakes that hit Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023. These earthquakes claimed over 50,000 lives and left tens of thousands of people without homes.

"I would like to once again thank the solidarity of the Euroleague Basketball family for their reaction and the support offered to those affected by this terrible event," Marshall Glickman, Euroleague Basketball CEO, stated.  "Since the first earthquake happened, we have coordinated a general response to offer our support to all the victims who have lost their homes.  I would like to express my gratitude to Hasan Arat and his team at BIDEV for offering us the opportunity to collaborate with a foundation that has deep local roots and a project, "Basketball Village", that will make a difference for hundreds of families."

Mr. Hasan Arat, BIDEV’s Chairman and Founding Member, said: “BIDEV started a new project with Polimeks Holding’s Chair, Erol Tabanca, one of the founding members of our Board of Trustees, TBF and TUBAD to build “Basketball Village” in the province of Hatay, specifically the district of Belen, with the aim of meeting the essential needs of shelter and hygiene for those affected by the earthquake which caused widespread destruction in 11 cities in the south-eastern part of Türkiye. The "Basketball Village" in Belen, Hatay will contribute towards overcoming the challenges faced in the acute period following the earthquake. After the construction of the "Basketball Village" and the fulfillment of basic needs, BIDEV will keep helping children and adolescents overcome their difficulties and heal through basketball training and some educative activities. We would like to thank the Euroleague Basketball family and Marshall Glickman for their support. It is noteworthy to see Euroleague Basketball supporting Türkiye as its long-term partner after such a big disaster.”

The "Basketball Village" project joins the [long list of charitable endeavors ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-clubs-step-up-for-earthquake-relief/)already developed by the members of the Euroleague Basketball family with regard to the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.

Euroleague Basketball would like to encourage everyone to support BIDEV's "Basketball Village" initiative by making a donation here ([www.bidev.org.tr](http://www.bidev.org.tr)). 

Only two of three road warriors will survive

Three teams remain in the mix for the last two playoff spots entering Round 34 and all three will play on the road to close out the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season. Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz visits Olympiacos Piraeus and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul heads to Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade on Thursday before Zalgiris Kaunas takes on FC Bayern Munich on Friday. 

### Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul

Despite currently sitting fifth in the standings ahead of two teams that are already qualified for postseason play, Fenerbahce still has some loose ends to tie up in Round 34. They'll advance comfortably with a victory in Belgrade but could fall out of the top eight if everything breaks wrong for them. 

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul - Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade | Round 7 | Highlights

While Fenerbahce beat Zvezda by 14 at home in Round 7, the hosts are not the same team they were back in early November. Zvezda will enter the game having won four straight, including their Round 33 contest against top-seeded Olympiacos Piraeus. Scoring a stellar 1.01 points per possession since the addition of Facundo Campazzo – up from only 0.95 points per possession prior to that point – Zvezda has found a level of consistency on the perimeter that they had lacked at times before. While things did not break their way in the standings, they have nonetheless hit their stride late in the season. 

Zvezda has looked like one of the EuroLeague's top ball-screen offenses recently and they'll provide a major road test for Fenerbahce in that regard as the visitors ranked in the middle of the pack guarding pick-and-rolls this season.

### Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia sits in eighth place and owns several valuable tiebreakers, but as it stands even with Zalgiris Kaunas on 18 wins, the Spanish club still may need a victory to keep the final spot in the playoff field. Securing that victory in Peace and Friendship Stadium figures to be easier said than done as Olympiacos has not lost a home game since the calendar flipped to 2023. 

While the Reds are not as scorching hot as they were when they bulldozed their way to the top of the standings a couple months ago, they are nonetheless the only team to still rank among the top three in both offensive and defensive efficiency and remain the class of the league. While they only have seeding to play for, they still figure to come out motivated against Baskonia.

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz - Olympiacos Piraeus | Round 4 | Highlights

Both teams have scored very opportunistically inside all season, ranking among the top three in field goal percentage around the rim. However, they have defended the paint very differently.  While Baskonia ranks third in field goal percentage defense around the basket, the visitors face the highest volume of shots inside of any team this season. Olympiacos, in contrast, ranks in the middle of the pack in defensive field goal percentage on the interior, but allows the fewest shots inside of any team. Which team's style of play prevails on the interior is a point of interest given both teams eclipsed the 90-point mark, scoring at will, in their Round 4 matchup.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris will have a keen interest in both key games taking place on Thursday as they'll need help to jump into the playoff picture. The results that day will provide clarity about the stakes of its visit on Friday to Munich.  

If things break right for Zalgiris, they will head into Friday's matchup with Bayern with their season on the line. Bayern has lost six straight games entering Round 34 but will have the opportunity to play spoiler.

Zalgiris Kaunas - FC Bayern Munich | Round 15 | Highlights

Zalgiris currently ranks sixth in defensive efficiency, leaning on grit to weather the injury to Keenan Evans that altered the course of their season and forced them to make significant adjustments on the offensive end.  In their wins in the second half of the year, it has been an ability to control the pace and get to the line that has complimented Zalgiris's penchant for tightening the screws defensively that has made the difference.

When he's not making and blocking shots on the basketball court, Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward Amath M'Baye can most likely be found networking in a completely different orbit, that of start-up founders and investors trying to get in on the ground floor of the next big thing in business.

 Amath M'Baye, Efes: 'Two worlds kind of came together' 

When he's not making and blocking shots on the basketball court, [Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward Amath M'Baye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/amath-m-baye/007993/) can most likely be found networking in a completely different orbit, that of start-up founders and investors trying to get in on the ground floor of the next big thing in business.

M'Baye last year started Off Court Ventures with a former teammate, [Tony Taylor of 7DAYS EuroCup team Turk Telekom Ankara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/tony-taylor/005850/), and another friend, Nick Hendra, to offer an investment avenue to pro athletes looking to prepare themselves for when their careers end.

Since graduating from the University of Oklahoma a decade ago and starting his pro career, M'Baye has always had interests on the side, mainly in website design and development, which drew him into the world of startups. His curiosity about stocks and entrepreneurship came along next, and as he says, "these two worlds kind of came together when we created Off-Court Ventures, and it's been super fun."

"We started small, doing deal-by-deal things, investing in diverse founders and founders who we really like their stories, we like what they're building," M'Baye explains. "We wanted to be a part of that... It's moving along and it's something that's super fun and exciting to do on the side."

Co-Founder, Off Court Ventures

If you want to get in, great, but if you don't, on to the next deal."


In so doing, M'Baye has joined a trend among pro athletes who are not waiting until they retire to make business decisions about their post-career futures. Among them are M'Baye's own cousin, [Axel Toupane of EuroCup team Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/axel-toupane/002582/), who spent summers between seasons learning business and has founded his own capital investment company.

A primary aim of M'Baye's is to open opportunities to other pro athletes who may not have thought yet about diversifying their financial and intellectual pursuits beyond sports. Once he and the team at Off Court Ventures perform due diligence on potential investments, they offer the same opportunity without pressure to others.

<center><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cft4508Fse0/?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/Cft4508Fse0/?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; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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/Cft4508Fse0/?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 Amath M&#39;Baye (@amath24)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

"We get pitched by companies and as a group we sit down and vet all those deals to see which ones are interesting for us in our network," M'Baye explains. "From there, we contact the people who we believe will be interested in the product. We have calls with them, we set up a meeting with the founders, so they hear from the founders what the company is all about and where they plan on taking it. Then, after that, it's their decision if they want to invest or not. We're not really pushy.

"The way I've always liked to do it is: I'm personally going to invest in it, I think it's a great opportunity, and I bring it to you to see if it's something you believe in, as well. And if you want to get in, great, but if you don't, on to the next deal. Hopefully, we'll find something else that you like."

The conversations I'm having in the locker room now, they are completely different."


Part of what M'Baye loves about his side-line, and why he wants to bring it to other athletes, is that he couldn't have imagined that he'd be passionate about investing back in 2013 when he turned pro. 

"Just to think about the conversations I used to have in the locker room 10 years ago and the conversations I'm having in the locker room now, they are completely different," he says. "Now, we're talking so much more about everything that is investing and entrepreneurship than before. Like, a lot more, 100% more. That's not even a conversation that I had in my rookie year or my first few years."

Although he came into investing from an interest in high tech, Off Court Ventures also invests in startups with tangible products that are trying to reinvent things like coffee, soda, supplements and gym equipment.

"It's super-dope for me to go from just a customer, or maybe an ambassador where I'm repping the brand and I just get free product, to really investing in something because I believe in it," he says. "So now, I'm investing because I tried the product, I love the product, and that's something I would love to talk about to my friends and colleagues and teammates. And because that's why I am investing in it, now I'm really a part of the company. Just to get in early in a company that I think has a lot of potential is very exciting." 

Amath M'Baye, Efes: 'Two worlds kind of came together'

It's hard to argue with the theory that a team's best chance to win a championship would be to have the best record in the regular season… In the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, however, that assumption has not panned out. 

Is first place cursed in the EuroLeague?

It's hard to argue with the theory that a team's best chance to win a championship would be to have the best record in the regular season. At least on paper, regular-season greatness should lead to a weaker playoff opponent and then, in the Final Four, matchups against teams with inferior records. 

In the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, however, those assumptions have not panned out. Not once since the onset of the current round-robin regular-season format for the 2016-17 campaign has the first-place team from the regular season won the EuroLeague title. 

Moreover, 60 percent of the champions during that time – excluding, of course, the 2019-20 season, when no title was awarded due to the pandemic – entered the playoffs without home-court advantage.

While all five regular-season winners since 2017 survived their playoff series and advanced to the Final Four, none did so cleanly. Even though 25% of the best-of-five series in that period have been sweeps, top seeds were not among them. They lost at least one game each year. In fact, in the past two seasons, both series between the No. 1 and No. 8 seeds went to the deciding fifth games before the favorites escaped at home!

Once in the Final Four, the top seeds have struggled even more. Only FC Barcelona in Cologne in 2021 reached the championship game. The others all lost in the semifinals. 

Only two teams can claim first place this week. [Olympiacos Piraeus (23-10) will do so if it beats Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-cazoo-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2022/300/) on Thursday. A loss for the Reds opens the door for [Real Madrid (23-10), which tips off 5 minutes later at Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-real-madrid/E2022/301/), to leapfrog into the top spot. If both lose, Olympiacos will be first thanks to its 2-0 head-to-head record against Real. 

So, if there really is a curse on the top spot, could we expect Olympiacos and/or Real Madrid to fall on Thursday in hopes of finishing lower? Not likely, because momentum seems to matter, too. Three of the last five eventual champs won their regular-season finales. 

In 2017, fifth-placed Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul bested Barcelona in Round 30 and never lost again, sweeping Panathinaikos Athens in the playoffs before topping No. 1 seed Real in the semifinals and Olympiacos in the championship game. The following year, Real won its last three regular-season games, fell by 25 to Panathinaikos on the road in Game 1 of the playoffs, but then took the next three games to win the series. At the Final Four, Real defeated top-seed CSKA Moscow in the semifinals and Fenerbahce in the championship game. 

In 2019, CSKA rode a four-game winning streak into the playoffs and won Game 1 of its series against Baskonia, but dropped Game 2 at home. With the series even, CSKA went to Vitoria-Gasteiz and won Games 3 and 4 to advance. In the same city at the Final Four, CSKA ousted Real in the semis and Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the championship game. 

Efes bucked that trend when it lost its last regular-season game in 2021 but went on to win the championship. However, Efes had won 11 of 12 games before that loss. Efes then had to battle through five games to eliminate Real in the playoffs. It outlasted CSKA in the semifinals and beat top-seed Barcelona in the championship game. On the way to a repeat in 2022, Efes again lost in Round 34, to Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, though it had won four of five before that. Efes, which was sixth in the 2021-22 regular season, KO'd EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in four games in the playoffs before edging Olympiacos in the semifinals and Real in the championship game. 

This recent history should put some wind in the sails of teams like Fenerbahce, Maccabi and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade – the top candidates to finish in fifth or sixth place.

It could also be a warning to whichever team finishes with the top seed or, alternatively, just a quirk of history that's due to change. Time will tell.