It was a long time coming. After 13 seasons in the competition and having lost the 2018 EuroLeague Championship Game, Nicolo Melli is finally a EuroLeague champion.

Tribute to the Champs: Nicolo Melli

It was a long time coming. After 13 seasons in the competition and having lost the 2018 EuroLeague Championship Game, [Nicolo Melli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolo-melli/002849/) is finally a EuroLeague champion.

Last summer, Nicolo Melli opted to rejoin [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) for a second stint. He previously spent two years at the club, reaching the 2018 title decider and another Final Four in 2019. At the age of 34, Melli got another opportunity to lift the EuroLeague trophy – and it was a case of third time's the charm for the Italian.

Melli is well-known for being one of the smartest defenders in the league, using his great basketball IQ to read the opponents' offense better than most. He has the numbers to prove it, ranking sixth all-time in rebounds (1,676) and 15th in blocked shots (162). Still, he was missing a EuroLeague title; Melli had a career-high 28 points in the 2018 Championship Game but Real Madrid, led by Final Four MVP Luka Doncic, took the trophy home.

Nicolo Melli helped Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul become the 2024-25 EuroLeague champion!

2025 Final Four highlights: Nicolo Melli, Fenerbahce

This time, Melli had a very different role, leading Fenerbahce's second unit with his experience and toughness. He proved it in the semifinals against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, finishing the game with 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 4 fouls drawn for a PIR of 13 in less than 18 minutes. Melli buried an important three-pointer early in the fourth quarter which gave Fenerbahce a 58-48 lead. His all-around performance was crucial against the defending champions.

Melli had 5 points and 3 rebounds in the Championship Game against AS Monaco. He cried of happiness at the end of the game, sharing an emotional moment with head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius and Marko Guduric. Melli was a big fan of 'Saras' growing up, and Guduric was also a first-time EuroLeague champion after losing with Melli in 2018. This time, everything clicked.

His celebration was iconic, wrapped up in a huge Italian fan. His longtime friend Gigi Datome had won the EuroLeague with Fenerbahce in 2017. Eight years later, Melli also claimed the EuroLeague crown after 343 career games.

More Fenerbahce News

Fenerbahce's hard-working forward is now a champion after five years with the club


Virtus Segafredo Bologna has announced that Brandon Taylor has signed a new contract at the club. The length of the deal has not been publicized.

Brandon Taylor renews contract at Virtus

Virtus Segafredo Bologna has announced that Brandon Taylor has signed a new contract at the club. The length of the deal has not been publicized.

Taylor (1.78 meters, 31 years old) joined Virtus for the final stretch of the 2024-25 season and helped the team win the Italian League championship. He has never featured in the EuroLeague.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 🌪️<br>Brandon Taylor rinnova con i Campioni d’Italia 🤍🖤 <a href="https://t.co/ELRTQz9ngU">pic.twitter.com/ELRTQz9ngU</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1938215153759105089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

His first professional club was Alba Fehervar (2016-17) and he then went on to play for Steaua Bucuresti (2017-18), Bergamo Basket (2018-19), Le Mans (2019-20), Pallacanestro Reggiana (2020-21), BCM Graveniles (2021-22), the Ningbo Rockets (2022-23), Manresa (2023-24), and Coruña (2024-25) before signing for Virtus.

More Virtus News

He will make his EuroLeague debut next season

The basketball world bids farewell to one of its most gifted and beloved artists, as Milos Teodosic has announced his retirement as a player at age 38

EuroLeague great Milos Teodosic hangs up his uniform

The basketball world bids farewell to one of its most gifted and beloved artists, as [Milos Teodosic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/milos-teodosic/jdr/) has announced his retirement as a player at age 38. A player whose court vision seemed touched by the divine, Teodosic was never just a point guard; he was a storyteller, crafting highlight reels that will live on in memory and myth.

For nearly two decades, Teodosic defined what it meant to lead from the front – not through brute force, but with unmatched imagination. His no-look passes, full-court assists, and clutch shot-making dazzled fans from Belgrade to Moscow, from Piraeus to Los Angeles. Teodosic played 13 EuroLeague season for four clubs – Olympiacos Piraeus, CSKA Moscow, Virtus Segafredo Bologna and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade.

The playmaker was a member of the EuroLeague 2010-20 All-Decade Team and the All-25 EuroLeague Team. Teodosic was named the 2010 EuroLeague MVP with Olympiacos and won the EuroLeague in 2016 with CSKA. His six All-EuroLeague selections are tied for the third-most in competition history. Teodosic walks away ranked sixth in EuroLeague history in both assists (1,491) and three-pointers made (595) and 13th in scoring (3,420).

Born in Valjevo, Serbia, Teodosic rose to prominence with FMP and then lit up the EuroLeague. On the international stage, he was the heart and soul of the Serbian national team. After leading Serbia to gold medals at the European championships at the U16, U18 and U20 levels, he then won silver medals with his country at EuroBasket 2009, the 2014 Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ro" dir="ltr">A LEGEND of the game retires... <br><br>🧙‍♂️Miloš Teodosić <a href="https://t.co/yR2kmqxw2c">pic.twitter.com/yR2kmqxw2c</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1938229402493444458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Teodosic never played to fit a mold. He played with joy, flair, and a sense of creativity that reminded fans why they fell in love with basketball in the first place. Beyond the stats and the accolades, it was his charisma, leadership, and unshakable confidence in the toughest moments that endeared him to teammates and fans alike. He made every game an event and every possession a canvas.

Now, as he steps away from the court, the game loses a genius, but his legacy lives on in every young player who dares to throw a pass others wouldn’t even dream of.

More on Milos Teodosic

The former EuroLeague MVP and 2016 champion leaves a rich legacy behind him

Dyshawn Pierre, Fenerbahce Beko's hard-working forward, is now a EuroLeague champion after five years with the club.

Tribute to the Champs: Dyshawn Pierre

When [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) first brought in [Dyshawn Pierre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dyshawn-pierre/010560/) five years ago, they knew they were getting an all-around player who would do whatever it takes to win. And while the 2024-25 season was tough on Pierre from an individual point of view, his teammates and coach Sarunas Jasikevicius could trust that he would give maximum effort every time he stepped on the floor.

Pierre started the season banged up and missed two of the team's first five games. A calf injury in November knocked him out for longer. And when he regained full strength, Fenerbahce was rolling and he never recaptured his role of earlier years. 

Even so, Pierre remained a valuable wildcard off the bench, especially late in the season. In Round 32, he posted 7 points and 8 rebounds off the bench to help his team beat Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and – temporarily – climb atop the standings.

Best of Dyshawn Pierre: 2024-25

Come the playoffs, Pierre's playing time grew from game to game as Fenerbahce swept Paris Basketball, culminating with 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block over 22 minutes in the Game 3 clincher. In Abu Dhabi, his role was limited, but Pierre was ready when called upon. He subbed into the championship game four times for a total of 3 minutes to spell whoever needed a rest or fill whatever tactical role Jasikevicius had for him. The payoff for his hard work and team-first outlook? At age 31, Dyshawn Pierre is a EuroLeague champion.

For the second time in a row and the 38th time in club history, Real Madrid has won the Spanish League title. After winning 89-75 and 102-96 at WiZink Center in Games 1 and 2, respectively, Los Blancos went to La Fonteta and won 70-81 in Game 3 to sweep the finals series.

Real Madrid retains the Spanish League crown

For the second time in a row and the 38th time in club history, Real Madrid has won the Spanish League title. After winning 89-75 and 102-96 at WiZink Center in Games 1 and 2, respectively, *Los Blancos* went to La Fonteta and won 70-81 in Game 3 to sweep the finals series.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🤳😀🎤 ¡La 38ª Liga suena tan bien...! <a href="https://t.co/ubyGfpKlhL">pic.twitter.com/ubyGfpKlhL</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1938174342136832086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Going back to Game 1, there was little to separate Real Madrid and Valencia through the first three quarters, with *Los Blancos* holding a 64-60 edge, but a 25-15 fourth quarter allowed Chus Mateo’s side to grab an 89-75 victory. That night, Andres Feliz stepped up with 18 points, with Walter Tavares adding 14, Facundo Campazzo scoring 12, and Sergio Llull and Dzanan Musa netting 11 points apiece. Brancou Badio’s 20 points for Valencia proved to be in vain, as were the 10 points by Chris Jones.

A few days later, Real Madrid took a 2-0 series lead by coming out on top in a high-scoring affair. It was 48-45 to Real Madrid at the half, and the teams were tied at 89-89 after 40 minutes, meaning they would have to be separated by overtime. During the extra session, it was Real Madrid which outscored Valencia 13-7 to come away with a 102-96 triumph. Seven Real Madrid players finished in double digits in scoring, led by Campazzo with 18 points and 11 assists. Feliz contributed 14 points, Mario Hezonja appeared with 13 points, Musa scored 12 points, and three players – Bruno Fernando, Usman Garuba and Alberto Abalde – had 10 points apiece. Tavares recorded 9 points and 10 rebounds, too. Valencia’s Jean Montero was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points, while he also had 8 assists. Matt Costello chipped in with 16 points, Xabi Lopez-Arostegui had 14 points and Nate Reuvers poured in 11 points. Jaime Pradilla scored 4 points and grabbed 8 rebounds for the visitors.

In the 70-81 series decider, Hezonja paced Real Madrid with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Bruno Fernando had 13 points and Llull netted 11 points, while Campazzo paired 9 points with 8 assists. Tavares finished with 7 points, 7 rebounds and 5 blocks. For Valencia, Lopez-Arostegui poured in 14 points, Montero finished with 12 points, and Jones and Joel Soriano scored 10 points each.

More Real Madrid News

Chus Mateo’s men swept Valencia in the finals

What a season for Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Expectations are always high for the Turkish giant, but this season it has done something it has never achieved before – win the Triple Crown, the first time a team has done this since Real Madrid in 2015.

Fenerbahce secures the club’s first Triple Crown

What a season for Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Expectations are always high for the Turkish giant, but this season it has done something it has never achieved before – win the Triple Crown, the first time a team has done this since Real Madrid in 2015.

Back in February, Fenerbahce defeated Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul in the Turkish Cup final. Three months later, Saras Jasikevicius and his team brought a second EuroLeague championship banner to Ulker Sports and Event Hall by triumphing past AS Monaco in the Championship Game in Abu Dhabi. And now, a month to the day since becoming European champions, Fenerbahce has completed the treble by winning the Turkish League Finals 4-1 against Besiktas.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">You Can&#39;t Touch This! 😎<br><br>1 sezonda müzemize 3 kupa koymanın gururunu yaşıyoruz! 🏆🏆🏆<br><br>Her zaman her yerde en büyük FENER! 💛💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/Th7CLfsvCc">pic.twitter.com/Th7CLfsvCc</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1937972441277448564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Game 1 of the finals – a 94-76 Fenerbahce victory – saw Khem Birch lead the charge with 15 points, followed by Wade Baldwin with 14, Metecan Birsen with 13 and Errick McCollum with 12. Fenerbahce then took a 2-0 series lead and protected its home court by winning 84-76 in Game 2, with Birch again leading the team in scoring with 18 points. Melih Mahmutoglu added 15 points, while Devon Hall and Nicolo Melli had 11 points apiece.

Besiktas hit back on its own floor in Game 3, grabbing a 98-77 win, but Fenerbahce responded in Game 4 by downing the hosts 87-91 on the back of 24 points from Baldwin, 15 from Nigel Hayes-Davis and 12 each from Birch and Marko Guduric. Fenerbahce closed out the series at Ulker Sports and Event Hall in Game 5, triumphing 84-68 with Hayes-Davis scoring 16 points, Baldwin netting 13, and Birsen, Melli and Mahmutoglu pouring in 10 points each.

Having already won the Turkish Cup and the EuroLeague title, Saras Jasikevicius’s group lifted the Turkish League crown

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv added one of the best players in the Israeli League to its lineup by signing Gur Lavy to a multi-year deal

Maccabi lands Israeli League’s Most Improved Player, Gur Lavy

[Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/tel/) added one of the best players in the Israeli League to its lineup by signing Gur Lavi to a three-year deal.

Lavy (1.98 meters, 24 years old) come off a breakout season with Hapoel Gilboa Galil, where he averaged 15.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steal per game. He ranked eighth in the league in PIR (19.0) and fifth in defensive rebounding (5.4 per game).

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">ברוך הבא למכבי, גור לביא!<br><br>כל הפרטים &gt; <a href="https://t.co/bi9Gy6iJQN">https://t.co/bi9Gy6iJQN</a> <a href="https://t.co/GOs0GgwMhJ">pic.twitter.com/GOs0GgwMhJ</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱​ (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1938189084687503808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Lavy was chosen as the Israeli League's Most Improved Player, the league's Best Israeli Player and to the all-league team. 

A product of the Maccabi Zikhron Yaakov youth system, Lavy began his professional career with Hapoel Haifa in the 2021-22 seasons, during which he also played on loan for Ironi Kiryat Ata. 

After three seasons with Haifa, Lavy joined Gilboa Galil last summer and made his breakthrough. Lavy is also a member of the Israeli national team.

More Maccabi News

The small forward comes off a breakout season in which he was named to the all-league team

Maccabi lands Israeli League’s Most Improved Player, Gur Lavi

Panathinaikos BC has made the biggest splash of the summer transfer window so far by signing TJ Shorts, who has penned a two-year deal at OAKA.

Panathinaikos signs All-EuroLeague guard TJ Shorts

[Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) has made the biggest splash of the summer transfer window so far by signing [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/), who has penned a two-year deal at OAKA.

Shorts (1.75 meters, 27 years old) took the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague by storm in his – and [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/)'s – first season in the competition, posting 19.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 22.8 PIR in 37 games. 

Thanks to Shorts leading the way, Paris finished eighth in the regular-season standings, then beat Real Madrid in the Play-In Showdown before falling to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in the playoffs. 

The American-born point guard was named the EuroLeague's MVP of the Month for November and was selected to the All-EuroLeague First Team.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝑻𝑱 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒔 ☘️<br><br>Η ΚΑΕ Παναθηναϊκός AKTOR ανακοινώνει την απόκτηση του Τι Τζέι Σορτς ΙΙ για τα επόμενα δύο χρόνια.<br><br>_________________________________________<br><br>Panathinaikos BC AKTOR is pleased to announce the signing of TJ Shorts II on a two-year contract.… <a href="https://t.co/v26B5vzrIn">pic.twitter.com/v26B5vzrIn</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1938160832652755320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The journey that Shorts has been on over the last few years has been like something out of a box-office movie. After starting his professional career in Latvia with Ventspils in 2019-20, the undersized guard went on to play for the Hamburg Towers and the Crailsheim Merlins, both in Germany, in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, respectively. But it was his next move that really changed the trajectory of his career.

Shorts agreed to sign for Telekom Baskets Bonn in the summer of 2022 and that allowed him to work under Tuomas Iisalo. Together, they went on to win the 2022-23 Basketball Champions League title. One year later, Shorts followed Iisalo to Paris Basketball with one goal of mind: making the EuroLeague. And they did just that by inspiring Paris to the 2023-24 BKT EuroCup crown. Although Iisalo departed Paris in the summer of 2024, Shorts continued to star – this time under Tiago Splitter – in his and the club's first season in the EuroLeague.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Merci pour tout <a href="https://twitter.com/TjShorts5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TjShorts5</a> 🐐🙏<br><br>Le club te souhaite le meilleur dans la suite de ta carrière 🖤❤️💙 <a href="https://t.co/ZMcZkf5K98">pic.twitter.com/ZMcZkf5K98</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1938158146754949508?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Having guided Paris to the EuroLeague Playoffs, something very few people expected before the season, Shorts followed that up by securing his second consecutive French League MVP trophy and the club's first French League title.

Now, Shorts will continue his journey at Panathinaikos. As he puts it himself: the marathon continues.

More Panathinaikos News

After a stunning debut campaign in the EuroLeague, the Paris star has joined the seven-time champs

Dubai Basketball has announced that Klemen Prepelic will remain at the club for at least the coming season. The length of his contract has not been disclosed.

Klemen Prepelic staying put at Dubai

Dubai Basketball has announced that [Klemen Prepelic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/klemen-prepelic/002661/) will remain at the club for at least the coming season. The length of his contract has not been disclosed.

Prepelic (1.91 meters, 32 years old) was one of Dubai's star players in the ABA League during 2024-25, posting 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.0 steal per game across 35 appearances. 

In its first season in the ABA League, Dubai reached the playoffs and advanced to the semifinals before falling to Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in a 2-1 series defeat.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Leadership. Fire. Heart. 🔥🫀Our captain is staying in Dubai! <a href="https://t.co/V8PKwD7C8q">pic.twitter.com/V8PKwD7C8q</a></p>&mdash; Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket/status/1938144661341683781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Prepelic has played 90 times in the EuroLeague before and his career averages stand at 8.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He made 10 appearances as a youngster for Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana in 2012-13, then his next season in the competition came in 2018-19 with Real Madrid, when he played 21 times. The Slovenian international later appeared in 59 EuroLeague games for Valencia Basket in the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons.

More Dubai News

The captain, who starred for the team in the 2024-25 campaign, returns to the EuroLeague after two seasons away