adidas NextGen Team Announces New Coach Ahead of NextGen EuroLeague Qualifiers

The team has named Dogus Balbay as head coach and announces first official roster for Istanbul tournament

adidas NextGen EuroLeague, formerly the Euroleague Basketball adidas Next Generation Tournament, is pleased to get its first qualifying tournament underway later this month in Istanbul, Turkiye. The first qualifying round is scheduled to take place from November 29 to December 1, 2024, with former adidas athlete Dogus Balbay spearheading the Next Gen Team as head coach.

A former captain of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, who lifted the 2021 and 2022 EuroLeague championships, Balbay follows in the footsteps of Vassilis Spanoulis, now head coach of the Greek men's national team, and Petteri Koponen, now head coach of the New Zealand Breakers. Joining the coaching staff alongside Balbay will be former EuroLeague player Dusko Savanovic and esteemed coach Ozan Havuzlu, who previously led the Turkish U16 men’s national team.

Now entering its 23rd edition, adidas NextGen EuroLeague will feature top U18 teams from 11 countries competing across four qualifying events. The competition provides a platform for up to 48 additional clubs to showcase their talent, while also offering former EuroLeague players the opportunity to transition into coaching roles. This year will mark adidas’ fourth season sponsoring the NextGen team.

The first qualifying round in Istanbul, hosted by Bahcesehir College Istanbul, will be followed by competitions in Munich from January 17 to 19, 2025, hosted by FC Bayern Munich; Ulm, from February 7 to 9, 2025, hosted by ratiopharm Ulm; and Belgrade from March 7 to 9, 2025, hosted by Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade.

“I’m excited to step into this role and help guide a new generation of talent. It’s a big honor to have the chance to mentor these young athletes and prepare them for the next level, both on and off the court,” said Balbay. “I will try to be a resource for them to elevate their skills and embrace a winning mentality. It’s important to help them realize what it takes to compete at a high level, both mentally and physically.”

The following players are slated to compete in the first qualifying round of the adidas NextGen EuroLeague 2025 in Istanbul:

Christopher Ebunangombe (France)
Dominique Fisher (Spain/USA)
Gerard Fernandez (Spain)
Lucas Sanchez (Spain)
Maxence Lemoine (France)
Stratos Papastavrou (Greece)
Louka Letailleur (France)
Djordje Djukanovic (Montenegro)
Jahel Trefle (France)
Daniil Stolbetskiy (Russia)
Roman Avdejev (Estonia)
Rrezon Elezay (Turkiye)