Name: Juancho Hernangomez, Panathinaikos: ‘Berlin brings back good memories’
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Did you know? - Real Madrid

- Real Madrid has the chance to win its 12th EuroLeague championship. It leads the all-time standings with 11 titles, but only three of them have come in the last 35 years. Real has won the competition in 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1995, 2015, 2018 and 2023.
- Real has a chance to win back-to-back EuroLeague titles for the first time since 1968. It won back-to-back titles twice before, in 1964-1965 and 1967-1968.
- Real is making its 13th Final Four appearance since the format was adopted in 1988. Real previously reached the Final Four in 1993, 1995, 1996, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
- Real seeks its 21st EuroLeague Championship Game appearance. It leads the all-time list. Maccabi Tel Aviv has been to 14 EuroLeague and one SuproLeague title game. CSKA Moscow has reached the EuroLeague Championship Game 14 times.
- Real has the chance to lift its 18th continental trophy. In addition to its 11 EuroLeague championships, it has won four Saporta Cups, one Korac Cup and one ULEB Cup (now known as the BKT EuroCup).
- [Rudy Fernandez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rudy-fernandez/bmt/) belongs to a select group of players to have won both the EuroLeague and the EuroCup. Fernandez won the EuroCup with DKV Joventut Badalona in 2008 and three EuroLeague crowns with Real (2015, 2018, 2023). The list includes two other Spanish players: Felipe Reyes and [Ricky Rubio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ricky-rubio/lfw/), and also features stars [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/), [Nick Calathes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-calathes/001932/) and Romain Sato.

- Fernandez, [Sergio Rodriguez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-rodriguez/cvm/) and [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) belong to a group of 26 players who have won the EuroLeague, EuroBasket and Basketball World Cup. Llull, Rodriguez and Fernandez are three of the six players on the list not hailing from the former Soviet Union or former Yugoslavia; Reyes, Rubio and Juan Carlos Navarro are the others. The list includes also all-time greats such as Arvydas Sabonis, Drazen Petrovic and Toni Kukoc.
- Fernandez headlines the short list of players to have won a World Cup, EuroBasket, EuroLeague and EuroCup. He is joined only by Dejan Tomasevic, Rubio and Reyes.
- Llull is at his 10th Final Four. He was previously there with Real in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. That ties him with Panathinaikos guard [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) who is also in his 10th Final Four. Victor Khryapa leads the list with 12 Final Four appearances. Llull is now the Spanish player with the most Final Four appearances.
- Fernandez and Rodriguez are each at their ninth Final Four. Fernandez already played the Final Four with Real in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. Rodriguez was with Real in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2023, with CSKA in 2018 and 2019, and with Milan in 2021.
- Llull and Rodriguez are the only former two EuroLeague MVPs present at the Final Four. Llull earned that honor in the 2016-17 season. Rodriguez was the 2013-14 EuroLeague MVP.
- Llull is the [fifth-best scorer in EuroLeague history](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=score). He has amassed 3,936 points in 405 EuroLeague career games. Llull ranks sixth in assists (1,390).
- Fernandez ranks [third all-time in steals](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=steals). He has collected 364 in 347 games. Calathes leads the standings with 446 steals.
- [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) is the [all-time leader in blocks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=blocksFavour). He has 420 blocked shots in 234 games.
- [Fabien Causeur](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/fabien-causeur/001392/) is the only French player to have reached the Final Four with two different foreign teams. Causeur made it to the Final Four with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2016 and with Real Madrid in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
- Fernandez, Rodriguez and Llull were all with the team in 2015, when Real won its first EuroLeague title in 20 years.
- [Llull is second on the Final Four's career scoring list, but first this century](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/key-stats-players/?size=25&misc=&category=Score&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&aggregate=accumulated&phase=FF). Llull has 198 points. Nikos Galis leads the list with 231 points.
- [Rodriguez and Llull rank first and second in assists, respectively, in Final Four history](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/key-stats-players/?size=25&misc=&category=Assistances&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&aggregate=accumulated&phase=FF). Rodriguez is the all-time leader with 70 assists. Llull is right behind with 67.
- Tavares is the only Final Four MVP award winner present at the Final Four. He was chosen as Final Four MVP last season.
- If he gets the award again, Tavares will be the fifth player to win back-to-back Final Four MVP awards, after Kukoc (1990, 1991), Dejan Bodiroga (2002, 2003), Vassilis Spanoulis (2012, 2013) and Vasilije Micic (2021, 2022).
- Rodriguez is the only Spanish-born player to win the EuroLeague with a non-Spanish team (CSKA, 2019). He is also the only Spanish player to win the EuroLeague with different teams.

- Rodriguez ranks [seventh in scoring](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=score) (3,753), [second in assists](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=assistances) (1,868), [third in three-point shots made](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=fieldGoalsMade3) (606) and [ninth in PIR](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=valuation) (4,075) in EuroLeague history.
- [Fernandez ranks second in steals in Final Four history](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/key-stats-players/?size=25&misc=&category=Steals&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&aggregate=accumulated&phase=FF). He has collected 23. J.R. Holden is first overall with 24 steals.
- Fernandez, Rodriguez and Llull can win their fourth EuroLeague title. Only 12 players have won four or more continental crowns since European competitions started in 1958. Dino Meneghin leads the list with seven championships.
- Tavares is the only player from Cape Verde to have won the EuroLeague.
- Tavares ranks [sixth all-time in two-point shooting percentage](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=fieldGoals2Percent) (67.6%, 878 of 1,298). [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) is the all-time leader (75.1% 2FG) followed by [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) of Olympiacos Piraeus (72.7%).
- [Alberto Abalde](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alberto-abalde/003733/) and [Eli Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/eli-ndiaye/009213/) are Adidas Next Generation Tournament MVPs who also won the EuroLeague title. Abalde was the ANGT MVP in 2013 with Joventut Badalona. Ndiaye was chosen as the 2022 ANGT MVP with Real. Both won the EuroLeague with Real in 2023. Luka Doncic is the only other player to get both – he was the ANGT MVP in 2015 and won the EuroLeague in 2018 with Real.
- [Gabriel Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/gabriel-deck/009005/) and [Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) are two of just six Argentineans who have won the EuroLeague. The list also features Hugo Sconochini (Virtus 1998, 2001), Manu Ginobili (Virtus 2001), Pepe Sanchez (Panathinaikos 2002) and Andres Nocioni (Real 2015).

FINAL FOUR TEAM FACTS

Los Blancos bring their own pedigree to the Final Four, both the club and its players. Here are some of the Final Four facts about Real Madrid.

Final Four team facts: Real Madrid

Real Madrid v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-05-24T19:00:00.000Z)

The Reds bring their own pedigree to the Final Four, both the club and its players. Here are some of the Final Four facts about Olympiacos.

 Final Four team facts: Olympiacos Piraeus 

- Olympiacos is at its 13th Final Four. Its last nine appearances have come over the last 15 years - 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Olympiacos has the chance to win its fourth EuroLeague championship.
- Olympiacos is one of four teams that have won back-to-back EuroLeague crowns in the Final Four era. Olympiacos won back-to-back EuroLeague titles in 2012 and 2013. KK Split (1989, 1990, 1991), Maccabi Tel Aviv (2004, 2005) and Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2022, 2023) are also on this exclusive list.
- Olympiacos is 9-3 in EuroLeague Semifinals. Only Maccabi (10-2) has a better semifinals record, with one of those wins coming in the 2001 SuproLeague Final Four.
- [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) won back-to-back EuroLeague championships with Olympiacos in 2012 and 2013.
- Papanikolaou and [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) played in the 2017 EuroLeague Championship Game. Three more players from that game are at the 2024 Final Four: Kostas Sloukas, Melih Mahmutoglu and Ioannis Papapetrou.
- Papanikolaou is one of three Rising Star Trophy winners at this Final Four. Papanikolaou was chosen as the 2012-13 EuroLeague Rising Star He is joined by Yam Madar of Fenerbahce (2022-23) and Rudy Fernandez of Real Madrid (2006-07).

- [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) has a rare chance to win consecutive EuroLeague championships with different teams. He won the EuroLeague with Real Madrid last season. Dejan Bodiroga (Panathinaikos 2002, Barca 2003), Sarunas Jasikevicius (Barca 2003, Maccabi Tel Aviv 2004) and Ramunas Siskauskas (Panathinaikos Athens 2007, CSKA Moscow 2008) are the only players to date to do so.
- [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) is one of two EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy winners present at the 2024 Final Four. Walter Tavares of Real Madrid is the other.
- Head coach [Georgios Bartzokas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/bartzokas-georgios/?season=E2023) is at his fifth Final Four. He won the EuroLeague with Olympiacos Piraeus in 2013, took Lokomotiv Kuban to the 2016 Final Four, and has returned with the Reds in each of the last three seasons.
- Bartzokas is one of two Greek coaches to win the EuroLeague. He led Olympiacos to the 2013 crown. Dimitris Itoudis (CSKA 2015, 2018) is the other.
- Bartzokas is a three-time Aleksander Gomelskiy EuroLeague Coach of the Year award winner. He was chosen as the Coach of the Year in 2013, 2022, 2023, and is the only coach to win the award in consecutive seasons. Zeljko Obradovic also won the award three times: in 2007, 2011 and 2017.
- [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) has a chance to win his second EuroLeague title. He previously lifted the trophy with Anadolu Efes Istanbul in 2022.
- [Papanikolaou ranks second all-time in games started](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=gamesStarted). He has started in 308 EuroLeague games. Nick Calathes of Fenerbahce is the all-time leader with 309 EuroLeague starts.
- [Papanikolaou ranks ninth all-time in steals](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=steals) at 303. Calathes leads the charts with 446 steals.
- [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) won the EuroLeague with CSKA Moscow in 2019.
- [Peters ranks seventh all-time in three-point shooting accuracy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=fieldGoals3Percent). He has made 229 of 510 three-pointers (44.9%). Only one player has a better percentage with at least 500 three-point shots taken: Petteri Koponen (247 of 535, 46.2% 3FG).

- [Peters ranks third in three-point shooting this season](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=fieldGoals3Percent). Peters made 51.2% of his three-point shots. Tarik Biberovic of Fenerbahce is first (54.4% 3FG).
- [Walkup ranks second in steals this season](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=steals). He has averaged 1.6 steals in 38 games, and only LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne playmaker Paris Lee (1.7 spg.) is ahead of him.
- [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) ranks [second all-time in two-point shooting percentage](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=fieldGoals2Percent). He has made 458 of 630 two-point shots (72.7%). Donta Hall of AS Monaco is first overall at 75.1%.
- [Fall leads the 2023-24 EuroLeague in two-point shooting percentage](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=fieldGoals2Percent). He has made 110 of 139 attempts inside the arc (79.1% 2FG).
- [Milutinov leads the competition in PIR per 40 minute](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perMinute&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=valuation)s. Milutinov has a PIR average of 32.1 per 40 minutes.
- [Olympiacos leads the 2023-24 EuroLeague in steals](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/key-stats-teams/?size=1000&misc=&seasonCode=E2023&category=Steals&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&aggregate=perGame). The Reds have taken 7.1 swipes per game on average.
- Olympiacos has allowed the fewest points per game this season with 74.4. The Reds lead this statistical category for the second consecutive season: they allowed a league-low 75.2 points per night in the 2022-23 campaign.

Final Four team facts: Olympiacos Piraeus

ALBA Berlin has confirmed the signing of Will McDowell-White, who has joined from the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL.

Will McDowell-White joins ALBA Berlin

ALBA Berlin has announced the signing of [Will McDowell-White](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/william-mcdowell-white/008062/) on a two-year deal.

McDowell-White (1.96 meters, 26 years old) joins the German club from the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL, where he averaged 9.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 24 games last season.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Welcome to ALBA, Will! 💛💙<br><br>Vertrag ab der kommenden Spielzeit: Der 26-jährige Point Guard Will McDowell-White hat für zwei Saisons bei uns unterschrieben. Zuletzt war der australische Nationalspieler für die <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NZBreakers</a> in der NBL aktiv. <a href="https://t.co/FG7zjKnooy">pic.twitter.com/FG7zjKnooy</a></p>&mdash; ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/albaberlin/status/1790700293912453516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Australian guard returns to Europe after previously playing for Brose Bamberg (2017-19), although he did spend the large bulk of the 2017-18 season on loan at second division side Baunach. He played two games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague for Bamberg in 2017-18, scoring a total of 3 points in an average of 2:19 minutes on the floor.

McDowell-White started his career with the Brisbane Spartans in his native Australia before heading to the Sydney Kings for the 2016-17 campaign. After his two years in Germany, he spent time with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the G League, then returned to Australia in 2021 to sign for the Breakers. 

Now, at 26 and with more experience under his belt, McDowell-White returns to Germany, looking to leave his mark on the EuroLeague.

More ALBA News

New ALBA Berlin signing Will McDowell-White in action for the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL.

He has penned a two-year deal at the club

Will McDowell-White joins ALBA

The power forward sat down with Geoff Gillingham at the Greens’ Final Four media day

Juancho Hernangomez, Panathinaikos: ‘Berlin brings back good memories’

He may be in his debut Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, but [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens is already getting ready to compete in his first Final Four.

The Greens reached the Final Four for the first time in 12 years after defeating Maccabi Playtikq Tel Aviv 3-2 in a thrilling playoff series. The scenes at OAKA afterward are something Juancho will never forget.

“All of OAKA was amazing,” Juancho tells [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net)’s Geoff Gillingham. “It was one of the best experiences in my life. We got the win and it was a really happy moment.”

Next week will see the 28-year-old head to Berlin, where he starred with the Spanish national team in the knockout stages of EuroBasket 2022. Notably, Juancho netted 27 points in the championship game as Spain defeated France to become European champions.

“Berlin brings back good memories,” Juancho comments. “I \[hope\] we feel the same, getting the title. It’s going to be really hard, we’ve got to work really hard for that. We deserve to win, we’re going to fight for the win, and we are pretty confident.”

Juancho is a basketball star who is known across the globe, but his stardom went to another level after appearing in the hit movie “Hustle” alongside Adam Sandler and a number of NBA stars. The Panathinaikos forward even revealed that Sandler almost came to Game 5 against Maccabi and could be present at the Final Four in Berlin. 

“I’m still talking with Adam Sandler and he keeps in touch every couple of weeks,” Juancho says. “We’re talking, and he follows the EuroLeague. 

“He was close to coming for Game 5 \[against Maccabi\], I told him to - I think he was in London or Germany doing some movie. I will tell him he can come to the Final Four, but for sure if we win, he will be happy for me.”

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four arrived to the German capital for the first time in 2009. It didn't disappoint anyone, on or off the court, elevating the Final Four standards to new heights. Here's what happened when the best weekend in world basketball landed in Berlin for the first time!

### The games: Down to the wire!

CSKA Moscow, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, Olympiacos Piraeus and FC Barcelona all made it to the Final Four. Panathinaikos and Olympiacos went against each other in one of the semifinals, bringing one of the greatest rivalries in sport to the biggest city in Germany. Their 2009 semifinal thriller remains the last showdown between the Greek powerhouses at a Final Four. The game went down to the final shot, missed by Ioannis Bourousis, allowing [Panathinaikos to edge Olympiacos 82-84](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2008-09/olympiacos-piraeus-panathinaikos-athens/E2008/185/) behind 20 points from Nikola Pekovic. [CSKA outlasted Barca 78-82](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2008-09/regal-fc-barcelona-cska-moscow/E2008/186/) in the other semifinal. Ramunas Siskauskas was the hero after scoring 18 of his career-high 29 points in the fourth quarter – including all the points in a 0-11 run that gave CSKA its first lead. The championship game was just as dramatic. [Panathinaikos beat CSKA 73-71](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2008-09/panathinaikos-athens-cska-moscow/E2008/188/) but only after Siskauskas's potential game-winning shot attempt went in and out at the buzzer. CSKA rallied from a 23-point deficit but came up short. Vassilis Spanoulis of Panathinaikos had 13 points and was chosen as the 2009 Final Four MVP. The margins of victory in the semifinals and championship game added up to 8 points, making it the most competitive Final Four in do-or-die games until then. Top-class basketball quality, close games and outstanding players stepping up were what the 2009 Final Four was all about.

### Incredible atmosphere

There were concerns about Panathinaikos and Olympiacos fans being in the same building as their teams fought for a spot in the championship game. The semifinals turned out to be a basketball party that both teams helped ensure with their passionate support. Players and coaches on all four teams said afterward that the special atmosphere created by the fans contributed to the high quality of the games. A similar atmosphere prevailed in the championship game between CSKA and Panathinaikos. The fans played big roles in a flawless night of exceptional basketball at the first Final Four in Berlin, turning it into a truly great event!

### Navarro crowned MVP

As always, a lot happened during the Final Four weekend. A ceremonial Saturday party on saw Juan Carlos Navarro of Barca crowned MVP, joining Terrell McIntyre of Montepaschi, Igor Rakocevic of Tau Ceramica, Nikola Pekovic of Panathinaikos and Ioannis Bourousis of Olympiacos on the All-Euroleague First Team. The court at Uber Arena was transformed into a concert stage for what was the most original Euroleague Official Awards Ceremony until then. In fact, Uber Arena also hosted the post-awards party. The arena scoreboard was lowered to the floor to form a massive stage backdrop. Three scoreboard panels showed an audience of 1,500 all the best plays and players of the season.

### Around the Final Four

The weather even cooperated as players took bike rides through the parks to relax and fans took in the sights, sounds and nightlife of Berlin. One side event was downright moving: the visit by almost a dozen Final Four players and local legends to the Children's Cancer Station at the local Virchow Hospital. Most of the young patients were chairbound and accompanied by at least one parent. They all were thankful for a boost in spirits, which the big visitors – at least two players from each of the Final Four teams, plus local legends like Patrick Femerling and the late Ademola Okulaja – were more than happy to provide during an hour-long visit full of gifts, handshakes, conversation, autographs and picture-taking.

### A junior tournament to remember

People still talk about what arguably is the best final ever in the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament. The 2009 ANGT Championship Game, played at Uber Arena on Sunday morning, featured FMP Belgrade and Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius. Both teams were undefeated before the championship game and displayed their best basketball. [FMP beat Rytas 123-110](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/game-center/2008-09/lietuvos-rytas-fmp/JT08/82/) – with no overtimes – in an unforgettable basketball show. Dejan Musli led the winners with 31 points, 17 rebounds, 3 blocks and a PIR of 46. Nenad Miljenovic, who was 16 years old at the time, barely missed a triple-double with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists. Mantas Kadzevicius led Rytas with 25 points while future EuroCup Rising Star center Jonas Valanciunas added 22, 13 rebounds and a PIR of 32.

 Memories of the 2009 Final Four in Berlin

There are some guys in the BKT EuroCup who can simply fly! Check out some of their high-flying heroics with the 10 best dunks from the Season! 

 Top 10 Dunks | Season | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup 

There are some guys in the BKT EuroCup who can simply fly! Check out some of their high-flying heroics with the 10 best dunks from the Season!

Top 10 Dunks | Season | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup

The 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague has been home to some of the most outstanding basketball plays on the planet. EuroLeague fans spoke as they voted Moses Wright of Olympiacos Piraeus as the winner of the 2023-24 Magic Moment of the Season presented by Motorola.

Fans choose Wright's block as Magic Moment presented by Motorola for 2023-24

The 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague has been home to some of the most outstanding basketball plays on the planet. EuroLeague fans spoke as they voted Moses Wright of Olympiacos Piraeus as the winner of the 2023-24 Magic Moment of the Season presented by Motorola.

During Game 3 of the playoff series between Olympiacos and FC Barcelona, Tomas Satoransky of Barca fed Jan Vesely for what looked to be a clear dunk attempt. Wright had other ideas, sending the ball to the fourth row with a huge block. At that moment, Olympiacos led Barca 67-63 with less than 3 minutes left and the crowd at Peace and Friendship Stadium erupted in joy, feeding off Wright's outstanding energy and post-block reaction. It goes down as one of the best blocks ever in the EuroLeague Playoffs.

Wright easily secured the most votes from the fans with more than twice as many as the other four candidates combined. Jerian Grant of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens's block of Jaleen Smith of Virtus Segafredo Bologna came in second place, followed by a huge put-back dunk by Codi Miller-McIntyre of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in third.

Wright, 25, is the eighth Magic Moment of the Season winner. Dante Exum of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade was last season's winner with a sensational one-handed dunk in traffic. The other Magic Moment of the Season winners are Anthony Randolph, who won the award in its inaugural 2016-17 season; Jan Vesely, then of Fenerbahce, who is the only player to win it multiple times, having done so in 2017-18, 2018-19 and again in 2020-21; Deni Avdija with Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in 2019-20, and Kostas Sloukas, then with Olympiacos, who claimed the award for 2021-22. 

The 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague has been home to some of the most outstanding basketball plays on the planet. Now, EuroLeague fans have spoked and voted Moses Wright of Olympiacos Piraeus as the winner of the 2023-24 Magic Moment of the Season.

Fans choose Wright's block as the Magic Moment of the 2023-24 season!

AS Monaco superstar Mike James did not know he was going to be named as the 2023-24 EuroLeague MVP until he walked right into the trophy before Tuesday's practice. Euroleague Basketball had the MVP Trophy brought to Monaco and planted a camera beside it to catch James’s reaction.

All of his Monaco teammates knew the plan and blocked the trophy as the unsuspecting James came onto the court. Instead of joining the team huddle, James was pushed right up to the trophy and thus learned that he had joined a list of EuroLeague stars as the competition’s latest MVP!

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Teammates and coach surprised the 2023-24 EuroLeague MVP with his award yesterday 👏💯<a href="
https://twitter.com/TheNatural_05?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheNatural_05</a>
| <a href="
https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ASMonaco_Basket</a>
<a href="
https://t.co/bGfyd9LhRs">pic.twitter.com/bGfyd9LhRs</a></p>&mdash;
Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="
https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1790686081060311474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May
15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"
charset="utf-8"></script>

Check out how Mike James learned he was named EuroLeague MVP

Euroleague Basketball and Spalding are pleased to announce that their long-time cooperation will continue through 2027. Spalding will remain an Official Euroleague Partner and the Official Game Ball Provider for all Euroleague Basketball competitions: the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, the BKT EuroCup and the Adidas Next Generation Tournament.

Spalding to remain Official Game Ball of Euroleague Basketball through 2027

#### Spalding has been a partner since 2012-13

#### The deal covers the EuroLeague, EuroCup and ANGT

Euroleague Basketball and Spalding are pleased to announce that their long-time cooperation will continue through 2027. Spalding will remain an Official Euroleague Partner and the Official Game Ball Provider for all Euroleague Basketball competitions: the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, the BKT EuroCup and the Adidas Next Generation Tournament.

Spalding is a valued and prominent member on the list of world-class brands and industry leaders that make up Euroleague Basketball's family of official partners.

"We are thrilled to continue our longstanding partnership with Spalding, a brand synonymous with quality and innovation in basketball," Paulius Motiejunas, Euroleague Basketball CEO, said. "Spalding has been the trusted provider of the official game ball for Euroleague Basketball competitions, and we are excited to continue working together to elevate the game and provide the best possible experience for players and fans alike."

"For the past 12 years, Spalding has been a proud Official Euroleague Partner. This extension underscores our commitment to delivering top-notch equipment that meets the demands of elite athletes and further solidifies Spalding's position as a trusted partner in the global basketball community," Tadd Reilly, Vice President of Spalding International, said. "We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Euroleague Basketball and to many more years of exciting basketball action ahead across Europe and beyond."

This partnership dates back to the start of the 2012-13 season when Spalding collaborated with some of the EuroLeague's top stars to develop an exclusive basketball for all Euroleague Basketball competitions. Since then, Spalding balls have been at the center of the excitement for all EuroLeague, EuroCup and ANGT games. And that will remain the case with the exclusive ball for the 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four and the next three seasons in all affiliated competitions.

A pick-and-roll genius whose side-step three-pointers were copied around the world, Vassilis Spanoulis defined what it means to be a clutch player in the EuroLeague. 

Final Four club legend: Vassilis Spanoulis, Olympiacos

A pick-and-roll genius whose side-step three-pointers were copied around the world, Vassilis Spanoulis defined what it means to be a clutch player in the EuroLeague. His legacy was built on game-changing performances on the biggest stage, assisting Georgios Printezis for the shot of last decade to win the first 2012 EuroLeague title, the first for Olympiacos Piraeus in 15 years, and then blowing up the next season's championship game with 5 three-pointers among 22 second-half points to complete a 17-point comeback that made the Reds back-to-back champions. Spanoulis finished his career as the EuroLeague's all-time leading scorer, with 4,455 points, and remains the only player in the competition to have amassed more than 4,000 points and 1,500 assists. His abilities to shoot, create, draw fouls and close out games was unparalleled in the modern history of the European game.

The player who was synonymous with Panathinaikos green is both a club and EuroLeague legend.

 Final Four club legend: Dimitris Diamantidis, Panathinaikos 

Arguably, no player in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history has contributed so much at both ends of the floor to his team's success as [Dimitris Diamantidis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dimitris-diamantidis/jko/) did for Panathinaikos Athens. He was able to lock down all sorts of opponents on defense but also make the difference on offense with his passing skills and clutch shots. Diamantidis won EuroLeague titles with Panathinaikos in 2007, 2009 and 2011, reaching two more Final Fours in 2005 and 2012. Diamantidis was the Best Defender Trophy's original winner, an award for which EuroLeague head coaches voted him the winner as many as six times. He was chosen as the 2007 Final Four MVP and did even better in 2011, when he became the only player to date to win the EuroLeague MVP, Final Four MVP and Best Defender awards in the same season. Diamantidis was chosen to the All-EuroLeague First Team four times and his #13 jersey now hangs, retired, at OAKA, scene of his greatest exploits.

Final Four club legend: Dimitris Diamantidis, Panathinaikos

No player had a bigger impact on the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague at so young an age as Luka Doncic for Real Madrid. 

Final Four club legend: Luka Doncic, Real Madrid

No player had a bigger impact on the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague at so young an age as Luka Doncic for Real Madrid. Doncic made his EuroLeague debut at age 16 and started his first Final Four game months after his 18th birthday, days after being voted the 2016-17 EuroLeague Rising Star. By the 2017-18 season, Doncic was ready to take over. He not only repeated as the competition's Rising Star but went on to win the EuroLeague MVP award and led Real to its 10th title, also earning 2018 Final Four MVP honors. His basketball IQ, one-on-one skills and overall talent was unprecedented for so young a player. Doncic joined Real at age 13 and has always supported Los Blancos since he left, not missing an important game in football or basketball. The 2017-18 campaign is often referred as the "Luka Doncic season", on in which a teenager took the competition by storm to become a global basketball icon!

Bogdan Bogdanovic helped take Fenerbahce Istanbul to the next level in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. Before he joined the team in 2014, Fenerbahce had never made it to the Final Four. 

Final Four club legend: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Fenerbahce

Bogdan Bogdanovic helped take Fenerbahce Istanbul to the next level in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. Before he joined the team in 2014, Fenerbahce had never made it to the Final Four. Three years later, Bogdanovic left the club holding the EuroLeague trophy and considered one of the risings stars in world basketball. Bogdanovic won his second EuroLeague Rising Star award in the 2014-15 campaign, his first season with Fenerbahce, in which he helped his team reach its first-ever Final Four. A year later, Bogdanovic took Fenerbahce to the EuroLeague Championship Game, losing against CSKA Moscow in overtime. Bogdanovic bounced back in style, excelling in a EuroLeague playoffs series against Panathinaikos, reaching the 2016-17 All-EuroLeague First Team and above all, helping Fenerbahce become the first Turkish team to win the EuroLeague title. "Bogi" remains a fan favorite for Fenerbahce fans everywhere!

The 29-year-old sits down with Euroleague.net’s Geoff Gillingham as he prepares for his third straight Final Four

Nigel Williams-Goss, Olympiacos: ‘The bigger the moment, the better I play’

Olympiacos Piraeus guard [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) certainly has a knack of shining in the postseason – and he’s looking to become just the fourth player to win back-to-back Turkish Airlines EuroLeague titles with different clubs.

Last year, Williams-Goss increased his numbers in the postseason. He notably scored 22 points in Game 3 as Real Madrid won at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, which proved to be the catalyst for Los Blancos getting the series back on track after falling down 2-0. Then, at the Final Four, he had 10 points in the semifinals and 9 points in the championship game as Real became the EuroLeague champion.

Williams-Goss returned to Olympiacos last summer, having started his EuroLeague career with the Reds in the 2018-19 season, and played a key role in guiding the club to the playoffs. Once in the postseason, Williams-Goss scored 8 points or more in all five games as Olympiacos joined Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul by becoming the first-ever teams to win a Game 5 on the road – and both on the same night.

It was another example of Williams-Goss rising to the occasion.

“I think that’s something that’s always been inside of me ever since I was young,” Williams-Goss tells [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net)’s Geoff Gillingham. “The bigger the moment, the better I play. I’ve always thrived in those big moments. My mind kind of just leaves and I follow my instincts. I love going to the postseason, obviously the Final Four. This is what I work so hard for all year round.”

Real Madrid came into the 2023-24 EuroLeague season as defending champion and led the standings from start to finish heading for the Final Four.

Record-setting Real Madrid’s march to Berlin 

After setting a regular-season record with 27 victories, the winningest team in EuroLeague history heads to Berlin looking for the club’s 12th crown. And it knows it can lean on head coach Chus Mateo and veteran scorer Sergio Llull to lead the way. 

“We never retreat,” Mateo proudly said of his team while still on the court just after winning the championship last season in Kaunas, Lithuania. “When they problems came, we react.”  

Llull – one of four returnees from Los Blancos’s 2015 triumph – set the competition’s career record in three-pointers earlier this season and will add to his Final Four scoring mark with every basket he nets in Berlin. 

“I am really happy to get it,” Llull said the night in April when he became the all-time leader in three-pointers. “I am really proud. But the important thing is the team.”

With Mateo and Llull at the helm, Real Madrid fans have many reasons to look forward to the games in Berlin. 

After setting a regular-season record with 27 victories, the winningest team in EuroLeague history heads to Berlin looking for the club’s 12th crown. And it knows it can lean on head coach Chus Mateo and veteran scorer Sergio Llull to lead the way.

Record-setting Real Madrid’s road to Berlin

Coach Iisalo guided Paris to the top of the podium in their first season together

Tribute to the Champs: Tuomas Iisalo

Tuomas Iisalo continued his rapid rise into the conversation of the best coaches on the continent by leading Paris Basketball to the BKT EuroCup championship in their first season together. Under Iisalo’s tutelage, Paris reeled off a 22-1 record, including sweeps in both the EuroCup Semifinals and Finals. All of that led to him being named EuroCup Coach of the Year.  

The 41-year-old from Finland did not simply sit back and watch his team steamroll through the competition, but as his players attested to time and again in interviews during and after the season, Iisalo put his players through the ringer in practices, which were more intense than games. And those trying practices ensured that Paris was ready for whatever they came up against on the court.

Iisalo’s brilliance was not just the strategy, but the way he got all his player to buy in. He was open to taking input from his charges as well and thus built a close and united squad that only got stronger as the season progressed. 

The EuroCup was Iisalo’s second continental trophy in as many years after guiding Telekom Baskets Bonn to the FIBA Basketball Champions League crown in 2023. A shooting guard on the Finnish national team during his playing days, Iisalo began coaching in his home country with Tapiolan Honka in 2014 before heading to Germany the following season. He spent five seasons with Crailsheim Merlins, which he guided from the second division to fifth place in the top league. Then came two successful seasons with Bonn before he came to Paris – along with six of his players – to continue making history. 

After another unforgettable season, Mike James of AS Monaco has been chosen by fans, media, team captains and head coaches as the MVP of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. The dynamic guard was the leader of a Monaco side that set a club record for wins as they reached the playoffs for the third straight season together and came within one win of the Final Four.

 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP: Mike James, AS Monaco 

After another unforgettable season, [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) of AS Monaco has been chosen by fans, media, team captains and head coaches as the MVP of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. The dynamic guard was the leader of a Monaco side that set a club record for wins as they reached the playoffs for the third straight season together and came within one win of the Final Four.

James scored in double digits in all but one of his 39 games this season, ranking second in scoring at 17.9 points per game. He improved his three-point shooting from 27.3% last season to 37.2% in the 2023-24 campaign, while also averaging a career-high 4.1 rebounds per night, ranking seventh in assists (5.1 apg.) and third in PIR (19.4). Along the way, James became the EuroLeague's all-time leading scorer, adding even more light to his MVP season. James set the record in a home game against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade when he passed Vassilis Spanoulis.

He showed off his scoring arsenal all season long, whether draining his trademark step-back three-pointers or attacking the rim, from which he got to the foul line often. Accordingly, James was second in the league in fouls drawn (182), free throws made (149) and free throws attempted (193).

After another unforgettable season, Mike James of AS Monaco has been chosen by fans, media, team captains and head coaches as the MVP of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. The dynamic guard was the leader of a Monaco side that set a club record for wins as they reached the playoffs for the third straight season together and came within one win of the Final Four. 

James scored in double digits in all but one of his 39 games this season, ranking second in scoring at 17.9 points per game. He improved his three-point shooting from 27.3% last season to 37.2% in the 2023-24 campaign, while also averaging a career-high 4.1 rebounds per night, ranking seventh in assists (5.1 apg.) and third in PIR (19.4). Along the way, James became the EuroLeague's all-time leading scorer, adding even more light to his MVP season. James set the record in a home game against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade when he passed Vassilis Spanoulis.

2023-24 EUROLEAGUE MVP | Mike JAMES | AS Monaco

James started the season with a bang, averaging 19.0 points and 5.6 assists in an early five-game winning streak that put Monaco in the top part of the standings. Between Rounds 10 and 18, James scored at least 20 points in seven games, reaching 28 points twice in road victories at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and FC Bayern Munich. He was at the heart of Monaco's 98-74 rout of top-ranked Real Madrid 98-74 with 15 points, 6 rebounds and a season-high 12 assists for a PIR of 32. James was naturally instrumental in his team's final regular season push, as Monaco won 12 of its last 13 regular season games to finish third in the standings with a 23-11 record before losing to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in a series with unprecedented drama: Fenerbahce won Game 5 in overtime.

James started his EuroLeague career with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, which he helped reach the Final Four in 2016. He went on to play for Panathinaikos Athens, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and CSKA Moscow before joining Monaco. James won the 2018-19 Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy with Milan. A four-time All-EuroLeague selection, James becomes the first American player to receive the MVP award since Anthony Parker claimed it in 2005 and 2006 for Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The list of EuroLeague MVP winners starts with Parker, the only player to claim the award twice. Theo Papaloukas of CSKA was the 2006-07 MVP, followed by Ramunas Siskauskas also of CSKA (2007-08), Juan Carlos Navarro of FC Barcelona (2008-09), Milos Teodosic of Olympiacos Piraeus (2009-10), Dimitris Diamantidis of Panathinaikos (2010-11), Andrei Kirilenko of CSKA (2011-12), Vassilis Spanoulis of Olympiacos (2012-13), Sergio Rodriguez of Real (2013-14), Nemanja Bjelica of Fenerbahce (2014-15), Nando De Colo of CSKA (2015-16), Sergio Llull of Real Madrid (2016-17), Luka Doncic of Real Madrid (2017-18), Jan Vesely of Fenerbahce (2018-19), Vasilije Micic of Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2020-21), Nikola Mirotic of Barcelona (2021-22) and last season's winner, Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The MVP with his trophy 🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNatural_05?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheNatural_05</a> <a href="https://t.co/5PRLcrvljs">https://t.co/5PRLcrvljs</a> <a href="https://t.co/2tRMluFNXR">pic.twitter.com/2tRMluFNXR</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1790356800094474691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

James captures the league's top individual honor for the first time
