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The Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals is not just about the battle on the court for the trophy. The players also get a chance to learn about some of the most important issues on and off the court thanks to the annual Players' Educational Session, this season with two-time EuroLeague champion Dogus Balbay and former Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and NBA player Bostjan Nachbar piquing the youngsters’ interest. 

Balbay, Nachbar helped give on- and off-court lessons to NextGen players

The Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals is not just about the battle on the court for the trophy. The players also get a chance to learn about some of the most important issues on and off the court thanks to the annual Players' Educational Session, this season with two-time EuroLeague champion Dogus Balbay and former Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and NBA player Bostjan Nachbar piquing the youngsters’ interest. 

One of the main messages from Balbay, who played 12 seasons in the EuroLeague and lifted the title in 2021 and 2022 with Anadolu Efes Istanbul, was how to deal with injuries that will eventually happen. 

“Don’t ask: why me? Just work on staying focused and look ahead to the next day,” Balbay told the players gathered at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi. 

Balbay talks with experience on the matter, having battled through two ACL tears during his playing days. 

“They made me tougher mentally. Getting hurt is part of the game, but I stood up and made a long career.” 

The 36-year-old, who this season coached the NextGen selection teams at the four qualifying tournaments, also talked to the players about making sure they do at least one thing great and to work on it every day. That will help the players make a name for themselves and it will in turn aid the development of their character. 

Balbay also reminded the players that scouts and player personnel bosses are not just watching the highlight plays they make.

"When NBA scouts and GMs are watching them all season long, it’s not about the stats," he said. "They want to see how you interact with your teammates, how you carry yourself on the court, what you do after a missed shot or turnover, how you handle bad calls, or how you get subbed out and approach the bench. These are some of the small details that they might not be aware of playing at a young age. I know I wasn’t aware of that when I was playing early on."

Nachbar played six years in the NBA and eight in the EuroLeague and currently serves as the managing director of the EuroLeague Players Association (ELPA). And he has been speaking at the educational sessions for many years now. 

His prevailing message to the players this time around was don’t just worry about scoring. 

“Impact the game when your shots are not falling," he said. "Nowadays too many guys are focusing on making shots that are highlights whereas there are so many different ways of impacting the game. If you want to be a complete player that’s how you have to approach the game. Find the ways to impact the game even when you’re not having your best day."

Nachbar said he wishes there was more time to talk to the players than just the 30 minutes at the end of one of the days during the tournament.

“This is super important. I wish we could do more with more time and split it into different sessions with different parts and talk about this transition from junior to pro," he said. "There are so many layers to it and so many things that people have to focus on, but you can’t compact it all into 30 minutes."

Still, he is grateful for the chance to at least give the youngsters a taste of what’s out there. 

“It’s great because it gives the players the opportunity to see a little bit how the pros – or former pros – are thinking,” Nachbar said. 

And the messages were well-received by the players. 

“It’s a great education for us. There are a lot of things to learn for our future,” said [Ignas Stombergas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/ignas-stombergas/012981/) of the eventual champion [U18 Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/teams/u18-zalgiris-kaunas/jza/). “A professional career is full of hard work and hard things such as injuries. You just need to stay strong mentally and do the best for yourself.”

When asked what he learned, [U18 Pole France INSEP Paris](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/teams/u18-pole-france-insep-paris/jin/) forward [Nathan Soliman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/nathan-soliman/013061/) said: “Even if you’re bad or having a bad day or your shooting isn’t good, you have to stay focused and be ready for the next game. This is really good because we learn a lot from their experiences.” 

The main takeaway for [Achille Lonati](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/achille-lonati/012113/) from [U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/teams/u18-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/jmi/) was dealing with injuries. 

“I learned about having injuries and being mentally strong. Don’t let yourself get down by things you cannot control,” said Lonati, who was appreciative of the chance to listen to input from Balbay and Nachbar. 

“It’s amazing to be able to listen to these people who have achieved what we want to achieve and hear about their lives.”

While only one team was able to hoist the trophy, all the players learned some valuable lessons that will make them that much better in their future careers. 

The players competing at the NextGen Finals gained some valuable lessons from the two ex-pros

Dominykas Grunkis etched his name in the annals of Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals history by claiming the Most Valuable Trophy as U18 Zalgiris Kaunas ended an 18-year doubt to capture the club’s third title in the illustrious competition. 

Dominykas Grunkis takes home MVP trophy after ending Zalgiris title drought 

[Dominykas Grunkis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/players/dominykas-grunkis/013621/) etched his name in the annals of Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals history by claiming the Most Valuable Trophy as [U18 Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/teams/u18-zalgiris-kaunas/jza/) ended an 18-year doubt to capture the club’s third title in the illustrious competition. 

Grunkis scored 11 points, grabbed 2 rebounds and had 7 assists in [Zalgiris’s 89-81 victory over U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/news/jtf424-next-gen-dubai-report-final-milan-zalgiris/) in the NextGen Championship Game. The Zalgiris guard was joined on the All-Tournament Team by the Milan duo of Luigo Suigo and Achille Lonati, Ognjen Srzentic of U18 Mega Super Belgrade, and U18 Real Madrid's Sidi Gueye. 

For the tournament, Grunkis, who was only four months old when Zalgiris celebrated title number two in 2007, averaged 13.2 points on 53 percent three-point shooting, 2.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists for a performance index rating average of 14.2. His biggest performance came in the team’s opening game – an overtime win over U18 Pole France INSEP Paris in which he scored 28 points with 6 three-pointers. Grunkis did not finish in the top 10 of any statistical category. 

Suigo, for his part, collected 21 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists for a PIR of 33 in Milan’s first-ever Championship Game. He finished with 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.2 blocks for an average efficiency of 21.5. Suigo ranked second in PIR, seventh in points and fourth in rebounds. 

Lonati poured in 26 points with 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 block for a 22 PIR in the Championship Game. The guard averaged 23.8 points with 48 percent shooting, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks for a PIR average of 22.8. He was fourth in PIR, first in scoring, eighth in assists and second in steals. 

Gueye tried all he could to lead Real to a third straight crown, but it wasn’t enough. The center tallied 17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks for a tournament-best 24.7 PIR. Gueye also was sixth in scoring and fourth in rebounds. 

The other All-Tournament Team member was Srzentic, who tallied 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals for a PIR of 20.7. He ranked sixth in PIR and second in points. 

He grabs the top honor after Zalgiris win first NextGen crown since 2007

Dominykas Grunkis takes home MVP trophy after ending Zalgiris's title drought 

U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v U18 Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-05-25T09:30:00.000Z)

U18 Zalgiris Kaunas was crowned 2024-25 Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals champion by beating U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 81-89 in Sunday’s Championship Game. The Lithuanians have joined Real Madrid and CSKA Moscow in an exclusive group of only three clubs to have ever lifted three or more Championships. A game of runs saw the Italian side take a 51-49 edge into the second half, when Zalgiris’s defence tightened up to contain Milan’s offensive weapons, handing their rivals its first defeat of the tournament.

Kajus Mikalauskas paced Zalgiris with 20 points and Majus Bulanovas scored 19, having gone 5-for-8 from deep. Ilja Kurucs bagged 15 points, Dovydas Buika netted 12 and Dominykas Grunkis added 11.

For Milan, Achille Lonati had 26 points, with Luigi Suigo completing a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds. Diego Garavaglia registered 13 points and Guglielmo Youssef got 10 in a losing effort.

Milan netted the first two buckets of the game, but Zalgiris responded with a 0-7 run fueled by Mikalauskas. The Italian side went on a 11-2 surge to take a 18-12 lead after a Lonati triple. The Italian guard drilled another one from deep, taking his tally to 14 first-quarter points, but Majus Bulanovas answered from beyond the arc, trimming the deficit to 31-25 after 10 minutes.

A 9-3 spurt allowed Milan to grab a double-digit lead early in the second quarter, but Zalgiris tightened up its defense and replied with a 4-19 run to grab a 44-47 cushion. Yet, another triple from Lonati was followed by buckets from Garavaglia and Suigo, who gave Milan a 51-49 edge at halftime.

Zalgiris opened the third quarter with a 2-12 surge, as Milan went scoreless for the first 5 minutes of the second half. Michele Catalani’s side fought back, with Youssef adding 6 points to his tally, but Zalgiris maintained a 64-69 advantage heading into the closing quarter.

The game turned into a back-and-forth affair before a three by Lonati brought Milan within 74-76. Kurucs and Buika replied from downtown, making it 76-84. Then, Omar Karem nailed one of his own on the other end, but it wasn’t enough for Milan to turn the game around.

Game News

The Lithuanians joined an exclusive group of three clubs to have ever lifted three or more titles

Zalgiris beats Milan, 81-89, in NextGen EuroLeague Championship Game

The adidas NextGen EuroLeague Championship Game concludes the action as U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and U18 Zalgiris Kaunas battle for the NextGen title.

The NextGen Championship Game is here!

Dane Arlauckas, Shani Blatt and David Hein are joined on the PodCourt by Georgios Printezis and Rudy Fernandez for the adidas NextGen Championship Game.

The PodCourt covers the NextGen Championship Game

Dane Arlauckas, Shani Blatt and David Hein are joined on the PodCourt by Georgios Printezis and Rudy Fernandez for the adidas NextGen EuroLeague Championship Game.

See how the PodCourt covered the NextGen Championship Game

U18 Overtime Elite ended the 2024-25 Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals in style by thrashing Group B leader U18 Zalgiris Kaunas 89-113 on Saturday. The American side pulled away midway through the first quarter and never looked back. Zalgiris had already clinched top spot and qualification for Sunday’s Championship Game, while OTE recorded its first win in the tournament.

Kohl Rosario paced OTE with 30 points, having gone 6-for-6 from beyond the arc. Adam Oumiddoch bagged 19 points, Collin Paul had 16, Taylen Kinney netted 12 and Kevin Savage III added 11.

For Zalgiris, Majus Bulanovas scored 17, Maksim Brnovic recorded 15 and Ignas Stombergas completed a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, with Nojus Mistautas netting 11.

A tight affair in the opening stages quickly turned into a dominant display by OTE, which outscored Zalgiris 11-25 in the first quarter. The Americans continued demonstrating their offensive prowess in the second, with Rosario finishing the first half on 20 points, having gone 5-for-5 from deep, for a 35-59 lead. Unwilling to take its foot off the gas in the second half, OTE reached the 100-point mark with 6 minutes left on the clock, grabbing a comfortable win.

The American side led from start to finish, ending the group stage in style

Overtime Elite blows past Zalgiris, 89-113

U18 Zalgiris Kaunas v U18 Overtime Elite (2025-05-24T12:45:00.000Z)

U18 Real Madrid finished second in Group B by beating U18 Pole France INSEP 67-66 in their last duel of the 2024-25 Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals on Saturday. A tight contest with several lead changes and a few runs went down to the wire, with Los Blancos securing the win. The Spanish side improved its record to 2-1 and INSEP dropped to 1-2 in a group where U18 Zalgiris Kaunas has already secured top spot.

Sidi Gueye and Maximo Garcia-Plata scored 16 each, with Adrians Andzevs netting 12 for Los Blancos. Hugo Yimga paced INSEP with 20 points and Moukouri Yannis Allard added 12.

A back-and-forth first quarter saw Real Madrid take a 17-16 edge after 10 minutes, with Gueye scoring 11 of his team’s points. Then, an 8-2 run allowed Los Blancos to grab a 31-26 lead midway through the second, but INSEP bounced back, cutting the difference to 34-32 at halftime.

The tug of war continued into the third quarter, but a 0-12 surge gave INSEP a double-digit advantage before taking a 46-55 cushion into the last quarter. Real Madrid opened the fourth with a 9-0 run that tied things up. The game turned into a free-throw contest deep in crunch time, with Javier Juarez’s side edging past INSEP.

Los Blancos came out victorious from a tight contest

Real Madrid fights off INSEP, 67-66

U18 Real Madrid v U18 Pole France INSEP Paris (2025-05-24T10:30:00.000Z)

U18 FC Barcelona defeated U18 Mega Super Belgrade 87-82 in their last game of 2024-25 Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals on Saturday. Carlos Marin’s side led throughout the game, effectively absorbing Mega’s comeback attempts in the last two quarters. Barcelona finished second in Group A with a 2-1 record, while Mega ended bottom of the standings after losing all its three games.

Abdrahamane Kone paced Barcelona with 14 points, Daniel Gonzalez scored 13 and Arturas Butajevas netted 12. Lluc Pluvinet and Sayon Keita had 11 points each, with Mohamed Keita and Mohamed Dabone bagging 10 apiece.

Mega guard Ognjen Srzentic led all scorers with 25 points, Nikola Karalic recorded 16, Pavle Backo registered 13, Vukasin Musikic had 11 and Vuk Danilovic added 10.

The Catalan side opened the game with a 12-2 run, establishing a double-digit lead that they maintained until the end of the first quarter, taking a 29-19 lead into the second. Srzentic kept Mega in the game, but Kone dominated inside, taking his tally to 10 points, as Barcelona secured a 49-39 cushion at halftime.

Karalic stepped up in the third quarter, helping Mega trim the deficit to 55-51. What followed was an exchange of blows, with Barcelona taking a 68-62 lead into the closing quarter. The Blaugrana started the fourth with an 8-1 spurt that restored a double-figure cushion. Mega fought back with a 1-12 run in the closing stages, but it wasn’t enough to turn the game around.

Seven Barcelona players scored in double digits

Barcelona downs Mega, 87-82

U18 FC Barcelona v U18 Mega Super  Belgrade (2025-05-24T08:15:00.000Z)

Dane Arlauckas, Shani Blatt and David Hein welcome Nando De Colo and some other All-25 EuroLeague legends to the Podcourt NextGen EuroLeague for the adidas NextGen EuroLeague game between U18 Real Madrid and U18 Pole France INSEP Paris.

Join the NextGen Podcourt for U18 Real Madrid vs. U18 INSEP

Dane Arlauckas, Shani Blatt and David Hein welcome Nando De Colo and some other All-25 EuroLeague legends to the Podcourt NextGen EuroLeague for the adidas NextGen EuroLeague game between U18 Real Madrid and U18 Pole France INSEP Paris, then U18 Zalgiris Kaunas versus U18 Overtime Elite before a talk with coaches.

Catch up on Saturday’s NextGen Podcourt

Catch up on Saturday’s NextGen PodCourt

Tomislav Vuckovic etched his spot in the record books of Adidas NextGen EuroLeague history as he buried 9 three-pointers in U18 Dubai Basketball’s 84-102 upset win over U18 Mega Super Belgrade for the most triples made in a NextGen game in history. 

Tomislav Vuckovic sets new NextGen record with 9 threes made

[Tomislav Vuckovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/tomislav-vuckovic/013676/) etched his spot in the record books of Adidas NextGen EuroLeague history as he buried 9 three-pointers in [U18 Dubai Basketball’s 84-102 upset win over U18 Mega Super Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/news/jtf424-next-gen-dubai-report-mega-dubai/) for the most triples made in a NextGen game in history. 

Vuckovic knocked down his final three-pointer with 15 seconds left in the game to eclipse the previous mark of 8 made on two occasions. 

“It really means a lot to be with the all-time greats. It feels great. I feel awesome,” said Vuckovic, who finished with 39 points – making 9 of 15 three-point attempts – and a 38 performance index rating.

[Martino Criconia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/players/martino-criconia/006278/) hit 8 three-pointers for Umana Reyer Venice against Anadolu Efes in the 2015-16 season in the Rome qualifiers. And **David Geks** of VEF Riga drained 8 triples against Cibona Zagreb during 2012-13 season.  

The 2008-born Vuckovic struggled in Dubai’s opening loss to Dubai, scoring just 5 points and hitting 1-of-7 three-pointers. But that changed on Day 2. 

“This means a lot to me. Mega is a great club with a great academy for a lot of years now. To beat Mega by 22 points and yesterday, after the collapse, this is really great,” said Vuckovic, who plays full time with the Dubai club and played 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 2.2 steals at the Ulm qualifier. He shot 23 percent on three-pointers at that tournament.

But on Friday, he showed what he can do from long range – and made history in the process.

The Croatian starred in historic Dubai win over Mega

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