By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After serving as an assistant under Zeljko Obradovic at Partizan Mozzart Bet since 2021 and taking over as interim head coach in last season’s Playoffs of the AdmiralBet Basketball League of Serbia, 40-year-old Bogdan Karaicic was named head coach of Aris Midea on Friday. The Serbian tactician signed a two-year contract.
Under a new ownership and building a new roster for the 2025-26 campaign in the BKT EuroCup, the Thessaloniki outfit is expected to pick up 32-year-old American guard Bryn Forbes, as reported by Eurohoops last week.
Also Friday, 23-year-old Marcis Steinbergs penned a two-year contract extension with Baxi Manresa. The Latvian forward has been a member of the ACB club since 2021, but the next season will mark his first EuroCup journey, following 42 games played in the Basketball Champions League.
Enter Denzel Valentine
At Umana Reyer Venice, 31-year-old Denzel Valentine inked a one-year contract, the team announced on Thursday. Staying in Italy after stints with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and Trieste, the veteran of 260 NBA games will debut in the EuroCup.
A fellow rookie in the second tier of Euroleague Basketball, 27-year-old Shavar Reynolds Jr. emerged as the latest newcomer for the London Lions. The former Seton Hall and Monmouth standout previously played in Greece, Cyprus, and the Netherlands.
Estonian Kristian Kullamae penned a one-year contract to return to 7bet-Lietkabelis. Back in the 2022-23 campaign with the team based in Panevezys, the 26-year-old combo guard recorded his previous 19 appearances in the EuroCup.
In other moves announced on Thursday, Slask Wroclaw picked up 19-year-old Tymoteusz Sternicki on a three-year deal, and Veolia Towers Hamburg signed 22-year-old Zsombor Maronka until the end of the 2026-27 season.