By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Recent movements in the Basketball Champions League have reshaped rosters ahead of the upcoming 2026–27 season, including Cholet fortifying their backcourt by signing Malcolm Cazalon, a former NBA player and FIBA Europe Cup champion, to replace Caleb Daniels. Under coach Fabrice Lefrancois, the 25-year-old French guard joins Mohamed Diarra, Digue Diawara, Miralem Halilovic, Lynn Kidd, Noah Locke, Sitraka Raharimanantoanina, Tony Snell, Aaron Towo-Nansi, and Jarrod West in Group F of the Regular Season. They will face Spartak Office Shoes, a Qualification Rounds winner, and Hapoel Maoz Daniel Holon, who added 28-year-old Sam Iorio alongside Shahar Amir, Netanel Artzi, Liran Azoulay, Claudell Harris Jr., Brandon Johns Jr., Yair Kravitz, Yam Nevo, Greg Lee III, Ori Ofir, Adama Sanogo, Liad Shmuel, Itai Shnaps, Rivaldo Soares, Drew Thelwell, and Idan Weissbach.
In Group D, Peristeri Betsson secured Noah Freidel on a one-year deal to fill the void left by Paul Scruggs. Coach Vassilis Xanthopoulos will integrate the newcomer with Tytan Anderson, Will Carius, Manos Chatzidakis, Jalen Finch, Giorgos Gkiouzelis, John Ittounas, Tasos Kamateros, Grace Ngindu, Ty Nichols, Alexandros Nikolaidis, Kostas Papadakis, Dimitris Papageorgiou, Omar Payne, Alexandros Thomakos, and Nikos Tziallas as they prepare for BMA365 Bamberg Baskets, Openjobmetis Varese, and UCAM Murcia. Meanwhile, Telekom Baskets Bonn retained Marcus Foster for the entire season following a preseason trial, though Tylan Birts faces an extended absence after Achilles surgery. In Group E, UnaHotels Reggio Emilia appointed 39-year-old Jamar Smith as club advisor.
Ahead of the Qualification Rounds, Promitheas locked down 20-year-old Apostolos Nikolaidis on a four-year contract, while Fribourg Olympic tabbed Joe Toussaint to replace Jonathan Williams. VEF Riga bolstered their frontcourt with Amari Kelly, and Rilski Sportist renovated their squad with Killian Martin, Isaiah Richards, Martin Yordanov, Jackson Stormo, and Malik Johnson alongside retained core pillars Chavdar Kostov, Alan Arnett, Aleksandar Yanev, Deyan Karamfilov, Miroslav Vasov, Hristo Bachkov, Krasimir Petrov, and Deyan Hristov. Elsewhere, John Meeks and Mustapha Amzil landed at Yukatel Denizli, Petrolina AEK Larnaca signed Panagiotis Markou, and Kolossos H Hotels Collection acquired Tyler Stevenson.
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