By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
We rated the 18 teams – 10 being the highest grade – in five different areas that can reveal the capacity of each team at the start of the season.
THE CRITERIA
Roster quality: What is evaluated here is the talent of all the players on the roster and depth at every position.
Chemistry: The big names do not guarantee a good team. Even though it’s very early and the teams are still trying to create their core, the chemistry that the players have between them is very important, as is the level of familiarity with their coach.
Status: The name and history of a team do not play basketball, but in crucial games sometimes the “weight” of the jersey can determine the outcome.
Transfer moves: In this category, we evaluate the moves that were made in the transfer market and estimate how they affected the team.
How far they will go: Our assessment regarding the course of each team. The teams that are big favorites to get to the Final Four and win the title are graded with a 9, the teams that aim for an appearance in Cologne and have good chances of making it are graded with an 8, the teams whose big goal is to reach the playoffs with a 7, the teams that are expected to have a decent run with a 6, and those that are out of the running for qualification early on are graded with a 5.
The evaluation regarding the course and dynamics of every team has, of course, been developed before any official games have begun and so it is expected to change throughout the season.
#18 LDLC ASEL VILLEURBANNE
Quality of the roster: 6
Chemistry: 6
Status: 5
Transfer moves: 6
How far they will go: 5
Total: 28
The wait is finally over for LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. After nine years, ASVEL has returned to the top European club competition’s first French representative since Limoges and Strasbourg in 2016. However, as great as the enthusiasm is, there is as great a question regarding the skills of the squad that head coach Zvezdan Mitrovic is called to present. The talent is there, but not the experience. Only Edwin Jackson, Antoine Diot, Adreian Payne and David Lighty have played in the EuroLeague. The rest are rookies who will try to cover the experience gap through their individual skill sets.
#17 ALBA BERLIN
Quality of the roster: 6
Chemistry: 6
Status: 6
Transfer moves: 6
How far they will go: 5
Total: 29
The wait is over, too, for ALBA Berlin, back to the EuroLeague after a four-year absence. Things have changed since the 2014-15 season and the degree of difficulty has risen sharply, but Aito Garcia Reneses and his players promise to give everything they’ve got for the best possible representation. Even though he’s a rookie at the highest level in Europe, as are several of his teammates, Peyton Siva – injured to start the season – is expected to retain the leadership role he had last season, when ALBA reached the 7DAYS EuroCup Finals. Players experienced in the competition, like the EuroCup MVP Luke Sikma and Marcus Eriksson, will try to provide that something extra.
#16 ZENIT ST PETERSBURG
Quality of the roster: 7
Chemistry: 7
Status: 5
Transfer moves: 7
How far they will go: 5
Total: 31
Its first EuroLeague season is already historic, but Zenit St Petersburg splurged in the transfer market so as to make it even more historical. The acquisition of Gustavo Ayon caused a sensation, but head coach Joan Plaza has more options to bet on. His new acquisitions can be counted in double digits, and most of them bring years of EuroLeague experience, like Anton Ponkrashov and Alex Renfroe in the backcourt, and Will Thomas and Colton Iverson on the frontline. The roster seems to have no shortages at any position, so what remains to be seen is how quickly the players will gel so that we can see how much trouble they will be capable of causing.
#15 VALENCIA BASKET
Quality of the roster: 6
Chemistry: 7
Status: 6
Transfer moves: 6
How far they will go: 6
Total: 31
Last season’s 7DAYS EuroCup champions, Valencia Basket, are called to prove that they can hold their own at the highest level in Europe, too. The new format is not foreign to veterans like Fernando San Emeterio, Bojan Dubljevic and Sam Van Rossom, who were with the team in the 2017-18 season as well, but with 18 teams the level of difficulty is now expected to be higher. Newly acquired Brock Motum, with four EuroLeague seasons under his belt, will try to pass on some of his experience to help EuroLeague rookie coach Jaume Ponsarnau manage a roster that may be talented, but which perhaps has limited capabilities.
#14 FC BAYERN MUNICH
Quality of the roster: 6
Chemistry: 7
Status: 6
Transfer moves: 6
How far they will go: 6
Total: 31
FC Bayern Munich missed its goal of making the playoffs for the first time by a small margin last season. It has spent the summer making moves in order to meet that goal this time. It won’t be easy. They did see some important players depart, like Derrick Williams and Devin Booker, but they also welcomed others like Greg Monroe – who has nine seasons in the NBA – and Mathias Lessort. They make Bayern’s frontline its benchmark. At the same time, they added further solutions in the backcourt, as Stefan Jovic is no longer there, though Petteri Koponen and Nihad Dedovic, among others, will remain. All will be at the disposal of very experienced and capable head coach Dejan Radonjic, who has guided teams to the playoffs before.