[lptitle title=”Start the countdown”]
[lpcontent]
By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
The countdown for the start of the season has began and Eurohoops.net ranks the teams according to their dynamics, evaluating each one in five different areas.
We rated the teams with 10 the highest grade in five different areas that can reveal the capacity of each team at the start of the season.
The criteria
The quality of the roster: What is evaluated here is the talent of all the players on the roster of every team and their completeness in every position.
Chemistry: The big and fancy 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.
Tradition: The name and the history of the team do not play basketball but in crucial games sometimes the weight of the jersey can determine the outcome.
Transfer moves: In this particular category we evaluate the moves made in the transfer market and estimate the weakening or strengthening of a team.
How far they’ll go: Our assessment regarding the course of each team. The teams that are big favorites to get in the Final Four and win the title are graded with a 9, the teams that have a targeted presence in Berlin and good chances of making it are graded with an 8, the teams whose big goal is to reach the Final Four with a 7, the teams that are expected to have a dignified presence to the Top16 with a 6, and the teams that would consider advancement to the next phase as a big success 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 that it will change throughout the season.
Here are the full rosters of the 24 teams and their moves during the summer
[/lpcontent]
[lptitle title=”24. Zielona Gora“]
[lpcontent]
Quality of roster 5
Chemistry 5
Tradition 4
Transfer moves 5
Reach 5
Total 24
Zielona Gora will appear in the Euroleague for the second time in their history and it looks like this time again they’ll have to make do with continuing the season in the Eurocup. The Polish team is a gritty squad that relies heavily on its native players who still haven’t shown that they can stand up at the high level of the Euroleague. Filipovski has a roster with limited talent to work with, even though there are some young guys with good prospects, like Djurisic and Ponitka. The Americans Reynolds and Bost will try to make the difference, even though none of them has ever played in the Euroleague before.
[/lpcontent]
[lptitle title=”23. Strasbourg “]
[lpcontent]
Quality of roster 5
Chemistry 6
Tradition 5
Transfer moves 5
Reach 5
Total 26
Strasbourg returns to the Euroleague after two years with the ambition of making their presence felt by showing an even better face. The team’s philosophy and style of play has been the same in the past few years under Vincent Collet who’s in his fifth season in Strasbourg. The changes in relation to last year’s roster are minimal and this is why the level of chemistry is high. However, there is no player that can make the difference. The Americans are veterans (Collins, Campbell) or ensemble players (Howard) and the only one among them that looks like he could make a big leap in his career from here on out is Kyle Weems. The rest of the players are of limited abilities and it’s going to be very hard to shimmy their way through and play for a spot in the next phase.
[/lpcontent]
[lptitle title=”22. Cedevita“]
[lpcontent]
Quality of roster 5
Chemistry 6
Tradition 5
Transfer moves 5
Reach 5
Total 26
Cedevita will play for the third time in the Euroleague with the same philosophy and style of game. Which means that the Croats are once again relying on native players (and two Bosnians) who are either experienced with a career at the top level behind them (Zoric, Gordic), or mostly players that are ready to make the big leap in their career and wouldn’t find any room on any other team in the Euroleague (Mazalin, Arapovic, Loncar, Musa). Mrsic will make his debut on the bench of a Euroleague team but his priority is to serve the plan of promoting talent and so immediate results are a secondary concern for Cedevita. For immediate results, after all, they’ve acquired the two experienced at the top level Americans, James White (scorer forward) and Jacob Pullen (guard).
[/lpcontent]
[lptitle title=”21. Limoges “]
[lpcontent]
Quality of roster 5
Chemistry 5
Tradition 6
Transfer moves 6
Reach 5
Total 27
Limoges won the French championship for the second year in a row and they want to achieve something that no other team in the country has managed to do in the last decade, which is to establish themselves as the best team in France. Their transfer moves were good and smart considering the team’s scope. Limoges will once again try to take advantage of the athletic qualities of their players, but this time they’ll have a pair of guards along its perimeter that can really give the team a boost in terms of quality, Westermann and Schaffartzik. Culpepper, Traore, Boungou Colo and Camara can keep the team at a good level and achieve a big win, but qualifying to the Top16 will definitely be a great success.
[/lpcontent]
[lptitle title=”20. Sassari“]
[lpcontent]
Quality of roster 6
Chemistry 5
Tradition 5
Transfer moves 6
Reach 6
Total 28
Sassari is in the group stage of the Euroleague for the second year in a row, wanting to impress with their unique offensive style of basketball they’ve adopted in recent years. Romeo Sacchetti, however, will try to make the same recipe with different ingredients since only four players have remained from last year’s team. The Italians are once again going to rely on the athletic qualities of the five Americans on the roster (Logan, Haynes, Petway, Alexander, Varnado) and of the Congolese Eyenga. The roster is not versatile enough for Sassari to be effective in different styles of basketball, while, except for Stipcevic, they don’t have a guard with organizational duties in set plays. If Sassari manage to advance to the next phase out of this tough group, that will be a great success.
[/lpcontent]
[lptitle title=”19. Zalgiris“]
[lpcontent]
Quality of roster 6
Chemistry 6
Tradition 6
Transfer moves 5
Reach 6
Total 29
Zalgiris have been qualifying in the second group phase of the Euroleague for the past six years without having the necessary rosters for such a run. The Lithuanians traditionally rely on native players, having on their roster several of the players who were protagonists in the successful run of their national team in the last EuroBasket (Kalnietis, Seibutis, Jankunas, Javtokas). This year there is no American on the roster, but two 25-year-olds – the Canadian Hanlan and the Australian Motum – can make the difference, two players that are looking for the chance to establish themselves at the highest level. Krapikas knows, though, that he’ll once again have to rely on the native players, who will be absolutely successful if they qualify to the Top16.
[/lpcontent]
[lptitle title=”18. Crvena Zvezda“]
[lpcontent]
Quality of roster 6
Chemistry 6
Tradition 6
Transfer moves 5
Reach 6
Total 29
After their excellent return to the Euroleague last year Crvena Zvezda want to have a similar course this year as well. Radonjic, however, in order to make it happen, will have to build the team essentially from scratch, because the two best Serbs are gone (Marjanovic, Kalinic), as are the two best Americans (Williams, Jenkins) and the valuable Blazic. The degree to which these gaps will be filled is doubtful, because Schortsanitis and Mekel are top-level players, but it’ll be hard for them to have any duration without any high level players by their side. Crvena Zvezda is investing in young Serbs once again this year but only a few look like they’re ready to erupt. Nevertheless, if they manage to qualify to the Top16, the Serbs’ European season – whose biggest weapon once again this year will be their blazing home court – will be a success.
[/lpcontent]
[lptitle title=”17. Bayern Munich“]
[lpcontent]
Quality of roster 6
Chemistry 6
Tradition 5
Transfer moves 6
Reach 6
Total 29
In their third appearance in the Euroleague, Bayern want to conjure up their first year rather than their second, last year. Svetislav Pesic has upgraded his material in the transfer window but is giving the leadership role to Djedovic once again. The addition of Renfroe and Rivers along the perimeter and of Kleber and Thompson close to the basket can raise Bayern’s ceiling, but they’ll still have a hard time getting anything more out of the tournament than a decent presence in the Top16. They have a reasonable amount of talent offensively and can do some damage even against powerful opponents in the first phase, but it’ll be difficult to make the difference.
[lpcontent]