By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
While the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is without a doubt the top level of basketball in Europe, you can argue that 7DAYS EuroCup is not that far behind.
The 24 teams that are part of the competition are ready to dazzle and make a case for a EuroLeague spot. After all, that’s the ultimate prize that goes along with the EuroCup trophy. And that’s a good reason for Eurohoops to present its first EuroCup Power Rankings, just before the start of the season.
1 Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar
They have last season’s EuroCup Coach of the Year in Sasa Obradovic and former EuroLeague players like Vitaly Fridzon, last with CSKA, Jamel McLean (Olympiacos) and Dorell Wright (Bamberg). They are the de facto favorite to go all the way this year, after a near-perfect season that, unfortunately for them, included a bitter finish in the finals against David Blatt’s Darussafaka Istanbul.
2 Unicaja Malaga
When they don’t play in the EuroLeague, they are a candidate to win the EuroCup. And this year is not an exception, thanks to a roster that includes former Olympiacos duo Kyle Wiltjer and Brian Roberts, and also former Crvena Zvezda big man Matthias Lessort.
3 Valencia Basket
They are the arch-rivals of Unicaja, especially in the EuroCup, and they have a battle-tested group that includes Bojan Dubljevic and Rafa Martinez. The addition of sharpshooter Matt Thomas and French international center Louis Labeyrie can only make things better. Plus, no other club has already won three EuroCup titles.
4 UNICS Kazan
Don’t underestimate them. The team of coach Dimitris Priftis is a project that started last season and has already turned heads. With the additions of Pierria Henry and Errick McCollum in the backcourt, it’s obvious that this is going to be a special team.