A reigning champion who is looking to compare an achievement between decades and on the way to earn the “Dynasty” title, a runner-up who finished one of the most impressive arms races ever seen, teams that were built almost from scratch and are already threatening to become the next hot thing, others that have returned to the front of the stage and, by and large, a season that threatens to become one of the seasons The most competitive and quality Euroleague has had to offer in recent years, and the truth? Rightfully so.
To that end, for the first time in ONE’s history, we have compiled a power rating for the 18 teams that will begin their journey this coming Thursday (and Friday) towards the coveted and most prestigious trophy that the old continent has to offer.
The rating was based on five indicators that received scores from 1 to 10. After weighing the indicators, a score was given based on which the rating was determined. During the season, updates will of course be published based on winning and losing streaks as well as the quality of the wins or the size of the losses depending on the identity of the opponent. In the event of a tie in the overall score, the premiere was given to the team that finished in a higher place last season.
In the event of a tie involving a team that came from the Eurocup with one that played last season in the Euroleague, then the team from the Euroleague will get priority, if the tie is against another Eurocup team, then the team that went further last season will also get the higher ranking. Let’s start:
18. Zalgiris Kovna
Place last season: 15th
Core strength: 4
Continuity: 2
Summer moves: 4
Offensive potential: 6
Defensive potential: 5
Total: 23
The ones who close the list are the green-whites who open the current season after a campaign that was not good at all last year. The team underwent a real rebuilding, when the moves in the summer were not the flashiest. On the other hand, even so Zalgiris was not known as a team that makes too many moves that made noise in the old continent. Maybe the fact that the current summer was quiet will do her good. Despite this, the weighting of all indicators means that Zhelgiris Kovna opens the season and the power rating as the one who closes the list. From here, as mentioned, you can only go up.
17. The Red Star
Place last season: 11th
Core strength: 5
Continuity: 5
Summer moves: 7
Offensive potential: 6
Defensive potential: 6
Total: 29
It is strange to see here the one who almost on an annual basis becomes the threat of the teams fighting for the last two tickets to the Euroleague playoffs. After all, what characterizes the team from the red side of Kalmagdan is its toughness and the knowledge that it will get its own in the end. Only she lost the coach, Diane Radonich, and in addition the players also left. The squad that stands out at the Red Star brings with it a number of question marks with players returning to the Euroleague, others who will make their debut and two stars – Nemanja Nadovic, who will try and hope to stay healthy and that the well-publicized return of Miroslav Radolica to the top league in Europe will indeed be successful. Even if the starting point is in a low place, it does not mean that it is impossible to climb during the season.
16. Villerban
Place last season: 14th
Core strength: 6
Continuity: 6
Summer moves: 7
Offensive potential: 6
Defensive potential: 5
Total: 30
The project of the Parker family house suffered some surprising and difficult losses this past summer, from Costas Antetokounmpo, through Chris Jones, Eli Okubo and Matthew Strazel, and perhaps the biggest of them all (literally) – Victor Wombayama. Along with the wave of departures that desperately damaged the continuity and strength of the core, came one high-profile signing in the form of Joffrey Lovren and one flashy one in the form of Nando De Colo. The latter brings the highest qualities. This year’s expectations from Villerban are not particularly high in light of the arms race in Europe.
15. Panathinaikos
Place last season:
Core strength: 7
Continuity: 2
Summer moves: 7
Offensive potential: 8
Defensive potential: 7
Total: 31
The Greens from Athens, like several other groups, decided to go in the direction of a real “stable cleaning”. Only that, unlike previous years, this time more considerable resources were added to them and a different distribution was made. What is expected from Panathinaikos is more about the beginning of a process, and if it weren’t for the rebuilding that brought with it a new coach – Diane Radonić (who will have to show that he is capable of much more success outside of Serbia) with a name that brings the insight that the Greens will have a certain method this year, Panathinaikos would have been ranked higher. The new green team will still be athletic, and its squad is adorned by two center backs, scorers, Derrick Williams and one Desaish Punitka.
14. Partisan Belgrade
Place last season: eliminated in the round of 16 of the Eurocup
Core strength: 6
Continuity: 6
Summer moves: 7
Offensive potential: 6
Defensive potential: 7
Total: 32
Željko Obradović returns to the Euroleague. If this sentence is not enough to create some kind of shock in the old continent, then what about Partizan Belgrade’s series of glittering signings? The team from the capital of Serbia started building as early as last summer when they convinced Kevin Panther to come. In addition to him and Zach Liddy, who are starting their second season at the club, the arrival of Dante Axum, James Nunnally and Ioannis Papapetrou are starting to raise the bar of expectations, and that’s even before we talked about the Israeli angle – Yam Madar, who himself will be playing in the Euroleague for the first time this season.
The combination of experience with immaturity and continuity is equal at the moment, at the starting point in 14th place. However, in the bottom line Partizan and Željko Obradović together, the place where it all started for the nine-time Euroleague winner, and we must admit even now before even playing a single game, how romantic it is Will be if Obradovic’s 10th is with Partizan.
13. Basconia
Place last season: 9th
Core strength: 6
Continuity: 6
Summer moves: 7
Offensive potential: 7
Defensive potential: 6
Total: 32
The province of Vitoria-Gasteiz has seen better days, much flashier squads, and now the current version of Baskonia, at least now and certainly on paper, looks like the parquet it plays on – grey. There are outside shooters and guards and new talls who should play well together, and again there is a new coach. As mentioned, the continuity is only partially from last year and will obviously play a role in one way or another.
The moves made by Baskonia’s President Jose Kerhta were interesting without a shadow of a doubt, such as the combination of Darius Thompson with Mike Costar. The salary levels Baskonia has to offer mean that this team is solid overall, which thanks to its continuity is in a good starting point, certainly considering the amount of talent it lost, such as Simona Pontacchio.
12. Alba Berlin
Place last season: 10th
Core strength: 7
Continuity: 9
Summer moves: 2
Offensive potential: 7
Defensive potential: 7
Total: 32
Quite surprisingly, Elba Berlin managed to create a particularly impressive continuity, and when it comes to the method of play and the matching of the players, you can already know exactly what to expect from the German champions on the eve of the start of another campaign in the Euroleague. The point is that considering the results from last season, and when the potential is completely clear and too much has not changed, it seems that continuity will speak the loudest for the team from the capital of Germany. The chemistry that comes with this type of continuity will determine how far Elba Berlin Model 2022/23 will go this season in the Euroleague, when of course the spotlight from the Israeli angle will be on Yuval Sussman and Tamir Blatt, who are starting their second season away from home, and are supposed to take another step forward.
11. Valencia
Place last season: Eurocup semi-finals
Core strength: 7
Continuity: 6
Summer moves: 7
Offensive potential: 7
Defensive potential: 6
Total: 33
Teams that make the jump from the Eurocup to the Euroleague are quite tricky, certainly when it comes to a team that has managed to produce continuity to a large extent. After all, players who played great in the Eurocup will not necessarily succeed in being equally dominant in the Euroleague. The moves made by Valencia in the player market for the back line are intriguing and bring with them more offensive power. The front line has weakened a little with the departure of Mike Tobi, and in the debut season of the Spanish basketball legend Alex Mombro on the lines, there will be no boring in Valencia for sure. Meanwhile the Oranges, who are aiming very high also with a new multi-purpose sports hall, are starting from a relatively good place and the onus is on them to prove it.
10. Bayern Munich
Place last season: 8
Core strength: 6
Continuity: 6
Summer moves: 6
Offensive potential: 8
Defensive potential: 8
Total: 34
Andrea Trinchieri’s groups, built by Daniela Baisi are particularly fascinating. You can also know more or less where they will end up and how it will end. In recent years, it has not been in Bayern’s core strength to hint, or to tell how far the team can go, because at the end of the day Trincieri, who is considered no less than a magician and a certified basketball genius, almost always manages to get much more out of his teams. On paper, Bayern Munich model 2022/23 has weakened somewhat, but at least they got back Paul Zipser. In addition, in the front line Othello Hunter continues and as he has already shown every year with the experience, the wisdom of the game, and the ability in defense, Hunter is already turning the story of Bayern Munich’s season into another opera.
