Although this EuroLeague season is expected to be more competitive than ever, there are still a few teams that are “on paper” at a different level. Most teams have strengthened, but these mentioned teams have always had some of the strongest organizations in Europe, and this season they will also be entering with significantly strengthened rosters. Istanbul's Fenerbahce “Ulker”, Barcelona's “Barcelona”, and Madrid's “Real” are identified as the main candidates to triumph in this season's EuroLeague, leaving behind Moscow's “CSKA” and last year's runners-up Istanbul's “Anadolu Efes” players, who will certainly try to challenge the top three teams and defy the early predictions.
Tournament Favorite – Istanbul Fenerbahce Ulker
Fenerbahce, in addition to an already strong and championship-worthy roster, added players like N. De Colo (CSKA) and D. Williams this offseason. Also worth mentioning are L. Westermann and V. Stimac. By retaining the core of the team: K. Sloukas, J. Vesely, L. Datome, and A. Muhammed, “Ulker” will once again aim for the highest positions this season.
Predicted Starting Five:
PG: K. Sloukas – The Greek player, who has become an integral part of the “Ulker” team, was linked with other European giants or even NBA clubs this offseason, but he remained loyal to the Turkish club and extended his contract. Undoubtedly one of the most important players on the team, considering the level of experience he has accumulated and how reliable Sloukas is in crucial moments of matches.
SG: N. De Colo – The Frenchman, who was a sensation at the World Basketball Championship, decided to leave the “CSKA” team this offseason and join the Istanbul team. A player who excels in one-on-one situations, can create opportunities for himself, and is very versatile, will undoubtedly become an important part of “Ulker's” success.
SF: L. Datome – A versatile forward who plays well both offensively and defensively, is one of the key figures of “Ulker”. The forward, who represented the Italian national team, showed good form in the tournament, so it is likely that he will also take the initiative at the beginning of the season.
PF: D. Williams – The former 2nd pick in the NBA draft represented Munich's “Bayern” team last season and had an excellent season. Before coming to Germany, there was a lot of speculation about Williams' ability to play in Europe, possible disappointments, etc., but nothing of the sort happened, and this versatile forward simply dominated the EuroLeague. It may take this American a bit more time to adapt to Obradovic's stricter system, but there is certainly a lot of potential.
C: Jan Vesely – There are no questions about this player. The Czech national team's big man is one of the best centers in the EuroLeague, proving his worth both in the regular season and in the playoffs. This year, nothing changes – Vesely will continue to be one of the key players for “Ulker” and a very important piece of the puzzle.
Friendly Matches:
The Fenerbahce “Ulker” team managed to play 5 friendly matches in preparation for the season. They won 66-67 against “Cluj Capoca”, lost 64-69 to “Partizan”, and defeated the “Treviso” club 71-58. This was followed by a crushing 68-94 defeat against the “Virtus” club and a 75-79 loss to the Milan team.
Ulker did not shine in the friendly matches, but this is forgivable, as many players had just returned from national team camps and did not have much time to properly prepare for the matches with the club.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8McwK4j7cs
This season, the “Ulker” club is considered by many experts and bookmakers as the main favorite to win the 2019/2020 EuroLeague title. A stable participant in the EuroLeague Final Fours, with a good coach and team-playing players, it is likely that they will show better and better play as the season progresses. It will be very interesting to see how D. Williams and N. De Colo integrate into the team, and if they are properly incorporated, “Ulker” can achieve very good results.
