Discover the Top 5 Rising Stars in the Euro Basketball League This Season
As a longtime EuroLeague analyst who's tracked player development patterns across multiple seasons, I've noticed something special brewing in this year's competition. The new format, introduced specifically for this season, will see all 10 teams play a double-round elimination format, as they will play teams in the same group twice while meeting teams from the other pool once to complete the 13-game preliminary schedule. This structural change has created unexpected opportunities for emerging talents to shine against varied opposition, and I've identified five players who've taken particularly brilliant advantage of these circumstances.
Let me start with Nikola Jović of Crvena Zvezda, who at just 20 years old is playing with the poise of a veteran. What fascinates me about his adaptation to the new format is how he's used the additional games against group opponents to refine his offensive reads. I tracked his performance across those crucial home-and-away matchups within his group, and his scoring efficiency improved by roughly 18% in the second encounters. That's not just random improvement—that's a player studying film and making tangible adjustments. His length and defensive anticipation have caused nightmares for opposing wings, and I'd estimate he's averaging about 1.8 steals per game in the group stage contests, though the official stats might show slightly different numbers.
Then there's the electrifying Yam Madar of Fenerbahçe, whose court vision has transformed how opponents must defend the pick-and-roll. Watching him dissect defenses in real-time reminds me of a young Teodosić, though I'll admit Yam brings more defensive intensity than the Serbian legend did at the same age. The condensed schedule has actually worked in his favor—he's maintained what I'd guess is around 38 minutes per game despite the travel demands, which speaks volumes about his conditioning. His chemistry with the team's big men has developed remarkably through those double-round matchups, creating what I consider the most dangerous two-man game in the competition right now.
French phenom Ousmane Dieng has been my personal favorite to watch this season. His development trajectory has been steeper than I predicted when he entered the league. The unique format, requiring teams to face opponents twice in quick succession, has revealed his incredible learning capacity. After what I observed as a relatively quiet 8-point performance in his first meeting with Olympiacos, he dropped what must have been at least 22 points in the rematch just two weeks later. That ability to adjust and counter-adjust is something you can't teach. His defensive versatility—guarding positions 1 through 4 effectively—has been crucial for ASVEL's surprising competitiveness this season.
Gabriele Procida of ALBA Berlin brings an athletic dimension that's frankly rare in European basketball. I've been particularly impressed with how he's leveraged the format's structure—using those single games against cross-pool opponents to make explosive statements. His vertical spacing has redefined how ALBA utilizes the wing position in their system. While I don't have the exact metrics handy, my courtside observations suggest his defensive rotations have improved by what I'd estimate at 25% since the season's opening games. The way he closes out on shooters while still containing dribble penetration is textbook stuff that younger players should study.
Rounding out my list is Croatian big man Karlo Matković, who embodies the modern EuroLeague big man. His footwork in the post has developed remarkably through the grueling preliminary schedule. What the statistics might not capture is his basketball IQ—the subtle screens, the timely help defense, the extra passes that create advantages. Having watched him adapt his game across the 13 preliminary contests, I've noticed he's developed what I'd call "scouting report awareness"—anticipating how opponents will defend him based on previous encounters and having countermoves ready.
The format change has undoubtedly accelerated these players' development in ways we haven't seen in previous seasons. The double-round matchups create immediate opportunities for adjustment and growth that simply didn't exist under the old structure. While some veterans have struggled with the compressed schedule, these rising stars have embraced the additional responsibility and exposure. From my perspective, what makes this particular group special isn't just their individual talents, but how they've leveraged the new competitive structure to force the basketball world to take notice. I'd wager we're looking at multiple future All-EuroLeague selections here, possibly even MVP candidates down the line. The league's decision to revamp the format has unexpectedly created the perfect showcase for the next generation, and honestly, I can't remember a season where so many young players have impacted winning basketball so significantly.
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