Beşiktaş returns to the Euroleague after thirteen years

The last participation of Besiktas in the EuroLeague dates back to the 2012-13 season. Thirteen years later, the Turkish club returns through the door left open by Monaco's fall, with a one-year invitation unanimously approved by the competition’s shareholders' meeting. This addition consolidates Turkey with three representatives in the top continental competition: alongside Fenerbahce and Anadolu Efes, Besiktas seeks to compete in a league that demands immediate results and consistency.

Recent sporting support

Besiktas does not enter the EuroLeague without credentials. In the last EuroCup, the team reached the final, where it fell to the French JL Bourg. Its coach, Dusan Alimpijevic, was named the best coach of the competition, an award he had previously won in 2022 when he was with Bursaspor. This recognition reflects the coach’s ability to manage limited resources and extract performance in European competitions.

In the Turkish league, Besiktas has maintained a consistent level. They were national runners-up in 2025 and led the classification undefeated for a large part of the previous season. However, it is important not to confuse realities: a EuroCup final and a season in the EuroLeague are different competitions, and the jump in demands is considerable. The rivals are of another dimension, matches are played with greater defensive intensity, and the margin for error disappears.

Nine signings for a new team

The management is reinforced with three complementary profiles. Scottie Wilbekin arrives as a veteran with a vast experience in the competition. Jaylen Nowell, a shooting guard with an NBA background, brings elite experience. David DeJulius, on loan from UCAM Murcia, was the second highest scorer in Liga Endesa with 17.5 points and was named to the Best Quintet. The operation was finalized after a contractual dispute between the player and the Murcia club, which retains his rights.

In the perimeter, DaQuan Jeffries, Furkan Korkmaz —a Turkish international with seven seasons in Philadelphia— and Metecan Birsen, who changes clubs within Istanbul, join the team. In the paint, three substantial names: Wenyen Gabriel, presented as a defensive anchor; Eugene Omoruyi, who leaves Maccabi's orbit; and Mady Sissoko, who arrives after a season with Real Madrid in which he had little prominence.

Nine new signings represent almost an entire team. This figure demonstrates a commitment to renewal but also raises questions about cohesion and adaptation time. The team must gel while competing in Europe’s toughest league, a scenario where the start is usually hard and improvements come in winter, if they arrive at all.

Continuity in defense of identity

The continuity block supports the identity of the team that reached the continental final. Devon Dotson and Berk Ugurlu remain in the direction, while Anthony Brown, Vitto Brown, and Conor Morgan will play in exterior and interior positions. The key piece is Ante Zizic, a Croatian pivot with NBA and European experience who will again be the reference in the paint. His presence is essential to maintain a coherent line of work.

This mix of new and veteran faces aims to balance ambition with realism. The signings bring individual talent, but those who remain provide tactical continuity and experience in the project.

The challenges of an inaugural season

Alimpijevic leads Besiktas and, since September 2025, also the Serbian national team. He is a coach of growing prestige with two best coach awards from the EuroCup, but juggling both responsibilities in a debuting season in the EuroLeague is a significant demand. Time and mental energy management will be crucial.

The invitation factor adds pressure and clarity simultaneously. The spot is for one year, which means the club's continuity in the competition is at stake this season. There is no three-year project; there is an opportunity. This reality can serve as motivation or as a burden, depending on how the team manages it.

Several new signings have American backgrounds but little to no experience in the EuroLeague. Gabriel, Nowell, Jeffries, and Omoruyi are NBA names with no European experience. It is the kind of roster that can work very well or fall apart in November, with no middle ground.

Forecast and complicated debut

The realistic goal is to compete with dignity and not fall far behind, which is already quite a lot for a debut season. The history of newly invited teams does not invite optimism. However, Besiktas has something that others did not have: a coach who knows exactly what it means to win games in Europe with modest rosters.

The schedule, however, does not do them any favors. They debut on Friday, September 25, at home against Valencia Basket, the runner-up from the last Final Four. A high-demand rival in the first match sets an immediate benchmark for the team's real level.

The roster is complete with quality guards and wings, versatile forwards, and experienced big men. David DeJulius, Scottie Wilbekin, Devon Dotson, Berk Ugurlu, Jaylen Nowell, and DaQuan Jeffries make up the perimeter. Anthony Brown, Furkan Korkmaz, Vitto Brown, and Metecan Birsen play intermediate positions. Eugene Omoruyi, Wenyen Gabriel, Mady Sissoko, Conor Morgan, and Ante Zizic round out the interior rotation. It is a competitive team structure, but time will tell if the sum of parts functions under pressure.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Besiktas regresa a Euroliga tras trece años