Efes starts over from scratch after falling to second to last place

From May 2022 to April 2026, four years summarize the decline of Anadolu Efes in the EuroLeague. Back then, they lifted their second consecutive title in the competition. Now, they conclude a catastrophic season in nineteenth place out of twenty, with barely twelve victories in thirty-eight matches. The distance is not just numerical: it is structural, sporting, and, in a way, existential for a franchise that chose not to settle for failure and opted for the most radical path: to practically remake everything.

Last season was a disaster starting from September. Injuries plagued the squad from the outset. Shane Larkin, PJ Dozier, and Georgios Papagiannis fell early, and the team quickly fell off the competition. By the end of November, with a record of five wins in fourteen games, the club fired Igor Kokoskov. The arrival of Pablo Laso in December came too late: the season was broken, with no real margin for maneuver. The Vitoria coach could not turn it around, and Efes finished second to last, only ahead of ASVEL.

However, the club renewed its confidence in Laso for this season. It is the first time since leaving Real Madrid in 2022 that the Vitoria coach leads a European team from day one. The difference is substantial: back then, he arrived at a sunken project with no time to react; now he has participated in shaping the squad and will have a complete preseason.

The Departures: the Skeleton Crumbles

The reconstruction begins with a symbolic departure. Shane Larkin, a reference for the project since the 2022 title and the last survivor of that championship team, left for Fenerbahce. He was joined by Nick Weiler-Babb to ASVEL, Sehmus Hazer to Galatasaray, Saben Lee to Zalgiris, Vincent Poirier, Roland Smits, and Rodrigue Beaubois. In other words: the entire skeleton of the team that competed in Europe three years ago has left.

The cleanup is so profound that only a few references from the recent past remain. Just some continuity names on the perimeter and in the paint maintain some connection to the previous lineup, although completely redefined in their roles and context.

The Additions: Mike James as the Core

Seven additions make up the new project, all revolving around one name: Mike James. At 35 years old, the American guard arrives after five seasons in Monaco, where he became the player with the most EuroLeague games for the club. He comes as the all-time top scorer in the competition, with 5,916 points in 362 matches. Last season, he averaged 16.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. He signs for one season plus another optional one, suggesting a commitment with a limited but intense horizon.

He is not coming alone from the Principality. The economic collapse of Monaco also brought Matthew Strazel, a 1.84m French guard who adds speed and was one of the top playmakers in the competition last year, to Istanbul. And in the team was already Jordan Loyd, another former Monaco player who acts as a bridge between the old project and the new one.

The most striking move in the frontcourt is Dario Saric. The 2.08m Croatian power forward returns to Europe from the Denver Nuggets, with an NBA resume that includes finals with Philadelphia. His arrival represents a qualitative leap in ambition, but also in uncertainty: he returns to the EuroLeague after eight seasons in the NBA, and the fit of this profile in European basketball is not always immediate.

He is joined by Bruno Fernando, a 2.08m center from Partizan and with a past in Liga Endesa at Real Madrid. Completing the new additions are Collin Malcolm, a 2.00m forward coming from Hapoel Tel Aviv, Santi Yusta, a Spanish international recently out of the FIBA window with the national team and leaving Casademont Zaragoza, and guard Fatts Russell.

The Continuity Block and Key Challenges

The continuity block has more names than it seems. On the perimeter remain Jordan Loyd, Isaia Cordinier, PJ Dozier, and the Turks David Mutaf, Burakcan Yildizli, and Erkan Yilmaz. In the paint, Ercan Osmani, Brice Dessert, Georgios Papagiannis, and Kai Jones continue, the latter renewed until 2028.

Rebounding was the major problem last season and the statistic that analysts flagged as a priority since Laso's arrival. With Saric, Fernando, Papagiannis, Dessert, Jones, and Osmani, the club has responded by accumulating height in the paint. It remains to be seen if this translates into real board dominance over thirty-eight matches.

The age of the leadership is another key factor. Mike James is 35 years old and is the piece on which the attack is built. It is an investment with an evident expiration date, although Strazel, at 24, is precisely there to share that load and take over in the medium term.

The adaptation of Saric will also be crucial. His talent is beyond question, but the fit of this profile in European basketball is not always immediate. He will need adaptation time that Efes may not have if they want to compete from the start.

Laso from the very first minute is the factor that can change the most. The coach arrived last year to a team already sunk with no chance to intervene in the shaping of the roster; now he has been able to participate actively in it. His history in the competition —two titles and two coach of the year awards— supports the gamble, although his last two experiences, at Bayern and Baskonia, ended without playoff qualification. It is a variable that can tip the balance toward recovery or confirm a trend of decline.

Forecast: From Play-In to Success

Efes does not start as a title contender, but it is also nothing like the team of last season. The reasonable goal is the play-in, and anything that reaches the playoffs should be considered a success in the first year of a project built from scratch. There is enough talent to beat anyone on a given night. The question is whether there is enough structure to sustain thirty-eight matches of demanding competition.

The roster is built to compete, but it is also laden with uncertainties. Mike James adds experience and scoring; Saric, defensive versatility and interior play; Strazel, speed and playmaking. The challenge will be for these elements to work in harmony under Laso’s direction, who will need to prove that his ability to win titles remains intact after two failed experiences in Europe.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Efes renueva desde cero tras caída a penúltimo