In May 2022, Anadolu Efes won its second consecutive EuroLeague title. In April 2026, it finished the regular season in 19th place out of 20, with 12 wins and 26 losses. Four years to cover that distance. The 2026-27 season starts from nearly the lowest possible point, and the club has reacted as clubs with nothing to lose do: by rebuilding practically everything.
The Starting Point
Last season was a disaster from September onward. Injuries ravaged the roster—Shane Larkin, PJ Dozier, and Georgios Papagiannis fell early—the team fell behind quickly, and by late November the club fired Igor Kokoskov with a record of five wins in fourteen games.
Pablo Laso arrived then, in December, with the season already broken and with no real margin for maneuver. He couldn't turn it around: Efes finished 19th, only ahead of ASVEL. But the club renewed its confidence in him for this season, which will be the first time since he left Real Madrid in 2022 that the Vitoria-born coach will lead a European team from day one.
Who's Leaving
The rebuild begins with a symbolic departure: Shane Larkin, the project's reference point since the 2022 title and the last survivor of that team, moved to Fenerbahce. With him went Nick Weiler-Babb (ASVEL), Sehmus Hazer (Galatasaray), Saben Lee (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 departed.
Who's Arriving
Seven signings and one name that orders them all: Mike James. At 35 years old, the American point guard arrives after five seasons at Monaco, where he became the player with the most EuroLeague games for the club, and he does so as the competition's all-time leading scorer, with 5,916 points in 362 games. Last season he averaged 16.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. He signed a one-year deal with an optional second year.
He doesn't come alone from the Principality. Monaco's economic collapse has also brought to Istanbul Matthew Strazel, a 1.84m French point guard who brings speed and was one of the competition's best playmakers last year. And Jordan Loyd, another former Monaco player, was already on the team.
The most striking move in the paint is Dario Saric. The 2.08m Croatian power forward returns to Europe from the Denver Nuggets, with an NBA resume that includes Finals appearances with Philadelphia. He's joined by Bruno Fernando, a 2.08m center from Partizan with a past in the Spanish Liga Endesa at Real Madrid.
Completing the signings are Collin Malcolm, a 2.00m small forward arriving from Hapoel Tel Aviv, Santi Yusta, a Spanish international fresh from the FIBA window with the national team and leaving Casademont Zaragoza, and point guard Fatts Russell.
Who's Staying
The continuity block has more names than it appears. On the perimeter, Jordan Loyd, Isaia Cordinier, PJ Dozier, and Turks David Mutaf, Burakcan Yildizli, and Erkan Yilmaz remain. In the paint, Ercan Osmani, Brice Dessert, Georgios Papagiannis, and Kai Jones continue, the latter renewed through 2028.
The Keys
Rebounding. It was the major problem last season and the statistic analysts flagged as a priority since Laso's arrival. With Saric, Fernando, Papagiannis, Dessert, Jones, and Osmani, the club has responded by accumulating size. It remains to be seen if that translates into real board control.
The Age of Ball Handling. Mike James is 35 years old and is the piece on which the offense is built. It's a bet with an obvious expiration date, though Strazel, 24, is there precisely to share that load and take over.
Saric's Adaptation. He returns to Europe after eight seasons in the NBA. His talent is not in question, but how this profile fits into European basketball is not always immediate.
Laso From Minute One. It's the factor that could change things the most. The coach arrived last year to an already-sinking team; now he's been able to participate in roster construction and will have a full preseason. His record in the competition—two titles and two Coach of the Year awards—supports the bet, though his last two experiences, at Bayern and Baskonia, ended without playoff qualification.
The Forecast
Efes doesn't start as a title contender, but it also has nothing to do with last year's team. The reasonable objective is the play-in, and anything that means reaching the playoffs should be considered a success in the first year of a project built from scratch.
There's enough talent to beat anyone on any given night. The question is whether there's a core to sustain 38 games.
Full Roster
Point Guards and Shooting Guards: Fatts Russell (1.80m), Mike James (1.85m), Matthew Strazel (1.84m), Jordan Loyd (1.94m), Isaia Cordinier (1.96m), PJ Dozier (1.98m), David Mutaf (1.98m)
Small Forwards: Collin Malcolm (2.00m), Santi Yusta (2.00m), Burakcan Yildizli (2.04m), Erkan Yilmaz (1.97m)
Power Forwards and Centers: Dario Saric (2.08m), Bruno Fernando (2.08m), Ercan Osmani (2.10m), Brice Dessert (2.11m), Kai Jones (2.11m), Georgios Papagiannis (2.20m)