EuroLeague power rankings, season preview and predictions for the 2023-24 season

EuroLeague Power Rankings and EuroLeague Betting Odds — C Tier (Play-in potential): Zalgiris, Bayern, and FC Barcelona

Zalgiris Kaunas

Odds to Win Championship (via DraftKings): 5,000/1

Prediction: 14th

Zalgiris is always very difficult to rank and usually, putting them this low is wrong. Truthfully, once we are past the four teams in D tier all these teams are capable of finishing anywhere from 6-8 if they catch a lot of breaks. For Zalgiris, they have one of the best home courts in Europe, and a good chunk of their core is coming back: Keenan Evans, Kevarrius Hayes, Edgaras Ulanovas, and Rolands Smits. 

They also added Naz Mitrou-Long who was decent for Milano last season, and Brady Manek. The 25-year-old former Tar Heel was solid in the Turkish league and Australian NBL last season. He could sneakily be one of the best under-the-radar signings of the offseason. 

But their short on depth at center, and don’t have a lot of quality on the wings following the late departure of Ignas Brazdeikis to Olympiacos. They could make an in-season addition that covers up these roster weaknesses but they could also be one injury away from plummeting down the standings. There’s potential here, but we’re placing our bets elsewhere. 

FC Bayern Munich

Odds to Win Championship (via DraftKings): 4,000/1

Prediction: 13th

This team is very difficult to predict. After an uninspiring 2022-23 season, FC Bayern brought in two-time EuroLeague champion Pablo Laso as the new head coach. Laso took a one-year hiatus after 11 seasons in charge of Real Madrid and now he’s ready for a new challenge. 

Laso isn’t the only change, FC Bayern gave him reinforcements too. Former Boston Celtics guard Carsen Edwards headlines an offseason that also saw the additions of Leandro Bolmaro (former Minnesota Timberwolves), young French guard Sylvain Francisco who averaged 12.7 points and 5.3 assists per game for Peristeri in Greece last season, Devin Booker (NOT THAT Devin Booker0, and also Serge Ibaka, an NBA champion. 

Serbian forward Vladimir Lucic, one of our favorite players to watch, remains as does Andreas Obst, the lights-out shooter who was key in Germany’s gold medal run at this summer’s FIBA World Cup. The squad is good, no denying that. 

The main reason we are down on them? Don’t believe the Edwards hype. Two EuroLeague GMs voted for Edwards to make an All-EuroLeague team this season per BasketNews. If Edwards plays at that level, this is a playoff team or at least a play-in team. 

If he doesn’t, they’re probably finishing somewhere between 11-13. Edwards was a fairly average player except for in isolation for Fenerbahce last season. He was in the 75th percentile as an isolation player on 35 possessions. He was below the 50th percentile in pick-and-roll, spot-up, transition, and off-screens per Synergy Sports. He’s also a liability on the defensive end due to his size, and this is a recipe for disappointment. Perhaps we’re wrong, but we’re shorting Bayern in their first season with Laso at the helm. 

FC Barcelona

Odds to Win Championship (via DraftKings): 900/1

Prediction: 12th

Probably our hottest take so far but Roger Grimau isn’t exuberating confidence as a head coach, and the likes of Willy Hernangomez, Jabari Parker, Dario Brizuela, and Joel Parra do not seem capable of replacing Nikola Mirotic. No one can replace Mirotic. Adding a new coach to the mix of trying to replace one of the best offensive players in EuroLeague is setting your team up for a season wrought with confusion, frustration, and failure. 

This is still a deep roster boasting the likes of Tomas Satoransky, Nico Laprovittola, Jan Vesely, Alex Abrines, and many other talented players. But they don’t have that go-to bucket-getter, that one player who strikes fear in opposing defenses the entire team he’s on the floor. Mirotic did that for Barcelona, it opened the game up and made all of their players better. That’s gone, they don’t have a solution figured out, and games are starting. 

They can still pull off the ACB championship potentially, but the game-to-game competitiveness of EuroLeague could easily wear this team down.