While this EuroLeague offseason has been filled with some major moves, there's also been a series of more under-the-radar additions that might end up becoming extremely important. At BasketNews, we have decided to analyze which players might become the best underrated additions of this summer in the EuroLeague.
This EuroLeague offseason, so far, has been filled with several star moves. We already saw a significant amount of major players changing teams and even some unexpected returns from the NBA.
Tyrique Jones
| Position: | PF |
| Age: | 26 |
| Height: | 206 cm |
| Weight: | 108 kg |
| Birth place: | Connecticut, United States of America |
Panathinaikos Athens have been one of the most active teams in Europe, adding well-known names like Luca Vildoza, Juancho Hernangomez, Kostas Sloukas, and Mathias Lessort.
Nikola Mirotic, one of the biggest stars of European basketball, was forced to leave FC Barcelona, and after many speculations about his future, he ended up signing for Italian powerhouse Olimpia Milan.
AS Monaco kept most of his core together, but they also acquired former NBA All-Star Kemba Walker to have even more firepower in their backcourt.
The ongoing offseason has undeniably delivered a series of eye-catching deals that have captured the attention of European -- and not only -- basketball fans. And as we eagerly anticipate the new EuroLeague season, it's evident that more intriguing transactions are yet to unfold.
However, it's crucial to recognize that a winning team isn't solely built on the backs of superstars. A harmonious blend of talent, including those less flashy yet essential players, is fundamental for a team's success.
Amidst high-profile signings such as Mirotic and Walker, there exists a quieter realm of player acquisitions that hold substantial potential for their respective teams. These moves, while not generating the same level of excitement, possess the capacity to significantly impact the squads that have secured them.
At BasketNews, we decided to analyze under-the-radar signings. These are individuals who may not have garnered the same spotlight this summer, but their contributions could prove invaluable for their teams in the upcoming season.
Mateusz Ponitka | SF | Partizan
Before FIBA EuroBasket 2022, Ponitka had agreed to a short-term deal with Italian team Pallacanestro Reggiana. Ponitka then had an amazing European tournament with Poland, reaching the semifinals and playing some of the best basketball of his career.
Right after EuroBasket, Ponitka opted out of the deal with Reggio Emilia and signed with Panathinaikos. From the beginning, though, the fit between him and the Greens didn't look right.
Panathinaikos didn't really need a player like Ponitka and, from the outside, it looked like they only added him because he was available at a cheap price and he was coming from a strong championship with the national team, not because he would seamlessly integrate with the existing roster dynamics.
Now, Ponitka will have a new chance to compete at the EuroLeague level, this time with Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. The Polish swingman is represented by Wasserman, the same agency that represents coach Zeljko Obradovic, which had an important role in the move.
Ponitka looks like a good fit for Partizan Belgrade's roster on paper. He is a player who can cover multiple positions, is solid on the defensive end, has good three-point shooting skills (last season, he averaged 37% from deep with PAO), and can provide secondary playmaking.
After losing Dante Exum and Mathias Lessort, the addition of Ponitka gives Partizan a proven, experienced veteran who can play multiple positions, and he's probably at the peak of his career as he will turn 30 by the end of August.
Ponitka, on his end, sounds extremely happy to work under Zeljko Obradovic, as he revealed in a recent interview.
"The big thing for me is that I can learn basketball from him. That was the main thing for me, not money, not even life in the city, but that I could learn something new from the best coaching mind. He has a special sense of basketball, great basketball knowledge."
His addition may not be enough to erase the disappointment of Nikola Mirotic's non-arrival, but it will still give Partizan a valuable weapon to use during the season.
Ismael Kamagate | C | Olimpia Milan
Of course, Nikola Mirotic took all the spotlight for himself this summer. After leaving Barcelona, Mirotic decided to join Olimpia Milan, becoming, hands down, one of the biggest moves ever made by the Italian powerhouse.
But the team coached by Ettore Messina made another move in the frontcourt that might become a sneaky good one.
Last season, they often lacked physicality and athleticism under the basket, so the addition of a player like Ismael Kamagate makes a lot of sense for Milan.
Kamagate will indeed be a rookie at the EuroLeague level, but so far, in his young career, the French big man has proved that he doesn't suffer when he moves to a higher level.
In his first season in the top French division with Paris Basketball, he immediately won the title for the best defensive player of the league and was also invited to the All-Star Game as the youngest player in the match.
In his rookie EuroCup season, Kamagate was the best rebounder of the entire competition and one of the best big men overall.
His presence close to the basket will be very important for Milan. Kamagate has amazing shooting percentages around the rim, and he's a really good rim protector, something that Milan has often lacked in the last few years.
At 22, Kamagate is one of the best young talents in Europe, and, most likely, he'll have a future in the NBA. Meanwhile, he can become exactly the type of center that Milan was looking for.
Terry Tarpey | SF | Monaco
When you have a backcourt consisting of Mike James, Jordan Loyd, Elie Okobo, and now Kemba Walker, you'll need some help defensively to sustain all that talent, someone who can provide protection for these guys.
Monaco maintained the majority of the core from the previous season, and they decided to add mostly local talent. During the offseason, Monaco signed three French players: Mouhammadou Jaiteh, Petr Cornelie, and Terry Tarpey.
Especially Tarpey's move didn't create much buzz, but it's the type of move that Monaco needed.
The French wing spent the last six seasons in Le Mans, where he also won a French league title in 2018, and over the last few years, has become a stable presence also in the French national team.
Tarpey is a 3-and-D type of player who provides great defensive awareness on the perimeter and can switch on pretty much every role on the defensive end.
Offensively, he doesn't need to have the ball in his hands to be effective. He can wait on the perimeter and deliver when he is called.
This past season, he shot 45% from three-point range in the French league, and considering how many creators Monaco has in the backcourt, it's pretty much a given that Tarpey will have a lot of open threes to shoot in the upcoming season.
He might be a rookie at the EuroLeague level, but Nicola Alberani, the sporting director of SIG Strasbourg, has no doubts that Tarpey will be a very important addition to Monaco, "Terry is probably the most underrated player in France, a 3-and-D who can defend on every player, from 1 to 5. He's definitely a EuroLeague player and will be a positive presence in the locker room."
Nico Mannion | PG | Baskonia
A point guard with an untapped potential signing for Baskonia? Smells like another history of success in the making.
Baskonia have built much of their tradition at the European level on their unparalleled ability to find players with potential and make them shine in the system.
Mannion's two seasons with the Virtus Bologna jersey have been very complex. His arrival in Bologna in 2021 was accompanied by a wave of optimism, propelled by his impressive performances with the Italian national team during the preceding summer.
However, Mannion's initial season in Italy was marred by various physical challenges. He suffered from a severe intestinal virus that resulted in a significant weight loss of almost 10 kilograms, significantly impacting his performance on the court.
In his second campaign in a Virtus jersey, Mannion played more, especially in the Italian league, but struggled to find consistent minutes in EuroLeague, where coach Sergio Scariolo preferred other players to him.
With his contract expiring, Mannion decided to leave Virtus and get back in the game.
The Italian-American player also chose not to join the Italian NT to prepare himself for the upcoming season better, knowing that Baskonia represent a unique opportunity for him.
At Baskonia, he will find a coach more suited to his playing characteristics, who prefers a fast-paced style of basketball, and together with Markus Howard, he will most likely form one of the most unpredictable pairs of point guards around.
Mannion's talent has certainly not been lost along the way, he needs to be developed in the right environment, and Baskonia seem like the ideal place to bring out the best of the former Golden State Warriors player.
Tyrique Jones | C | Anadolu Efes
After an outstanding season with Turk Telekom Ankara, in which he was named MVP of the Turkish League and was part of the All-EuroCup Second Team, big man Tyrique Jones followed his coach Erdem Can and joined EuroLeague powerhouse Anadolu Efes Istanbul.
Although Efes lost important players this summer, including Vasilije Micic, the Turkish club remains a very ambitious team, and Jones' addition might turn into a really interesting one for them.
Jones had become one of Europe's most coveted players thanks to his performances in Ankara. Several EuroLeague clubs, including Virtus and Olympiacos, followed his case, but in the end, Efes won the race to sign him, helped by the presence of Erdem Can.
Jones is a very athletic and explosive big man with excellent finishing skills and perfect to play in a fast-paced environment. His feeling for rebounds and his ability to protect the rim make him a force on the defensive end, as well.
A few months ago, in the Italian podcast "Area 52," Andrea Trinchieri had really high praises for Jones, describing him as "the No. 1 player outside of EuroLeague as of right now."
Amid a transitional period for Efes, characterized by a shift following their two recent EuroLeague triumphs, Jones emerges as a promising addition. His skill set and attributes position him as an ideal candidate to step into the roles vacated by seasoned veterans who departed the team this summer, Bryant Dunston and Chris Singleton.
He'll have the chance to play for a coach that already knows him well and knows how to get the best out of him. Jones to Efes might quickly turn into one of the best off-season deals.
Frank Jackson | PG | ASVEL
Amidst the flurry of high-profile transfers that have dominated the EuroLeague landscape, a significant move that managed to slip under the radar was the arrival of Frank Jackson to Europe.
This relative lack of attention can be attributed in part to the star signings, as well as the fact that ASVEL, the club he joined, may not command the same level of recognition as some of its EuroLeague counterparts.
Jackson, a Duke alumn, spent several years in the NBA between New Orleans, Detroit, and Utah but struggled to find a team with a significant belief in him.
Last season, he had impressive numbers in the G League, averaging 22 points while shooting almost 43% from deep.
For ASVEL, Jackson is a super intriguing signing. The American guard is very talented with the ball in his hands. He's gifted with scoring skills, although he's not necessarily the most consistent shooter out there, and he can find the basket in so many different ways.
Jackson is also a decent defensive player on the perimeter, and the combination of size and athleticism makes him a tough player to guard.
Jackson is expected to have a major role with the French team that may help him find the confidence he needs to excel at the EuroLeague level.
The combination between him and Paris Lee, the other main option for ASVEL at the point guard position, could be fun to watch. The French team hopes that these two players will be able to replicate what Elie Okobo and Chris Jones did during their time at ASVEL.
