Real Madrid center Edy Tavares received numerous accolades in the EuroLeague GM survey, being chosen as the player around whom they would build their teams and also identified as the next star primed for a move to the NBA.
For the third consecutive year, BasketNews proudly presents the EuroLeague General Managers Survey.
Walter Tavares
| Team: |
Real Madrid |
| Position: | C |
| Age: | 31 |
| Height: | 221 cm |
| Weight: | 120 kg |
| Birth place: | Cabo Verde |
The majority of the EuroLeague GMs shared their thoughts on the offseason, the league's future outlook, and their predictions for the 2023-24 season.
In this first part of the survey, we'll be focusing on the off-season, including the best and most creative signings, teams that had the most successful off-seasons, the EuroLeague player currently considered most valuable by GMs, and the next stars expected to make their way to the NBA.
In the upcoming editions of the BasketNews GM survey, we'll delve into the predictions for the 2023-24 season and the critical decisions shaping the future of EuroLeague basketball.
The best off-season signing
Facundo Campazzo stood out as the player to receive the most votes when discussing the best off-season signings.
Real Madrid secured the services of the 32-year-old guard on a 4-year contract, a deal widely regarded as team-friendly by basketball people.
The reigning champions made a significant addition by bringing in one of the EuroLeague's top-ranked players, who last wore a Real Madrid jersey in 2020. This signing has reunited him with star center Edy Tavares and many of Real's core players.
The only other player to receive multiple votes was Kostas Sloukas, who dropped a transfer bomb by switching from Olympiacos Piraeus to their rivals, Panathinaikos Athens.
Players such as Kemba Walker, Juancho and Willy Hernangomez, Luke Sikma, and Milos Teodosic also received votes.
| Player | Vote cast |
| 1. Facundo Campazzo | 23.1% |
| 2. Kostas Sloukas | 15.4% |
| 2022: Shabazz Napier | 2023: Will Clyburn | |
A team that had the best off-season
Only two teams got multiple votes in the survey, with Panathinaikos Athens emerging as the top choice.
Panathinaikos made waves by appointing the iconic EuroLeague head coach Ergin Ataman and adding 11 new players to their roster. Notable additions include former Olympiacos Piraeus floor general Kostas Sloukas, Mathias Lessort, the second-best player in efficiency last year, and Juancho Hernangomez from the NBA.
Panathinaikos finished 17th in the league last season, but with Ergin Ataman at the helm, there's hope that the Greens are on the path to returning to the elite ranks.
Red Star also received significant recognition, securing the second position with multiple votes in the survey.
Red Star, who acquired one of the league's top point guards in Shabazz Napier and the legendary Serbian playmaker Milos Teodosic, have assembled one of the deepest squads in the league. They also have set a clear goal of reaching the Final Four.
| Club | Vote cast |
| 1. Panathinaikos Athens | 46.2% |
| 2. Crvena Zvezda Belgrade | 23.1% |
| 2022: Monaco, Baskonia, Fenerbahce, Zenit | 2023: Milan | |
The most creative off-season signing
The recent off-season saw plenty of creative player signings, leaving EuroLeague GMs without a unanimous consensus on most out-of-the-box transfers.
There were only two exceptions to the rule.
Kemba Walker made a surprising decision by joining AS Monaco. As a four-time NBA All-Star, he stands as one of the most prominent players ever to make the move to Europe.
Although the extent of his impact on Monaco's season is still uncertain due to health concerns, the Rocca Team has already garnered substantial global attention.
On the other hand, Kostas Sloukas also received multiple votes, thanks to his arguably the most unexpected transfer within Europe.
Several other players received votes in this category, including Aleksander Balcerowski, Leandro Bolmaro, Frank Jackson, Mbaye Ndiaye, Nathan Reuvers, and Yago dos Santos.
| Player | Vote cast |
| 1-2. Kemba Walker | 15.4% |
| 1-2. Kostas Sloukas | 15.4% |
Next EuroLeague player to go to the NBA
More than half of the EuroLeague GMs were convinced that Vasilije Micic was destined for a move overseas last year. The upcoming 2023-24 season brings another clear contender who might be ready to test himself against the world's best players.
A majority of EuroLeague GMs believe that Real Madrid's center, Edy Tavares, is on track to leap to the NBA next summer.
Tavares, one of the most dominant players in the EuroLeague, is currently playing on an expiring contract. This past summer, he received an offer from the Portland Trail Blazers, but a substantial buyout kept him in Madrid.
However, Tavares will be free to explore his options next year unless both sides agree on a contract extension.
Barcelona's center, James Nnaji, drafted 31st overall by the Charlotte Hornets, is another EuroLeague player who received multiple votes.
Among other notable names, Guerschon Yabusele, Marko Simonovic, and Khalifa Diop also received votes.
| Player | Vote cast |
| 1. Edy Tavares | 53.8% |
| 2. James Nnaji | 15.4% |
| 2022: Vasilije Micic | |
No. 1 pick in the EuroLeague draft
The EuroLeague MVP, Sasha Vezenkov, departed for the Sacramento Kings, while the former back-to-back Final Four MVP, Vasilije Micic, also moved to the Oklahoma City Thunder. So, who is currently the best EuroLeague player that the GMs would choose as the cornerstone of their team?
Interestingly, the two players mentioned most frequently wear Real Madrid jerseys.
Edy Tavares emerged as the most commonly selected No. 1 pick if the EuroLeague were to hold a draft with all current players eligible. Following behind with multiple votes was Facundo Campazzo.
Other names mentioned in the survey included Kevin Punter, Elie Okobo, Moustapha Fall, Nikola Mirotic, and Thomas Walkup.
| Player | Vote cast |
| 1. Edy Tavares | 46.2% |
| 2. Facundo Campazzo | 15.4% |
| 2021: Vasilije Micic | 2022: Nikola Mirotic | |
URBONUS' EuroLeague Power Rankings:
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