This article highlights EuroLeague stars such as Sasha Vezenkov, Mike James, Nikola Mirotic, and others, who are among the top players still in pursuit of their first EuroLeague championship despite impressive careers and numerous deep playoff runs.
New season – new hope. As the EuroLeague starts another exciting campaign, many teams and players are filled with optimism that this could finally be the year they lift the top-tier trophy.
Nikola Milutinov
| Team: |
Olympiacos Piraeus |
| Position: | C |
| Age: | 29 |
| Height: | 212 cm |
| Weight: | 100 kg |
| Birth place: | Novi Sad, Serbia |
While some clubs are perennial favorites, their rosters are stacked with elite talent, and even the brightest stars sometimes find the path to EuroLeague glory blocked by the toughest of competition.
In this article, BasketNews takes a closer look at some of the biggest names in the tournament who are still chasing the ultimate prize.
Scottie Wilbekin | G | Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul
One of the premier guards in European basketball, Wilbekin has played eight seasons in the EuroLeague, most notably with Maccabi and currently Fenerbahce.
Despite his explosive scoring, Wilbekin had never advanced past the quarterfinals until last season. With Fenerbahce, he finished fourth, losing to both Greek teams in the semifinals and the third-place game.
At 31, he has yet to lift the trophy, ranking 19th in games played without a championship (241).
Shavon Shields | F | EA7 Emporio Armani Milan
When healthy, Shields has been a consistent performer during his six EuroLeague seasons, particularly with Olimpia Milano, where he helped the team reach the 2021 Final Four. However, Milan fell short in the semifinals and has struggled to maintain that level since.
Known for his all-around game, the 30-year-old Shields remains a cornerstone for his team, but injuries and the depth of competition have so far kept him from winning the title or having a legitimate shot at it in the final.
Nicolas Laprovittola | G | FC Barcelona
The crafty Argentinian guard has played six EuroLeague seasons with stints at Baskonia, Real, and now Barcelona. Despite being part of talented rosters, he has yet to make it past the Final Four.
Under coach Sarunas Jasikevicius, Laprovittola has twice reached the semifinals with Barca, in 2022 and 2023, but the Spanish team stumbled at that stage both times.
Wade Baldwin | G | Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul
Baldwin, a EuroLeague Second Team member, has spent five seasons in the competition, playing for Olympiacos, Bayern, Baskonia, Maccabi, and now Fenerbahce.
His closest title runs came during Bayern's surprising 2020-21 campaign and last season with Maccabi, where they made it to a decisive Game 5 in the quarterfinals but fell short of the Final Four.
Having played 157 EuroLeague games, Baldwin now joins one of the top contenders for this season's title.
Kevin Punter | G | FC Barcelona
Known for his scoring and clutch play, Punter has been in the EuroLeague for five seasons, with stops at Olympiacos, Crvena Zvezda, Olimpia Milano, and most recently, Partizan.
His lone Final Four appearance came in 2021 with Milan, where he narrowly missed a game-winning three-pointer in the semifinals.
KP was also close to another Final Four in 2023, but Real Madrid pulled off a historic comeback after Partizan led the series 2-0.
Now, with Barcelona, Punter's lethal perimeter game and killer instinct could provide the team with the offensive punch it needs to compete for a championship.
Tornike Shengelia | F | Virtus Segafredo Bologna
The Georgian forward is a true EuroLeague veteran who has been there for 11 years, playing for such powerhouses as Baskonia, CSKA, and now Virtus.
He reached the Final Four with Baskonia in 2016 and again in 2021 with CSKA, but his teams collapsed in the semifinals both times.
Last season, Virtus had a strong start but stumbled in the second half of the year. Ultimately, it made the Play-In Tournament but did not qualify for the playoffs.
Lorenzo Brown | G | Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens
Brown's move to Panathinaikos marks his fifth EuroLeague stop in five years. The 34-year-old guard has had stints with Crvena Zvezda, Fenerbahce, UNICS, and Maccabi, where he earned All-EuroLeague First Team honors in 2023 and Second Team honors last season.
He has yet to be part of a team that made a serious run at the title, but his consistency makes him a valuable piece for any contender. And now, he has a chance to change that with PAO as they seek a title repeat.
Nikola Milutinov | C | Olympiacos Piraeus
Serbian big man has been in the EuroLeague for a decade, with his closest title chance coming in 2017 when Olympiacos reached the final but lost to Fenerbahce.
Milutinov also made Final Four runs with CSKA in 2021 and Olympiacos last season, but both times his teams fell in the semifinals.
As one of the top centers in Europe and part of a stacked Olympiacos roster, Milutinov has a strong chance to finally lift the trophy this season.
Nikola Mirotic | F | EA7 Emporio Armani Milan
One of the most decorated players in European basketball, Mirotic has played 10 EuroLeague seasons, returning to the competition after a solid stint in the NBA. Yet, despite all his individual success, he's still chasing that elusive championship. Last season with Milan, he didn't even make the playoffs.
With FC Barcelona, he reached the Final Four three straight years (2021, 2022, 2023), but the title always slipped away, even though Barca was one of the favorites during his time there, including a trip to the EuroLeague final in 2021.
The 2022 EuroLeague MVP has been to six Final Fours and played in three championship games. He fell short against Olympiacos in the 2013 final, lost in overtime to Maccabi in 2014, and was defeated by Anadolu Efes in 2021.
Sasha Vezenkov | F | Olympiacos Piraeus
The 2022-23 EuroLeague MVP is back at Peace and Friendship Stadium after a season in the NBA.
His last EuroLeague game was a heartbreaker. Vezenkov dropped 29 points in the final, but Olympiacos suffered a crushing 78-79 loss to Real Madrid, with Sergio Llull sealing it with a mid-range dagger in the closing seconds.
Vezenkov was also key in getting Olympiacos back to the Final Four in 2022 after a five-year absence, but they were knocked out in the semifinals by a Vasilije Micic buzzer-beater.
Maybe this will be the year for Vezenkov and Olympiacos. They've come close but just haven't had the luck recently.
Mike James | G | AS Monaco
James, 34, has spent 10 seasons lighting up the competition. With stints at Baskonia, Panathinaikos, Milan, CSKA, and currently Monaco, he has established himself as one of the top guards in EuroLeague history and has become the league's all-time leading scorer.
His closest shot at glory came with Baskonia in 2016 and Monaco in 2023, but his teams slipped in the semifinals both times. James might've had an even better chance in 2019-20 with CSKA, but that season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last season, he finally won his first MVP award, and maybe this year will bring his first title.
Now, James joins a club of players who've won the EuroLeague MVP but haven't yet captured the championship: Andrei Kirilenko (2012), Nemanja Bjelica (2015), Nikola Mirotic (2022), Sasha Vezenkov (2023), and himself (2024).
Honorable mentions: Nicolo Melli, Thomas Walkup, Marko Guduric, Tyler Dorsey, Nigel Hayes-Davis, Tomas Satoransky, Willy Hernangomez, Georgios Papagiannis, Jordan Loyd, Marco Belinelli, Brandon Davies, Zach LeDay, Vladimir Lucic, Nemanja Nedovic, Joffrey Lauvergne, Alex Abrines, Usman Garuba, Donatas Motiejunas, Johannes Voigtmann, Isaiah Canaan.
*Players like Evan Fournier (a EuroLeague debutant), Cedi Osman, and Furkan Korkmaz haven't really had a legitimate shot at EuroLeague glory yet, so they were left out of this article.
Top 20 EuroLeague players with longest title drought
| Top 10 | Top 20 |
| 1. Paulius Jankunas, 392 | 11-12. Johannes Voigtmann, 249 |
| 2. Edgaras Ulanovas, 306 | 11-12. Marko Guduric, 249 |
| 3. Nicolo Melli, 305 | 13-14. Vladimir Micov, 246 |
| 4. James Gist, 297 | 13-14. Nikola Mirotic, 246 |
| 5. Lukas Lekavicius, 293 | 15. Branko Lazic, 245 |
| 6. Ante Tomic, 283 | 16-17. Sergey Monia, 243 |
| 7. Mike James, 282 | 16-17. Ender Arslan, 243 |
| 8. Arturas Milaknis, 265 | 18. Kerem Gonlum, 242 |
| 9. Thomas Heurtel, 253 | 19. Scottie Wilbekin, 241 |
| 10. Leon Radosevic, 250 | 20. Alex Abrines, 236 |
