A few days before the start of the new season! All teams have significantly updated the roster, two new clubs have appeared, the format of the season has changed.
What to expect from the new season? Who will become the new stars of the League and who can surprise? We tell you more about each team:
Zenit: defend the championship
The 2022 final was the best in the history of the League and Zenit’s win went down in the history of the tournament. Nevertheless, this is really history, and now Xavi Pascul’s team has a completely different task – not to win the title, but to keep it. As Sergey Karasev admitted in an interview, it will be much more difficult to win for the second time in a row.
Nevertheless, Zenit has already shown its mettle at the VTB United League SuperCup: the team beat Partizan and then beat CSKA in the clutch.
Newcomer: Thomas Heurtel
In the summer, Zenit has changed significantly – 7 new players have joined the team. The latest newcomer was Thomas Heurtel and he also claims to be the most high-profile transfer of this offseason.
Yes, Zenit brought Trey Tompkins back to the League and Thomas Wimbush became a real SuperCup hero. But we have seen more than once that Xavi Pascual’s teams are built on high–quality point guards – in the VTB League, the Spanish specialist’s offense was led first by Kevin Pangos and then by Jordan Loyd. Huertel became the Europe vice-champion with the French national team a week ago, should also show his best qualities as a playmaker at Zenit and help the team repeat last year’s success.
Star: Trey Tompkins
Tompkins came to Nizhny Novgorod from the NBA, spent only a year in the team, but impressed everyone with his game so much that he got a contract from Real Madrid – and spent the next 7 years there.
However, in recent seasons, the center has been sitting on the Madrid team bench and moving to St. Petersburg is a good chance to restart his career and prove to everyone (and first of all, to Real Madrid) that he can still play effectively.
Who to follow: Artem Klimenko
The Russian center spent the last 4 seasons in UNICS, but failed to get Dimitris Priftis or Velimir Perasovic trust. Klimenko moved to Zenit and despite the presence of Tompkins and Solomon in the squad, he got big minutes in the SuperCup, playing an important role in the St. Petersburg team. Will Xavier Pascual be able to reveal the talent of the center?
CSKA: back to the top
Last season, the Army team lost the VTB League final for the first time since 2011. Of course, now CSKA is eager to prove to everyone that this was an exception rather than a trend.
Newcomer: Anton Astapkovich
Unlike all the main competitors – Zenit, UNICS, Loko – CSKA retained last year’s players. But changes in the roster could not be avoided, and the team decided to sign one of the best Russian players. Astapkovich has established as a leader in Nizhny Novgorod and will add force to CSKA offense.
Star: Alexey Shved
But still, Shved remains the all star player, who recovered quickly from a broken arm and has already played in the team’s friendly games. Do not expect a sharp increase in stat lines from him – CSKA roster needs to get in shape, to find team chemistry. And Shved just has to become the player who will help everyone in CSKA to unleash their offensive potential.
Who to follow: Samson Ruzhentsev
The young Russian still has a lot of work to do, which was noticeable in the SuperCup. But it is already clear that Coach Rajkovic trusts Samson and this along with the desire of the player is the first step towards progress. Ruzhentsev will add from game to game and do not be surprised if by the end of the regular season he will be quoted as the leader for the best young player of the season award.
UNICS: Rewriting history
One of the main wins of the Kazan team in the offseason was Velimir Perasovic. The Croatian specialist did not manage to bring UNICS to the finals in his first season in the League, but, on the other hand, it is not so shameful to concede in the series to the future champion.
Now UNICS has radically updated the squad, inviting 11 new players, and Perasovic has about 6 months to build a new team in Kazan, ready to rewrite the history.
Newcomer: Jalen Reynolds
After 3 years of absence, the charismatic bigman comes back to the League. However, as Jalen pointed out in an interview he has become much calmer. It’s hard to believe, especially looking at the emotions of the American in the recent SuperCup. But one thing is for sure: Reynolds will definitely add an entourage to every Kazan team game.
Star: Daryl Macon
In fact, Reynolds could also be in this place – his influence on the team’s game is too great. That’s just Jalen is still dependent on the point guard with the ball (and on his own mood), and Macon can single-handedly decide the outcome of both a separate possession and a game. This was evident in the bronze SuperCup game against Partizan, where before the hip injury, Daryl repeatedly hacked the Serbian defense.
Who to follow: Louis Labeyrie
UNICS French newcomer was not a star in his previous clubs, but Velimir Perasovic gives him a certain free actions in the SuperCup. At the same time, the forward is tall and fast enough to close two positions in defense and close his paint in the low five.
Lokomotiv-Kuban: turning the future into the present
The Krasnodar team took a risky step: instead of building the squad with foreigners, they relied on their own youth. Loko with Martiuk, Shcherbenev, Emchenko and Vedishchev last year fought in the playoffs with CSKA and there is no reason to believe that young players will stop developing – especially keeping in mind how they love and know how to work with talents in Krasnodar.
Newcomer: Darral Willis
In the summer, only 3 new players appeared in Loko and Willis is one of those who should help the team stay at the top of the standings. Both in Nizhny Novgorod and Enisey, the American bigman was a disciplined and useful player, which is also important for Loko.
Star: Jaylen Barford
There are a lot of young players in Loko, but in order to achieve big goals, a leader is needed in such a team and it’s about both offense and experience and the ability to take responsibility for yourself. Barford is a strong scorer, which he has repeatedly confirmed in United League matches: 24 points against Zenit, 32 against Nizhny Novgorod, 26 against Avtodor and PARMA … This season, Jaylen will have a lot of shots, and there is practically no doubt that he will stay in the top scorers of the championship.
Who to follow: Alexander Shcherbenev
With the departure of the Americans last spring, a huge responsibility fell on the 21-year-old guard: Shcherbenev was entrusted with the drawing of the ball in Loko, and he passed this test with honor. Yes, Aleksander was not stable in every game, but he has the potential and work ethic – important enough qualities to grow into a top-level player.
PARMA-PARI: survive rebuilding in the shortest possible time
The Perm club has maintained its roster for two seasons, but this summer it was forced to transform. Evgeny Pashutin came to the coaching bridge, who invited five legionnaires to PARMA-PARI. The minimum plan for the Urals looks like getting into the playoffs, and it’s quite realistic to do it.
Newcomer: Malik Dime
The Senegal center is an experienced big who has been playing in Europe for 5 years. During this time, Malik has established as a good defensive player, as evidenced by stats: in Dime’s personal collection there are already 3 awards for the best blocker – in the championships of Bosnia, Bulgaria and Italy.
Star: Justin Roberson
There are a lot of newcomers in PARMA-PARIS, but Roberson is already known in Russia: last season he played for Uralmash and became the MVP of the Super League. What is important, he played in Ekaterinburg under the guidance of Pashutin, so he knows exactly what style of play the Russian specialist will instill in the Perm team.
For Roberson himself, the move to PARMA-PARI should be decisive in his career. After all, it’s one thing to be the best in the second–strongest Russian tournament, it’s another to fight for a place in the playoffs in the VTB League.
Who to follow: Alexander Platunov
The young point guard missed quite a lot due to injuries, but in the new season he should make a progress and become one of the main Russian players in the PARMA-PARI squad. This is confirmed by the pre-season games, where the guard looked no worse than foreign players and was not afraid to take the lead.
Ensiey: try to get the best season
At the start of the offseason, Krasnoyarsk kept silent for a long time, but then signed a number of strong players – Angelo Warner and Yauheni Beliaknou used to play in the League. Enisey squad looks well-organized and if the coaching staff manages to use their players correctly, then the team can have the best season in its history.
Newcomer: Yauheni Beliaknou
For the Belarusian forward, the season not in Minsk will be the first in his career. Beliaknou has seriously improved during the 2021/22 season and now has to confirm his level in Krasnoyarsk, where they expect high-quality defense and stability on the perimeter from him.
Star: Angelo Warner
Warner is another Enisey recruit who previously played in Minsk. In the Belarusian team, Angelo managed to score points, organize a team offense and work in defense and on rebounds. The guard led the Belarusian team for a long time in points (14.2), assists (5.6), rebounds (4.8) and steals (1.6).
Who to follow: Timofey Gerasimov
A year ago, the guard did not start the season too brightly, but in the spring he got more free time – and proved that he could be useful to his team. Gerasimov averaged 8.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists after the All-Star Game. Timofey is only 25, and he has both time and opportunities for progress.
Avtodor: create another miracle
Saratov players are starting the season again with a new coach – a Serbian specialist Nebojsa Vidic. He faces a rather difficult task – to repeat the successes of Emil Rajkovic, who led Avtodor to the leaders of the season by the end of the year. But will Vidic succeed?
Newcomer: Rada Zagorac
Greg Whittington could have been here, but the ex-Loko player did not pass a medical examination, after which Avtodor terminated the contract with the forward. But the Saratov team managed to attract Zagorac to the roster, who played the last 4 seasons in Partizan. Rada will join the team just before the start of the season and will literally get to know both the team and the head coach’s game system on the go.
Star: Ryan Boatwright
But who is already familiar with the Saratov team is Boatwright. The guard first came to the city on the Volga in the winter of 2020 and for 5 games in the VTB League made him talk about himself as a really strong player. However, then the pandemic began and the season ended ahead of schedule. Well, now Ryan has another chance to write a new chapter in the history of Avtodor.
Who to follow: Nikita Mikhailovskiy
Of course, one of the most interesting topics of this season will be the progress of Mikhailovskiy, who returned from Australia in the spring. Nikita quickly adapted to European basketball and in the final games of Avtodor caused a lot of trouble. Now the guard should become the strongest Russian player in Saratov and one of those who will determine the team’s result in the upcoming games.
Pari Nizhny Novgorod: to give the League new stars
Summer did not start in the most pleasant way for Nizhny Novgorod: Astapkovich left for CSKA, Toropov – for Zenit and Kulagin – for UNICS. But according to the results of the off-season, it cannot be said Pari NN has become weaker. Everyone is used to Zoran Lukic giving us a new star every year – who will it be this season?
Newcomer: Anton Ponkrashov
Nizhny Novgorod became the 8th VTB League club in the guard’s career, which is a tournament record. Ponkrashov is returning to the League after an unexpected trip to Iran and under Lukic’s guidance will surely get his chance to show that he can still perform at a high level. Yes, Anton is already 36, but as time shows, the Serbian coach of Pari NN likes to work with experienced players who understand what is required of them.
Star: Maxim Salash
After Toropov’s departure, Nizhny needed a high-quality forward with a work ethic and without big offensive time. Salash fits perfectly in this regard, because he demonstrated it 2 years ago in Minsk, where he was the leader of the team in points and rebounds.
Who to follow: Nikola Jovanovic
The Serbian center managed to be in the same place twice – after all, a year ago Nikola had already signed a contract with the Volga club, but due to injury he quickly ended it. Now, having fully recovered, Jovanovic has got another chance and it will be interesting to see how he will prove himself in the new season.
MINSK: to reach their first playoff
MINSK remain the only club in the League (not counting newcomers) that has never qualified for the playoffs. In the new season, the Belarusian team will try to achieve this goal, while focusing on their youth.
Newcomer: Zach Smith
Signing a contract with a player who missed the season due to injury is always a risk. But judging by the pre-season games, MINSK has guessed right with its newcomer: the center does a great job on the boards and adds size to the team in defense. Ever since college, Smith likes to score from above, and who knows, maybe after one of the dunks, the League will invite him to the All-Star Game dunk contest.
Star: Uladislau Blizniuk
The young Belarusian national team guard is progressing from season to season and has already grown to the role of the main point guard of the VTB League team. But considering that there are no legionnaires in the team’s backcourt, Uladislau has every chance to secure the status of a leader.
Who to follow: Kirill Sitnik
Sitnik is familiar to fans from his performances in the Super League-1. Kirill has established himself as a sniper who knows how to put an important three-pointer at the right moment. For the defender, this is the second visit to the VTB League and to MINSK – he played in the Belarusian team 3 years ago.
Astana: believe in yours
Like MINSK, Astana preferred not to look for talented foreigners on the market but to focus on the development of its players. The new head coach Oleg Kiselev previously headed the Almaty Legion is able to work with Kazakhstan players.
Newcomer: Valery Likhodei
But there are still several legionnaires in Astana, and one of them is Likhodei. For the forward, Kazakhstan will become the fourth country outside of Russia where he performed. Back at PARMA-PARI in the spring, Valery showed that he can hoop at 35 and there is no doubt that this season he will be one of the leaders of Astana.
Star: Deondre Parks
To help Likhodei Astana signed Deondre Parks, a 29–year-old guard who twice became the best scorer of the championships over a 6-year career, won the British Cup and the Finnish Championship and even attended the All-Star Game in Cyprus. His career high is 31 points in the British Championship.
Who to follow: Oleg Balashov
Balashov is only 23, but he like many other players, took his chance after the departure of the legionnaires. In his debut season in the League, the guard scored the first points only in the fourth game and a few months later he became the main point guard of Astana.
Samara: make some noise in the League
Samara has just joined the VTB League and immediately became almost the main newsmaker of this offseason. James Ennis, K.C Rivers, Malcolm Thomas, Marcos Knight – and Sergey Bazarevich as the coach! The last time the League’s debutant team reached the playoffs in its first season was Zenit. Will Samara succeed?
Newcomer: K.C Rivers
Samara really did a great job in the transfer market, so it’s not quite right to single out Rivers alone. But KC is the most famous newcomer, because before Samara he played in Loko, Khimki and Zenit.
Star: James Ennis
You’ve probably seen KC Rivers in action, but you’ve also heard a lot about James Ennis. The forward spent the first 8 years of his career in the NBA, having played more than 300 games overseas. In the spring, he tried to play in Europe, signing a contract with Hapoel Haifa and now he will lead the United League newcomer.
Who to follow: Isaiah Reese
Unlike his colleagues at Samara, Reese has not yet managed to make a name in Europe. But we know something about the guard: he knows how to score points, has a three-pointer and is always ready to steal and runinto a fastbreak.
MBA: proving it is possible to win without legionnaires
Another League newcomer also surprised this offseason. But not by big names, but by the fact that the team decided to do without foreigners at all. All 11 MBA newcomers, counting the head coach, are Russians. Will this experiment be successful?
Newcomer: Anton Pushkov
The center played for Zenit since 2015, took the title of League champions with the St. Petersburg team and decided to start a new chapter in his team.
Star: Evgeny Voronov
The 4-time All-Star Game participant helped PARMA-PARI finish in 5th place in the regular season in the previous season, scoring an average of 11.1 points. In updated MBA, Voronov will also be one of the offensive leaders.
Who to follow: Andrey Lopatin
The young forward did not get many minutes in CSKA, sitting behind Kurbanov and Antonov so moving to another Moscow club can be considered a good decision. In this team everything will depend solely on the player. But given Lopatin’s love of working – he trained even during MBA media day! We can believe that he will get at least playing minutes.
