Summer is coming to an end as the VTB League offseason. Many of the teams have already opened training camps and started preparing for the new season.
The offseason was very active: the teams have already announced the signing of 69 players and the head coach has changed in 7. There are players and coaches and those who have already known for the VTB League fans. Let’s see, who are they:
Trey Tompkins, forward
Previous League team: Nizhny Novgorod (2014/15)
New team: Zenit
Despite the fact that Trey spent only 1 season in Nizhny Novgorod local fans probably remember the energetic forward with a stable long-range shot. Tompkins was extremely effective in the VTB League and in Nizhny Novgorod’s debut season in the Euroleague.
It is not surprising that the forward immediately moved from NN to Real Madrid where he spent the next 7 seasons. Tompkins became the Euroleague champion and won the Spanish League 4 times but recently his playing time in Madrid has decreased and the 32-year-old forward decided to restart his career.
He chose the right place for this: after the departure of Poythress and Mickey, Zenit needs an experienced bigman who will help Xavi Pascual’s team defend the title.
KC Rivers, guard
Previous League teams: Lokomotiv Kuban (2011/12), Khimki (2012/13) and Zenit (2020/21)
New team: Samara
KC Rivers is one of the record holders (along with Drew Gordon) among foreigners in the number of teams in the VTB League. However, between Khimki and Zenit the guard had a 7-year tour in the West – he managed to play in Sacramento farm club, win the Euroleague and the Spanish League with Real Madrid, the Greek League with Pao, the Lithuanian League with Zalgiris, the Adriatic League – with Crvena Zvezda. At the European stage of his career, Rivers won almost everywhere he played.
In many ways, the team’s in the upcoming season will depend on KC. The 35-year-old veteran should become one of the leaders of Samara.
Anton Ponkrashov, guard
Previous League teams: CSKA (2009/10, 2011-13), Krasnye Krylia (2013/14), Lokomotiv Kuban (2014), Krasny Oktyabr (2014), UNICS (2014-19), Zenit (2019/20) and Khimki (2021)
New team: Nizhny Novgorod
Ponkrashov does not need an introduction – he has been playing in the League since its foundation and missed only 2 seasons – 2010/11 and 2021/22. Last year, he tried in the Iranian League and now he has returned to help Zoran Lukic raise NN as high as possible in the standings.
By the way, Ponkrashov is the League’s record holder: Nizhny Novgorod has already become the 8th team in his career in the VTB League. The same number of the teams has MBA guard Evgeny Voronov.
Jalen Reynolds, center
Previous League team: Zenit (2018/19)
New team: UNICS
Reynolds is one of the most controversial signings this offseason. On the one hand, the center has experience in the Euroleague and during his season in Zenit he got 16.6 points and 7.9 rebounds. Jalen definitely has influence in the paint on both sides and will be an important element in Velimir Perasovic’s system.
On the other hand, Reynolds is too devoted to the game and from time to time loses control of his own emotions.
And yet Kazan fans will surely be pleased with the signing – after all, Reynolds likes to play not only effectively, but also espectacular. And Velimir Perasovic will try to control Jalen’s character.
Vince Hunter, forward
Previous League team: Avtodor (2016/17)
New team: UNICS
It is not surprising that Hunter played for Avtodor in the VTB League. Powerful, fast and athletic – just for the style of play that is loved in Saratov. Vince played 17 games for Avtodor where he scored 14.7 points and 7.7 rebounds.
After the VTB League Hunter signed with Memphis, but after playing a year in America he returned to Europe. And his comeback was more than successful: he won the Champions League and the Greek Cup with AEK, becoming the best scorer of the Greek League and the Champions League, won the Italian League with Virtus. Will the 28-year-old forward be able to win any trophy with UNICS in the coming season?
Sergey Bazarevich, Head Coach
Previous League teams: Krasnye Krylia (2011-14) and Lokomotiv Kuban (2014/15)
New team: Samara
Many people associate Bazarevich with the Russian national team – the coach has led the national team for the past 5 years. Now he is returning to show the maximum with the newcomer team – Samara.
And judging by how the team spends the off-season, the result may surprise in a good way. K. C. Rivers, Marcus Knight, Isaiah Reese, Malcolm Thomas. The roster is really impressive but to turn a set of players into a ready team, an experienced specialist should be at the head. There is no doubt that Sergey Bazarevich makes Samara even more dangerous.
Joe Thomasson, guard
Previous League team: Zielona Gora (2019/20)
New team: Zenit
The 2019/20 season was the second for Zielona Gora in the VTB League – and the Polish team made a success. At the time of the COVID-19 season cancelling, Gora was level with Zenit in the middle of the standings and Joe Thomasson was one of the best players in the team: 12.3 points, 3.4 assists and 43% from deep.
And it is not surprising that after Zielona Gora the guard received an offer from strong teams. At first Thomasson played for a year in Hapoel, where the team almost beat Maccabi in the final of the Israel LEague. And in the previous season, Joe and his Manresa lost in the final of the Champions League Final Four. In both the Israeli and Spanish teams Thomasson demonstrated sniper skills not forgetting to share the ball with his partners.
Interestingly, Zenit is not the first Russian team in Joe’s career: before Zielona Gora he played 6 games in the Super League-1 for Burevestnik.
Malcolm Thomas, forward
Previous League team: Khimki (2017-19)
New team: Samara
Thomas started his career in 2011, but before joining Khimki in 2017 he had already played for 13 teams, more than half were in the NBA and G League. In the Moscow Region team, Malcolm was remembered for his versatility in defense which was achieved with a speed and understanding of the game.
Thomas is little to play a classic center, but at the same time he has a good 3-point shot: while playing for Khimki, Malcolm scored 37% from deep. The forward won’t bethe best player of the team – instead, in Samara he will act as an experienced bigman who will help teammates in defense and will add variability in offense.
Vasily Karasev, Head Coach
Previous League teams: Triumph (2012-14) and Zenit (2014-18)
New team: MBA
Vasily Karasev’s coaching path is a series of challenges. 2 years after retirement, he already headed the VTB League team, 2 more years later he had to achieve results in the new founded team then tried in women’s basketball and immediately became a champion with Dynamo Kursk.
In the summer of 2022, the specialist was offered to become MBA head coach – the newcomer of the League. At the same time, there are no foreign players in the Moscow team now and all 17 players are Russians. This complicates the task for the coach, but on the other hand this is really a unique case in the history of the League because no team has ever started a season without foreign players before.
And for Vasily Karase this will be another challenge. However he has repeatedly shown that he is not afraid of difficulties.
Maxim Salash, forward
Previous League team: Tsmoki-Minsk (2017/18, 20019/20) and Kalev (2018/19)
New team: Nizhny Novgorod
2 years ago the forward was the best player of the Minsk team with high-quality defense and successfully scoring points. But during the season, Salash received an offer from Burgos and Maxim could not refuse the winner of the Champions League. By the way, in the same season Burgos defended the championship title and the Belarusian forward was an important part of that team.
Salash spent another year in Spain, but after Burgos dropped to the second division, he left the team – especially since the contract ended. And now Maxim is returning to the League and will try in Zoran Lukic’s system. Salash is not the first Belarusian in Nizhny Novgorod: Vladimir Veremeenko and Alexander Pustogvar used to play here.
Kirill Sitnik, guard
Previous League team: Tsmoki-Minsk (2018-19)
New team: MINSK
Sitnik is another Belarusian who returned to the League after a short absence. Unlike Salash, Kirill played in the Super League-1 – and performed quite well. Last season, the guard was the leader of Dynamo Vladivostok scoring 14.4 points per game.
A generational change is taking place in MINSK now and instead of seasoned veterans, promising and young players become the main. The 32-year-old Sitnik will be useful to the Belarusian team both as an experienced player in the locker room and as a proven sniper capable of scoring threes in the clutch.
Gleb Goldyrev, forward
Previous League team: Enisey (2017-19)
New team: MBA
The forward spent his entire career in Russia changing the VTB League with the Super League. Goldyrev played 2 seasons in Enisey with Oleg Okulov, but failed to prove himself seriously and in 33 games only twice score more than 10 points.
After leaving Enisey, Goldyrev joined Novosibirsk where he played until the summer of 2022. In MBA Gleb will become more of a role player who will have to do a large amount of rough work. At the same time, the forward should get his chance in the Moscow team.
