Like relatives

Consider it a day off

CSKA players rarely have a chance to rest during the preseason. And on the road – it’s almost impossible at all. Therefore, the light regime on Thursday after the victory over Telekom can be considered as a gift.

Formally, the team had two training sessions. At noon - optional shootaround (mandatory for a quartet of young players), and at six in the evening – all team, with watching a video, but without tapes (that means, without five-on-five contact play).

In general, the red-blues are preparing seriously for the next game, but are still trying to maintain energy after two games in two days.

Will is here, but out of the game

Now the Nirvana Cosmopolitan hotel houses six teams, CSKA and five Turkish clubs - Efes, Galatasaray, Karsiyaka, Turk Telekom and Besiktas. In such cases, it is inevitable to meet a large number of acquaintances.

For us, it's primarily Will Clyburn. The player, who has fully earned the title of legend of the red-and-blues, is in an excellent mood, but he is not yet participates in friendly matches, the team is taking care of him. They are waiting for the forward to fully recover from a severe knee bruise received in the final series of the Turkish championship after a collision with... at that time teammate Amath M'Baye.

There is also a lot of joy in meeting Darrun Hilliard, who moved to Karsiyaka in the summer. D-Hill is still energetic and enjoying life in his new status of a father.

Powerful Gain

Changes in the roster of Efes can be viewed in different ways.

On the one hand, two key figures left the club after many years. Head coach Ergin Ataman moved to Panathinaikos (his place was taken by assistant Erdem Can), and playmaker Vasilje Micic signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA.

On the other hand, the core of the roster remains in place - here are Clyburn, Shane Larkin, Tibor Pleiss, Elijah Bryant, Ante Zizic, and Rodrigue Beaubois. In place of M'Baye, who moved to CSKA, the club acquired three powerful players at once - Tyrique Jones from Telekom, Derek Willis from Venice and Ercan Osmani from Darussafaka.

Two basketball players at once covered the empty spot of a point guard: Larkin will be helped by the EuroLeague last season assists leader Darius Thompson, who moved from Baskonia, and the newly-minted world champion Justus Hollatz who was loaned from the Slovenian Cedevita Olimpia.

Brief dossier

Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Turkey

Founded: 1976
Colors: white, blue
Home arena: Sinan Erdem Dome (16,000 spectators)
President: Tuncay Ozilhan
Head Coach: Erdem Can
Website: www.efesbasket.org
Achievements:

- 2-time EuroLeague champion (2021, 2022);
- Korac Cup winner (1996);
- 16-time Turkish champion;
- 12-time Turkish Cup winner;
- 13-time Turkish President's Cup winner.