Olympiacos’ signing of Jean Montero dominated this year’s BasketNews EuroLeague GM Survey, with executives voting it the best move of the offseason while also selecting Montero as the player they would most want to build a franchise around.
Position
PG
Age
33
Height
182 cm
Weight
80 kg
Birth place
Cincinati, United States of America
Fenerbahce emerged as the executives’ pick for the team that had the best offseason, while a surprising head-coaching appointment ranked among the most unexpected moves of the summer.
For the sixth straight year, BasketNews surveyed EuroLeague general managers and executives for their views on the summer market, predictions for the upcoming 2026-27 season, and some of the biggest questions surrounding ongoing EuroLeague-NBA negotiations.
In the first part, we focus on the offseason: the best and most intriguing signings, the summer’s biggest surprises, the teams that did the best work, and the first player GMs would choose to build a EuroLeague team around from scratch.
Later, we’ll release the next chapters of the survey, featuring predictions for the new season and executives’ views on key issues shaping the EuroLeague’s and NBA Europe’s future.
The best offseason signing 
Jean Montero
Credit FIBA
After a breakout season that established him among the EuroLeague elite, Jean Montero is already viewed as the signing of the summer.
The 23-year-old guard left Valencia Basket after two seasons and joined reigning EuroLeague champions Olympiacos on a three-year deal.
Interestingly, Montero’s signing was secured just before the Final Four in Athens, which ended with Olympiacos lifting the EuroLeague trophy.
The reigning champions have strengthened their bid for back-to-back titles with a move that most executives consider the best signing of the summer.
Montero received 50% of the votes in the BasketNews GM Survey, comfortably finishing first.
Jonas Valanciunas, who returned to Europe after 14 seasons in the NBA to join Zalgiris Kaunas, finished second with 21.4%.
Guerschon Yabusele, Sylvain Francisco, Brancou Badio (Panathinaikos), and TJ Shorts (Valencia) also received multiple votes.
TJ Shorts was voted the best signing of the summer in last year’s survey after joining Panathinaikos Athens following his breakout season with Paris Basketball.
One year later, Shorts is once again among the executives’ top picks after a move from Panathinaikos to Valencia Basket.
Player Vote cast 1. Jean Montero (Olympiacos) 50% 2. Jonas Valanciunas (Zalgiris) 21.4% 2021: Shabazz Napier | 2022: Will Clyburn | 2023: Facundo Campazzo | 2024: Sasha Vezenkov | 2025: TJ Shorts Teams that had the best offseason 
Shane Larkin
Credit EuroLeague, Tolga Adanali via Getty Images | BasketNews illustration
After a busy offseason that saw many teams make bold moves to strengthen their rosters, Fenerbahce emerged as the executives’ pick for the team that improved the most.
Fenerbahce topped the BasketNews GM Survey with 21.4% of the vote, while Barcelona, Panathinaikos, Real Madrid, and Zalgiris followed closely behind with 14.3% each.
Fenerbahce reshaped its roster with one of the summer’s biggest moves, bringing in Shane Larkin while also adding Shavon Shields, Trent Forrest, Braxton Key, Will Clyburn, and other pieces.
Panathinaikos brought Zeljko Obradovic back as head coach and made another major splash in the market, bringing Guerschon Yabusele back from the NBA while adding Sylvain Francisco, Isaac Bonga, Moustapha Fall, and Brancou Badio.
Zalgiris made perhaps the most emotional signing of the summer by bringing Jonas Valanciunas back to Lithuania, while also adding several notable pieces, including Sterling Brown, Saben Lee, Marius Grigonis, and Carsen Edwards.
Barcelona also underwent a significant makeover, adding Josh Nebo, Stanley Umude, Tyrese Martin, Justin Robinson, Tosan Evbuomwan, and many others.
Real shook up the market by bringing in Pedro Martinez from Valencia as their new head coach. Following the significant departures of Mario Hezonja and Trey Lyles, Madrid reshaped the roster with Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Nick Smith Jr., Olivier Sarr, Jaime Pradilla, Max Shulga, and others.
Anadolu Efes, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Dubai Basketball also received votes.
Club Vote cast 1. Fenerbahce 21.4% 2-5. Zalgiris 14.3% 2-5. Panathinaikos 14.3% 2-5. Barcelona 14.3% 2-5. Real Madrid 14.3% 2021: Monaco, Baskonia, Fener, Zenit | 2022: Milan | 2023: PAO | 2024: Fenerbahce | 2025: Efes The most surprising offseason move 
Pedro Martinez, Sergio Scariolo
Credit Alamy/Scanpix
This category produced perhaps the most divided ballot of the entire survey.
But three names appeared more than any other: Shane Larkin, Pedro Martinez, and Tornike Shengelia.
One thing connected all three names: each unexpectedly exited their previous contract before joining a new team.
After establishing himself as Efes’ franchise player during his long-term run with the club, Larkin made a major switch this summer, leaving Efes to join their Turkish rival Fenerbahce.
After finishing last season without a trophy, Madrid parted ways with Sergio Scariolo despite signing him to a three-year deal just one summer earlier, and unexpectedly brought in Pedro Martinez, buying him out of his contract with Valencia Basket after an impressive season, a move few saw coming.
Tornike Shengelia joined Barcelona on a three-year deal in 2025, but activated a significant buyout clause this summer to leave the club and reunite with former Barcelona head coach Xavi Pascual at Dubai Basketball, joining the ambitious Middle Eastern project.
The rest of the ballot underlined just how unpredictable the summer had been.
Several mentions included Alpha Diallo’s move to the NBA, Dario Saric joining Anadolu Efes, Sylvain Francisco’s move to ASVEL, or Thomas Walkup joining Dubai.
Player Vote cast 1-3. Shane Larkin (Fenerbahce) 14.3% 1-3. Pedro Martinez (Real Madrid) 14.3% 1-3. Tornike Shengelia (Dubai) 14.3% The most intriguing offseason signing 
Guerschon Yabusele
Credit Vangelis Stolis
The most intriguing offseason signing category gave executives more freedom to highlight moves they considered creative, high-upside, or simply fascinating to follow and see how they develop.
Guerschon Yabusele received the most votes with 14.3%, as executives showed significant interest in how his return to the EuroLeague could play out.
Panathinaikos brought Yabusele back to Europe on a three-year deal after two seasons in the NBA. During that stretch, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls, averaging 8.3 points per game.
This category highlighted creative signings from different markets, with newcomers such as Keaton Wallace (Maccabi), MarJon Beauchamp (Bayern), Amir Coffey (Hapoel), Tyson Etienne (Paris), Stanley Umude (Barcelona), Maozinha Pereira (Paris), Rasheed Bello (Virtus), and Jonas Valanciunas among those receiving multiple mentions.
Player Vote cast 1. Guerschon Yabusele (Panathinaikos) 14.3% 2023: Kemba Walker, Sloukas | 2024: Boban Marjanovic | 2025: Brandon Boston No. 1 pick in the EuroLeague draft 
Jean Montero
Credit REUTERS – Scanpix
By signing Jean Montero, Olympiacos Piraeus may have secured not only the best move of the offseason, but also one for the future.
EuroLeague executives were asked which player they would select with the No. 1 pick in a hypothetical EuroLeague draft if they were building a team from scratch, and Montero topped the voting with 35.8%.
The 23-year-old Dominican guard has already established himself as a potential future face of the EuroLeague.
In his debut season, Montero made the All-EuroLeague First Team, won the Rising Star award, and helped Valencia Basket reach the Final Four while also capturing the Spanish League title.
His combination of talent, age, upside, and already proven EuroLeague production made him the player executives would most want to hand the keys to when building for the future.
Three other established stars received multiple votes.
Real Madrid center Edy Tavares, a regular presence near the top of this category in previous GM surveys, collected 14.3%, showing that one of the EuroLeague’s most dominant big men remains among its most valuable assets.
Sylvain Francisco also received 14.3% after a breakout season with Zalgiris Kaunas, helping the club reach the playoffs and earning All-EuroLeague First Team honors.
Last season’s MVP, Sasha Vezenkov, also finished with 14.3%. His elite efficiency, remarkable consistency, and ability to contribute to winning basketball continue to make him one of the safest franchise players in the competition.
Other players receiving votes in the survey included Nigel Hayes-Davis (Panathinaikos), Jared Butler (Red Star), and Facundo Campazzo (Real Madrid).
Interestingly, Kendrick Nunn, who dominated last year’s poll with 67% of the votes, did not receive a single mention in this year’s survey.
Player Vote cast 1. Jean Montero (Olympiacos) 35.8% 2-4. Edy Tavares (Real Madrid) 14.3% 2-4. Sylvain Francisco (Panathinaikos) 14.3% 2-4. Sasha Vezenkov (Olympiacos) 14.3% 2021: Vasilije Micic | 2022: Nikola Mirotic | 2023: Edy Tavares | 2024: Tavares | 2025: Kendrick Nunn
Coming up in Part II of the BasketNews EuroLeague GM Survey:
Which four teams will reach the Final Four? Who is the favorite to win the EuroLeague? Which dark horse could surprise this season? Who is the favorite to win the EuroLeague MVP? Who will be the next EuroLeague player to make the jump to the NBA? Each EuroLeague Team’s Best & Worst Case Scenario
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