Every season the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague thrills fans around the world with hundreds of exciting games. Some matchups are time-honored derbies, others long-standing international rivalries, while still others spark new passions every year. Here's a look at 10 must-see showdowns for 2021-22.

#### ROUND 4: ALBA Berlin vs. Baskonia, October 14, 2021

This early-season date at the 2022 Final Four venue between two fun-to-watch teams with plenty of player history between them is sure to be entertaining. ALBA has dominated their last four matchups, with Baskonia managing only a single-point home win. The visitors have already signed two ALBA players from last season, Simone Fontecchio and Jayson Granger to go along with Rokas Giedratis, who previously took the same route. For two teams who will be looking to establish momentum as soon as possible, this game is a prize occasion to make that happen.

#### ROUND 6: FC Bayern Munich vs. AX Armani Exchange Milan, October 26, 2021

These two teams were as close as could be last season. They finished the regular season with identical 21-13 records with Milan fourth on a tiebreaker and Bayern fifth. In total, they played seven times last season and four of them were decided by a single shot. The last of those was Game 5 of the EuroLeague Playoffs, which saw Bayern make a dramatic late rally that came up just short and then watch as Milan celebrated clinching its first Final Four berth since 1992. All signs point to thrilling basketball when they meet again.

#### ROUND 12: AS Monaco vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, November 26, 2021

For the first time in more than two decades, two teams from the French League will play in Europe's premier competition and that is something that all of European basketball can cheer for. While LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne makes its third consecutive appearance in the EuroLeague, freshly-crowned 7DAYS EuroCup champion AS Monaco is debuting in the competition. The last time the EuroLeague saw two clubs from the French League meet was in 1999-2000 when ASVEL played Pau-Orthez.

#### ROUND 13: Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. FC Barcelona, December 2, 2021

The 2021 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game was a fitting finish to an outstanding season. When Anadolu Efes Istanbul and FC Barcelona meet this time, there will be plenty at stake. Barcelona had the best record in the league last season but has lost four straight games against Efes. The defending champs will be eager to show their dominance by extending that streak. The championship game rematch is must-see basketball.

#### ROUND 14: FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, December 10, 2021

There is only one matchup that is universally called a classic even before the teams take the court and that is because of the storied history between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. It doesn't matter the year or the players, the event stands out for its significance every time they play. Last season, Barcelona swept Real in the EuroLeague Regular Season and the Spanish League finals and also won their Spanish Cup title game. Expect Los Blancos to be more focused than ever on changing that narrative in their visit to Palau Blaugrana.

#### ROUND 15: Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, December 14, 2021

Two of Maccabi's biggest signings to start the season are players who have shined for Fenerbahce in the past: James Nunnally played three seasons for Fenerbahce and helped the team win the EuroLeague in 2017. Derrick Williams suited up for Fenerbahce two seasons ago. A few other Maccabi stars have played for clubs in Istanbul before, including Scottie Wilbekin and Ante Zizic. That will make for an event when they all arrive to face Fener.

#### ROUND 17: Panathinaikos OPAP Athens vs. Olympiacos Piraeus, December 30, 2021

There is a reason it's been dubbed "the derby of the eternal enemies." There is nothing quite like Panathinaikos vs. Olympiacos. There will always be drama and passion when these teams meet and the tension only rises when it's in the EuroLeague. What's more, the teams have split their regular-season series in each of the last four campaigns, including each team winning on the road last season. Buckle up for another wild ride to ring out 2021 in style!

#### ROUND 24: CSKA Moscow vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul, February 2, 2022

Not only did these teams square off in the 2019 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game, but they played a thriller in last season's semifinals, where CSKA Moscow rallied from a 21-point deficit for a shot to win it in the closing seconds before Anadolu Efes Istanbul prevailed and won the championship. Indeed, these two are charter members of the EuroLeague elite, so every time they face one another, great basketball can be expected.

#### ROUND 27: Zenit St Petersburg vs. FC Barcelona, February 25, 2022

These two teams played a thrilling EuroLeague Playoffs series last season that FC Barcelona finally won in the maximum games, but only after Zenit St Petersburg became the first No. 8 seed to ever win a series opener or to force five games. Coach Sarunas Jasikevicius played for his Zenit counterpart Xavi Pascual at Barcelona and praised his opponent during the series. The players on both teams can also only respect the other team after such a series, but both teams will want to flex their muscles when they meet again.

#### ROUND 28: Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, March 3, 2022

These teams have been so dominant in recent years that it would be tough for such a powerhouse pair to share any other country, let alone the same city. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul reached five consecutive Final Fours before missing out last season and became the first EuroLeague champion from Turkey when it lifted the crown in 2017 in Istanbul. Anadolu Efes Istanbul made two straight EuroLeague Championship Games and dominated the unfinished season in between, finally taking the title last spring before sweeping Fenerbahce in the Turkish League finals. Fireworks of talent, strategy and passion fly whenever these teams meet.

Some are time-honored derbies and long-standing international rivalries, while still others spark new passions. Here's a look at 10 must-see showdowns for 2021-22.

Showdowns to look forward to in 2021-22

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens announced the addition of Okaro White on a one-plus-one deal on Wednesday morning. White (2.03 meters, 28 years old) arrives from UNICS Kazan, where last season he averaged 10.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 21 7DAYS EuroCup games, 17 of them as a starter. He was one of the key pieces in the Kazan team that reached the EuroCp finals, coached by Dimitris Priftis, with whom White will re-unite in Athens. White had already played in Greece the 2015-16 season with Aris Thessaloniki.

He played college ball in Florida State from 2010 to 2014, and he made his pro debut in Europe that same yaer with Virtus Bologna of Italy. He also played in the NBA since then with the Miami Heat and the Washington Wizards before moving to Russia to join UNICS.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/owhite10?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@owhite10</a> joins the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Greens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Greens</a> on a 1+1 contract! ✍️☘<br><br>Read more: <a href="https://t.co/FFIYEfgs08">https://t.co/FFIYEfgs08</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/panathinaikosbcopap?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#panathinaikosbcopap</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnitedWeStand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnitedWeStand</a> <a href="https://t.co/EZzR7Xdr29">pic.twitter.com/EZzR7Xdr29</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/paobcgr/status/1415216171331342336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Panathinaikos adds Okaro White

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Israeli champ Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv made official a new one-year contract extension with Oz Blayzer on Wednesday. Blayzer (2.00 meters, 28 years old) averaged 2.5 points and 1.4 rebounds last season in 33 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games with Maccabi. Blayzer arrived to Tel Aviv the Summer of 2020 from Maccabi Rishon LeZion, where he had just made his 7DAYS EuroCup debut in 2019-20. He started his pro career in 2011 and has always played in Israel, also with Hapoel Afula, Bnei Hertzeliya and Maccabi Haifa.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">💪 <a href="https://t.co/0JCo8IgCMW">pic.twitter.com/0JCo8IgCMW</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC (@MaccabitlvBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabitlvBC/status/1415223597677883396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Maccabi, Blayzer stay together

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UNICS Kazan continued its busy week announcing the addition of power forward Evgeny Valiev for the next campaign. Valiev (2.05 meters, 31 years old) arrives from Khimki Moscow Region, where last season he averaged 3.7 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15 minutes over 11 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games. In the VTB League, Valiev played 15 games and averaged 5.5 points and 4.1 rebounds for Khimki. He played from 2008 to 2019 with Triumph Lyubertsy / Zenit St Petersburg before moving to Khimki.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">Евгений Валиев – новый игрок в составе УНИКСа✅<br>⠀<br>Контракт с форвардом рассчитан на один год.<br>Добро пожаловать! <a href="https://t.co/XKrLxAeE8K">pic.twitter.com/XKrLxAeE8K</a></p>&mdash; BC UNICS Kazan (@unicsbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/unicsbasket/status/1415232641733959683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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UNICS bulks up with Valiev

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AS Monaco kept getting ready for its upcoming Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut by inking playmaker Paris Lee, the club announced Wednesday

AS Monaco adds playmaker Lee

Lee (1.83 meters, 26 years old) arrives from Orleans Loiret Basket, where he averaged 14.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 33 French League games last season.

Lee started his career with Telenet Antwerp Giants of Belgium and also played for Brose Bamberg of Germany before joining Orleans. He helped Antwerp win the Belgian Cup title in 2019 and reach the Belgian League finals in 2018 and 2019. An accomplished steals specialist, Lee is set to make his EuroLeague debut Monaco next season.

<div style="display: grid; place-items: center;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">✍️ 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗲 s’engage avec l’AS Monaco Basket 🔥 Meneur de jeu créatif et virevoltant (1,83 m, 26 ans), le meilleur passeur du championnat 🇫🇷 a réalisé une saison très solide (14,9 points à 44,6% aux tirs et 7,8 passes décisives) 🔝<br>👋 𝘽𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙚 <a href="https://twitter.com/_plee1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_PLee1</a> 🇲🇨 <a href="https://t.co/Z3M3FBPNOe">pic.twitter.com/Z3M3FBPNOe</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1415200688624308225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

AS Monaco kept getting ready for its upcoming Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut by inking playmaker Paris Lee, the club announced Wednesday.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne continued a frontcourt revamp with the addition of power forward Dylan Osetkowski on a two-year deal, the club announced Wednesday. Osetkowski (2.06 meters, 24 years old) arrives from ratiopharm Ulm where he starred in the 7DAYS EuroCup with 17.9 points on 52% three-point shooting, along with 5.3 rebound and 2.8 assists, and ranked second in the regular season with average PIR of 21.8. He also posted 13.2 points on 41.5% three-point shooting, 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals in German league action. "Dylan is a real forward, a player with a high basketball IQ", ASVEL head coach T.J. Parker said. "He's versatile, can play both inside positions, and he's also a very good three-point shooter, with high percentages in EuroCup and the German league."

Last season was second professional season for Osetkowski. After finishing his college career at the University of Texas, he started the 2019-20 campaign with BG Goettingen before joining Ulm in the spring of 2020. He is now set to make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">❗ Effectif 2021-2022 👉 Dylan OSETKOWSKI arrive à LDLC ASVEL !<br><br>Le secteur intérieur de LDLC ASVEL continue de prendre forme avec l’arrivée de l’une des révélations de la saison dernière en EuroCup, Dylan OSETKOWSKI !<br>✍ <a href="https://t.co/BrnKZ3aD20">https://t.co/BrnKZ3aD20</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LDLCASVEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LDLCASVEL</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1415279130367643656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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ASVEL adds versatile big man Osetkowski

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UNICS Kazan gave bolstered its frontcourt ahead of its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague return by signing power forward Will Thomas to a one-year deal, the club announced Wednesday. Thomas (2.03 meters, 35 years old) has spent the last two years with Zenit St Petersburg. Last season, he helped the team reach a historic EuroLeague Playoffs berth by starting in each of the team's 39 games and averaging 9.3 points on 60.3% two-point shooting, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists. Thomas is a veteran of 144 appearances over five EuroLeague seasons, two with Unicaja Malaga and one with Valencia Basket. With the latter, he also won the 2019 7DAYS EuroCup title, earning EuroCup Finals MVP honors. He also helped the team win a Spanish League title and reached the EuroCup Finals in 2017.

Thomas started his professional career with Belgacom Liege Basket of Belgium. Thomas also played for Telenet Ostend of Belgium, Army Sport Klub Tbilisi of Georgia, Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir of Turkey and Sidigas Avellino of Italy. He helped Army Sport win the Georgian League title in 2012 and took Karsiyaka to the EuroChallenge title game in 2013.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/the_common_name?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@the_common_name</a> – новый игрок БК УНИКС🔥<br>⠀<br>Контракт с американским форвардом рассчитан на один год. <a href="https://t.co/1bHBAl9rGw">pic.twitter.com/1bHBAl9rGw</a></p>&mdash; BC UNICS Kazan (@unicsbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/unicsbasket/status/1415377751368994824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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UNICS inks veteran forward Thomas

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A rematch from the last Final Four, a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague home debut, a first-time Russian derby and a showdown between the reigning and most-crowned continental champions will give fans all they could wish for sooner than ever in the first round of the new 2021-22 season!

The initial steps on the season include five games on Thursday, September 30, marking the very first time this century that Europe's most elite teams play official games before October.

The honor of opening the new season with that night's first tipoff will belong to a unique EuroLeague debutant, AS Monaco. Last season's 7DAYS EuroCup champion, representing a French Riviera principality of fewer than 40,000 inhabitants, will host a neighbor from across the Mediterranean, Panathinaikos OPAP Athens, whose six continental titles are the most of Final Four era. It will be the first game ever between them.

Later that night, AX Armani Exchange Milan hosts CSKA Moscow in a rematch of their third-place game at the 2021 Final Four in Cologne, Germany. After both had lost late in the semifinals, Milan snatched its first Final Four victory this century in their consolation game against CSKA, the club with more Final Four appearances, 19, than any other in history.

Six more teams start their seasons that same Thursday, with last season's runner-up, FC Barcelona, hosting German champion ALBA Berlin, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv hosting FC Bayern Munich and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz visiting Olympiacos Piraeus in the 43rd edition of one of the most prolific international rivalries in basketball.

Four more Round 1 games fall on Friday, October 1, starting with two Russian opponents who have never before met on the EuroLeague stage, UNICS Kazan and visiting Zenit St Petersburg. It will be the first national derby of 14 that pepper the regular season calendar going forward.

The first games of the season in Turkey and France come next, with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul hosting Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade while LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne takes on visiting Zalgiris Kaunas.

The opening round ends with a Friday night thriller as Real Madrid, the most decorated club in EuroLeague history, welcoming first-time and reigning champion Anadolu Efes Istanbul to the Spanish capital in their 38th meeting together this century.

The anticipation will be building for the next three months until the day that all 18 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague giants take their first steps on the stairway to glory that awaits them!

The stairway to glory commences on Thursday, September 30, marking the first time this century that Europe's most elite teams play official games before October.

September start heralds hot EuroLeague opening round

AS Monaco strengthened its froncourt weeks ahead of its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut by re-signing forward Ibrahima Fall-Faye to a one-year deal, the club announced Tuesday

Monaco re-signs forward Faye

Faye (2.07 meters, 24 years old) finished the 2020-21 season with Monaco, averaging 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 25 games, but not could help the team in the 7DAYS EuroCup. He started the 2020-21 campaign with another EuroCup team, Telenet Giants Antwerp, averaging 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in 10 games and tying for second place in blocks (1.7 bpg.) at the end of the Regular Season. Faye started his professional career with Chalon-Sur-Saone of France and also played for Leuven Bears of Belgium before joining Antwerp, to which he helped win the Belgian Cup title in 2020. He is also a member of the Senegalese national team.

"I have adapted very well, but at a club like Monaco it was really not difficult," Faye said. "Here, the team, we are like family. It doesn't stop at simple basketball games on the court. We go out, eat together, and get along very well in everyday life. All the players in this group made it really easy for me. Even though I didn't arrive until March, we did it every three days, and that made my adjustment even easier. It is going to be an intense season. We have good players to annoy a lot of teams in the EuroLeague. We will play this competition to win the most matches."

<div style="display: grid; place-items: center;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">✍️ 𝗜𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗶𝗺𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝗙𝗮𝘆𝗲 prolonge avec la <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> ! 💥 Adepte de contres et alley-oops spectaculaires, le pivot international sénégalais (2,06 m, 24 ans) va continuer d’apporter sa puissance et son efficacité 💪<br>🔂 𝗜𝗯𝗼𝘂 𝙥𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙩 𝙡’𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 🇲🇨 <a href="https://t.co/8Ng81Hp4hW">pic.twitter.com/8Ng81Hp4hW</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1414830734368464896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

AS Monaco strengthened its froncourt weeks ahead of its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut by re-signing forward Ibrahima Fall-Faye to a one-year deal, the club announced Tuesday.

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