Fresh off its first Final Four appearance of the century, AX Armani Exchange Milan has brought back a former Turkish Airlines EuroLeague All-Decade nominee in forward Nicolo Melli, who signed a three-year deal with the Italian powerhouse on Friday

Milan, former All-EuroLeague big man Melli reunite

Melli (2.05 meters, 30 years old) arrives from Dallas of the NBA, where he averaged 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds in 26 games last season. He started the 2020-21 campaign with another NBA team, New Orleans, averaging 2.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in 20 games. Melli returns to Milan, where he already played four seasons, from 2010 to 2015, helping the club reach the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs and win the Italian League title, both in 2014. Melli went to win back-to-back German League titles and lift a German Cup trophy in two seasons at Brose Bamberg. While there, he was chosen to the 2016-17 All-EuroLeague Second Team and earned MVP of the Month honors twice – in November 2015 and December 2016.

<div style="display: grid; place-items: center;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">&quot;Ti avevo detto, Milano, che era un Arrivederci&quot;: Nicolò Melli is back, è un grande giorno per l&#39;Olimpia➡<a href="https://t.co/ome7RaG0zI">https://t.co/ome7RaG0zI</a><br><br>&quot;I&#39;m coming back to a club that represents so much for me&quot;: <a href="https://twitter.com/NikMelli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NikMelli</a> returns highly motivated to Olimpia➡<a href="https://t.co/BPqA6mVlO5">https://t.co/BPqA6mVlO5</a><br><br>⚪🔴<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://t.co/me923WlRnq">pic.twitter.com/me923WlRnq</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1413470379948003333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Next, Melli played two seasons for Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, reaching consecutive EuroLeague Final Fours and making it to the 2018 championship game. In that season finale, he broke the Final Four-era championship-game scoring record with 28 points in a losing effort, although Shane Larkin of Anadolu Efes Istanbul went on to score 29 in the same game a year later. Melli helped Fenerbahce win the Turkish League title in 2018 and return to the Final Four in 2019, where they fell in the semifinals to Efes. In 207 career EuroLeague games with Milan, Bamberg and Fenerbahce, Melli has amassed 1,531 points (7.4 ppg.) and 972 rebounds (4.7 rpg.).

Melli started his career with Reggio Emilia and Scavolini Pesaro in his native Italy. He is a regular member of the country's national team and helped Italy win a silver medal at the 2011 U18 European Championships.

Fresh off its first Final Four appearance of the century, AX Armani Exchange Milan has brought back a former Turkish Airlines EuroLeague All-Decade nominee in forward Nicolo Melli, who signed a three-year deal with the Italian powerhouse on Friday.

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FC Bayern Munich strengthened its froncourt by inking power forward Gavin Schilling to a one-year deal, the club announced Friday. Schilling (2.06 meters, 25 years old) arrives from Basketball Loewen Braunschweig, where he averaged 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds in 34 German League games last season. He started his professional basketball career with ratiopharm Ulm, joining Braunschweig in 2020. Before that, Schilling helped Michigan State University reach the NCAA Tournament final four in 2015. He has also been a member of the German U16 and U18 national teams, and is set to make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut with Bayern next season. "I'm really looking forward to this new challenge," Schilling said after the agreement. "I would like to help the team with a lot of commitment."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">𝑺𝑬𝑹𝑽𝑼𝑺 𝑮𝑨𝑽𝑰𝑵 👋<br><br>Welcome to the Bayern Family, <a href="https://twitter.com/G_Schills34?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@G_Schills34</a>!<br><br>🔗 Mehr zu <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Schilling2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Schilling2022</a> auf unserer Website: <a href="https://t.co/tZmcVg533x">https://t.co/tZmcVg533x</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kaderupdate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kaderupdate</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1413422804146470914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Bayern adds rebounding ace Schilling

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FC Bayern Munich bolstered its frontcourt by bringing big man Marvin Ogunsipe back from on loan, the club announced Friday. Ogunsipe (2.04 meters, 25 years old) is under contract with Bayern until the end of the 2021-22 season and spent the last two years with 7DAYS EuroCup newcomer Hamburg Towers. He averaged 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 29 German League games last season. Born in Austria, Ogunsipe started his career with Vienna DC Timberwolves, joining Bayern in 2014. He mainly played for its second team, making his EuroCup debut in the 2017-18 campaign and seeing playing time in the 2018-19 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. He helped Bayern win back-to-back German League titles in 2018 and 2019. Ogunsipe has also been a member of the German national team.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">𝑾𝑬𝑳𝑪𝑶𝑴𝑬 𝑩𝑨𝑪𝑲 𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑽𝑰𝑵 👋<br><br>🔗 Mehr zu <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ogunsipe2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ogunsipe2022</a>: <a href="https://t.co/WZwOeZK9Sg">https://t.co/WZwOeZK9Sg</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kaderupdate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kaderupdate</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1413408312251625474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Bayern brings Ogunsipe back from on loan

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An ambitious discussion of how to create and capitalize on new commercial opportunities in order to continue providing fans with the basketball excellence they deserve was the focus at the EuroLeague Clubs Business Meeting during the third week of the Euroleague Basketball Institute Annual Workshops.

Business representatives from all 18 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague clubs held two in-person sessions together in Barcelona on Wednesday and Thursday to survey the changing sports industry landscape and harness strategies with which to thrive going forward. They and executives from Euroleague Basketball's club business services department, BOCS, in cooperation with the Corporate Partnership & Licensing and Digital Marketing departments, emphasized innovation, technology and digitization as key drivers toward growing future brand relevance, especially in the context of commercial partnerships impacted by the ongoing global pandemic.

"These meetings show that all of us have, more or less, the same challenges, the same problems, and they are a great opportunity for us to share our ideas or ways to tackle those problems," Ansgar Niggemann, Director, Marketing & Partnership for ALBA Berlin, said. "What we heard, what the EuroLeague is planning, is the best and the only way: seeing the fan in the middle of all our activities."

The use of business intelligence to transform sales and renewals within Euroleague Basketball's commercial partnership program came next on the agenda. Through such ongoing research and analysis, BOCS ultimately distributes valuable product data that clubs are using to show how basketball audiences reward both current and potential clients.

The business conversation picked up on Thursday with the help of a pair of guest speakers. Franco Segarra, Head of Digital Innovation at Valencia CF, recounted his club's digital transformation journey, with infrastructure investment and data-driven decision-making resulting in new monetization opportunities and heightened experiences for the fans.

"I like to think that data transformation is not about becoming digital, but about transforming processes and making things better, and looking at data and make better decisions based on that," Segarra said. "It doesn't have to take a lot of time. It can be quite lean, and it can also be quite cheap. It's all about how much you believe that this can make the difference."

Next, Mounir Zok, Founder and President of N3XT Sports, explained the digital transformation roadmap on which his company has partnered with Euroleague Basketball, clarifying how digital know-how helps sports and live entertainment properties adapt to new consumer behavior trends.

"Through digital transformation, you can modernize business models, create new business processes, and you can future-proof your business," Zok said. "Euroleague Basketball has understood the value that it can achieve through digital transformation and, as one of the leading sports organizations in the world, will definitely be able to generate new modern business processes for the future, for its own benefit but also for its clubs."

The three-year action plan on digital transformation not only seeks to grow business in sectors such as ticket sales and sponsorships but also strives to lift the fan experience to new heights by continually reimagining ways to inform and entertain fans wherever they may be.

"Fans are fundamental," Roberto Bottali, Head of Marketing & Sponsorship for AX Armani Exchange Milan, said. "We have to entertain them not only during the game, but before the game and after it. Our main goal is to increase our fanbase and get to younger fans because our fanbase is mature. We are exploring new platforms and ways to reach into that younger audience."

Shortly after each season ends, the EBI Annual Workshops bring executives from the EuroLeague family of clubs together with experts from the larger sports industry to identify and activate strategies that will keep Euroleague Basketball at the forefront of innovation and disruptive change well into the future.


Business representatives from all 18 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague clubs held two in-person sessions together in Barcelona on Wednesday and Thursday to survey the changing sports industry landscape and harness strategies with which to thrive going forward.

EuroLeague Clubs Business Meeting focuses on future innovation

UNICS Kazan added depth to its perimeter by signing shooting guard Artem Komolov on a one-year contract with an option for another season, the club announced on Thursday. Komolov (1.93 meters, 28 years old) arrives from a fellow Russian side Nizhny Novgorod where he played the last four years. Last season, Komolov averaged 11.6 points on 45.0% three-point shooting in the VTB League, while posting 10.8 points on 46.4% three-point shooting in Basketball Champions League action. Komolov grew up with CSKA Moscow where he played for youth teams until 2014. During his professional career, he played with Avtodor Saratov, Zenit St Petersburg, Ural Ekaterinburg and PSK Sakhalin. He appeared in 16 games in the 7DAYS EuroCup in 2014-15 with Zenit, and now is set to make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut.



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">Артем Комолов – новый игрок БК УНИКС. Контракт с игроком рассчитан по системе 1+1 ✅<br>⠀<br>Прошлый сезон Артем провёл в «НН», где выступал с 2017 года. <a href="https://t.co/u5IsCBIcBS">pic.twitter.com/u5IsCBIcBS</a></p>&mdash; BC UNICS Kazan (@unicsbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/unicsbasket/status/1413094982504882176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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UNICS inks sharpshooter Komolov

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UNICS Kazan bolstered its frontcourt by inking power forward Andrey Vorontsevich to a one-year deal with an option for another season, the club announced Thursday. Vorontsevich (2.07 meters, 33 years old) arrives from Nizhny Novgorod, where he averaged 10.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 11 VTB League games last season. He joined Nizhny from CSKA Moscow, where he played for 14 years. He joined CSKA in 2006 from Lokomotiv Novosibirsk and wore its red uniform until 2020. He helped CSKA win EuroLeague titles in 2008, 2016 and 2019 plus 13 Russian League titles and 10 VTB United League crowns. Vorontsevich also lifted the Russian Cup with CSKA in 2010 and helped the team reach EuroLeague championship games in 2007, 2009 and 2012.

He took part in nine EuroLeague Final Fours with CSKA, tying with Theo Papaloukas and Kyle Hines for the second-most appearances, behind only former teammate Victor Khryapa (12). He ties for 14th place all-time in EuroLeague appearances (274) and leads all Russian-born players. Vorontsevich amassed 1,535 points (5.6 ppg.) and 847 rebounds (3.1 rpg.) in 14 EuroLeague seasons with CSKA. He also helped the Russian national team to a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2011. Vorontsevich has worn CSKA's jersey more times than any other player, 696 times, ranking third overall in total points (4,169) and second in rebounds (2,416).

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">Андрей Воронцевич в составе УНИКСа🤝<br>⠀<br>Контракт с форвардом рассчитан по системе 1+1. <a href="https://t.co/2v5MIwIet3">pic.twitter.com/2v5MIwIet3</a></p>&mdash; BC UNICS Kazan (@unicsbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/unicsbasket/status/1413243395116609539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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UNICS brings in forward Vorontsevich

ALBA Berlin added depth to its playmaking rotation by bringing point guard Tamir Blatt back from loan, the club announced on July 8th 2021.

ALBA Berlin brings Blatt back from on loan

Blatt (1.87 meters, 23 years old) signed a three-year deal with ALBA last summer but remained with Hapoel Jerusalem for the 2020-21 season. 

He averaged 12.2 points, 8.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 31 Israeli League games while posting 88 points and 6.5 assists in six appearances in the Basketball Champions League. 
He started his career with Hapoel Tel Aviv and also played for Hapoel Unet Holon before joining Jerusalem in 2018. 

He won the Israeli State Cup with Holon in 2018 and Jerusalem in 2019 and 2020 and is a member of the Israeli national team. 
He helped Israel to the silver medal at the FIBA U20 European Championship 2017. His father, David Blatt, is a coaching legend who led Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv to the EuroLeague title in 2014; won the 7DAYS EuroCup with Darussafaka Istanbul in 2018; and helped Russia claim the gold medal at FIBA EuroBasket 2007, among many other highlights. 

Tamir Blatt is now set to make his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut.

<div style="display: grid; place-items: center;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Mehr Infos zu unserem neuen Aufbauspieler und ein Statement von unserem Sportdirektor <a href="https://twitter.com/Himar_Ojeda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Himar_Ojeda</a> findet Ihr hier: <a href="https://t.co/bB2nBmS6yu">https://t.co/bB2nBmS6yu</a></p>&mdash; ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/albaberlin/status/1413058837830119424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

ALBA Berlin added depth to its playmaking rotation by bringing point guard Tamir Blatt back from on loan, the club announced today.



The Gianluigi Porelli EuroLeague Executive of the Year Trophy was awarded on Thursday to Alper Yilmaz, the general director of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, who received his honor during the ECA Shareholders Meeting held in Barcelona.

Yilmaz was selected by his peers across the continent as the best executive of the just-completed Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, which his team finished as champions for the first time in club history. After building a team that went from worst to the runner-up in 2018-19 and soared atop the standings during the incompleted 2019-20 season, Yilmaz kept nearly the entire roster intact for 2020-21 as Efes made history by ascending to the EuroLeague throne.

The Executive of the Year award honors the person and club whose management decisions have best exemplified the EuroLeague's commitment to excellence in all facets of club direction during the previous season. Among the categories considered before casting votes are sporting merits, fan experience, and marketing and communications. Efes was recognized with Euroleague Basketball's Silver Marketing Award earlier on Thursday.

In addition to Efes's on-court achievements, the club remained hard at work during the pandemic to offer its fans as close to an in-arena experience as possible from the comfort of their homes. The Anadolu Efes Sports Club Digital Stands used video technology to create a game-like atmosphere that allowed fans' live cheering and reactions to the action to be seen at Sinan Erdem Arena and on live broadcasts of the game.

Efes also introduced Anadolu Efes Studio, which live-streamed 90 minutes of pregame activities for home games during the season on Twitter and YouTube, including a live background shot of the team warming up while the host and his guests discussed the upcoming game. The guests ranged from basketball players and other athletes to celebrities, including actors, gamers, musicians, famous chefs and more. There were special episodes for New Year's Eve, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, marking 25 years since the team's triumph in the Korac Cup, and a EuroLeague Playoffs special. The program's 20 episodes had more than 9 million views during the season.

Yilmaz, 46, spent six seasons as a player for Efes at the start of the century. As a shooting guard, he also suited up for Turk Telekom Ankara, Tofas Bursa, Beykoz and Erdemirspor as well as the Turkish national team. After retiring as a player in 2009, Yilmaz was appointed Efes's sports director and was promoted to general director in 2015. In the time since then, the team's 114 victories are fourth-most among EuroLeague teams.

The Gianluigi Porelli EuroLeague Executive of the Year has been awarded annually since 2005 and is one of the competition's two annual post-season honors, along with the Alexander Gomelskiy Coach of the Year Trophy, which was recently won by Ergin Ataman of Efes. The executive award recognizes those whose efforts build Turkish Airlines EuroLeague clubs into success stories. Mr. Porelli, who served as president of Virtus Bologna for more than two decades, was among the founders of ULEB and later its president. He passed away in 2009.


The Gianluigi Porelli EuroLeague Executive of the Year Trophy was awarded on Thursday to Alper Yilmaz, the general director of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, who received his honor during the ECA Shareholders Meeting held in Barcelona.

Alper Yilmaz of Efes named EuroLeague Executive of the Year

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Three clubs previously honored in recent years for their excellence in marketing have returned to the podium as this season's Devotion Marketing Awards winners. FC Bayern Munich was selected as the Gold Award winner, Anadolu Efes Istanbul received the Silver Award and Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade the Bronze Award.

The winners were announced during the EuroLeague Clubs Business Meeting on Thursday in Barcelone before an audience of their colleagues and other top executives from the sports industry.

To become eligible for the Devotion Marketing Awards, clubs were invited to present a marketing initiative they had carried out during the previous season in areas such as digital strategy, sponsorship activation, brand development and game presentation.

Bayern's Gold Award was based on the club's Virtual Audi Dome. The goal of the digital project was to bring fans back to the Audi Dome and create a game-day-like experience that melted the borders between the actual venue and the digital one. In the Virtual Audi Dome, Bayern fans could interact thanks to exclusive and live content on game days, experience a lifelike atmosphere with live pregame shows, shop at the FC Bayern Store, engage in Zoom calls with members of the club and more. 

Last season's Gold Award winner, Efes settled for silver this time due to three different initiatives to improve the connection to their fans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Anadolu Efes Sports Club Digital Stands used video technology to create a game-like atmosphere that allowed fans' live cheering and reactions to the action to be seen at Sinan Erdem Arena and on live broadcasts of the game. Anadolu Efes Studio live-streamed 90 minutes of pregame activities for home games during the season on Twitter and YouTube, including a live background shot of the team warming up while the host and his guests discussed the upcoming game. And Efes Digital Away-Games meetings brought players and staff members and Efes's passionate fans together for online conversations.

Zvezda, which was presented the Silver Award last year, brings home the bronze in 2021 for the many ways it stayed connected with its fans during the pandemic-affected season. The club established a goal to treat its fans like family and included fan names in the team's main logo. Zvezda added a special pregame show to its broadcasts, set up 1,000 LED screens on its home court to show the faces of 1,000 fans, fully branded Stark Arena to fit its sponsorship needs, created Viber sticker packs for social media channels, and introduced a new Crvena Zvezda Podcast.

Congratulations to the winning clubs, and to all the others who submitted outstanding entries! 

Three clubs previously honored in recent years for their excellence in marketing have returned to the podium as this season's Devotion Marketing Awards winners.

Bayern, Efes, Zvezda claim Devotion Marketing Awards

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