We Speak International Sports

Regular Season Round 9 MVP: Lonnie Walker, Besiktas Istanbul

Published

57 minutes ago

October 31, 2026

Lonnie Walker, number 4, in a white Besiktas Istanbul jersey dribbling the ball and pointing during the EuroLeague game at Virtus Bologna

The new arrival delivered a career night in just his second game for the club

Lonnie Walker needed just two games to make himself at home at Besiktas Istanbul. The new arrival produced a stunning performance as Besiktas came from behind to win 101-103 at Virtus Bologna in the final seconds, and his career-high PIR of 36, the best of the round, earned him MVP of the Round honors for Round 9.

Walker scored 30 points on 2-of-4 two-pointers, a red-hot 7-of-11 from three-point range and 5-of-9 free throws, adding 4 rebounds, 5 assists, a steal and 8 fouls drawn. It is the second MVP of the Round award of his career, and he is the first Besiktas player to win this honor.

Lonnie Walker, number 4, in a white Besiktas Istanbul jersey standing on court during the EuroLeague game at Virtus Bologna

Theo Maledon of Real Madrid posted the next-best PIR of 35 in a 95-76 home win over Fenerbahce Tarfin Istanbul. Maledon scored 26 points on 3-of-6 two-pointers, 3-of-4 three-pointers and 11-of-12 free throws, adding 7 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and 9 fouls drawn.

Nadir Hifi followed with a PIR of 30 as he led Paris Basketball to a 94-99 road win over Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv. Hifi had 26 points on 4-of-7 two-pointers, 3-of-4 three-pointers and 9-of-10 free throws, plus 4 assists, a steal and 11 fouls drawn.

Three players rounded out the top performers with PIRs of 29. Chima Moneke led Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade to a 103-73 home rout of FC Bayern Munich with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Tyty Washington was perfect inside the arc for LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, going 7-of-7 on two-pointers and 2-of-3 from deep to finish with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in a 94-79 home win over Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. In the same game, Baskonia’s Kenneth Faried had 17 points, including 9-of-10 from the free-throw line, plus 8 rebounds and 10 fouls drawn.

Individual highs: Facu Campazzo, Real Madrid, 10 assists

Walker led all scorers in Round 9 with 30 points against Virtus. Hifi leads the EuroLeague at 21.2 points per game.

Dario Saric of Anadolu Efes Istanbul led all rebounders with 12 boards in an 83-68 home win over Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. Jonas Valanciunas of Zalgiris Kaunas leads the season standings at 8.1 rebounds per game.

Facu Campazzo of Real Madrid was the only player to reach double digits in assists, handing out 10 against Fenerbahce. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade’s Carlik Jones and Zvezda’s Chris Jones are tied atop the standings at 5.9 assists per game.

Wenyen Gabriel of Besiktas made a round-high 4 steals against Virtus. Luca Vildoza of Partizan leads the league at 2.1 steals per game.

Six players blocked a round-high 2 shots: Moneke, Mo Gueye of Valencia Basket, Jaylen Hoard of Maccabi, Olivier Nkamhoua of FC Barcelona, Austin Wiley of Bayern and Azuolas Tubelis of Zalgiris. Aliou Diarra of Virtus is the EuroLeague’s top shot-blocker at 2.1 per game.

Campazzo (10 points, 10 assists) and Saric (11 points, 12 rebounds) were the only players to record double-doubles in Round 9.

We Speak International Sports

EuroLeague Final Four to Return to Abu Dhabi in 2027 and 2029

Published

2 days ago

October 29, 2026

We Speak Media

Four men standing in a row in front of a backdrop with EuroLeague and Department of Culture and Tourism logos: two wearing traditional white Emirati dress and two wearing dark suits.

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Euroleague Basketball have announced that the EuroLeague Final Four Presented by Experience Abu Dhabi will return to the UAE capital in 2027 and 2029.

Following Abu Dhabi’s successful debut as host of the tournament in May 2025, the 2027 EuroLeague Final Four presented by Experience Abu Dhabi will return to Etihad Arena on 28 and 30 May, once again bringing together the four best teams in European club basketball to compete for the championship.

The announcement reflects Abu Dhabi’s continued investment in world-class sporting events that attract global audiences, strengthen the visitor economy and reinforce the emirate’s position as a leading destination for international basketball.

On Friday, May 28, the season’s top four teams will contest the semifinal matchups, with the winners advancing to the Championship Game. The weekend concludes on Sunday, May 30, with the adidas NextGen EuroLeague Final, showcasing the brightest young talent in European basketball, followed by the EuroLeague Championship Game to crown the season’s champion.

His Excellency Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “The return of the Final Four in 2027 and 2029 reflects the strength of Abu Dhabi’s partnership with Euroleague Basketball and the emirate’s growing stature as a home for basketball in the region. The value of events of this scale extends well beyond the court: they attract investment, create jobs and support local businesses, while inspiring a new generation of players and fans across our communities. It is this lasting impact, on our economy and on our people, which gives moments such as these their true significance.”

Dejan Bodiroga, President of Euroleague Basketball, said: “It is an enormous pleasure to announce that the Final Four will return to Abu Dhabi. I would like to thank Abu Dhabi for its continued support and confidence. Together, we delivered one of the best Final Fours in our 26-year history, proving the tremendous global appeal of the EuroLeague experience. This new milestone demonstrates our shared commitment to growing basketball and creating unforgettable experiences for our fans.”

Chus Bueno, CEO of Euroleague Basketball, said: “Renewing our commitment with Abu Dhabi for the 2027 and 2029 Final Four editions represents another significant step forward in our international growth strategy. Our model of combining Europe’s traditional basketball markets with global cities that offer world-class facilities, strong tourism appeal and passionate sports communities continues to prove highly successful. Abu Dhabi has become a key partner in that vision, and together we will continue bringing European club basketball to the widest possible global audience.”

The 2025 EuroLeague Final Four was a landmark success, with tickets selling out within hours and millions of fans following the event through Euroleague Basketball’s broadcast and digital platforms, setting new audience and engagement records. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul claimed the championship title before a capacity crowd of 12,000 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.

The return of the Final Four marks another milestone in DCT Abu Dhabi’s multi-year partnership with Euroleague Basketball, brokered by the league’s strategic partner IMG, and further strengthens the emirate’s position as a globally recognised destination for elite sport. As part of the collaboration, Experience Abu Dhabi continues as a main partner of Euroleague Basketball competitions and presenting partner of the EuroLeague Final Four, with destination branding integrated throughout the season across in-arena signage, broadcasts, and team jerseys.

The partnership also reflects the growing momentum of European club basketball across the Middle East and North Africa. In 2025-26 the region’s first EuroLeague season featuring Dubai Basketball generated a cumulative television audience of 19.57 million viewers across the MENA region through Euroleague Basketball broadcast partner Dubai TV, while fans across the region had another opportunity to enjoy top-level basketball at the inaugural Euroleague Basketball SuperCup, held in Abu Dhabi in September 2026.

The announcement supports Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to increase visitor numbers by more than half between 2023 and 2030, generate 178,000 new jobs, and grow the tourism and travel sector’s GDP contribution from approximately AED 49 billion in 2023 to AED 90 billion annually by 2030.