EuroLeague Releases Projected Standings: Where Do Zvezda and Partizan Land?

Pulse Sports Team 09:48 - 05 August 2026

Team rosters are still being finalized, but it's never too early to rank the favorites and underdogs.

"While teams are far from finalized, it's the perfect time for our 'premature' EuroLeague Power Rankings for the 2026/27 season," EuroLeague reports.

The experts tasked with this assignment were Jeff Gillingham, Javier Gancedo, Frankie Sachs, and Igor Petrinovic from the official EuroLeague website. This quartet based their rankings on the current level of confidence in each team.

Although the four didn't agree on every selection, the teams were ranked based on the average of their votes. We present the authors' full text.

1. Panathinaikos

Zeljko Obradovic's effect is in full swing. More stars have arrived, the latest being Sylvain Francisco, and if anyone can mold a cast of stars into winners, it's coach Obradovic.

2. Olympiacos Piraeus

This was a rather easy pick. The "Reds" are the reigning champions. Most of their rotation players are back, and they've added Montero to their backcourt. Olympiacos is a serious title contender.

3. Fenerbahce Istanbul

Sarunas Jasikevicius has led his team to the Final Four in six consecutive seasons. It goes without saying that experts view Fener as a top-tier squad. While they have nine new players so far, many of them are experienced stars.

4. Real Madrid

Real Madrid will likely bring in a few more key reinforcements. In the meantime, the arrival of coach Martinez and Los Blancos' history instill confidence that this team will, at the very least, be a sure playoff participant.

5. Hapoel Tel Aviv

Last season, Hapoel spared no expense to build a winning team as a EuroLeague debutant, and that same mentality should once again bring them to the brink of the playoffs.

6. Dubai

Elie Okobo, Jaron Blossomgame, Mamadi Diakite, and Davion Mintz have joined an already impressive roster. Things are looking good for Dubai.

7. Anadolu Efes

Coach Pablo Laso gets a full season, and the team has already signed Mike James, Matt Strazel, and Dario Saric. All of this bodes well for Efes fans.

8. Zalgiris Kaunas

With Jonas Valanciunas in the paint and a dynamic, rebuilt backcourt, Zalgiris is a team many are eagerly anticipating to see in action.

9. Armani Olimpia Milano

The signings of two-time champion Alec Peters and his former teammate Moses Wright mean Milano has all the ingredients for a formidable frontcourt, alongside a very deep and experienced backcourt. That's a recipe for success.

10. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet

With most of last season's roster intact and the winning touch of coach Navarro, many in the red-and-white part of Belgrade are quietly feeling good vibes.

11. Barcelona

This roster has many players with something to prove. If new head coach Aleksandar Sekulic can get them all on the same page, their talent could make Barcelona an exciting team to watch!

12. Valencia

Most experts believe that despite the departure of talented players, the club has consistently found ways to be competitive and they are not ready to write them off.

13. Partizan

Carlik Jones is a hell of a point guard, the backcourt has even more weapons, there's young talent, and this team improved last season under coach Peñarroya. How good will they be this season?

14. Maccabi Tel Aviv

Maccabi still lacks a true center on the roster and is missing a genuine game-closer. Can they bring in the talent coach Kattash needs to contend for a top-10 spot?

15. Bayern Munich

Under new head coach Anton Gavel, Bayern will likely be a tough opponent for everyone. Can he lead them to a playoff push?

16. Besiktas Istanbul

While the team has depth, Besiktas lacks proven EuroLeague star power. Is a big name on the way? Can coach Alimpijevic turn one of his players into that star? The answers to those questions could say a lot about Besiktas's fate.

17. Paris

No one knows what to expect from new head coach Maxime Lefevre. While another Parisian Cinderella story would be a surprise, a slow start to the season wouldn't be either.

18. Virtus Bologna

Coach Alex Mumbru has a nice influx of talented players on the roster, but currently, it doesn't seem to be enough to help Virtus compete at the highest level.

19. Baskonia