Beşiktaş returns to Europe’s premier basketball competition for the 2026-2027 season, stepping back onto the EuroLeague stage 13 years after their initial appearance in the 2012-2013 campaign. The Istanbul club secured their place in the 20-team league via a one-year wild card after French side Cosea JL Bourg opted to continue in the BKT EuroCup due to the financial and organizational demands of the top-tier tournament.
A Return After More Than a Decade
The journey back to the EuroLeague marks a significant milestone for the club. Beşiktaş first contested Europe’s top club competition during the 2012-2013 season, when the tournament featured four groups of six teams. Across that campaign, the team recorded seven victories—five in the group stage and two in the Top 16 round—before exiting against 17 defeats. Now, with a changed format, the team aims to compete against Europe’s elite.
Roster Overhaul Under Dusan Alimpijevic
Head coach Dusan Alimpijevic heads into his fourth season at the helm of Beşiktaş, bringing a revamped roster to the continental competition. Alimpijevic previously coached in the EuroLeague during the 2017-2018 season with a Serbian team, recording an 11-19 record as a young head coach in his early thirties.
The squad underwent substantial changes ahead of the new campaign. While Ante Zizic, Conor Morgan, Anthony Brown, Berk Uğurlu, Devon Dotson, and Yağız Aksu remained with the club, Beşiktaş parted ways with Brynton Lemar, Ismael Kamagate, Jonah Mathews, Matt Thomas, Sertaç Şanlı, Vitto Brown, Yiğit Arslan, Canberk Kuş, Emir Adıgüzel, and Ahmet Ata Özbek.
To bolster the rotation, the club added Eugene Omoruyi, David Dejulius, Jaylen Nowell, Scottie Wilbekin, Metecan Birsen, Furkan Korkmaz, and Wenyen Gabriel. Meanwhile, the contract of new Malian signing Mady Sissoko was temporarily frozen following an injury.
Moving to the Turkcell Basketbol Gelişim Merkezi
Beşiktaş will host all of its Basketbol Süper Ligi and EuroLeague fixtures at the Turkcell Basketbol Gelişim Merkezi (BGM), departing from the Beşiktaş Akatlar Spor Kompleksi. The team will play its home matches in the 10,000-seat arena at BGM.
The club opens its EuroLeague campaign against Spanish side Valencia Basket.
