This article is part of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Picks series.
The only thing that can be said about Round 30 is that it fell far, far below the expectations of all EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge players.
Rounds like this happen a few times each season, when the preferred players and even the coaches expected to secure guaranteed wins -- such as Efes and head coach Pablo Laso -- fall short of expectations.
As for Round 31, it is once again difficult to be very confident, particularly with Sasha Vezenkov -- often a lock for the captain spot -- still not 100 percent and the schedule spread across three days in the T1–T2–T3 format.
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out on X via @RotoWireEuro.
Guard
Justin Robinson, Paris Basketball (12.2 credits)
The player who truly embraced the "Robin" role during Paris' three-game road winning streak reached the peak of his form in Tuesday's Round 34 clash against Olympiacos, posting 18 points and 9 assists. He has looked very comortable as the second option behind Nadir Hifi. In a Paris rotation where minutes rarely change under head coach Francesco Tabellini, Robinson consistently spends 20 minutes on the floor, and that should be enough time for him to make an impact against ASVEL.
Saben Lee, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (9.3 credits)
When PJ Dozier returned the Efes rotation was thrown open, which is why many stayed away from Lee during the last period with unlimited trades. However, it now appears -- at least until Shane Larkin returns -- that Lee is the primary scoring option for Efes. After the unexpected loss in Round 30, Efes no longer has any real ambitions left for the EuroLeague season, but it was still a banner night for Lee, who with 29 PIR likely would have been MVP of the Round had Efes won. Lee and his club still have a few games to go, and although team goals may now secondary, he should continue trying to stuff the stat sheet.
Elijah Bryant, Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (17.8 credits)
After returning from injury in Round 28, Bryant continued his MVP-caliber performances as if he had never taken a break. After producing 20 PIR against Zalgiris, he was the main factor behind the win against Milan with a huge 34-PIR night. Having proven far more productive than Vasilije Micic, Bryant is in position to end the season with a First Team All-EuroLeague spot. The remaining eight games will be decisive for both Bryant and Hapoel, particularly with three of the next four of them being played in Spain. Hapoel probably has the toughest remaining schedule among the playoff contenders, and someone will need to step forward.
Andreas Obst, FC Bayern Munich (11.0 credits)
A new contract with Bayern should be freeing for Obst, who can now focus solely on the court. Apart from that, playing at home in front of his own fans always gives Obst more confidence, and this reflects on his stats -- he produced 23 PIR in the Round 26 game against Paris and 19 PIR in the Round 27 game against Monaco. Obst's next two contests will come in his own gym against Efes and Dubai. The only thing that could stop him during this two-game stretch is a surprise absence, which unfortunately has occurred a couple times this season.
Forward
Braian Angola, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (11.7 credits)
Who would have thought that a player entering the EuroLeague from the EuroCup would be among the top producers rom Round 24 onward? Since the day he arrived Angola assumed a leading role, and he continued his dream start by becoming the MVP of the Round last time out. With 26 points and 28 PIR in the Round 30 road win against Efes, Angola was the main architect of the victor,y and he should remain a standout in a Round 31 road game against Paris.
Alec Peters, Olympiacos Piraeus (7.4 credits)
In Tuesday's early Round 34 matchup in which Vezenkov did not play Peters hit four of seven shots from beyond the arc. He had been a bit quiet during Vezenkov's absence, especially in the Zalgiris game in which he stayed on the court for 34 minutes and finished with -2 PIR. Why do I think he deserves another chance? He also shined in Sunday's domestic game, pouring in 26 points, and it's looking more than likely Vezenkov will remain sidelined. It might have taken some time for Peters to find his rhythm, and at this point he seems like a more-than-viable option if Vezenkov is out.
Tornike Shengelia, FC Barcelona (15.5 credits)
After a disappointing Round 26 game against Fenerbahce in which he fell far below expectations, Shengelia bounced back and reminded us he is still among the best power forwards in the EuroLeague by producing 16, 19, 20 and 19 PIR in his last four games. Barcelona did drop three of those contests, and with the team aiming to finish the season inside the top six, most of the upcoming games on the schedule will be against direct rivals such as Hapoel, Valencia, Red Star and Zalgiris. As Barcelona looks to get through this stretch positively, Shengelia will undoubtedly be one of their most important factors.
Center
Mfiondu Kabengele, Dubai Basketball (15.7 credits)
If head coach Jurica Golemac had not placed limitations on his playing time, Kabengele might have been the center with the highest PIR of the season. Even now, he sits second behind only Nikola Milutinov. Nothing is certain yet, with only eight games left it seems unlikely he will surpass Milutinov, but even the opportunity to earn a Second Team All-EuroLeague spot is a huge achievement for a EuroLeague rookie. In Round 31, Baskonia -- not known for its interior defense -- will have to deal with Kabengele, and it could be tough sledding for them.
Josh Nebo, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (12.4 credits)
After returning from his latest absence, Nebo proved he is at a comfortable level by producing 24 PIR against Hapoel and 13 PIR against Barcelona. Moreover, his playing time was promising, as he stayed on the floor for 23 and 24 minutes in those two games -- a slight increase from before. Milan's next opponent, Maccabi, has had a tough time containing opposing centers, and although they have improved a bit, they are still vulnerable against an athletic player like Nebo.
Head Coach
Francesco Tabellini, Paris Basketball (4.9 credits)
The three-game road trip that was expected to be deadly for Paris, two of which were against Final Four candidates Barcelona and Panathinaikos, turned out to be almost like a dream as they managed to get 3/3 wins and at least escape the bottom spots in the EuroLeague standings. It is still a bit early to say that they have serious top-10 ambitions, but Tabellini and his players will face ASVEL, Partizan and Milan at home, and if they manage to win all three things will start to become serious. As a long-term coach selection, he comes with both an appealing price tag and a fixture advantage.
Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (6.8 credits)
The alarm bells have been ringing for Panathinaikos. Despite having a high-quality roster, the approach of "they will eventually figure it out at some point" has carried on almost until the end of the season, and still no one -- particularly Dimitrios Giannakopoulos -- is satisfied with what they have seen. In fact, if it had been a lower-profile coach rather than Ataman, he most likely would have already been fired. There are only eight games left to turn the situation around, and now the margin for error in home-court games is zero. Therefore, assuming they understand the importance of the situation, they should be more than ready to go for Thursday's matchup with Zalgiris.
For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, rosters and everything else, head to RotoWire's latest EuroLeague news or follow @RotoWireEuro on X.
