Anadolu Efes Istanbul heads into the 2026/27 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season with a deep roster overhaul. The Turkish club, historically among the continent's contenders, has reshaped its core following a summer that brought key departures and the arrival of players with top-level European experience. With no consolidated data from the previous campaign available in the record, the starting point for this cycle is the new sporting project set to debut in September.
The most significant summer move was the signing of Mike James from AS Monaco Basket. The American point guard, who averaged 16.4 points and 6.5 assists in EuroLeague last season, takes over as the primary playmaker for a team that lost Shane Larkin to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. James brings not only scoring ability but also the experience of running an elite offence in the competition.
Up front, Dario Saric returns to top-level European basketball after his NBA stint and competitive break. The Croatian, who averaged 15.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists with Croatia at the 2026 FIBA World Cup, adds offensive versatility and court vision from the high post. His arrival raises the team's creative ceiling in transition and in motion-based sets.
The centre rotation also changed shape. Bruno Fernando arrived from Real Madrid, where he averaged 7.8 points and 4.3 rebounds across 37 EuroLeague games in 2025-26. The Angolan brings physicality, rim protection and finishing ability around the basket. He complements Georgios Papagiannis, Brice Dessert and Kai Jones in a frontcourt that seeks balance between defensive intimidation and mobility.
Other additions strengthen the depth chart: Matthew Strazel (9.2 points and 3.9 assists per game in EuroLeague with Monaco), Daron Russell, Collin Malcolm from Hapoel Tel Aviv, Santi Yusta and young Darius Karutasu. On the departure side, alongside Larkin and Nick Weiler-Babb (Crvena Zvezda), contracts expired for Rodrigue Beaubois, Rolands Smits, Cole Swider, Sehmus Hazer and Vincent Poirier. The current roster lists 19 registered players.
This Efes side projects an identity built on controlled tempo with quick transitions when opponents allow it. James and Strazel form a backcourt pairing with vision and penetration; Saric, Cordinier, Malcolm and Yusta offer perimeter versatility; and the frontcourt combines mobility (Fernando, Jones) with interior presence (Papagiannis, Dessert). Turkish players — Fenemen, Yildizli, Mutaf, Osmani and Yilmaz — provide domestic continuity and familiarity with the environment.
The project's strengths lie in James's experience in high-pressure situations, Saric's offensive versatility and rotational depth at positions 2 through 4. The team can create advantages in pick-and-roll, hunt mismatches with Saric as a facilitator from the four spot and change pace through the perimeter bench.
The risks are clear. Losing Larkin, a long-time reference point in Istanbul, requires a collective adjustment period. Integrating so many new pieces into a demanding schedule from day one can produce inconsistency, particularly on defence and in system communication. Offensive reliance on James, at 37, raises questions about sustaining performance across 38 regular-season games. Furthermore, competition at the top of the European table leaves little margin for error.
From an editorial analysis standpoint, Anadolu Efes Istanbul projects as a playoff contender, though reaching the podium or matching its best campaigns will depend on how quickly the group gels. A reasonable scenario places the team between 6th and 10th in the regular season, with upside if interior defence finds consistency and Strazel establishes himself as a reliable secondary creator. Clearing the play-in and reaching the quarter-finals would represent a satisfactory outcome for a project still consolidating.
The opening stretch offers no respite. On 24 September they visit Barça at Palau Blaugrana, one of the title favourites. Four days later they host Real Madrid, the club Fernando just left, in a direct measuring-stick game. Round three takes them to Belgrade against Crvena Zvezda, and on 9 October they visit Olympiacos BC at OAKA. In round five, on 14 October, they welcome FC Bayern Munich at home. Four of the first five opponents were playoff teams last season — an immediate test of this rebuilt Efes side's true level.