Maccabi Tel Aviv Loses EuroLeague Opener to ASVEL; Rookie Shines
Maccabi Tel Aviv began its 2026-2027 EuroLeague season with a disappointing 84-74 road loss to ASVEL in Lyon, France. The Israeli club now stands at 0-1 in the early standings.
ASVEL's victory was highlighted by the exceptional debut of 19-year-old French guard Mac-Adrien N'Doye Podzo Dede. He recorded 14 points and 5 assists in his first EuroLeague game, becoming the first teenager to achieve such numbers in his debut since Luka Dončić in 2018. He is also the third player in history to do so, following Dončić and Ricky Rubio (2010), and the first Frenchman to accomplish this feat.
Podzo Dede "stole the show in Tony Parker's debut," according to reports, referring to ASVEL's head coach who also made his EuroLeague coaching debut. Podzo Dede, the youngest player on the ASVEL roster, developed in Nancy's U21 team before playing for their senior team in the 2024-2025 season. He was a key player for France's U19 team at the World Championship last summer, where they finished tenth, and he led the French squad in scoring with an average of 12.4 points per game.
Podzo Dede will aim to continue his strong start to the season with the Lyon-based club.
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