Panathinaikos Tops EuroLeague Power Rankings Ahead of 2026 Season Start

With the 2026 EuroLeague season set to begin in less than two months, teams across Europe are finalizing their rosters amid a summer of intense activity. Despite the ongoing offseason, a clear picture is emerging of which clubs are poised to dominate, which may struggle, and where the two Tel Aviv teams currently stand.

Panathinaikos leads the power rankings after a disappointing previous season, marked by a quarterfinal exit and failure to reach the Final Four on home court. The Greek club replaced coach Argin Ataman with the legendary Željko Obradović and made several high-profile signings, including Gershon Yabusele, Branco Badio, Isaac Bonga, Mustapha Fall, and recently secured guard Silvan Francisco for over 10 million euros on a three-year deal. This summer is shaping up as historic for Panathinaikos, who return to their home arena, OAKA, looking stronger than ever.

Olympiacos, the reigning champions, also rank highly after retaining all their key players and adding top European guards Cody Miller McIntyre and Jean Montero. They remain favorites to defend their title under coach Giorgos Bartzokas. Fenerbahçe, the 2024/25 champions, have reinforced their squad with notable additions like Braxton Key, Shane Larkin, Will Clyburn, and Shaquon Shields, addressing last season’s roster weaknesses.

Other notable teams include Anadolu Efes, who signed EuroLeague star Mike James and Dario Šarić, and Žalgiris Kaunas, who brought in Jonas Valančiūnas and several key players to bolster their lineup. Turkish club Beşiktaş returned to the EuroLeague after 13 years, signing former Maccabi Tel Aviv star Scottie Wilbekin but still needs more reinforcements to compete effectively.

The two Tel Aviv teams show contrasting fortunes: Hapoel Tel Aviv, after a strong debut season reaching the playoffs, continues to build with solid signings and retained core players, while Maccabi Tel Aviv struggles to fill critical positions despite high-profile signings like Bonzi Colson and Yam Madar. Barcelona faces a challenging summer after losing several key players and their coach, while Valencia, last season’s surprise finalist, lost many stars and their coach Pedro Martínez but added TJ Shorts and Mo Guai.

With 54 days remaining until the season opener, much can still change, but the current rankings provide a snapshot of the EuroLeague landscape, highlighting the powerhouses, the underdogs, and the teams in transition.