The 2025-26 EuroLeague offseason – and even the season itself – has seen a flurry of transfers, with well-known players moving between teams and coming from the NBA environment.
Yet not all of these moves have lived up to expectations.
Injuries, limited playing time, or unexpectedly reduced roles have prevented some marquee signings from making the impact fans and clubs had hoped for.
BasketNews takes a closer look at the EuroLeague moves that, so far, haven't provided the return that was anticipated.
Of course, stats alone don't tell the whole story – we know that performance usually depends on the player's environment, the coach's trust, and the support he gets from the entire club.
Credit Scanpix
The 1.96-meter guard appeared to be a natural fit for EuroLeague basketball.
His size, smart reads, seven years of NBA experience, and ability to score on and off the ball seemed perfectly suited for Europe's more tactical game.
"If you combine what he can do offensively and how he can hold his ground defensively, I believe that the hope is that he can provide something similar or even better than what Devon Hall has provided so far at the EuroLeague level," a EuroLeague scout told BasketNews before the season.
Unlike in the NBA, Milton has had fewer isolation opportunities and has been forced to make quicker decisions against packed defenses.
Inconsistent minutes, a coaching change, and injuries have further complicated his adjustment.
Most recently, a broken bone in his left hand requiring surgery has likely ended his EuroLeague season. Previously, he also missed time due to ankle and foot injuries.
Through 13 EuroLeague appearances, including six starts, Milton has averaged 6.7 points (47.6% 2PT, 11.1% 3PT), 1.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 6.0 PIR.
Credit ZUMAPRESS.com-SCANPIX
After finding a sense of stability at FC Barcelona, Parker's move to Partizan Belgrade was met with huge hype.
Fans eagerly anticipated his arrival, but within six months, frustration had replaced excitement.
Parker's performance has simply not matched expectations. In 19 minutes per game, he averages 7.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.1 PIR and has missed matches this season due to personal reasons and injuries.
Credit Srdjan Stevanovic / Getty Images
We stay in Belgrade but move to the red-and-white city's side. Graham was also a marquee signing for Crvena Zvezda, but his struggles began in the offseason.
The 30-year-old guard suffered an injury during a preseason game in mid-September and did not make his EuroLeague debut until Round 13 on November 26, posting 9 points with 15 PIR in a win over Olympiacos.
Since then, Graham's season has become even more unpredictable.
From Round 17 onward, he logged just 23 minutes and 34 seconds in EuroLeague action and missed several games – Round 19 vs. Efes, Round 21 vs. Zalgiris, and Round 22 vs. Milan – despite being on the 12-man roster.
"I mean, coach's decision. I've been struggling with shooting the ball, scoring, I guess. So, he plays who he feels like should be playing," Graham addressed the situation to BasketNews.
Coach Sasa Obradovicsaid Graham needs more time to adapt to European coaching, noting that Yago dos Santos is more solid in the playmaker role.
Still, Graham remains patient and confident:
"Yeah, it'll come with time. Whatever the time may be, whatever it is. But I don't lose no confidence. I'm 100% capable of making plays and making shots. I've been playing basketball for a long time. I know I'll figure it out."
For context, Graham's NBA peak came in the 2019-20 season with Charlotte, when he averaged 18.2 points and 7.5 assists over 63 games.
In the EuroLeague this season, he is averaging 3.0 points (16.7% 2PT, 25% 3PT), 1.1 assists, and 0.9 PIR across seven appearances in 11.4 minutes per game.
Credit IMAGO/kolbert-press - Scanpix
After a quiet stint at Real Madrid, Rathan-Mayes moved to Bayern Munich, expected to lead the offense after projected starting point guard Rokas Jokubaitis suffered an ACL and meniscus injury at the FIBA EuroBasket 2025.
So far, the Canadian guard has averaged 6.9 points (43.9% 2PT, 27.0% 3PT), 2.0 assists, and 5.5 PIR, a far cry from his earlier reputation as a scoring machine.
Two years ago, the Canadian topped the VTB League in scoring, posting a career-high 25.7 points per game, including a 42-point outing.
The Florida State University product has played for 15 teams across the NBA, G League, Europe, and Australia's NBL, and he has recorded double-digit scoring averages in all but four stints: with the Memphis Grizzlies, AEK Athens, Real Madrid, and now Bayern.
This season, Bayern also attempted to boost their offense by bringing in 11-year NBA veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie, but that experiment did not pay off, either.
Credit Olimpia Milano
When we think of Lorenzo, we picture the peak FIBA EuroBasket 2022 version of him or the two-time All-EuroLeague selection at Maccabi Tel Aviv.
After an up-and-down season with PAO, Brown moved to Milan, hoping to recreate those Maccabi days – but for now, those moments feel distant.
The 35-year-old guard is battling injuries and averaging 6.6 points and 2.8 assists per game.
He's had a couple of double-digit scoring games and three outings with 5+ assists across 10 appearances, but consistency has been an issue.
After his standout performance against Panathinaikos in Round 20, where he put up 17 points and five assists, he went scoreless against Anadolu Efes in the very next game.
Maybe it's time to lower expectations for the veteran amid a demanding schedule and to trust the process as Olimpia Milano navigate a new era post-Ettore Messina.
Credit Rodolfo Molina/EuroLeague via Getty Images
Len arrived in the EuroLeague with the credentials of a solid fit: size, 12 years of NBA experience, and rim-finishing and interior defense skills.
Yet the pace of the EuroLeague and his team (9th in pace), constant pick-and-roll responsibilities, and mobility demands have exposed limitations similar to those seen during his final three NBA seasons.
The Ukrainian center has averaged just 2.1 points (36.8% 2PT) and 1.3 rebounds in 7.8 minutes over nine games.
Real Madrid have struggled to find consistent backup centers for Edy Tavares, the EuroLeague's all-time top rebounder and shot blocker.
Players like Bruno Fernando and Serge Ibaka – who was far less effective than during his Bayern days – have failed to fill the void left by Vincent Poirier's move to Anadolu Efes.
In 690 NBA regular-season games, Len averaged 6.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per night, but he doesn't look like a long-term solution for Los Blancos either.
Credit IMAGO/Seskim Photo TR - Scanpix
Jantunen had some big shoes to fill – literally EuroLeague Final Four MVP shoes – after Nigel Hayes-Davis left for the NBA.
And let's be honest, replacing someone like NHD overnight is nearly impossible.
"Yeah, I got some work to do... to maybe play more like him, but I put the work in, and I hope so," Jantunen told BasketNews at the start of the season. "He's an unbelievable player, so for sure, it's someone that I can watch his film and learn from a lot."
The Finnish forward arrived at Fenerbahce after a strong EuroLeague debut with Paris Basketball, where he averaged 7.5 points and 4.8 rebounds while starting all 38 games, including their playoff clash with Fener.
This season, he's averaging 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, with just four outings in double digits. But replicating that kind of success in a championship squad is a whole different challenge – especially at 25.
Part of the reason is understandable: Jantunen, a Finnish national team regular since 2019, missed much of the Fenerbahce preseason due to Finland's historic fourth-place finish at EuroBasket 2025, which made adapting to Sarunas Jasikevicius' system even tougher.
"It's a lot of learning every time you come to a different system, but it's a process," Jantunen said. "There are some good moments, bad moments, as it goes with learning."
On top of that, he's competing for minutes with established EuroLeague names like Bonzie Colson and Nicolo Melli.
But with Colson now sidelined for at least three weeks with a knee injury, Jantunen has a great chance to show glimpses of the game that earned him admiration during his stint in Paris.
A Big Shake Up In Our EuroLeague Power Ranking!
Pijus Sapetka
Pijus Sapetka began his basketball media career in 2021, building on years of closely following the sport. Since then, he has reported from a variety of basketball events, including the EuroLeague Playoffs, Lithuanian Cups, LKL Finals, EuroCup games, the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and Goran Dragic's Farewell Game. He holds a degree in Journalism & PR.
About author
Like what we are doing? You can express your gratitude here.