NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen’s Women’s Basketball Worldwide) – UMMC Ekaterinburg show no signs of slowing down or giving up their EuroLeague Women crown after securing a ruthless off-season upgrade ahead of 2019.

Just when you thought they could barely get any stronger, the champions have made a number of stand-out signings that in theory at least, could mean they finally achieve that aim of picking up three titles in a row.

They have already confirmed the arrival of EuroLeague Women rookie Jonquel Jones and in my opinion, the best playmaker in the competition last season in Courtney Vandersloot.  When you also consider EuroLeague Women 2016 MVP Angel McCoughtry has signed on the dotted line from arch rivals Dynamo Kursk and Maria Vadeeva is supposed to be following, it’s an astonishing line-up of talent.

I am really looking forward to seeing Jones and her power will be welcomed not only by her team-mates and the UMMC fans, but also the neutrals in the competition. The WNBA star has spent too much time overseas in Asia, so we can feel lucky that we will finally see her on European soil.

 Vandersloot had a disappointing Final Four after picking up an injury in the Semi-Finals against Sopron and with Yakin Dogu then losing to the hosts, prior to them withdrawing all basketball operations completely, it arguably overshadowed her scorching season. I think if she rediscovers this form, then UMMC will have the best point guard they have had in quite some time.

McCoughtry knows how to win this competition and seems to have mellowed a little to me. Not in terms of her production, but just in general. Maybe I have got that completely wrong, but if she can find a similar role to Kursk, then her EuroLeague Women numbers and accomplishments speak for themselves.

As for Griner, Meeseman, Jones and maybe Vadeeva? I mean come on. How incredible could that be?

Plus, I have not even mentioned reigning EuroBasket Women 2017 MVP Alba Torrens competing with, or playing alongside McCoughtry and of course Vandersloot.

So it got me thinking. On paper at least, is it possible we are about to see the best team the competition has seen? I think there is a chance of this happening. I use the term ‘team’ and not the best ‘roster’ because I would argue there is a nuance that needs be considered.

On the downside for UMMC, they won’t have a legend of the women’s game firing on all cylinders such as Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore (at least for the entire season). That could sway many of you into voting no to my question. I would understand it completely.

However, I think with Head Coach Miguel Mendez remaining on board, they have the single most important piece of the jigsaw. He is the type of play-caller who could really get this team expressing themselves, entertaining and being dominant as a true team. Not too much skewed to one or two players as was the issue for UMMC perhaps between 2014 and 2017 when they scraped one single title during four editions.

Finally, the irony of all this is that EuroLeague Women remains brutal. As UMMC have found so many times at Final Four down the years, you can sign the biggest stars and one bad game at the wrong time, or an opponent getting the better of you and that unimaginable amount of dollars thrown at the roster returns nothing.

With teams like Dynamo Kursk re-modelling and bringing on board Breanna Stewart alongside the likes of Sonja Petrovic and Fenerbahce inking Cecilia Zandalasini, there will still be teams on any given night who can shoot down UMMC.

It means that I can get excited about how great UMMC can be, without worrying too much it is bad for the competition. I was at many Final Fours previously when it looked so one-sided, only for us to realise basketball is played on the hardwood and not on paper.

I can’t wait to find out if this new-look UMMC team will deliver against the usual sky-high expectations.

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

FIBA takes no responsibility and gives no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of the content and opinion expressed in the above article.