NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - It's been a busy off-season in EuroLeague Women and a number of player movements have really caught my eye.

Sonja Petrovic - Dynamo Kursk

When you're champions, it's arguably harder to improve and keep adding quality compared to others. I felt strongly there were only 2-3 players that might truly have the class to keep the momentum going at Dynamo Kursk and Sonja Petrovic was top of the list. One of my all-time favorite players, her leadership and unselfishness will be loved in the locker room and by Lucas Mondelo. A class act. 

Allie Quigley - Galatasaray

Cecilia Zandalasini - Beretta Famila Schio

Everyone was looking to see if the breakout displays of Zandalasini at the FIBA EuroBasket Women Final Round might see her moving away from Italy. But, the fact that she is staying with Schio put this one down as the best re-signing of the off-season. Riding the crest of a wave in an amazing 12 months, the fact a WNBA franchise like Minnesota Lynx came knocking on her door recently speaks volumes. She will be full of confidence and a leading star this season in EuroLeague Women.

Kelsey Plum - Fenerbahce

Amanda Zahui - ZVVZ USK Prague

There is no doubt that the odds are stacked against ZVVZ USK Prague continuing their run of reaching Final Fours. You would never back against the veteran play-caller Natalia Hejkova, but she knows she will have a young and inexperienced roster compared to previous years. The departure of the long-serving Kia Vaughn left a massive void under the bucket, but I feel the club have pulled a master-stroke by landing the brilliant Swedish powerhouse Amanda Zahui. While there is excitement around Leticia Romero, her fellow new arrival Zahui has shown she can do it in this competition with her excellent efforts at Nadezhda last year.

Kim Mestdagh - Yakin Dogu Universitesi

Katherine Plouffe - Tango Bourges Basket

I understand that when it comes to signings in the paint, people might look at the switches of various clubs by great veterans like Ann Wauters or Ewelina Kobryn. People may even point towards another Tango Bourges players in Elodie Godin, but I like this move by Plouffe because she is the one player who starred in EuroCup Women last season that I was really hoping would get to test herself at the next level. Additionally, we don't get to see a lot of Canadian players in this competition, so considering what they are doing with the national teams, I like this aspect too.

Jelena Milovanovic - Sopron Basket

There have been a lot of changes at Sopron Basket during the summer - including the arrival of Milovanovic. The only difference is that she is back on her former home court and while a new signing, she is a big fans' favorite and that makes it a smart move. Her firepower, veteran know-how and affinity to the club from her previous spell could be priceless as Sopron hope to take a step forward this year. Perhaps an added element is that Milovanovic will want to hit back after her first tournament as captain of Serbia ended up in disappointment as the former holders exited early.

Giorgia Sottana - BLMA

Of all the players on the list, this is the most fascinating for me. Sottana has been part of the furniture for so long at Schio that envisaging her playing for another club was almost unthinkable. But, right at an important part of her career, when she has entered the territory of being a veteran and trying to get over FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017 heartache, she has taken on this new challenge. Was she going stale at Schio? Maybe, maybe not. But, what a chance to really demonstrate her skills and re-ignite things with a new club, new league and new country.

Angelica Robinson - CB Avenida

I smiled when I saw this signing because I think that Robinson doesn't really get the recognition she deserves for her huge numbers and the work she does as a rebounding machine. Or, at least compared to some other players. I really enjoyed watching her during her first spell in Salamanca and I feel that is where she played some of the best basketball of her career. Having won a stack of silverware with Yakin Dogu Universitesi, it's great to have her back in EuroLeague Women and this is a major signing for Avenida as she will drop the anchor in the paint in what might be a tricky campaign for the Spanish side.

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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