27/08/2020
Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide
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The best signings of the EuroLeague Women summer so far

NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - As we tick off the days until we see EuroLeague Women up and running again, I've been checking out all of the summer transfers via the competition's transfer tracker.

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Best off-season move so far 🤔? #EuroLeagueWomen

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And, while there is likely to still be a few more announcements during coming weeks, here are the signings that have impressed me most during the summer of 2020 - for many different reasons!

Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe - LDLC ASVEL Feminin

 
Just absolutely rock solid to the core, there is no doubting the quality of Raincock-Ekunwe and the forward has a fine track record in EuroLeague Women and of course, as an elite performer with a Canadian team eyeing the podium in Tokyo next year. She already knows French basketball which is a bonus and Lyon have added a sweet combination of steel, efficiency and talent to their ranks. She will give them more resilience and reliability for the tough moments and I think it is a super smart pickup.

Satou Sabally - Fenerbahce

 
We all need something as neutrals to get truly excited about and what a place for Sabally to make her debut in the competition - in the white hot atmosphere of Istanbul wearing a Fenerbahce vest! The Oregon Ducks alumni has made a nice start to her pro career with WNBA franchise, the Dallas Wings and when she touches back down in Europe, the Germany national team star will surely become a massively popular figure with the fanatical Fenerbahce fans. She will also get to play for the reigning EuroLeague Women Coach of the Year in Victor Lapena, which means she will be able to continue growing and evolving with the help of one of the very best. 

Gabby Williams - Sopron Basket

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#sopronbasket #gabbywilliams #euroleaguewomen #hunbasket #uconn #wnba #hajrásopron #weareoneteam

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Was there anybody out there who didn't enjoy the energetic and do-it-all displays of Williams last season at BLMA? She was a joy to watch, always bringing the big guns offensively and a killer at the defensive end too. She will give Sopron a vibrancy and perhaps a new dimension to their play. With her at the small forward spot and Jelena Brooks at the four, I think that is a great combination - potentially. Two very different players, but together, that duo is able to tick every box. 

Katie Lou Samuelson - CB Avenida

 
I get that sense of deja vu with this one after the excitement of Samuelson moving to Carolo Basket for her first pro-assignment overseas last summer. Things didn't go to plan. But, I am super hyped that she could be the difference-maker for an Avenida side who are back where they belong - in EuroLeague Women. With new play-caller Roberto Iniguez at the helm (someone you all know I respect and admire), he will get the best from her. Of course, the biggest help will be having her sister Karlie (a Great Britain shooting ace) alongside her both on and off the floor so the omens look good. I hope they will enjoy their basketball together and I bet if things go well, those passionate Avenida fans will love seeing it!

Raisa Musina - Dynamo Kursk

 
A controversial pick? Perhaps. But let's be blunt shall we? Musina has sat on her backside at UMMC and has barely played. To say she is under cooked would be an under statement in itself. It's time to let her run free and show her skills. She is supremely talented and I think going to Kursk is a potentially perfect set-up. There will be WNBA performers (3-4 apparently), which means she will still have to work hard for minutes, but on the other hand, they won't be as deep as UMMC, so the excuses have gone. It's time to perform and if Musina gets anywhere near her actual ability and level, this could be a stunning signing for Kursk. I hope I am not wrong, but I genuinely think the forward can be anything she wants to be - but she has to now show it.

Anete Steinberga - Galatasaray

 
I was really thrilled when Galatasaray were announced back in the competition because it is where they should always be as a former champion and obviously due to the size of their name and tradition. But being back at this level means a step up in class and they have had quite the clearout, which means a risk around chemistry, especially as the legendary Isil Alben has departed, who is always their rock. But I think the signing of Steinberga is smart because she is someone who will give them a presence physically and can match up defensively with many opponents. If you don't get it right with your bigs in this competition, you are dead in the water. The Latvian ace should use all of her experience to rack up a nice number of boards and points for the Istanbul giants.

Clarissa Dos Santos - Izmit Belediyespor

 
I really like the now experienced Brazilian forward - I always have. She is a banker to get double-digits points and do the business on the boards for any team she plays in. She may not be the most flashy, but I like the way she gets it done. There is a risk in her going to Turkey because she has generally been French based in these recent seasons so it is something new for the South American, but I expect her to take it in her stride. I think Izmit have made a nice choice of player to lead them in the paint.

Chelsea Gray - Girona

 
In these past seasons, Girona have always seemed to be more of a rugged side. A tough nut to crack, albeit with some class players such as Sonia Vasic and Laia Palau for example. By adding Gray, I feel they will be much more dynamic in their options and obviously at the offensive end where they could really catch fire nicely - not many players score around 15 points per game almost every WNBA season. Plus, Gray knows the club as she was there several years ago, which is always a bonus for settling straight into things.

Pinelope Pavlopoulou - ACS Sepsi

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Welcome to our team, Pinelopi Pavlopoulou! 🤩 🇬🇷 💚

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Those who follow my columns will know that I am a fan of the Greek guard and I believe that moving from Olympiacos and her home country makes a statement. The best Greek players of the modern era have all tested themselves around the Continent and in Sepsi-Sic she has a decent situation. Coach Zoran Mikes will get the best out of her and she has a chance to impose herself as a leader for the perennial Romanian Champions. Even if they have to be satisfied with EuroCup Women if they don't pass the Qualifiers in EuroLeague Women, I think Pavlopoulou will become a big fan favorite. 

Kayla McBride - Fenerbahce

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Bugün oyuncumuz Kayla McBride'ın doğum günü. Happy birthday Kayla! 🎉🎂 @kaymac_21

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Replacing the incredible impact of 2019-20 Regular Season MVP Alina Iagupova was always an impossible task, but with Kayla McBride, I feel Fenerbahce have bagged themselves an absolute ace card. She already knows Istanbul from her time with Yakin Dogu and her combination of scoring and creative ability should guarantee the juggernauts a place in the post-season and perhaps Final Four. The beauty of McBride is that you always feel she is someone who let's the game come to her and doesn't force it unless she absolutely has to. I just love seeing her in a flow and if she gets good rhythm early, she could be superb!

Marine Fauthoux - LDLC ASVEL Feminin

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⭐ Nouvelle Lionne !⁠ ⁠ #ASVElles #ASVEL #TeamASVEL #basketball #basket #LFB #basketLFB #Lyon #EuroLeagueWomen

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A no-brainer when it comes to picking a talented teenager, Fauthoux is likely to be a serious backcourt contender for France at Paris 2024. And, now she has moved to Lyon, she might get that chance to develop a relationship with Marine Johannes in what could be a combo to shine. Yes, she is young, and nobody can expect her to get close to the likes of the now departed Julie Allemand, But I am a massive fan because her IQ is sky high and she is a proper serious baller. Tony Parker has vowed to bring the best young players to his club and with Juste Jocyte already in situ, the arrival of Fauthoux gets another thumbs up from me.

Paul Nilsen

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Paul Nilsen

Paul Nilsen

As a women's basketball specialist for FIBA and FIBA Europe, Paul Nilsen eats, sleeps and breathes women’s hoops and is incredibly passionate about promoting the women’s game - especially at youth level. In Women’s Basketball Worldwide, Paul scours the globe for the very latest from his beloved women’s basketball family.