SINGAPORE (Singapore) - Winning is a habit if you're Unicaja from Malaga, Spain.
The defending champions picked up an incredible number of trophies from February 2023 to today, winning the FIBA Intercontinental Cup last year, the Basketball Champions League Europe twice, the Spanish Cup twice, and the Spanish Supercup once, making this the most successful run in the club's history.
The key was always coded as Ibon's Plan.
Ibon is Ibon Navarro, the head coach and the mastermind of the project which saw them having 14 equally important players sharing the load of the season, and the core of the team being together for more than two years.
In today's market it was impossible to keep all the stars, as last season's FIBA Intercontinental Cup MVP Dylan Osetkowski left the club, but the new players arriving in Malaga have all impressed in various ways on various stages.
The most interesting part of this event would be seeing those new guys in action. To single out one player in a team-first oriented club sounds like a tricky task, the Spaniards are excited to find out what Chris Duarte brings to them.
The 28-year-old shooter was the 13th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and the FIBA Intercontinental Cup marks the beginning of his European chapter, after he had played in nearly 200 NBA games with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls.
The Roster
Last name | First name | Position | Height | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Balcerowski | Aleksander | C | 7'1'' (217 cm) | POL |
Barreiro | Jonathan | SF | 6'8'' (203 cm) | ESP |
Castaneda | Xavier | G | 6'3'' (190 cm) | ESP |
Dedovic | Nihad | SG | 6'6'' (198 cm) | BIH |
Diaz | Alberto | PG | 6'3'' (190 cm) | ESP |
Kalinoski | Tyler | G | 6'4'' (193 cm) | USA |
Kravish | David | C | 6'10'' (208 cm) | USA |
Perez | Tyson | PF | 6'7'' (202 cm) | ESP |
Perry | Kendrick | PG | 6'0'' (183 cm) | USA |
Sulejmanovic | Emir | PF | 6'8'' (204 cm) | BIH |
Duarte | Chris | F | 6'5'' (196 cm) | DOM |
Tillie | Killian | PF | 6'9'' (205 cm) | FRA |
Trujillo | Manuel | G | 6'6'' (197 cm) | ESP |
Webb III | James | F | 6'9'' (206 cm) | USA |
Head coach: Ibon Navarro (ESP)