Fenerbahçe won the EuroLeague in 2025. Last season they reached the Final Four again but came up short. This summer, instead of keeping things the same, they changed a lot of it. Nando de Colo retired. Several players left. And in came a group of new faces built to keep the club at the top.
Here's who they added, and what each one actually gives the team — no jargon, just the plain truth about each player.
Shane Larkin — the leader who knows how to win
Larkin is the biggest name. For years he was the heart of Anadolu Efes, the team Fenerbahçe's fans consider their biggest rival. He won two EuroLeague titles there. Now, at 33, he brings all of that experience to Fenerbahçe.
What he gives the team is simple: someone who has been in every big moment before and doesn't panic. A guard who can score when the team is stuck, run the offense smoothly, and calm everyone down when a game gets tight. You can't teach that. You can only sign it.
Shavon Shields — the scorer who does a bit of everything
Shields spent six seasons at Milan and was one of the most reliable wings in Europe the entire time. Last season he averaged 12.7 points and shot 37% from three.
What he gives Fenerbahçe is steady scoring from the wing and the ability to guard several positions. He's the kind of player who never has a loud game but always has a useful one — points when needed, solid defense, no drama. Every good team has one.
Trent Forrest — the guard who makes others better
Forrest comes from Baskonia, where he quietly had an excellent season. He averaged 13.9 points, 3.7 assists and over a steal per game in the Spanish league, and was even better as a passer in the EuroLeague with 4.4 assists per game.
His real value is on defense and in setting up teammates. He was named to an all-defensive team in college and still plays that way — pressuring the ball, disrupting the other team's guards. On offense he looks to pass first. He's the player who makes everyone around him a little more comfortable.
Braxton Key — the versatile defender
Key arrives from Valencia. He's not a player who scores a lot, and that's fine — that's not his job. His job is to defend, rebound, and hit the occasional open three.
What he gives Fenerbahçe is flexibility. He can guard bigger players and smaller ones, switch across positions, and fit into almost any lineup. Coaches love players like this because they solve problems without needing the ball.
Marcus Bingham Jr. — the modern big man
Bingham comes from UNICS. At 2.13 meters he's very tall, but he's not a slow, old-fashioned center. He moves well, protects the rim, and can step away from the basket.
What he gives the team is rim protection and mobility — a big man who can defend the paint but also keep up when the game gets fast. Modern basketball asks centers to do both, and Bingham fits that mold.
Ignas Sargiunas — the wild card
Sargiunas comes from Rytas in Lithuania, where he was a standout. He's the least known name here, but he's a versatile wing who can handle the ball, shoot, and play a few different roles.
What he gives Fenerbahçe is depth and options — a younger player who can grow into a bigger role, and who gives the coach flexibility when the schedule gets crowded.
The big picture
Put it all together and the plan is clear. Larkin brings winning experience. Shields and Key add scoring and defense on the wings. Forrest makes the guards better. Bingham modernizes the center spot. Sargiunas adds depth.
This isn't a team chasing one superstar. It's a team adding six players who each do their job well, coached by Šarūnas Jasikevičius, who knows exactly how to fit these pieces together. Fenerbahçe didn't just reload this summer. They rebuilt with a plan — and the plan makes sense.
