One round cannot tell us who will be the EuroLeague MVP seven months from now. It can, however, give us our first snapshot of the race, based purely on what happened on opening night rather than projecting who will ultimately win the award.
Round 1 delivered plenty of candidates. Carlik Jones claimed the official MVP of the Round award with a 33 PIR, TJ Shorts led the competition in scoring, Tyler Dorsey exploded in Vitoria, Dwayne Bacon powered Dubai past Real Madrid, while Sasha Vezenkov, Mike James and Mathias Lessort wasted little time making their presence felt.
1. Carlik Jones – Partizan
The best all-around performance of Round 1. Jones dismantled Milan’s defense, hit 4-of-6 from deep and delivered a Partizan-record 10 assists without committing a single turnover.
More importantly, the numbers came with a 92-76 victory that ended Partizan’s run of 10 consecutive opening-round defeats and gave the club its first winning EuroLeague start in 19 years. The official Round 1 MVP begins our Ladder at No. 1.
Carlik Jones SR. #KKPartizan #EuroLeague pic.twitter.com/I8t62GhAiI
— KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) September 25, 2026
2. TJ Shorts – Valencia Basket
So much for needing time to adjust. Shorts poured in a EuroLeague-best 26 points in only 24 minutes as Valencia escaped Istanbul with a 96-94 victory over Besiktas.
He shot 9-of-17 inside the arc, 2/3 from three and 2/2 at the line. The immediate question is whether this explosive debut can quickly become his new standard.
5’9 TJ was putting defenders through hell in @EuroLeague win😩🔥 26 points in 23 minutes and was calling off screens @TjShorts5 pic.twitter.com/k6dWwK1VyV
— Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) September 26, 2026
3. Tyler Dorsey – Olympiacos
Dorsey produced one of Round 1’s most explosive scoring displays, needing only 23 minutes to score 25 points as Olympiacos demolished Baskonia 106-89 in Vitoria.
His efficiency stood out, but so did the context. Dorsey is operating on a team loaded with offensive weapons, yet immediately established himself as one of its primary scoring threats.
4. Dwayne Bacon – Dubai Basketball
Bacon’s numbers came attached to one of the statement results of opening night. He posted 24 points, five rebounds and four assists as Dubai edged Real Madrid 78-77.
His 31 PIR was the third-highest mark of Round 1. If Dubai keeps winning and Bacon remains the focal point of its offense, his MVP case becomes considerably more interesting.
5. Sasha Vezenkov – Olympiacos
Nineteen minutes. Twenty-two points. A 30 PIR.
Vezenkov needed remarkably little time to remind everyone why he belongs in virtually every MVP conversation. He did his damage efficiently and largely within the flow of Olympiacos’ offense, which has always been one of the defining elements of his game.
With Dorsey and Vezenkov both inside the opening top five, Olympiacos already has two early entries in the race.
6. Mike James – Anadolu Efes
James opened his new chapter with 22 points, five assists and four rebounds. The individual production is already there; as so often throughout his career, the next part of the equation will be how those numbers translate into team success.
7. Mathias Lessort – Panathinaikos
Lessort announced his EuroLeague return in emphatic fashion. In fewer than 22 minutes, the French center produced 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocks for a 28 PIR, helping Panathinaikos cruise past Paris 91-72.
For a player still building his way back toward full competitive rhythm, that was quite an opening statement.
Knocking on the door
Dan Oturu deserves particular attention. His 20 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks generated a 32 PIR, and he would have had a strong case for a top-three spot had Hapoel beaten Bayern.
Jae Crowder, meanwhile, made an impressive first EuroLeague appearance with 19 points, four rebounds and four assists in ASVEL’s victory over Maccabi.
For now, this Ladder should be viewed exactly for what it is: an opening-night snapshot rather than a season-long hierarchy. Beginning with Round 2, consistency, team success and sustained individual influence will start carrying considerably more weight.
