Welcome to Week 2 of Gaming Society’s coverage of EuroLeague!
Last week, we broke down everything there is to know about the most competitive international women’s basketball league in the world and provided a list of which WNBA players are competing.
Now, let’s talk about one of the best teams in the league and why you should root for them.
Team: WBC Dynamo Kursk (Kursk for short)
Record as of 11/2: 3-1 (tied for 1st in Group B)
Jersey Colors: Blue & White
Location: Kursk, Russia (Population: 415,159 per the 2010 Census. Temperature on 11/2: 50 degrees Fahrenheit)
WNBA Players: Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas Wings), Natasha Howard (New York Liberty), Epiphanny Prince (Seattle Storm)
Player To Know: 6’4 center Eva Lisec is having a breakout season, averaging 18.8 points on 54% shooting including 9-of-20 from 3-point range with 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 steals in four games. She won EuroLeague MVP of the month honors for October.
Odds To Win The 2021-22 EuroLeague Championship: 7/2 or +350 ($100 → $350)
History: Founded in 1994, the club was originally named Svetlana Kursk. It was renamed to Dynamo Kursk in 1997.
Rival: UMMC Ekaterinburg (Roster includes: Jonquel Jones, Brittney Griner, Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley, Alex Bentley, Maria Vadeeva)
Previous Championships: EuroLeague winners in 2016-17, EuroCup winners in 2011-12, Russian Cup winners in 2013-14,15-16,17-18, and 19-20.
WNBA Players On The 2016-17 Championship Roster: Angel McCoughtry, Nneka Ogwumike, Epiphanny Prince, Maria Vadeeva & Anna Cruz
Previous WNBA Players To Play For Kursk: Alex Bentley, DeWanna Bonner, Jessica Breland, Tina Charles, Glory Johnson, Astou Ndour-Fall, Breanna Stewart & Amanda Zahui B
The Takeaway
UMMC Ekaterinburg is loaded with the most depth in the league, but with Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot both injured, Kursk has a real chance to dethrone the back-to-back-to-back champions. Ogunbowale, Howard and Prince give them a steady base, and Lisec’s hot start to the season has the club looking scary.
