Fenerbahçe haven’t given us much reason to reconsider their position at the top. Three wins, including an 88-69 victory at Valencia, and the defending champions already look comfortable navigating different types of opponents.

Lauren Betts has made an immediate impact. Her size changes what opponents can attempt around the basket, and she’s showing that her offensive value extends beyond finishing plays created by others. Leïla Lacan has also been excellent, giving Fenerbahçe another creator who can pressure defenses without needing the entire offense built around her.

The 81-71 win over Flammes Carolo was another useful test. Fenerbahçe established control early, eventually allowing the French side to make the score respectable with a strong fourth quarter. There are still stretches where their defensive intensity drops, though the larger picture remains encouraging.

Emma Meesseman’s versatility continues to give this team an enormous tactical advantage. With Julie Allemand managing possessions, Fenerbahçe can play through the post, attack with multiple ball-handlers or simply overwhelm opponents with their size.

There may be teams capable of beating them on a given night. Finding one with enough answers to do it consistently is a different conversation.

Schio have put together arguably the most convincing opening stretch of any team in the competition.

An 84-66 victory away at Galatasaray immediately established their credentials. They followed that by beating Crvena Zvezda 84-72 and handling Mechelen 83-47. That’s three different tests, with Schio displaying the same level of control and maturity throughout.

Kitija Laksa has been outstanding, giving the Italian champions an elite perimeter weapon who forces defenses to account for her well beyond the three-point line. Mariam Coulibaly provides an equally important presence inside, bringing physicality, finishing and rebounding.

What stands out is how naturally the pieces fit. Cecilia Zandalasini and Maria Conde offer size and creation on the wings, while Costanza Verona helps keep the offense organized. Schio can attack mismatches without becoming overly dependent on isolation basketball, and their defensive versatility allows them to adjust between lineups.

The Galatasaray win carries significant weight. Schio didn’t merely catch a contender on a bad night; they looked like the more connected team.

Their move to second is deserved, and the gap to Fenerbahçe has become considerably more interesting.

Two home defeats in three games are not what Galatasaray had in mind when assembling one of the most talented rosters in Europe.

Schio exposed some of their weaknesses in the opener, and the 78-68 loss against Crvena Zvezda was arguably more concerning. Galatasaray struggled to establish sustained offensive rhythm and couldn’t consistently impose their physical advantages.

Their only victory came against Mechelen, leaving plenty of work ahead.

Still, we’re not abandoning the preseason evaluation after three games. Dorka Juhász, Natasha Howard, Awak Kuier and Janelle Salaün give this group a combination of size, mobility and offensive versatility that few teams can match. Marine Fauthoux and Sevgi Uzun provide the playmaking to make that collection of talent work.

The issue is turning individual quality into something coherent. Too often, Galatasaray’s offense has looked less imposing than the names suggest. They need better movement around their creators, more reliable execution in the half court and a defensive identity that consistently takes advantage of their length.

Frédéric Dusart has the personnel to correct course. We still see a championship-caliber ceiling here, although the margin for error is already shrinking.

Schio have earned their place above Galatasaray. For now, we’re keeping the Turkish side ahead of Praha and Zaragoza on the strength of their roster and what they should be capable of producing over a full campaign.

There has been very little noise around Praha’s perfect start, which is probably just how Martin Bašta would prefer it.

The Czech champions opened with a comfortable 76-55 win over Bourges, survived a much closer 74-71 contest at Lublin and responded with an 80-65 victory over Emlak Konut.

That last performance was encouraging. Pauline Astier and Migna Touré scored 18 points apiece, while Frieda Bühner added 15. Praha were able to generate offense through different players without sacrificing their defensive organization.

Astier’s continued development is central to this team’s outlook. She has the creativity to run an offense and enough scoring ability to punish defenses that give her space. Maite Cazorla provides another experienced decision-maker, and the athleticism of Touré and Bühner gives Praha plenty of opportunities to turn defensive stops into easy points.

There are still questions about whether this version of USK has enough established individual scoring to survive against the very best defensive teams in Europe. The narrow victory at Lublin was a reminder that their half-court offense can occasionally become difficult.

Their athleticism, depth and defensive foundation give them a convincing platform, though, and three straight wins have earned them a move into the top four.

Zaragoza continue to look like a team that knows exactly what it wants to accomplish on every possession.

Their opening win against Basket Landes required overtime, and they were pushed in different ways before ultimately prevailing 76-75. Since then, Carlos Cantero’s side have beaten Athinaikos 89-78 and Kibirkstis-TOKS 77-55, gradually finding the balance and execution that made them such a difficult opponent last season.

Merritt Hempe has been an important piece of their early success, while Aisha Sheppard offers scoring from the perimeter and Veronika Voráčková contributes across multiple areas.

Zaragoza’s biggest strength remains their collective understanding. Their offense rarely depends on one action. Mariona Ortiz gets them organized, the ball changes sides, and the next decision usually comes quickly. Their shooting and interior options give opponents several problems to solve within the same possession.

The 22-point win over Kibirkstis was a good example of how Zaragoza can gradually take opponents out of their preferred style. They controlled the game after a competitive opening quarter and made life increasingly uncomfortable for the Lithuanian side.

Ortiz and Voráčková’s expected departures at the end of the calendar year remains an important long-term concern. Replacing their contributions and leadership will be difficult, especially as the level of competition increases.

For now, Zaragoza deserve credit for a perfect start and their move into the top five. The challenge will be sustaining this standard through the changes ahead.

Valencia’s opening two games were a reality check.

Losing to Fenerbahçe is hardly a disaster, even at home, although the 88-69 result showed how much work Valencia still have to do to match the competition’s elite. The subsequent 77-63 defeat against Flammes Carolo was harder to dismiss.

Their response was emphatic: a 105-47 demolition of Rapid București, featuring 20 made three-pointers and an explosive debut from Chloe Bibby, who finished with 22 points.

Bibby’s presence matters. She gives Valencia another frontcourt scoring option capable of stretching defenses and creating mismatches. Maria Araujo was also excellent against Rapid, contributing 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Alexis Peterson, Raquel Carrera, Helena Pueyo and Leticia Romero remain a strong foundation. Valencia have several players who can initiate offense and enough defensive versatility to compete with most teams in the field.

What we’re looking for now is consistency against stronger opposition. The Rapid victory was an important confidence boost, but it doesn’t erase the problems Valencia experienced during the opening two rounds.

Sixth feels appropriate. There is enough talent here to climb quickly, and we would be surprised if Valencia remained a one-win team for long.

Flammes Carolo are doing an excellent job of carrying their qualifying-round momentum into the regular season.

They opened with a convincing 98-66 victory over Rapid București, then delivered one of the more noteworthy results of the early season by beating Valencia 77-63 on the road.

The 81-71 loss against Fenerbahçe was respectable, even if the final margin doesn’t fully capture how much of the game the Turkish champions controlled.

Coline Franchelin has become an essential part of what makes this offense work. She keeps the ball moving, understands when to accelerate and gives her teammates opportunities to attack favorable situations rather than manufacture difficult shots.

Koi Love has also been impressive, combining scoring with a willingness to attack the basket and compete physically. Tiffany Clarke provides an interior presence, while the supporting cast has shown enough shooting and activity to prevent opponents from loading up on one player.

Romuald Yernaux deserves credit for building a team that plays with confidence and understands its strengths.

The Valencia win has real substance, and we’re comfortable moving Flammes into seventh. They have a good opportunity to establish themselves as one of the more dangerous teams outside the traditional elite.

Kibirkstis opened their campaign by putting 103 points on Athinaikos, one of the more eye-catching offensive performances of the opening round.

They followed with an impressive 73-67 road victory over Basket Landes, reinforcing the belief that this team can compete with more established European programs.

The 77-55 loss at Zaragoza slowed that momentum. After a competitive first quarter, Kibirkstis struggled to generate clean looks against a disciplined defense that took away much of their usual freedom.

That result exposed a potential limitation, rather than invalidating the previous two wins.

Nausia Woolfolk’s ability to penetrate remains a major part of their attack. When she gets into the paint, the entire offense becomes more dangerous. Niyah Becker adds versatility and production, while the team’s movement and willingness to share the ball make them difficult to defend when the tempo is in their favor.

The challenge is maintaining that effectiveness against opponents who can switch, control the paint and limit transition opportunities.

We were optimistic about Kibirkstis coming out of qualifying, and the opening two victories have justified that position. Eighth represents a significant jump, with plenty left to prove against the competition’s strongest defenses.

Crvena Zvezda might have delivered the biggest statement of the opening three rounds.

Their 78-68 victory away at Galatasaray was a tremendous result, particularly considering the talent and expectations surrounding the Turkish side.

Marina Maljković’s team has looked aggressive, organized and willing to make opponents uncomfortable. That was evident in their opening 89-56 victory over Mechelen, and even their 84-72 loss against Schio showed that this group can compete against quality opposition.

Destanni Henderson gives Zvezda speed and creation from the backcourt. Her ability to get downhill puts pressure on defenses, while Artemis Spanou offers a versatile frontcourt presence who can facilitate, score and help organize possessions when the game slows down.

The identity is unmistakable. Maljković wants physical defense, active hands, pressure on the ball and a willingness to attack quickly when opportunities appear.

There will be nights when their offense struggles against teams that take care of the ball and force Zvezda into extended half-court possessions. That’s where the limitations of their creation may become more visible.

For now, the Galatasaray victory deserves recognition. We’ve moved them up three places, and they have every chance to keep climbing if they can reproduce that level of defensive execution.

Emlak Konut started with an impressive 85-61 victory over Lublin, seemingly picking up where they left off during a strong qualification campaign.

The following two rounds have been more difficult. They lost 79-74 at Bourges before falling 80-65 against Praha.

Neither result is especially alarming in isolation, given the opposition. The concern is how much harder the offense has found it to create consistent advantages against more organized defenses.

Stephanie Mavunga and Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah give Emlak tremendous strength around the basket. Kunaiyi-Akpanah finished with 17 points and nine rebounds against Praha, while Mavunga added a double-double.

Réka Lelik remains vital to their perimeter creation, and the team has enough shooting and playmaking to make opponents pay for giving too much attention to the frontcourt.

The next step is improving the connection between those strengths. Emlak can become predictable when the guards struggle to create penetration, leaving their bigs working for difficult touches rather than receiving the ball with an advantage.

There’s enough quality to turn things around, and the competitive loss at Bourges shouldn’t be overlooked. We’re dropping them two places, while keeping them firmly in the conversation with the teams immediately above.

Basket Landes have endured a difficult opening schedule, and their record needs to be viewed through that lens.

They pushed Zaragoza to overtime in a 76-75 defeat, then lost 73-67 against Kibirkstis before securing their first victory with a 78-65 result at Athinaikos.

The Zaragoza performance remains a useful reference point. Landes showed they can disrupt a high-quality offense and compete against a team that has since moved to 3-0.

Their problem is creating enough reliable offense themselves.

Julie Barennes has built a team with a clear defensive identity. Landes are physical, disciplined and comfortable making games uncomfortable. Murjanatu Musa provides a strong presence inside, Becky Massey contributes valuable size and scoring, and Trinity San Antonio brings energy in the backcourt.

Musa was excellent against Athinaikos, producing 12 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. That playmaking dimension is important for a team that can struggle to generate easy looks.

The win in Greece was needed, and it offers a foundation to build on.

Landes fall four spots because several teams have made stronger cases through the first three rounds. Their defensive organization should keep them competitive, with their offensive development determining how high they can climb.

Bourges have responded well to a difficult opening defeat against Praha.

Since that 76-55 loss, they’ve beaten Emlak Konut 79-74 and Lublin 88-69, giving themselves a 2-1 record and a much stronger position in Group D.

Their victory over Emlak was important. Bourges showed they can withstand physical pressure inside and generate enough offense to win a competitive game against a talented opponent.

The Lublin result was more comfortable, with Marie-Paule Dally contributing 16 points and six steals. Sydney Wallace, Maëva Djaldi-Tabdi and Alix Duchet also played important roles.

Olivier Lafargue’s teams have traditionally been difficult to break down, and there are signs that this group is beginning to develop the same characteristics.

The primary question remains their offensive ceiling. Bourges have several capable scorers and ball-handlers, although it’s less clear who will consistently create good shots when elite defenses take away the initial action.

They’ve earned a move up the rankings. The two victories have been encouraging, and Bourges are beginning to look more comfortable with their new personnel.

Athinaikos are already facing some difficult questions.

An opening 103-65 defeat against Kibirkstis was followed by an 89-78 loss to Zaragoza and a 78-65 home defeat against Basket Landes.

The schedule hasn’t been particularly forgiving, although the size of the opening loss and the failure to capitalize on their home opportunities have been disappointing.

Julie Vanloo has been tasked with organizing much of the offense. She finished with 11 points and 10 assists against Landes, a reminder of the creativity she can provide even when the team is struggling.

Alexis Prince, Mariella Fasoula and Borislava Hristova offer different scoring options, and there’s enough experience in this roster to expect improvement.

Athinaikos have yet to find a reliable balance between their perimeter creation and interior play. Defensive breakdowns have compounded the problem, often leaving them chasing games rather than dictating their preferred tempo.

There’s a good team in here somewhere, or at least a better one than we’ve seen so far.

With three defeats and some significant defensive concerns, a drop to thirteenth is unavoidable. Athinaikos need to show more connectivity before we can seriously consider moving them back toward the middle of the rankings.

Lublin’s record is disappointing, although their competitiveness has varied considerably between games.

They opened with an 85-61 defeat against Emlak Konut, came within three points of upsetting Praha in a 74-71 loss, then fell 88-69 against Bourges.

The performance against Praha was encouraging. Lublin defended with energy, stayed connected offensively and gave a much stronger opponent problems throughout the game.

Catherine Reese and Kourtney Treffers provide a productive frontcourt foundation, while Matea Tadić brings important playmaking. Reese scored 17 against Bourges, with Treffers adding 15 points and seven rebounds.

The difficulty is creating those opportunities consistently. Against stronger defenses, Lublin’s guards have struggled to generate the initial penetration needed to make their inside-out offense work.

Their roster changes over the summer were significant, and the adjustment period is showing.

There are enough individual pieces here to make Lublin competitive in stretches. Turning those stretches into victories will require better execution and more reliable scoring from the perimeter.

Mechelen have had a harsh introduction to the regular season.

Defeats against Crvena Zvezda, Galatasaray and Schio have left them winless, and the margins tell their own story: 33, 27 and 36 points.

The difference in depth and physicality has been apparent, particularly against opponents capable of maintaining their defensive intensity throughout an entire game.

Hind Ben Abdelkader remains the player most capable of creating offense when possessions break down. Her scoring ability and experience are valuable, although opponents have been able to focus considerable attention on her without consistently being punished elsewhere.

Laure Résimont and the supporting cast need to provide more reliable scoring to reduce that burden.

Mechelen have struggled to withstand pressure, create quality looks against set defenses and prevent stronger opponents from controlling the glass.

Their schedule has been difficult, and we expected this to be a challenging campaign. The objective now is to become more competitive over four quarters and establish a level of consistency that can carry into the next phase of the season.

Rapid București have found the transition to EuroLeague basketball extremely difficult.

They opened with a 98-66 loss against Flammes Carolo, followed by a 101-51 defeat against Fenerbahçe. The 105-47 result at Valencia was another painful evening, with the Spanish side connecting on 20 three-pointers.

Across three games, Rapid have conceded 304 points while scoring only 164.

The gap in athleticism, execution and overall roster quality has been substantial. Rapid have struggled to defend the perimeter, contain penetration and generate enough offense to prevent opponents from building large leads.

Ziomara Morrison gives them an experienced interior presence, and the team has players capable of contributing at this level. They simply haven’t found a way to compete with the collective strength of their opponents.

The concern is that these aren’t problems that can be solved with a few tactical adjustments. Rapid need better defensive communication, improved ball security and more consistent contributions throughout the lineup.

Competing in EuroLeague Women is an achievement for the Romanian club, and the experience should prove valuable. Their immediate priority is making games more competitive and finding some confidence after a punishing opening stretch.