Good news, basketball fans: the EuroLeague season starts October 11, and you can watch every game on FloHoops.com.

Tune in live or on-demand to watch Europe’s top 16 teams battle in front of the world’s most raucous hoops crowds. If you're a basketball junkie who can't wait for the NBA or NCAA to start in late October, we've got you covered.

So which teams should you watch? 

The following five are the most compelling, either because they have potential NBA prospects, crazy fans, and/or interesting storylines to follow. 

1. Olympiacos | Piraeus, Greece

Head Coach: David Blatt (first season)

Championships: 3 (1997, 2012, 2013)

Final Fours: 10 (1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017)

Roster

The red side of Athens is hungry.

After losing 3-1 to Zalgiris in last year’s playoffs, Olympiacos fired their head coach and replaced him with 2014 EuroLeague champion David Blatt, one of the hottest coaches on the market.

Blatt is fresh off a EuroCup championship with Darussafaka, and he’s on a two-year deal. He presumably wants to return to the NBA soon, so he’s gunning hard for a EuroLeague title while he can. It’s no coincidence that Olympiacos — who were too old, slow, and injured vs Zalgiris — signed a bunch of talented young players to work with Blatt.

Former Gonzaga guard Nigel Williams-Goss can run the show in the backcourt. He was great as a rookie in EuroCup with Partizan, and he’ll allow "Kill Bill" Vassilis Spanoulis to rest his 36-year-old legs until crunch time.

Axel Toupane, who helped bury last year’s Olympiacos, is now on the wing to provide defense, athleticism, and creativity. Janis Timma is an efficient and dangerous scorer, and Sasha Vezenkov (now 23) was the MVP and top scorer of the Greek league at age 19.

With Timma and Vezenkov, there’s less pressure on Georgios Printezis. He’s consistently a top-three power forward when he’s healthy, but he broke down physically at the end of last season.

If Printezis is fresh for playoff and Final Four time, we know he can hit title-winning shots (0:54).

At center, Nikola Milutinov should have a big year. The San Antonio Spurs drafted him 26th overall in 2015, and three years later he’s ready for an All-EuroLeague level season.

Joining Milutinov in the frontcourt is an exciting new signing in 24-year-old Zach LeDay. The former Virginia Tech star made the All-Israeli League First Team last year as a rookie. He’s a bouncy, undersized 6-foot-7 big who hustles his ass off. Blatt will probably turn him into a monster.

As with any team, there will be some questions Olympiacos need to answer. Can NGW and LeDay make the step up to EuroLeague as second-year players? Can Spanoulis, Printezis, and Milutinov stay healthy? Does Toupane, like several others before him, regress when he’s not with former head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius?

But at the end of the day, Olympiacos have a championship-level coach, a tough veteran core, and some really talented young guys coming off the bench.

If they stay healthy, I think they'll win the 2019 EuroLeague title. 

Early Schedule

October 12 - @ Khimki Moscow

October 17 - @ Kirolbet Baskonia

October 19 - vs. Olimpia Milano

October 25 - vs. Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv

November 1 - @ CSKA Moscow

November 9 - @ Panathinaikos OPAP Athens

2. Kirolbet Baskonia | Vitoria, Spain

Head Coach: Pedro Martinez (second season)

Championships: 0

Final Fours: 5 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2016)

Roster

Baskonia should be the coolest team in Europe this season.

They have smooth guards on the perimeter, an MVP-level PF in Toko Shengelia, and a fun center rotation.

Baskonia also draw some of the largest, loudest crowds in EuroLeague. With their home city of Vitoria hosting the 2019 Final Four, Fernando Buesa Arena will be even wilder this season.

Last year, Baskonia limped to an 0-4 start. Then they brought in Pedro Martinez as head coach and he led them to the third-best record in EL over the final 26 games of the season.

With a full year of Martinez, Baskonia is a legit Final Four threat.

They brought back most of their key contributors from last season, including Vincent Poirier, who developed into one of Europe’s best centers under Martinez. I’m expecting a similar breakout season from young PG Luca Vildoza, who showed as a rookie that he's not afraid of big moments.

Baskonia also did a great job in the offseason, adding the super energetic Shavon Shields and versatile scoring wing Darrun Hilliard.

If both players perform up to their potential, Baskonia can beat anybody.

Early Schedule

October 12 - @ Zalgiris Kaunas

October 17 - vs. Olympiacos

October 19 - @ Real Madrid

October 26 - @ Bayern Munich

November 2 - vs. Darussafaka Istanbul

November 9 - vs. Fenerbahce Istanbul

3. Olimpia Milano | Milan, Italy

Head Coach: Simone Pianigiani (second season)

Championships: 3 (1966, 1987, 1988

Final Fours: 4 (1966, 1967, 1988, 1992)

Roster

Once a great European powerhouse, Milano have been bottom-dwellers in recent years.

They finished 15th out of 16 teams last season (10-20). The year before they were dead last (8-22). And they haven’t made the EuroLeague playoffs since 2013-14. So why are they on this list? 

Mike James and Nemanja Nedovic.

Milano spent a fortune this summer, splurging on two of the most explosive and exciting free agents on the market. Both guards can play the one or the two, both have NBA experience, both are in their prime, and both can drop 25-plus on any given night.

Watching them play together is going to be fascinating. Sometimes it'll be amazing, sometimes it'll be a disaster, and often it will be both within the same game. I can’t wait.

Beyond the two new stars, this is a really well-rounded team.

I love the center duo of Arturas Gudaitis and Kaleb Tarczewski. Both are young, super strong, no-nonsense big guys who set hard screens, gobble up rebounds, and finish with authority.

At power forward, Jeff Brooks is an underrated signing. Small forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas is back for a full season after joining the team midway through last year, and they have a ton of firepower off the bench in Amedeo Della Valle, Dairis Bertans, and Curtis Jerrells.

Reaching the playoffs will be a tall task, but Milano have the weapons to make it happen. If they can build chemistry and positive momentum early in the season, watch out.

Early Schedule

October 11 - @ Buducnost Podgorica

October 17 - vs. Real Madrid

October 19 @ Olympiacos

October 25 - vs. Khimki Moscow Region

November 2 - vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul

November 8 - vs. CSKA Moscow

4. Zalgiris Kaunas | Kaunas, Lithuania

Head Coach: Sarunas Jasikevicius (third season)

Championships: 1 (1999)

Final Fours: 2 (1999, 2018)

Roster

Can last year’s Cinderella story return to the Final Four?

Yeah, probably.

Sarunas Jasikevicius is clearly the best young coach in Europe. His teams run beautiful offensive sets, share the ball, and fight every damn minute.

The man known as "Saras" coaches with the same fire and intelligence he played with as a EuroLeague champion. His players always get big pay raises after working with him, and he led Zalgiris to their second Final Four ever in just his second year as a coach.

It’s no surprise the Toronto Raptors came calling this summer when looking for a new head coach.

Luckily for Zalgiris fans, Saras stayed. The man is hell-bent on beating last year’s third-place finish, and he has a strong roster to work with.

Zalgiris lost some key players (including team MVP Kevin Pangos), but star big man Brandon Davies is back in the mix. He dominated Olympiacos in the playoffs, averaging 17 points in just 25 minutes per game to lead Zalgiris to a 3-1 series win.

Club legend Paulius Jankunas is also back to destroy guards with screens and stroke his old-school lefty bank shot. Helping him and Davies in the post is young 7-footer Laurynas Birutis. He was MVP of the Lithuanian league last season, finishing first in points, rebounds, and blocks as a 20-year-old.

Zalgiris also have really good wings returning in Arturas Milaknis, Edgaras Ulanovas, and Aaron White. With new sharpshooter Marius Grigonis in the mix, they might lead the league in three-point shooting.

Zalgiris have what it takes to reach the Final Four: A great coach, a tough domestic core, amazing fans, and continuity.

If new signings Thomas Walkup and Donatas Sabeckis can adapt quickly, Zalgiris will be an F4 threat once again.

Early Schedule

October 12 - vs.Kirolbet Baskonia

October 17 - @ Anadolu Efes Istanbul

October 19 - vs. Fenerbahce Istanbul

October 26 - @ Panathinaikos OPAP Athens

November 2 - vs. Real Madrid

5. FC Barcelona Lassa (Barcelona, Spain)

Head Coach: Svetislav Pesic (2nd season)

Championships: 2 (2003, 2010)

Final Fours: 14 (1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014)

Roster

Like Milano, Barcelona are a historic club seeking a return to glory. Signing Kevin Pangos was a massive step in the right direction.

The former Gonzaga star earned his Masters at Jasikevicius University. He improved a ton in two years with Saras, and he was the driving force behind Zalgiris' run to last year’s F4. His IQ is off the charts, his pick-and-roll passing is brilliant, and he’s a deadly shooter.

Last season Pangos averaged 12.7 points and 5.9 assists per game while shooting 48.9 percent on twos and 47.5 percent on threes. At age 25, he’s just now entering his prime, and he’ll form the most fun point guard duo in the league with the flashy all-offense, no-defense Thomas Heurtel.

Just by adding Pangos, Barca — who finished 13th last season at 11-19 — will be back in the playoff mix.

Of course, it won’t be a one-man show in Catalonia.

Fellow new signings Kyle Kuric and Jaka Blazic complement each other perfectly on the perimeter. Kuric is one of the best shooters in the world, and Blazic plays like an absolute maniac (in a good way).

Adam Hanga had a down year last season, but the year before he was one of the best two-way wings in Europe. He should bounce back this year.

In the paint, it’s gonna be a little crowded for Barcelona.

Former Florida State star Chris Singleton is one of the most talented big men in Europe. His athleticism and three-point shooting were essential for Panathinaikos over the last two seasons.

Joining him at PF are the ultra-energetic Pierre Oriola and Rolands Smits, while Ante Tomic, Artem Pustovyi, and Kevin Seraphin round out the roster at center.

With their new signings, I’m expecting Barca to return to the playoffs after missing out the last two seasons. And if they develop some good chemistry, a 15th Final Four could be within reach.

Early Schedule

October 11 - @ CSKA Moscow

October 16 - @ Herbalife Gran Canaria

October 18 - vs. Bayern Munich

October 26 @ Darussafaka Istanbul

November 1 - vs. Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv

November 9 - @ Khimki Moscow

Honorable Mention: Real Madrid | Madrid, Spain

Luka Doncic is gone, but Sergio Llull is always must-see TV. He’s so frantic yet so smooth, and there’s really no one else in the world quite like him.

Definitely check out the defending EuroLeague champs when you can. You’ll be glad you did.

Austin Green is an international journalist and scout covering EuroLeague and NBA prospects in Europe and Australia. You can follow him on Twitter @LosCrossovers.