CSM Oradea revamps roster and hires Swedish coach ahead of Champions League push

Romanian basketball club CSM Oradea announced a major overhaul for the 2026‑2027 season. Long‑time head coach Cristian Achim was replaced by Sweden's national team coach Mikko Riipinen, who will be assisted by Ciprian Enache and David Karsai. Titus Nicoară returned to Oradea as the new team manager.

The club also completed a large player turnover. Departures include captain Bogdan Nicolescu and several foreign imports. New signings feature Americans David Nichols and Josh Jefferson, Canadians Quincy Guerrier and Bodie Hume, Romanian forward Tudor Fometescu, and British forward Daniel Akin, among others. The refreshed squad will begin training a week earlier than in previous years, starting in early August.

CSM Oradea’s primary objective is to qualify for the Basketball Champions League group stage. The team will compete in the qualifying tournament in Samokov, Bulgaria, from 16‑20 September, needing three wins to advance.