One year after Euroleague Basketball historian Vladimir Stankovic's released his book, "101 Greats of European basketball", his next project was published in 2019 to honor the men behind those players. "31 Masterminds of European Basketball" profiles the greatest coaches on the Old Continent from yesteryear and today.

Stankovic, who began covering many of these great coaches in 1969, pays tribute to the stars on the sidelines who have led teams to countless titles. He tells the stories and digs into the strategies of each of the 31 profiled coaches and in doing so paints the path to trace greatness among European basketball coaches to the 1950s. However, it's not just about the history of European coaches; five of them will coach in the EuroLeague this season.

"The 31 coaches referenced in these pages are, by definition and without any doubt, the elite of European coaches from different origins and different times. Every single one of them represents excellence in their job," wrote Euroleague Basketball President and CEO Jordi Bertomeu in his forward to the book.

"Without their contribution - allow me to insist, on and off the court - European basketball today wouldn't have a technical and tactical level like no other basketball in the world. Without these coaches, our competitions wouldn't have the quality and excitement that millions of fans across Europe enjoy nowadays. And without them, Europe wouldn't be an endless source of talent creation and of star players who currently dominate international competitions."

Little can be added to that except to check back here daily for the next 31 days to read another chapter of "31 Masterminds of European Basketball" and gain an appreciation for these great men. Enjoy!