--- title: "Maksym Shulga Stuns in His Debut for Real Madrid: 15 Points in the Starting Five" description: "Maksym Shulga debuted for Real Madrid in the starting five, scoring 15 points in a sparring match against Baskonia (121:80). The Ukrainian guard signed a two-year contract with the club." date: 2026-09-07T08:20:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/maksym-shulga-debut-real-madrid-15-points tags: [basketball, real-madrid, maksym-shulga, euroleague, nba, boston-celtics, ukraine-national-team] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Maksym Shulga Stuns in His Debut for Real Madrid: 15 Points in the Starting Five ![Maxim Shulga in a Real Madrid jersey dribbling the ball during a match](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/07/maksim-shulga-debyut-real-madrid-15-ochkov/maksim-shulga-debyut-real-madrid-15-ochkov-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Maksym Shulga debuted for Real Madrid in the starting five in a sparring match against Baskonia (121:80). - In 18 minutes and 21 seconds, the Ukrainian scored 15 points, dished out 5 assists, and finished the match with an efficiency rating of +24. - Shulga signed a two-year contract with the Madrid club through the end of the 2027/28 season. - Real Madrid will play its first official match of the new season on September 24 in the EuroLeague against Dubai. Ukrainian basketball player Maksym Shulga played his debut match as part of Real Madrid. Already in the first preseason game, the 24-year-old guard started in the opening five and made a notable contribution to the "Royal Club's" emphatic victory. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the Madrid club's press service. For a player who has been through the NBA and only recently debuted for the national team, such a start at one of Europe's most decorated clubs became an important career milestone. ### Debut in the Starting Five In the first sparring game of the preseason preparation, Real Madrid defeated Baskonia with a score of 121:80. Maksym Shulga began the match in the starting lineup and spent 18 minutes and 21 seconds on the court. Starting in the opening five in the very first control match is a sign of the coaching staff's trust, especially considering that Real Madrid is the reigning Spanish champion and the finalist of last season's EuroLeague. For a newcomer, to immediately make the core lineup against experienced teammates is a rare and notable signal. ### Numbers from the First Match During his time on the court, the guard scored 15 points, hitting 2 of 2 two-pointers, 2 of 3 three-pointers, and 5 of 6 free throws. In addition to points, the Ukrainian dished out 5 assists, grabbed 2 rebounds, and recorded 4 steals with 2 turnovers and 1 foul, finishing the game with a final efficiency rating of "+24." In terms of points scored, Maksym became the second-highest scorer for the Madrid side behind Facundo Campazzo, which underscores his role in the offense right from the first sparring match. ### Contract and Background The Ukrainian basketball player signed a two-year contract with the Madrid club — through the end of the 2027/28 season. The previous 2025/26 season, Shulga spent in the NBA, playing for the Boston Celtics, with whom he appeared in 11 regular-season games and two playoff matches. In the summer, the player also debuted for the Ukrainian national team in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers, where the national team, as noted earlier, made a leap in the FIBA ranking after a series of resounding victories. ### What's Next for Real Madrid The first official match of the new season, the Madrid side will play on September 24 in the EuroLeague against the Dubai club. Thus, Shulga has a window of a few weeks to fully establish himself in the lineup before the start of the regular tournament games. The debut sparring match against Baskonia became a convincing calling card for him, and the two-year contract confirms the club's long-term plans to integrate the Ukrainian guard into its rotation. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Ukrainian Stuns in Debut for Real Madrid: EuroLeague Start Ahead](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/basketball/ukrayinets-feerichno-debyutuvav-real-poperedu-1788769038.html) - Первичный источник: счет 121:80, 18:21 на площадке, 15 очков, 5 передач, рейтинг +24, второй по результативности после Кампаццо, двухлетний контракт до 2027/28, предыстория в «Бостон Селтикс», первый официальный матч 24.09 против «Дубая». - [Bright Debut in Sparring Match. Shulga Became One of the Best in Real Madrid's Lineup](https://sport.ua/news/904721-yarkiy-debyut-v-sparringe-shulga-stal-odnim-iz-luchshih-v-sostave-reala) - Подтверждает факт яркого дебюта Шульги в спарринге и его статус одного из лучших игроков «Реала» в матче. - [On the Real Madrid - Baskonia Match](https://www.sports.ru/basketball/match/1081033/) - Подтверждает факт проведения матча «Реал» — «Баскония» в рамках предсезонной подготовки. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What result did Maksym Shulga show in his debut match for Real Madrid? **A:** In the sparring match against Baskonia (121:80), Shulga played 18 minutes and 21 seconds, scored 15 points, dished out 5 assists, recorded 4 steals, and finished the match with an efficiency rating of +24. ### Q: For how long did Shulga sign a contract with Real Madrid? **A:** The Ukrainian guard signed a two-year agreement with the Madrid club — through the end of the 2027/28 season. ### Q: Where did Shulga play last season? **A:** In the 2025/26 season, he played in the NBA for the Boston Celtics, appearing in 11 regular-season games and two playoff matches. ### Q: When will Real Madrid play its first official match of the new season? **A:** On September 24 in the EuroLeague against the Dubai club.