When the Greek national team won the EuroBasket 1987, its accomplishment gave birth to a "basketball renaissance" in the country that also bred a generation of young people who simply couldn't help but feel a special connection with the sport. One of those kids was yours truly, and this relationship went from "devouring" every piece of basketball information provided by magazines and anxiously waiting for NBA coverage on television, to experiencing hoops from a journalist's point of view. Now the action for me happens on all things European basketball, especially EuroLeague. Yes, that's where Luka Doncic was bouncing a ball, apparently behind closed doors, before coming to the NBA.
Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey attended the EuroLeague Round 26 game between Fenerbahce Beko and Barcelona in Istanbul, Turkey—two squads with talent in abundance and several players potentially appealing to NBA clubs. Apart from a incredibly early ejection for Barcelona coach Svetislav Pesic and a Fenerbahce comeback from 13 points down en route to…
A 37-point performance can be found in the NBA on a daily basis. It’s much less common in Europe, especially in the top-tier levels of basketball. In fact, there hadn’t been a player scoring 37 points during a EuroLeague game since Andres Nocioni in 2014. That was before former NBA guard Shane Larkin went off…
After some flirtations that never went beyond NBA Summer League, Dairis Bertans is finally receiving his opportunity to play in the Association. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony broke the news that the New Orleans Pelicans are in talks with Olimpia Milano’s Latvian sharpshooter, the older brother of San Antonio Spurs forward Davis Bertans. Milano…
No, there won’t be a “Luka Doncic” or something close in the European contingent of the 2019 NBA Draft. That doesn’t mean the potential overseas harvest isn’t satisfying, though. These five European prospects stand out among the rest due to their potential, talent and/or already proving themselves at a highly competitive scene. Two of them…
Let’s take a look at some former longtime NBA-ers currently shining bright enough in EuroLeague to make a case for a potential homecoming this summer. While these players found themselves out of the NBA for different reasons, they each have evolved into highly productive stars in EuroLeague. But is that enough to get them back…
“This has never happened to me in the 45 years I’m coaching,” Rick Pitino said while standing in an area designated for post-game interviews, at a short distance from the Panathinaikos locker rooms. The Greek Cup knockout semifinal game between his team and archrival Olympiacos had just been “finished” after just one half due to…
78 seconds left in EuroLeague play between Barcelona and Zalgiris Kaunas. Score 73 – 68. The Lithuanian team has the ball and a chance to approach Barcelona swingman Adam Hanga reads the whole thing, showcasing some exceptional overplay defense on Zalgiris forward Aaron White to intercept the pass. He dives on the floor next to…
EuroCup is widely considered as the second-tier pan-European basketball competition. It includes the best non-EuroLeague teams in the continent among 32 clubs overall. The winner takes home a rather large trophy, but the ultimate prize is a guaranteed spot to next season’s EuroLeague. Competitiveness-wise, this isn’t EuroLeague per se. Still, there’s always plenty of talent…
Two European players that are expected to be picked in the 2019 NBA Draft played a key part in their EuroLeague teams’ respective wins this week. EuroLeague’s Georgian sensation Goga Bitadze continues proving he’s the best player his age in Europe. After his latest EuroLeague game, a Buducnost win over Gran Canaria, the 19-year-old center…
“I’m only here for a short sabbatical,” Rick Pitino said during the post-game presser of his team’s third straight EuroLeague loss. It was an ill-timed quote by the Hall Of Fame coach, considering Panathinaikos’ evergrowing pains. Pitino never hid the fact that he doesn’t plan to stay with Panathinaikos after the completion of the season.…
