EuroLeague 2327
The Sloukas game
What else is there to say? Kostas Sloukas did what we all knew he could do even when we didn’t see it coming I mean I already tweeted it but, wow, poor Kostas Sloukas. Imagine having to walk around every day of your life with grapefruits that big. The shot heard around Europe that led […]
It was never going to be straightforward
Countless nerves, two short handed teams, and one wild crowd ensured drama was going to be on the menu no matter what at the Stark Arena Real Madrid took Game 3 having looked destined to not even make a game of it because of course this series between Los Blancos and Partizan must continue to […]
Vezenkov just has that vibe
He was already the favourite for MVP before Game 1 but Sasha Vezenkov carried himself like one in the victory for Olympiacos over Fenerbahce The stats were nice, they tend to be with players that impress, but it was how Sasha Vezenkov carried himself through a well-earned win on Wednesday that really showed the level […]
The irrational stress we live for
Game 1 in the Euroleague playoffs is a wildly unbalanced beast in terms of stakes, or at least the imagined stakes, and few games made the beauty of the madness of such a scenario quite as clear Elie Okobo went 0 of 3 from deep in the first half of Game 1. It felt like […]
The weight of expectation
With Prometey the last Ukrainian team left in a pan-European competition in any sport this season, Emmet Ryan on the unlikely charge of the side and the hopes they carry for a people they remain physically distant from The war put sport on pause for Ukraine along with most of life but it was only […]
Malaga’s hosting win is the secondary story in BCL F4 drama
Unicaja Malaga fans will get to watch their team challenge for the Basketball Champions League title in their own arena but the decision is shrouded in drama as Hapoel Jerusalem missed out on hosting I am often wrong and rarely informed. I said as much last night as the expectations over where the Basketball Champions […]
Ante Tomic quietly forcing his way back into our minds
In the autumn of his career, the Croatian big man is reminding everyone of how he is still the silent threat we used to be awed by and that makes Badalona a threat through the rest of Eurocup following victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv He was never the modern big man. In all of his […]
Salary caps and Europe are an odd mix
With France announcing it was bringing in some form of salary cap for LNB from next season, Emmet Ryan on why such a format is a challenge on the continent in near any form France has announced it is bringing in a salary cap, understandably drawing the odd comparison to the NBA, but France is […]
The load management debate really is stupid
Lots of grey haired or balding old-timers or never weres complain about players skipping games for load management. As a grey haired never was who has a slight bald spot, Emmet Ryan feels perfectly suited to explain why the debate isn’t just tired, it’s stupid We all love a good argument in sports. No question. […]
A lament for the Efes era of cool
Some legends are told Some turn to dust or to gold But you will remember me Remember me for centuries We can rarely tell when an era begins but sometimes you can really feel the sense of finality to one. When Fenerbahce went all out on Thursday night to beat Anadolu Efes, it was the […]
Musa shows the renaissance is real
Dzanan Musa’s personal rebuild has been remarkable to watch as the former Brooklyn Nets man has found his happy place and is ready for another shot in the NBA, writes Emmet Ryan It was only one game. In truth, it was only one overtime period, but it was indicative of how Dzanan Musa has refined […]
What to expect from Glickman at Euroleague? His own words are a good indication
A talk given by Marshall Glickman, the acting CEO of Euroleague, in Athens last April points to the real decisions facing not only the competition but sports as a whole. Emmet Ryan examines the most interesting comments from Glickman and what they might mean for Euroleague going forward The end of the Jordi Bertomeu era […]