European Stars and NBA MVP Betting: What Could Define 2026–27
European stars are set to sit at the centre of the 2026–27 NBA MVP conversation. Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama each offer a very different case, from historic efficiency and offensive control to two-way dominance and game-changing defensive impact. For bettors, that variety makes the MVP market more complicated than simply […]
A soaking, a sprint, and a World Cup worth the trouble
The crowd was great, the basketball was fine, the weather was awful. Emmet Ryan on his opening experience going multi-arena at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup and how Spain and Germany shifted his spirits. I had to race from the Max Schmeling Halle to the Uber Arena. It was raining violently, the tram was […]
A quiet Caitlin Clark debut still gave Berlin what it wanted
We all know who they came here for There was an impressive crowd in the Max Schmeling Halle on Friday afternoon. Considering that neither USA nor China would be expected to bring much traveling support, a borderline sellout is nothing to sniff at. Of course, anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of the sport would know […]
Germany’s women’s basketball boom meets its World Cup moment
The 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup is an opportunity for Germany, on and off the court. With strong ticket sales and increasingly good performances on the floor, the sport as a whole is on the rise. This is a chance to really show something special. We’re still the guts of two weeks from a ball […]
Why European basketball clubs are rejecting the spending race
Sometimes, the price of the top table is downright distasteful to a basketball club. Ambition doesn’t require excess. Increasingly in recent times, plenty of clubs are saying no thanks to the chance to join the financial arms race in European basketball. In the second part of this series, we asked if European basketball could pay […]
How the new FIBA Women’s World Cup format raises the stakes
The new format for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup will offer some teams what looks to be a reprieve but others an extra layer of risk. Emmet Ryan on the new staggered knockout format and what it means Last time out at the FIBA Women’s World Cup, only 12 teams took part but two […]
Can European basketball actually pay for itself?
It’s a simple question. Can European basketball actually pay for itself? There’s more revenue but spending has risen too. A sport being richer doesn’t always mean it is healthier. The financial cocktail that makes up any sporting entity in Europe is intriguing. When it’s a sport other than football, you can often add football money […]
Who can become the biggest threat to USA basketball?
If the USA somehow doesn’t win gold at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, it will be an all-time shocker in sports. The race to be the clear number two nation in women’s basketball is proving increasingly tasty all the same. Emmet Ryan on the battle to stand above the crowd. The consensus betting for […]
Why European basketball’s money race is accelerating
A fool and their money is easily parted. European basketball has never lacked rich owners willing to splash out for no return. What’s different about now is that more and more owners see basketball as an investment with real revenue potential. The first edition of the Sunday column after our summer break sees Emmet Ryan […]
Making sense of Euroleague expansion to 24 teams
Euroleague expansion is imminent but that also means major changes are coming. A conference split and a season overhaul is only the beginning. Emmet Ryan on how, as ever, it’s about growing revenue and not making a mess of it. Christos Stavropoulos seems to have confirmed what everyone is thinking. The Olimpia Milano GM told […]
How FIBA can win with Caitlin Clark at the Women’s World Cup
FIBA has a chance to do, in the space of just 10 days, something that both WNBA and Nike have failed to do. The 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup of basketball presents the opportunity to actually convert the scale of the marketing phenomenon that is Caitlin Clark. Resources matter. At least they should. Really the […]
Team GB have got better just in time for basketball’s basement
Great Britain’s men’s basketball team is in somewhat unfamiliar territory. They’re entering a qualification phase where they are expected to win. The thing is, they also need wins more than usual. Emmet Ryan on why a strengthened Team GB needs to hone everything now. Welcome, Great Britain, to my world. The pre-qualifiers, be they for […]