Blog Some thoughts
Baxi Ferrol and Claire Melia Fall Short but Stand Tall
This is meant to be a neutral basketball outlet but how could it be on this night. Baxi Ferrol, with Monasterevin and Ireland’s Claire Melia took the court in search of a dream. Emmet Ryan was there to witness their battle with Villeneuve d’Ascq in the second leg of the Eurocup Women final. Not all […]
Can NBA Europe Take Over?
Part two of our series, NBA Europe: The Grant Experiment, digs into the structural conflict at the heart of the NBA’s ambitions in Europe — namely, the decision to go around EuroLeague rather than partner with it. Emmet Ryan explores who really controls European basketball, what the NBA wants to change, and whether NBA Europe […]
The High Price of NBA Europe
The NBA and FIBA plan to launch a pan-European league in time for the 2026/27 season. The idea is as ambitious as it is unprecedented. Both organisations are betting on a belief in basketball’s untapped commercial potential on the continent. Emmet Ryan on just how expensive it is going to be for NBA Europe to […]
Everyone’s Ready for TJ Shorts — He’s Still Winning
TJ Shorts is 5’9” (175cm), or at least he’s listed as such. He never played at a level like Euroleague before this season. Shorts isn’t even on a team that was rated going into the campaign. He was also supposed to be a known basketball property before stepping up to this level. Yet all he […]
Claire Melia Stars for Baxi Ferrol With All to Play for in Lille
The atmosphere was electrifying. The game intense and the battle was enrapturing. Emmet Ryan on a memorable night in Galicia as Claire Melia and Baxi Ferrol kept hope alive despite losing the first leg of their Eurocup Women final to Villeneuve d’Ascq This is what I came here for. Will all respect to the wonderful […]
Baxi Ferrol, Claire Melia, and a City United
BallinEurope’s Emmet Ryan is on site in Ferrol for this week’s Eurocup Women final between Baxi Ferrol and Villeneuve d’Ascq. Ahead of the game, where his main focus has obviously been on Claire Melia, he took in the town and what this occasion means to it. This Saturday, in between the two legs of the […]
The Claire Melia effect on Ireland
BallinEurope’s Emmet Ryan is on the ground in Ferrol this week for the Eurocup Women final between Baxi Ferrol and Villeneuve d’Ascq. Back home in Ireland, the impact of Claire Melia’s performance with the Galician club is already being felt. He spoke to some of the people in the know back in her homeland about […]
Why the ENBL Matters for Europe’s Basketball Future
Bratislava has been announced as the host of the ENBL Final Four. Far away from the elite of Euroleague or even the Basketball Champions League, Emmet Ryan writes that this competition can play an important role in the growth of the game. The reactions from Bamberg fans when they were announced as participants in this […]
Kenneth Faried: The Manimal Rises in Reggio Emilia
Kenneth Faried has re-found his purpose in basketball. The Manimal’s move to Reggio Emilia raised eyebrows in November. Now, Emmet Ryan writes, it is proving an inspiration in Serie A and the Basketball Champions League Reggio Emilia signed Kenneth Faried to change their fortunes in Serie A and the Basketball Champions League (BCL). While the […]
NBA’s Europe Play Must Bridge Euroleague and FIBA
The NBA plan for Europe seems to have hit a wall. Euroleague says it is open to negotiating with the basketball powerhouse. FIBA believes any NBA involvement in Europe must go through it. Emmet Ryan writes that any successful entity really requires the support and collaboration of both. The NBA is back in talks with […]
Olympiacos Outlasts Panathinaikos – A Euroleague final preview?
It was one of the most enjoyable Greek basketball derbies in a long time. Olympiacos outlasted Panathinaikos to make it eight straight wins for the Reds over the Greens in Euroleague. Emmet Ryan on how we might have just seen a preview of the championship game in Abu Dhabi. That was, simply, great. Obviously, Panathinaikos […]
Claire Melia, Baxi Ferrol Make History with Eurocup Final Berth
Battered, bruised, and brilliant. Baxi Ferrol have brought their Cinderella story to the final of Eurocup Women. In the process, Monasterevin’s Claire Melia has become the first Irish women to reach a major club final in basketball. Emmet Ryan on an emotional night. The wine was rationed. I needed to make sure I kept enough […]