NBA/NCAA 1390
From Denver to San Antonio: How European Stars Are Shaping NBA Matchups
NBA defenses face increasingly difficult assignments. Asking a center to chase a seven-footer beyond the three-point arc while protecting the rim presents a particular challenge. European stars are creating these dilemmas through their distinctive playing styles. From Nikola Jokić’s passing in Denver to Victor Wembanyama’s extraordinary reach in San Antonio, their influence extends beyond impressive […]
Giannis, Wagner and Sabonis: NBA Stars With Points to Prove
The NBA returns today, it even has a game at a friendly timeslot for Europeans. Yet that’s not how we’re getting ready for it. No, instead Emmet Ryan examines three Euros with points to prove this season. Here’s why Giannis Antetokounmpo, Franz Wagner, and Domantas Sabonis are the three most interesting Euros entering the new […]
LeBron, Yabusele and $205 Million: Where Europe’s Money Race Falls Behind
Two summers ago, Guerschon Yabusele was a $2.1 million bargain for the Philadelphia 76ers, signed on a one-year deal after his Olympic final against the United States. This summer, after a season split between the Knicks and Bulls, Panathinaikos gave him €12.6 million over three years, one of the three biggest contracts in European basketball. […]
Can European Superstars Define the 2027 NBA Championship Race?
European basketball stars are increasingly central to the NBA championship conversation. Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, and Victor Wembanyama have established themselves as among the league’s most influential players, while Lauri Markkanen and Franz Wagner continue to demonstrate versatility. Their situations differ considerably. Some lead established contenders, others face uncertain futures, and several depend […]
Kara Lawson nearly pays for holding Caitlin Clark and USA back
It was more of the same from the USA and that was barely enough. Kara Lawson once more went with her underperforming vets over the impressive trio of Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese. It nearly cost her team a place in the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup final. Emmet Ryan says that, if […]
Gabby Williams and France are coming for the crown
Gabby Williams put on a clinic but it was the sheer depth of France that carried them to the final of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup. Emmet Ryan on how a game Germany just didn’t have enough to cope with an impressively business-like display by the French. Absolute goosebumps. The French, to their credit, […]
Project B is already playing the timing game perfectly
The latest in a series of strategically timed releases from Project B points to some smart behaviour from its leadership. Announcing new arrivals like Angela Dugalic and Antonia Delaere during the WNBA break for the FIBA Women’s World Cup is no accident, writes Emmet Ryan. For a league that hasn’t even played a single game […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
LSU’s European gamble exposes NCAA basketball’s new reality
It was meant to be the greatest experiment in the Europe to NCAA basketball pipeline yet. It might yet still work out as such. Yet, with just 84 days until their first game of the season, the LSU Tigers have yet to register any of their big signings from the continent. Emmet Ryan on the […]