On this day just two weeks from now, the champions of Euroleague will be crowned. Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Fenerbahce, and Monaco all bring compelling narratives to the Final Four. As our countdown to Abu Dhabi kicks off, it’s time to break down the biggest storylines on the agenda.
From rivalries to redemption arcs through coaching legacies being cemented and one legend making his sideline debut, there’s no shortage of compelling reasons to be hyped for the Euroleague Final Four. That’s even before we get to the actual basketball.
A collision course for the Greek rivals?
For the second consecutive season, but only the second time since 2012, both Panathinaikos and Olympiacos have made it to the final week of Euroleague. As with last year, the eternal rivals are on opposite sides of the semi-final draw.
There’s plenty of spice from players that have moved both ways, varying from the spiciness of Kostas Sloukas making the leap a couple of seasons ago and Luca Vildoza doing likewise this past offseason.
When either of these sides makes it to the Final Four, they bring bodies. When they both do it’s wild. We didn’t get a derby in the final last season. The possibility of one this year is tasty. Of course, we could also get a pairing in a third place game. Were that to happen, it may be the least interesting Greek derby of all-time.
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Can Fenerbahce and Saras finish the job?
Sarunas Jasikevicius is once again coaching in the Euroleague Final Four. The rapid success of his coaching career is quite remarkable. There was the dream run with Zalgiris Kaunas followed by near-misses with a seemingly dream line-up at FC Barcelona.
Now, with Fenerbahce, he’s in his second straight trip to the last weekend of the season with this side. The Turkish champions have a balanced roster with a blend of veteran depth and some dudes who can get hot in big games. It’s a really nice balance.
For Fener, having become the first Turkish side to win it all under Zeljko Obradovic, they’ve had to watch on as Anadolu Efes took two straight titles and were only denied a third by the pandemic. Combine that thirst with Saras needing that first big one and it’s all so compelling. Their opening opponents in Abu Dhabi will be the same as last year, Ergin Ataman and Panathinaikos.
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Spanoulis the Coach: Monaco’s X-Factor
Kill Bill has enjoyed an explosive start to his head coaching career. First Vassilis Spanoulis brought Peristeri to the Basketball Champions League Final Four a year ago. Now, with AS Monaco, he’s got the men from the rock to Euroleague’s showpiece occasion.
That he faces Olympiacos, the club ever intertwined with his legacy, in the opener is just a lovely polish to the whole matter. It’s a second straight trip to the Final Four for Monaco and, of course, they are hoping to finally claim their first Euroleague championship in Abu Dhabi.
Monaco come in as the least favoured of the four but this is a ridiculously balanced field. There’s no outsider as such. The question is how much of Kill Bill can Mike James channel in Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi adds a new layer of intrigue
There are no ifs, buts, or maybes here. The Euroleague Final Four is in Abu Dhabi because of money. This is a big leap for the competition. We know that between the Greek clubs and Fenerbahce, there’ll be ample atmosphere inside the arena.
The question is how these fans of Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, and the Turkish giants (sorry Monaco but you’re not bringing a horde) will engage with the rest of it. Abu Dhabi obviously wants to host this for prestige but it also wants to present itself as somewhere Europeans should want to come. In short, Abu Dhabi may be spending a lot to host the Final Four but it’s hoping to gain more than appreciation for it. There are long term fiscal goals for the Emirates and, as the most powerful of these, succeeding matters.
At a time of basketball in Europe becoming increasingly political in the boardroom, especially with the NBA’s machinations, this has to be a success for Euroleague. Success means more than a sell-out, arguably that making the move to Abu Dhabi is something that can lead to real reinvestment in the product. We shall, of course, wait and see.
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