Just 5 minutes more
A double round weekend in Ireland was crammed for Emmet Ryan. Yet, oddly, it also led him to reflect and ponder things. The great river that is self-employment has floods and droughts. It’s best not to get too caught up in metaphors if you want to deal with it. Two games. That’s what this weekend […]
Dario Saric and the search for The Homie
It hasn’t been a dream start for Dario Saric with the Denver Nuggets. Two irrelevant outings to start the NBA season don’t bode well. Emmet Ryan believes the Croat can get back to his best basketball. Saric just needs to find The Homie. This isn’t working. Whether that’s the present tense or habitual present tense […]
Gordie Herbert, FC Bayern’s Superman lover
Gordie Herbert is running some of his top guys hard in Euroleague but it’s paying off. After victory over Olympiacos, the German champions are at 3-2 and look like they can hang with anybody. There’s more than Superman ball going on here, writes Emmet Ryan. The veteran coach has created a basketball team with two […]
The many trials of Ettore Messina
The Olimpia Milano head coach is in the twilight of his career and things look miserable. Ettore Messina’s side are off to a dreadful start in Euroleague and look lost. Emmet Ryan on how this could be a sad end to a magnificent career in basketball. He’s one of the most decorated coaches in the […]
Zoltan Perl is writing his own story
His name is well-known across Europe yet Zoltan Perl still operates somewhat in the shadows. With a stellar start to the Basketball Champions League, the Falco Szombathely man is putting his team on the map. Emmet Ryan on the Hungarian takeover merchant who is the protagonist of any story he’s a part of. Zoltan Perl […]
Luka Doncic and the Mavs have a choice to make this NBA season
The Dallas Mavericks megastar starts the NBA season, yet again, as favourite to be named MVP. Individual accolades are nice but, Emmet Ryan writes, after the Dallas Mavericks made the NBA finals last June there’s a bigger prize. With the Mavs more stacked than at any time in Luka Doncic’s career, he may have to […]
Victor Wembanyama leads the NBA’s French revolution
He arrived a little earlier than most of his compatriots but Victor Wembanyama is undoubtedly the face of a wave of the new French basketball generation in the NBA. Emmet Ryan on how Wemby is setting a standard for Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, Tidjane Salaun and more. An awful lot is expected of Victor Wembanyama […]
Has Euroleague got an age issue?
The improved quality of Euroleague really isn’t in doubt. Basketball as a business is about more than just the basketball itself. Emmet Ryan examines whether the competition could do with an infusion of youth? While never exactly known for being overflowing with youngsters, the lack of true rising stars in Euroleague this season is cause […]
Partizan remain a work in progress
Euroleague is not a forgiving place for any basketball side. Partizan’s almost completely overhauled roster has found that out the hard way. Zeljko Obradovic’s side got the win over FC Bayern on Tuesday but, Emmet Ryan writes, still have a lot of work to do An ugly win is still a win. Partizan showed flashes […]
Get angry: This does not have to be the future of Euroleague
If what we saw, or rather counted, in Piraeus on Friday night is the new norm then get worried. No, get angry. The stop-start farce between Olympiacos and Zalgiris Kaunas paints a worrying picture of the future. It’s one that we, as lovers of the sport, can change for the better. Emmet Ryan on the […]
Saben Lee is a force of nature
Record tying, record breaking, shot making, and competition shaking. Saben Lee had a 43 point explosion for Manisa Basket against FMP in the Basketball Champions League. Emmet Ryan called the game and was simply in awe of a remarkable performance from one of the sport’s emerging stars. Manisa Basket may not have Saben Lee for […]
Preview: Anadolu Efes vs Fenerbahce – Euroleague Round 2
Tomislav Mijatović and Anadolu Efes will look to open the Basketball Development Center in Istanbul to Euroleague Basketball in style. They’ve just got the small matter of Sarunas Jasikevicius and Fenerbahce to deal with. The first big derby of the Euroleague Basketball season is in Istanbul. Tomislav Mijatović and Anadolu Efes host Sarunas Jasikevicius and […]