FIBA 359
Frieda Buhner blows Group A wide open for Germany
Germany found a second wind thanks to the brilliance of Frieda Buhner to absolutely blow open Group A at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup. Emmet Ryan from a thriller in Berlin. Germany threw everything they had at Japan early, brutally rocking them and bringing the Max Schmeling Halle to life. Japan held it together, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
NBA Europe somehow became more complicated
Chus Bueno has shown Euroleague is more open to working on the NBA Europe project. Yet interest from PSG and the Saudi PIF has added a new layer of complexity. Emmet Ryan on how things have somehow become more confusing just as clarity stood a chance. I promise this is a basketball site that covers […]
We sit on the eve of war
While the NBA remains low on detail on what NBA Europe will entail, Adam Silver has shown on this trip to the continent that he isn’t underestimating the scale of the project. With details expected to flow in the coming days and weeks, Emmet Ryan on the incoming schism in European basketball. Adam Silver got […]
Luxembourg, yes Luxembourg, merit your attention
Luxembourg came to Dublin and beat the tar out of Ireland in EuroBasket Women qualifying. One game doesn’t tell the full story but Emmet Ryan was amazed by what the Grand Duchy is doing in the women’s game and feels you should be wowed as well. In a week loaded with Euroleague action, plenty of […]
Everything you need to know about NBA Europe
The discussion around NBA Europe is heating up. If only there was a detailed series that could bring you up to speed on the new basketball project? Fortunately, Emmet Ryan already put this together six months ago. Here’s your reminder of what you need to know about NBA Europe and what it means for FIBA, […]
Will Fans Buy in to NBA Europe?
It’s time for the fifth and final part of our series, NBA Europe: The Grand Experiment. This final article on the cultural battle — the emotional, tribal, and unpredictable part of any sports venture. In short, it’s about the fans. The NBA and FIBA may have the branding and the resources, but without fan buy-in, […]