By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
The VTB is the youngest and fastest growing league in Europe, as evidenced by the progress of the teams that participate in it.
The only league in Europe that hasn’t even completed ten years’ of “life” is the one that attracts a multitude of expensive players, has teams with huge budgets and is constantly growing.
They say that, usually, in order to realize your own progress you have to look beyond yourself and compare yourself to those around you! This season then, 13 of the 16 teams in total that participate in the VTB League, took part in European competitions (three in the Euroleague, five in the Eurocup and five in the FIBA Eurocup), creating a unique record, since no other league in Europe is represented by so many teams.
In fact, they didn’t just participate in the three big tournaments, but most of them were protagonists! Overall, 10 of the 13 teams secured their participation in the next phase, a percentage that reaches an impressive 77%!
The three teams of the VTB League that participate in the Euroleague advanced to the Top 16 (CSKA Moscow and Lokomotiv Kuban in first place and Khimki in second), while in the Eurocup too, four out of the five teams that took part qualified. The success rate in the FIBA Eurocup was again very high, as three of the five teams advanced to the next phase.
Despite the cold, one of the hottest destination in Europe is the VTB League, which has such a high level of competition that it helps teams play a leading role on the European stage. The teams in the VTB League are of a very high standard and very often their games in Europe are easier than they are in the actual domestic league.
Every year, more and more money is invested in the VTB League by owners who want to see their teams grow. And as it seems, the level of the championship is so high that they’re on the right track.
Euroleague
| Team | Record | Place |
| CSKA Moscow | 9-1 | 1st |
| Lokomotiv Kuban | 8-2 | 1st |
| Khimki | 5-5 | 2nd |
Eurocup
| Team | Record | Place |
| Zenit | 8-2 | 1st |
| UNICS Kazan | 7-3 | 2nd |
| Avtodor | 7-3 | 3rd |
| Nizhny | 6-4 | 3rd |
| Krasny Oktyabr | 1-9 | 6th |
FIBA Europe Cup
| Team | Record | Place |
| Tsmoki Minsk | 5-1 | 1st |
| Nymburk | 4-2 | 2nd |
| Yenisey | 4-2 | 2nd |
| Astana | 2-4 | 3rd |
| Kalev | 0-6 | 4th |