By Eurohoops Team / info@eurohoops.net
Ahead of EuroLeague Round 3 against Partizan, Anadolu Efes head coach Igor Kokoskov addressed several important topics regarding European basketball, speaking to Serbian media.
The former NBA coach — the first non-American to lead an NBA team with the Phoenix Suns and a longtime assistant in the world’s top league — spoke about circumstances in European basketball, touching on the subject that EuroLeague has often been called a veterans’ league — a competition for older players.
“That’s a topic that deserves a deeper analysis. Europe will pay the price for not having the courage to play young players. We’re scratching our heads over what’s happening in college basketball, where players receive both education and money. Luckily, not all of them will go to the NBA, but they’ll go to America at 17 or 18… The only way we can keep them is to offer something better. And you can’t be mad at EuroLeague coaches for lacking courage — look, we’re only two rounds into the EuroLeague, and some coaches are already on the hot seat. We need to look at the bigger picture. But here, there is no bigger picture. Every game feels like a final. That’s where Europe is paying the price,” Kokoskov said, per Meridian sport.
When asked whether that price will be reflected in the quality of basketball, Kokoskov replied:
“No doubt about it. The EuroLeague is the oldest league in Europe. The departure of young players is inevitable — they’ll even go to high schools there, since those schools also offer scholarships and cover expenses… Not to mention college. The only solution is to offer them something better. It won’t happen this year, but it’s something to think about, “ Kokoskov added, echoing what he told EuroHoops Turkey during Media Day.
Finally, when asked whether an NBA Europe could be a better option for young players in Europe, he concluded:
“No doubt about it. Again, that’s another topic that needs a deeper discussion. But all decisions in sports and basketball are made by economics — not by basketball people, not coaches, sports executives, or former players. And big corporations like the NBA have an interest in taking over markets. They’re not coming here to develop European basketball. But we, as Europe, as the EuroLeague, as a European market, must offer something better. Because they’re coming here to turn sports into business — which, to be fair, isn’t necessarily a bad idea.”