By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
On Tuesday, March 24, at the event held in Brussels for European basketball, Giannis Sfairopoulos managed to describe in a direct way the present and future of European basketball.
In his capacity as vice president of the EHCB, coach Sfairopoulos, without naming the NBA, expressed the objections that exist in Europe against the American perspective for sports, and without ruling out cooperation, he clarified that for this to happen, there must be specific limits.
In a powerfull at the conference entitled “Strengthening European Basketball: Sustainable Growth and Safeguards for the European Sport Model”, Sfairopoulos, starting from his personal experience, clarified in a simple way that “in Europe, sport is not just entertainment. It is a public good. It carries social and educational value”.
Specifically regarding the NBA’s plans, Sfairopoulos, without entering into a direct confrontation, said: “Growth is important. Financial strength is important. But they must remain connected to values and to people. This balance is what has brought European basketball to where it is today. And governance plays a key role here. Decisions about competitions, calendars, rules, and long-term priorities must remain anchored in Europe and shaped by European stakeholders—clubs, leagues, players, coaches, fans, and grassroots structures. This is not about closing the door to the world. It is about maintaining responsibility to the communities that sustain the game”.
Reference was even made to the issue of talent now leaving Europe for the US, which of course also concerns the NCAA, with Sfairopoulos stating: “Europe must not become only a pipeline that sends talent elsewhere. It must remain a destination—a place where talent is developed, celebrated, and allowed to grow”.
The motto is clear and fully in line with the true principles of the European Union: “Europe stands for integration, not division. Sport should not separate larger and smaller markets, or East and West. It should reflect the spirit of Europe itself—open, ambitious, connected, and built on solidarity.
If there is one thing we need for the future, it is unity of purpose. All of us—players, coaches, clubs, leagues, institutions, and fans—must work together to protect the identity of basketball and create the conditions for it to thrive at every level”.
The full text of Coach Sfairopoulos’ speech
Honourable Members of the European Parliament, distinguished guests, and dear friends of sport,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be here today. It is an honor to stand in the European Parliament, a place where decisions shape the future of our communities. For me, it is especially meaningful to speak about the sport that has defined my life.
I fell in love with basketball at a very young age—first as a player, and then as a coach. Coaching became my calling, and I devoted my life to it. Since beginning my coaching journey in 1986, basketball has taken me across countries, cultures, and generations. It has given me experiences that go far beyond the game itself. And through all these years, I have learned something simple, but powerful: when we speak about basketball in Europe, we are not only speaking about a sport. We are speaking about culture. About identity. About something that belongs to people.
In Europe, sport is not just entertainment. It is a public good. It carries social and educational value. It is built on principles—sporting merit, solidarity, teamwork, discipline, intelligence, and collective effort.
These are also the values of the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, where I serve as Vice President. The EHCB was created to give coaches a unified voice, to promote the idea that sport unites, and to leave a meaningful legacy. Every day, we work to pass these values forward. In just six years, more than 700 coaches have graduated from our Academy, taking this knowledge back to their countries and communities.
But beyond systems and structures, there is something deeper. Basketball has a unique power—it connects people. It connects generations. It builds communities. It teaches resilience. In many ways, basketball is a reflection of life. You face difficulties, you fall, and you must rise again, stronger.
As coaches, we understand how fragile development can be. At every level—from young children to professionals—we are not only teaching tactics. We are teaching culture. Respect for the game. Respect for the opponent. The importance of fair play. The understanding that sport is always bigger than the individual. This culture is the foundation of European talent development. Young players grow because there is a real pathway. Because there is something to aspire to. Europe must not become only a pipeline that sends talent elsewhere. It must remain a destination—a place where talent is developed, celebrated, and allowed to grow.
In a world that often feels divided, sport reminds us of what we share. As Greeks, we carry the history of the Olympic truce—moments where even conflict paused for something greater. In its own way, basketball continues this idea. It gives people a common purpose, a shared emotion, a sense of belonging.
And what happens on the court is only part of the story. The real impact of basketball is felt outside the court—in neighborhoods, in families, in young people who find direction and inspiration through the game. Players and coaches become role models. They show that there is a path—from grassroots to the highest level—built on effort, discipline, and belief. This is why European basketball must be understood not simply as a product, and not simply as entertainment, but as a living ecosystem. Its strength comes from its full structure: professional clubs, domestic leagues, academies, grassroots programs, and the next generation of players, coaches and fans. This pyramid gives European basketball its legitimacy and its resilience. And if one part of this pyramid is weakened, the entire system is affected.
Any effort that focuses only on short-term commercial value, while putting pressure on domestic leagues or youth development, risks damaging the very roots that sustain the game. European basketball—and European sport more broadly—represents something authentic. It reflects the identity of cities, the traditions of clubs, and the deep connection between sport and community. This authenticity must be protected.
Growth is important. Financial strength is important. But they must remain connected to values and to people. This balance is what has brought European basketball to where it is today. And governance plays a key role here. Decisions about competitions, calendars, rules, and long-term priorities must remain anchored in Europe and shaped by European stakeholders—clubs, leagues, players, coaches, fans, and grassroots structures. This is not about closing the door to the world. It is about maintaining responsibility to the communities that sustain the game.
Today, basketball is in a strong position. Interest is rising. Participation is growing. We are still only at the beginning of what is possible. This is a moment of opportunity. But also, a moment of responsibility.
Cooperation is possible—and cooperation is always better than confrontation. But it must be built on shared responsibility and clear safeguards. We must protect domestic leagues. We must preserve sporting merit. We must respect national teams. And above all, we must respect the protagonists of the game—the players and the coaches.
Growth should not extract value from Europe. It should create value within Europe and reinvest it back into the ecosystem.
And finally, European basketball must remain inclusive. Europe stands for integration, not division. Sport should not separate larger and smaller markets, or East and West. It should reflect the spirit of Europe itself—open, ambitious, connected, and built on solidarity.
If there is one thing we need for the future, it is unity of purpose. All of us—players, coaches, clubs, leagues, institutions, and fans—must work together to protect the identity of basketball and create the conditions for it to thrive at every level.
I hope that today’s gathering is a step in that direction. Because if we protect the ecosystem, if we defend merit, if we invest in development, and if we keep basketball connected to its communities—then the future of European basketball will not only be bigger.
It will be stronger. More meaningful. And worthy of the generations who have built it.
Thank you very much”.