By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
The NBA Europe project, especially following official announcements made by NBA commissioner Adam Silver and FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis, naturally attracts the attention of fans, players, and head coaches, including the play-caller of Panathinaikos Aktor and the senior national team of Turkiye, Ergin Ataman.
“FIBA and Euroleague have had a rivalry for years. Turkish Airlines EuroLeague has become one of the best leagues in the world, not just in Europe,” the 59-year-old Turkish coach, a three-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion between a successful stint with Anadolu Efes and last season with the Greens, told Anadolu Agency.
“The EuroLeague is more fun to watch, even compared to the NBA, but hasn’t been able to create an equal value financially. There are serious problems with the team budgets. At this point, I think the marketing power of the NBA would be beneficial for the EuroLeague. If the NBA supports EuroLeague only in these terms, this would be beneficial. But I don’t think a separate league by the NBA would work,” he shared his view on the current plan of the NBA and FIBA.
“There are rumors about football clubs like Manchester United and PSG in a new league,” he added, labeling such options unrealistic, “These are football clubs. There are no players in Europe to feed so many teams. I think this as part of the competition between FIBA and the Euroleague.”
As a head coach at the club and international levels, the native of Istanbul also projected his best-case scenario regarding the involved parties.
“If FIBA were to abandon this rivalry and focus entirely on the national teams, if the Euroleague were to become more effective in marketing, and if a more realistic calendar could be created with both NBA and EuroLeague players being available for all international games, it would be much more beneficial for everyone,” said Ataman.