By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The continental initiative backed by the NBA and FIBA, aiming to create a new European ecosystem, continues to draw the attention of veteran coach and executive Ettore Messina.
In an interview published Friday morning by Adnkronos, the four-time EuroLeague champion and former assistant coach of the San Antonio Spurs offered a sharp analysis of the rapidly changing international landscape. He urged major stakeholders to look past the initial glamour of the proposed expansion and closely evaluate its structural and financial viability.
“The problem is that right now we do not have a clear understanding of what this model actually consists of. There are a lot of people who want to participate, and there is the dream of making a lot of money, but you have to spend a lot just to get close to it. Like all selective things, in the end, some will be happy to participate, while others will burn themselves out having tried and failed,” Messina warned, addressing the structural uncertainty surrounding the venture and highlighting the immense economic risks for overextended franchises.
Speaking from the Plazma Youth Sports Games 2026 in Split, the 66-year-old tactician also talked about how this directly impacts Italy’s LBA UnipolSai. Fueled by two newly established clubs based in the nation’s capital, teams across the country have been aggressively upgrading their infrastructure. With several organizations actively targeting a permanent spot in the European elite, the domestic league has entered an era of unprecedented investment and visibility.
“I expect very hard-fought games,” Messina previewed the 2026–27 schedule. “There are teams that have strengthened themselves, and there are two new clubs in Rome. I think this could be even more competitive than it has been in the recent past, where things had already gotten interesting, but now there are more teams claiming a place in the sun. I think it will be a beautiful season.”
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