By Aris Barkas / barkas@eurohoops.net
Superstitions are not new to the world of sports.
From athletes following pregame rituals, to fans wearing the same “winning” clothes, to jerseys forever associated with triumph, basketball folklore is full of such stories. Yet among all these traditions and beliefs, one of the most puzzling phenomena remains the EuroLeague’s so‑called curse of the top spot.
Maybe it’s a coincidence.
Maybe it’s fate.
But one thing is certain: No team has finished the regular season with the best overall record and gone on to win the championship.
The “curse of the favorites”
The curse dates back to 1988, when the Final Four format was introduced to the competition, then known as the European Champions Cup. Given the structure at the time — group stages followed by knockout games — it was referred to as the “curse of the favorite.”
No one dared to openly label themselves, or their team, as favorites. Such hubris, it was believed, spelled inevitable doom and invoked the wrath of the basketball gods.
That belief was reinforced by dramatic upsets, most memorably Partizan’s iconic 1991 triumph, sealed by Sasa Dorđevic’s legendary buzzer-beating three-pointer from mid‑court. Still, a closer look at history shows that favorites have prevailed on multiple occasions, which brings us to the importance of the competition’s format.
Knockout games are double‑edged swords
In the modern EuroLeague era, however, neither the presumed favorite nor the team with the league’s best regular-season record has managed to lift the trophy. This is not superstition; it’s a statistical fact.
So why does it keep happening?
The simplest answer may also be the most logical one: the format itself. Former CSKA Moscow coach Dimitris Itoudis has long argued that elite teams benefit most from playoff series, where quality tends to assert itself over multiple games.
In contrast, when a full season and a playoff round are followed by a title decided in just two knockout games, pressure shifts dramatically to the strongest teams — the very ones expected to win. One bad night can undo months of dominance.
You can call it a “curse” if you want, but there is a rational explanation behind it.
Does the “curse” really matter?
The bottom line is one familiar cliché that most would agree on: once the Final Four begins, each team effectively starts with a 25% chance of winning the title. Finishing first in the regular season provides no real advantage once you reach that stage.
That’s why teams rarely obsess over the top spot. Securing home‑court advantage in the playoffs is the primary goal; finishing first is merely a byproduct of consistency. Still, one team will inevitably end atop the standings.
Until the day a top seed finally wins it all, the “curse” will remain part of EuroLeague mythology — even if logic explains it perfectly.
And when that day eventually comes, that team will earn a special place in the history of European basketball.