By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
European basketball is once more at a crossroads, which may not have a happy ending. And while everyone is focused on the EuroLeague and the NBA plans for Europe, FIBA’s flagship event for club competitions, the Basketball Champions League Final Four, can be a sign for things to come.
It’s obvious that EuroLeague remains the top competition; however, in the 9th season of the Basketball Champions League, its presence is established, and three clubs that are part of this year’s Final Four can be considered solid candidates even for the new league.
Unicaja Malaga is arguably the best European team not competing in the EuroLeague. Having won the BCL last season, the Intercontinental Cup, and also the Spanish Copa Del Rey, they are one of the most talked about clubs in Europe, having a solid tradition and the support of a whole city behind them.
Galatasaray is a huge multisport club, representing a vast fan base, for sure the biggest in the BCL, and despite being more football-oriented than any of the other Final Four contenders, also has a long basketball tradition with domestic and continental success in the past.
The host, AEK, is also a multisport club that has a very big fanbase plus a long basketball pedigree of success, including being the first Greek club to win a continental trophy back in 1969.
Tenerife is also more than respected, having won twice the BCL; however, compared to the other three contenders, it has a smaller fan base and became established in the Spanish Liga Endesa quite recently, during the last 12 years.
AEK, Galatasaray, and Unicaja Malaga also have one more thing in common. All of them in the past have competed in the EuroLeague, with AEK being one of the founding clubs of the league 25 years ago.
The BCL Final Four is not the same thing as the NBA Europe, obviously, but as the management of AEK, Galatasaray, and Unicaja have openly admitted, their presence in the new project is possible.
So while a trophy will be on the line, at least for those three clubs, this Final Four can also be considered a test for the future.