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Giannis Antetokounmpo seems to be in favor of a future showdown between the champions of the NBA and EuroLeague, particularly in light of the recent developments regarding the partnership between the NBA and FIBA, often referred to as NBA Europe.
After the Milwaukee Bucks’ defeat against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday, the Greek superstar shared his thoughts with Toni Canyameras and Mundo Deportivo about the possibility of such an event, referencing Ergin Ataman’s famous challenge for a 2024 matchup.
“I don’t have much information on it; I haven’t been following closely. But if both leagues can coexist, I’m all for it,” the 30-year-old forward said when asked about NBA Europe.
“It would be quite challenging for teams in the U.S. to face those overseas, but you could have two leagues functioning similarly, with matching schedules. Perhaps the best teams from each league could compete in a summer game to determine who truly is the world’s best,” he added.
Following his victory in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with Panathinaikos, the 59-year-old Turkish coach expressed a desire to challenge the then-NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, to declare a universal champion.
“Two years ago, Ergin Ataman claimed Panathinaikos was superior to Boston. I would be eager to see them go head-to-head,” Giannis remarked.
“It’s tough for the two leagues to actually merge, if such a thing were possible. But I can envision the two leagues coexisting, each functioning in a similar manner—perhaps NBA Europe, the NBA in the States, NBA Africa, and so forth. The champions of each could then face off to determine the best team in the world,” he concluded.
Antetokounmpo fully supports a duel between the EuroLeague and NBA champions to settle which team reigns supreme globally.
Panathinaikos’ coach Ergin Ataman issued a challenge to the Celtics for 2024.
“I would be thrilled to see Boston and Panathinaikos compete against each other,” he stated.
