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Giannis Antetokounmpo would certainly welcome the prospect of a showdown between the champions of the NBA and EuroLeague, especially in light of the ongoing partnership developments between the NBA and FIBA, often referred to as NBA Europe.
Following the Milwaukee Bucks’ defeat against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday, the Greek superstar shared his thoughts on the matter with Toni Canyameras and Mundo Deportivo, specifically mentioning the well-known challenge put forth by Ergin Ataman for 2024.
“I’m not really up to speed with all the details. I haven’t been following it closely. But if the two leagues can find a way to coexist, absolutely,” the 30-year-old forward acknowledged when asked about NBA Europe.
“It would be quite challenging for teams in the U.S. to compete against those in Europe, but it’s possible to have two leagues functioning similarly, potentially with a game in the summer between the top teams from each to determine which is the best in the world,” he elaborated.
Ergin Ataman, who coached Panathinaikos to victory in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, previously sought a matchup against the then-NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, to crown a world champion.
“Two years ago, Ergin Ataman claimed Panathinaikos was superior to Boston. I would love to see a direct contest between Panathinaikos and Boston,” Giannis stated.
“While it may be difficult for the two leagues to fully merge, I can visualize a situation where both leagues coexist and operate similarly. We could have NBA Europe alongside the NBA in the U.S., and even NBA Africa, where the champions could face off to establish the world’s best team,” he suggested.
Antetokounmpo is enthusiastic about the idea of a matchup between EuroLeague and NBA champions to determine the top team globally.
Panathinaikos’ coach Ergin Ataman issued a challenge to the Celtics for 2024.
“I’m eager to see Boston and Panathinaikos compete against each other directly,”📷 tweeted Toni Canyameras (@Canyameridis71) on November 5, 2025.
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