EuroLeague Champion Delivers Challenge to Boston Celtics

Bobby Krivitsky | Jul 19, 2024

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates with the Larry O’Brian Trophy after beating the Dallas Mavericks in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals to win the NBA Championship at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

In late May, Panathinaikos bested Real Madrid to become EuroLeague champions. In a recent interview with Greek YouTube channel Rafine TV, their head coach, Ergin Ataman, who won the EuroLeague and Greek League in his first year with Panathinaikos, threw down the gauntlet to the reigning NBA champions.

"After the Boston Celtics became the NBA champions, they tweeted, 'World Champion Boston,' said Ataman. "The EuroLeague also tweeted, 'Beat this team first,' with our photo. They see themselves very highly. They want incredible numbers to come and play a game in Europe. You are not the world champion. If you want to get the world champion title, come and beat us, the EuroLeague champion. If you are so confident, I say, come and beat us in OAKA."

The idea of the NBA champion competing against the winner of the EuroLeague is a concept this author would love to see. One significant obstacle is that the team that lifts the Larry O'Brien Trophy might not have enough internal support to go from a grueling 82-game regular season and lengthy playoff run into a tilt vs. the club that finishes atop the EuroLeague.

Perhaps that competition could wait until the NBA preseason, but then the odds are that the rosters aren't the same, and at least one side may have experienced significant changes on that front.

If this matchup were to happen, whether on the heels of the NBA Finals or a few months later, it would be a great way to continue growing the game of basketball globally.

However, if Panathinaikos, whose star player is former Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn, squared off against the Celtics, it figures to be a lopsided affair.

Still, it's a game there are multiple benefits to scheduling. Furthermore, there's exceptional talent in the EuroLeague, and the early rounds of this competition could resemble when Team USA's men's basketball program started fielding rosters with NBA players. As the Olympics have demonstrated, these contests could become more competitive in future years.

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