Berlin was abuzz with excitement for the 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four, with FBL Berlin – ‘one of the largest inclusive basketball clubs in Germany and Europe,’ as it describes itself – doing its part to help develop interest in basketball in the German capital and introduce people to the sport.

Ten years ago, FBL Berlin was founded – and it has been on an upwards trajectory ever since. Having started with eight teams, there are now 56 teams and over 1,000 basketball players competing across four different leagues. The city of Berlin has helped FBL Berlin continue its growth, too, by providing gyms to play at.

In addition to providing an inclusive basketball environment where everyone is welcome, regardless of ability, race or background, FBL Berlin has also set up programs that have seen a real-life impact in society. For example, over the last 10 years, FBL Berlin has helped over 100 refugees train to become referees in the FBL but also for the German Basketball Federation.

‘Only in the FBL is it possible for parents and their children to play together in the same team,’ says the FBL Berlin website. ‘We integrate people with intellectual disabilities into our regular training and games.’

As FBL Berlin spokesperson Joe Duss explains, the club looks to bring people together and build a basketball community by spreading love through the city and with people from all around the world. There are big plans ahead for FBL Berlin, so if you are seeking a new place to play basketball in a non-judgmental environment, this is the place for you.

While on the ground in Berlin, Germany, for the 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four, Euroleague.net went to check out FBL Berlin, which describes itself as 'one of the largest inclusive basketball clubs in Germany and Europe'.

FBL Berlin: An inclusive basketball club

In the German capital, FBL Berlin is a safe space for basketball players to play

Bostjan Nachbar and Igor Rakocevic were among the speakers at the closed event

Europe’s next generation of prospects learned on and off-court lessons from past stars

The Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals is more than just a competition to determine who will be crowned the champion of European youth basketball. The event at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four also features an EB ANGT Educational Session in which the best young players on the continent receive important life lessons both on and off the court from long-time veteran players in the European game.

Euroleague Players Association (ELPA) Managing Director and former NBA and EuroLeague star Bostjan Nachbar, three-time EuroLeague top-scorer Igor Rakocevic and the Euroleague’s chief medical officer Dr. Ignacio Muro addressed the players from the eight participating ANGT clubs about some of the issues they will face in the coming years and how to best deal with them.

Muro mainly talked about how youngsters should take care of their bodies if they hope to have a long playing career. Among the topics the two former stars discussed were making the most of their careers; dealing with teammates; how to transition from junior to senior level basketball; and how to improve the players’ shooting.

“My message was to use everything to the full. It might sound like a cliché but it is true. Looking back on your career, there are so many times when you think: 'What if I did that differently?' 'What if I tried that?' Don’t think that a career lasts forever because it doesn’t. Use every day to the max. It goes by fast. You don’t want to be in a situation where you look back and you think you didn't do everything you could have with your talent,” said Nachbar, who has participated as a speaker at the Educational Session now for several years.

Rakocevic was also a repeat participant in the Educational Session.

“My biggest message to the young guys is that they cannot forget about education and school because unfortunately many of the kids here who are 15 to 18 years old will not live from the money they earn playing basketball. It is very important to be very well educated, go to a college or university and then if you have basketball on top then it is even better,” he said.

From a basketball standpoint, Rakocevic added: "You have to prepare your body and mind so you can give yourself the best possible chance to perform. Kids nowadays are not doing that because they are spending too much time on their phones and not paying enough attention to their body signals. This is one of the things you can do to prepare yourself to perform better.”

The former stars’ messages were well-received by the players. 

When asked what advice most impacted him, Parker Robinson of U18 Overtime Elite said: “Definitely to have something outside of basketball - to kind of de-connect from basketball after practice is over. I feel that is a big part of the game nowadays. People are so focused on basketball that when their careers are over, they don’t know how to handle it. So preparing for the end of your career would help.” 

Hugo Yimga Moukouri of U18 PFBB INSEP Paris was very appreciative of listening to Nachbar and Rakocevic. 

“We had a great opportunity to learn from two players who had long careers. I learned that it is very hard to have a basketball career. You have to work hard every day - even if you are tired. Listening to them and hearing their messages is very motivating for me,” Yimga Moukouri said. 

And U18 ratiopharm Ulm’s Jervis Scheffs was thankful to hear the tips about player health. 

“The most important thing for me was to hear about taking care of your body, how to have a long career. I want to have moments like this for a long time. I am still young and the journey is long,” the German wing said.

Top 10 photos of the ANGT Championship Game

Egor Demin of U18 Real Madrid was the champs' top scorer in the game with 26 points

Henri-Soprano Mboungolo Mounanga of U18 PFBB INSEP Paris grabs the rebound

Sidi Gueye scored two points in almost 18 minutes on court in the title game

Mohamed Diaktis flies for the block over MVP Hugo Gonzalez

Hugo Gonzalez of Real was named MVP of the tournament in Berlin

Nolan Traoré of Paris was one of the best players all tournament and made it to the All-Tournament Team

Demin of Real shoots an uncontested jumper en route to becoming Real's top scorer

Big man Ismaila Diagne had 10 points and 7 boards in the game for Real

Nathan SOliman pulls up for the long-range jumper. He scored 11 points in the final game.

The ANGT Finals Championship Game was one of the most thrilling since the competition started. Now you can re-live it with some of the best images from that day!

Thanks to the Walk15 app, Final Four attendees were able to reduce their carbon footprint in Berlin

Basketball fans went the extra mile at the 2024 Final Four

Euroleague Basketball always encourages sustainable modes of transport in and out of the arenas, particularly at the Final Four, as thousands of fans embark upon one city. This year, in Berlin, Germany, Euroleague Basketball united with the Walk15 app once again to help basketball fans track how many steps they have done in the Walking Challenge, while the introduction of the Biking Challenge meant they could track their distance covered .

This was an invitation to basketball fans and citizens to walk to the Final Four facilities and around the world, which further allowed them to get to know the city better at the same time. This helped with ensuring individuals understood the importance to use these sustainable mobility alternatives and take action on achieving healthy habits, which have benefits for both them and the planet.

Over the course of the Final Four, the Final Four volunteers were encouraged to move around Berlin in a sustainable way through a dedicated Walking Challenge organized for them, while they were also provided with public transportation passes to be used during the event, if needed.

There were 11,142 fans from over 45 countries across the world who signed up for the Final Four sustainable mobility challenges. Altogether, they recorded 184,043,130 steps in the Walking Challenge and 11,070km in the Biking Challenge over the course of three days – from Friday, May 24, to Sunday, May 26. 

When you combine those two sets of numbers together – the combined steps from the Walking Challenge and the kilometers from the Biking Challenge – that’s the equivalent of walking and biking around the world five times, which helped save 25,066 kilograms of carbon emissions at this year's EuroLeague Final Four. Across the last two Final Fours, the initiative of One Team and #Walk15 has led to 54,539 kilograms of carbon emissions being avoided.

 Final Four Fans in photos 

The fans had photo opportunities with the trophy at the Fanzone in Kraftwerk

Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman takes a selfie with some young fans!

The Olympiacos proud filled the stands with red

Panathinaikos fans were some of the noisiest and certainly the happiest when it all ended!

Real Madrid fans ready to cheer for their team at the Final Four

More Panathinaikos fans before going inside the Uber Arena

The Real Madrid Berserkers follow the team everywhere it goes

Fenerbahce fans posing proud in front of the Uber Arena

The noisy Panathinaikos crowd doing its thing

Fenerbahce fans making osme noise for their team

A nice gathering of fans from different teams enjoying the Final Four weekend

The support of thousands of Panathinaikos fans was one of the key factors for the Greens to take their seventh European crown

Communion between Panathinaikos fans and players after winning the title!

Just like every year, the absolute protagonists of the Final Four were the fans that flocked to Berlin to cheer for their favorite teams. Here are some of the best images!

The Final Four fans in pictures

Top 10 photos of the ANGT Finals

Egor Demin of U18 Real Madrid was one of the main protagonists in his team's success in Berlin

Jack Kayil of U18 Mega MIS Belgrade flies for the block

Nolan Traore of U18 PFBB INSEP Paris shined throughout the tournament as expected of one of Europe's top prospects

Diego Caravaglia of U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan shows his prowess on defense

Meissa Faye of Paris flies for a dunk against U18 ALBA Berlin

Isaac Ellis of U18 Overtime Elite had a monster game against ALBA with 25 points

Ognjen Srzentic of Mega had his best game of the weekend against U18 ratiopharm Ulm

Hugo Gonzalez led Real to the title and he earned tournament MVP honors in the process

Jordan Mueller of Ulm tries to hit the fadeaway shot against the Milan defense

Big man Sayon Keita of U18 FC Barcelona puts one of the 6 blocks he had during his three games

One more year, running parallel to the Final Four, the ANGT Finals took place in Berlin. The Uber Eats Hall, right next door to Uber Arena, hosted the tournament between eight teams that shocased some of the best basketball prospects on the planet.

The ANGT Finals weekend in photos

Like every year, the pregame show at Uber Arena was in charge of setting the stage for the big games

The spectacular pregame shows were, once again, produced by the multiple award-winning Filmmaster

 The “Ritual of Glory” offered an exciting dialogue between the audience gathered inside Berlin’s Uber Arena and the performers

The extraordinary show cast of dancers, music performers and acrobats created a symbolic celebration with the crowd that put basketball at the center.

One of the most spectacular moments was the entrance of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague trophy

As always, the Final Four volunteers played a crucial role in the development of the pregame show

All eyes on the prize!

The EuroLeague trophy descended on the floor and was carried to the sidelines for a new owner at the end of the championship game

Mr. BAGS performed also during the halftime show with a set of cover songs

Another energestic moment during the performance of Italian act Mr. BAGS at halftime

Re-live the magic of the shows that entertained the audience at Uber Arena in Berlin before the games of the Final Four and at halftime!

Final Four entertainment in photos

Go inside the locker room after the championship game to see how Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens celebrated its first EuroLeague title in 13 years.

 The Panathinaikos locker room celebration in photos 

Ergin Ataman was the soul of the party in the lockerooms. This is his third EuroLeague title.

Kostas Sloukas - Final Four MVP - and Ataman were the most iconic duo in this seventh title for the Greens

After the courth photo, the Panathinaikos team gathered together for a new keepsake but this time inside the lockerroom

Coach Ataman celebrates with general manager Sani Becirovic, a former EuroLeague champ with Panathinaikos in 2007

Sloukas poses with his Final Four MVP award

Coach Ataman waits in the lockerrooms corridor with the trophy before going to the press conference

It was champagne hour in the Panathinaikos lockerroom to celebrate the club's first Eur

Jerian Grant and Kostas Antetokounmpo have the time of their lives celebrating thirs first EuroLeague title

Big man Mathias Lessort appears out of nowhere to photobomb coach Ataman with the trophy

The Panathinaikos locker room celebration in photos

For one Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens player, the journey to green glory started when he was born and his father was wearing the same uniform.

No place like home in Ioannis Papapetrou's 'amazing journey' to the EuroLeague title

He was the first of the new champions to cross the Greek divide, leaving Olympiacos Piraeus after five seasons and two runner-up EuroLeague finishes to join Panathinaikos Athens in 2018.

But [Ioannis Papapetrou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ioannis-papapetrou/005161/) trading red for green was not quite seen as betrayal. After all, his father Argiris had played a decade for the Greens, so Ioannis grew up around the club. If anything was surprising, it's how long he took to get home.

Alas, from 2018 to 2022, he and the Greens made the EuroLeague Playoffs just once, and in that case were swept. So, when another Panathinaikos legend, Zeljko Obradovic, came calling, Papapetrou left to play for Partizan Belgrade in the summer of 2022, only to lose Game 5 of the playoffs to Real Madrid last season.

If Papapetrou, 30, seemed cursed not to win a EuroLeague title by then, two things changed that narrative. 

First, he was called back to Panathinaikos by new head coach Ergin Ataman. And second, after an injury-plagued season, he played under 3 minutes as the Greens lost home-court advantage with a 87-91 defeat to Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in Game 1 of the playoffs.

After that game, Papapetrou didn't go home and sulk. He stayed at OAKA, the club's cathedral, and spent time on shooting practice until almost midnight with his older brother, Georgios, feeding him passes.

"I was watching a lot of basketball, so I wanted to play," he explained later of the late-night, post-game, individual practice. "I went out to practice because I didn't play. You know, that's my philosophy all my career. Obviously, through ups and downs, I want to stay ready as much as I can, and I want to help."

To say that Papapetrou helped the Greens become champions is an understatement. He would average 12.5 over the last four games of that series, making 11 of 18 three-pointers – only Kendrick Nunn made more – at a rate of 61.1% – only Luca Vildoza was more accurate. He averaged 28 minutes as the Greens won three of the next four games to reach their first Final Four in 12 years. 

Although he played somewhat less in the Final Four, having started the last two playoff games, Papapetrou would start both at the Final Four, too. Indeed, they were his only four starts of the entire season, but they were all do-or-die games that the Greens swept to lift the title. 

For Papapetrou, the long-awaited moment of victory was the culmination of a lifetime of Panathinaikos pride, from the fans he joined in the stands as  a kid, to the older brother still supporting him, to their father who wore green longer than the new champ.

"Fans know that my father, obviously, played for the club and they know my love for the club. My father didn't get one of these," he said, looking down at the player's individual replica of the EuroLeague trophy in his hand, "and I'm happy I'm bringing one home."

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