The 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will take place in one of the most passionate basketball markets in the world, Kaunas, Lithuania, and the 2024 edition of the EuroLeague’s showcase event will return to Berlin. 

2023 and 2024 Final Fours awarded to Kaunas and Berlin

**2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four to be hosted at Zalgirio Arena; 2024 edition returns to Mercedes-Benz Arena.**

**2023 General public tickets and VIP hospitality packages will be available to the public on January 17 at 9:00 CET through [www.f4tickets.com](http://www.f4tickets.com).**

**Download 2023 Final Four logo [HERE](https://brandcenter.euroleague.net/en/assets/21899/2023-Turkish-Airlines-EuroLeague-Final-Four)**

The 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will take place in one of the most passionate basketball markets in the world, Kaunas, Lithuania, and the 2024 edition of the EuroLeague’s showcase event will return to Berlin. 

The magnificent Zalgirio Arena will host the four best teams on the continent, who will play in the semifinals on Friday, May 19. The third-place and championship games will be on Sunday, May 21. 

The 2023 edition will mark the first Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four played on Lithuanian soil. Kaunas has been a long-time contender to host the Final Four and now Lithuania’s devoted EuroLeague fans will finally have the opportunity to enjoy the most prestigious pan-European basketball event at home.

Tickets to the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Kaunas, Lithuania, will be available to the public on January 17 through [www.f4tickets.com](http://www.f4tickets.com).  There will be seven different price categories for general public tickets, all of which provide seating for four games (semifinal doubleheader on May 19, third-place game and Championship Game doubleheader on May 21), ranging from €56.25/game (225€ total) to €128.75/game (515€ total), plus service charges. Season ticket holders of EuroLeague clubs who participate in the pre-sale program, EuroLeagueTV subscribers and past Final Four ticket buyers will be able to purchase tickets prior to the public sale, from January 16 to January 17, using a special code. 

After buying tickets, customers who are unable to attend may sell their tickets via the official fan-to-fan marketplace that is also accessible at [www.f4tickets.com](http://www.f4tickets.com). Tickets purchased via unauthorized sales channels will not allow admittance. 

VIP hospitality tickets will also be made available beginning on January 17. Interested fans and businesses can review all the exclusive benefits on [www.f4tickets.com](http://www.f4tickets.com). For any additional information, please contact [f4tickets@euroleague.net](mailto:f4tickets@euroleague.net) 

"We are delighted to welcome Kaunas to the list of cities hosting a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four. In just six months, Europe’s best teams will play for the crown in front of one of the most passionate audiences, as Lithuania is synonymous with basketball," Dejan Bodiroga, Euroleague Basketball President, said. “I would like to thank the city of Kaunas and Zalgiris Kaunas for their commitment and interest in hosting the Final Four. Together we will undoubtedly deliver one more unforgettable memory to all our fans,”

The 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will take place in one of the most passionate basketball markets in the world, Kaunas, Lithuania, and the 2024 edition of the EuroLeague’s showcase event will return to Berlin. 

2023 General public tickets and VIP hospitality packages will be available to the public on January 17 at 9:00 CET through www.f4tickets.com.

Lithuania is one of the most traditional markets for Euroleague Basketball, with Zalgiris Kaunas serving as a licensed member of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 43% of the population classified as either interested or very interested in Euroleague Basketball\*.

"Kaunas is where Lithuanian basketball was born, so it was a matter of honor to make sure that the EuroLeague Final Four finally takes place here. Let it be a big, beautiful celebration created by the best clubs in Europe, the citizens of Kaunas, and an army of thousands of fans from all over Lithuania and Europe," Kaunas mayor Visvaldas Matijosaitis said. "Sports has always gone hand in hand with culture in Kaunas. In 2022, we were the European capital of culture, and next year we'll gladly host the final battles of the EuroLeague."

Fans attending the Final Four will enjoy one of the most modern venues in Europe, Zalgirio Arena. With a capacity of more than 15,000 spectators for basketball, the home of Zalgiris Kaunas was opened in 2011 and is the largest indoor arena in the Baltic region.

"The decision to hold the EuroLeague Final Four in Kaunas is the highest level of appreciation for the entire Zalgiris organization. We have been striving for years to host this prestigious event in our country, so we are even more pleased that our efforts have been appreciated. We are grateful to the Kaunas city municipality, which supported our ambition and enthusiastically agreed to contribute to the success of this tournament. There is a lot of work to be done, a lot of communication with the Euroleague, but we are ready for it. We will do our best to make this the best Final Four celebration in league history," Zalgiris Kaunas Director Paulius Motiejunas said.

2024 will bring the Final Four back to the German capital of Berlin, which will become the first city to host three Final Fours since Euroleague Basketball’s inception. The decision comes after the 2022 Final Four postponement, due to COVID-19 restrictions, that brought the season-ending event to Belgrade. The 2024 Final Four will feature the semifinals on Friday, May 24, with the third-place and championship games two days later.

“It is a pleasure to bring the Final Four to two of the best and most modern venues in Europe, the Zalgirio and Mercedes-Benz Arenas.” said Marshall Glickman, Euroleague Basketball CEO. “It was very important for us to combine a traditional basketball market like Lithuania, with Berlin, a key strategic market for Euroleague Basketball’s growth.”

The Mercedes-Benz Arena, with a basketball seating capacity of 14,500, will once again welcome the world's most passionate basketball fans after the venue's successful experiences in [2009](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fid.euroleague.net%2Fpublicapi%2Fv1%2Fcommunication%2Flink%2F4444A5EC-F659-6892-3471-439871B5C04C%2Ff41644bbdea3475f584b4c1d945a863caf01a6c8a2d15aef20fe71a46cb63af3_3809&data=05%7C01%7Cedu.roca%40euroleague.net%7C7c3326c8c4994b8fb44808dae1a249ce%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638070384384889910%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Gx59YLaXArl5cq0kvX9uejLJ4DOs46j5puU5270NdZw%3D&reserved=0) and [2016](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fid.euroleague.net%2Fpublicapi%2Fv1%2Fcommunication%2Flink%2F5481C531-32C0-64EE-EDD6-181C93EC0686%2Ff41644bbdea3475f584b4c1d945a863caf01a6c8a2d15aef20fe71a46cb63af3_3809&data=05%7C01%7Cedu.roca%40euroleague.net%7C7c3326c8c4994b8fb44808dae1a249ce%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638070384384889910%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=MBbmUkC6h8GJUaxifhbOcNdl4MPMeIXXcKxwWu0kW6M%3D&reserved=0). This decision reflects Euroleague Basketball’s commitment to increase its footprint in Germany, a market where interest in Euroleague Basketball has risen 52% during the last four seasons.\*

Iris Spranger, Senator for the Interior, Digital Transformation and Sport of Berlin, stated: “Berlin is honoured to welcome the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in 2024. A third time hosting this outstanding basketball event, after 2009 and 2016 in Berlin, demonstrates the international appeal of this sports metropolis. We are looking forward to seeing the best basketball teams from Europe participate in Berlin and to celebrate this unique event with national and international guests." 

“As they say, good things come to the ones who can wait. So, after missing out on the event earlier this year due to covid restrictions, we are even more excited that the Turkish Airlines Final Four eventually will return to Berlin for a third time in 2024. We credit this to the longstanding relationship between AEG and Euroleague. Both previous Final Fours left their mark as two of the most memorable events the Mercedes-Benz Arena has ever hosted, and we are confident that the tournament in 2024 will add to that legacy,” Ole Hertel, VP and Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Arena, stated.

\* Nielsen data.

Watch "Behind the Scenes: Final Four Referees"

If you want to understand the essential and irreplaceable role of game officials in the thrilling nightly competitiveness of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, look no further than "Behind the Scenes: Final Four Referees", which takes a long-form look at the only other elite professionals who are allowed on the court with the players.

"Behind the Scenes: Final Four Referees" spent the 2022 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Belgrade with the officials chosen to work the event. Through interviews, original footage from the locker rooms and never-before-released audio of the referees during those games at Stark Arena, you will gain a new appreciation of the unseen work the referees put into their job to serve the players, coaches, fans and the game of basketball. 

If you want to understand the essential and irreplaceable role of game officials in the thrilling nightly competitiveness of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, look no further than Behind the Scenes: Final Four Referees, which takes a long-form look at the only other elite professionals who are allowed on the court with the players.

Behind the Scenes: Final Four Referees

“Handling the pressure comes easier when you have a lot of experience,” referee Damir Javor explains. “When you have a lot of games where different coaches and different areas, environments are pressing on you, you become immune and you just see the court, the players and sometimes I really don’t even realize there are 20,000 people in the gym.”

“I prepare for all possible outcomes that can happen during a game,” referee Oļegs Latisevs shares in the film. “I’ve read some books about breathing techniques, so that helps me during the games. And communication between my partners, supporting them and they support me. We create a team and this is how we survive during the game.” 

In addition to how these referees prepare for the big games and how they handle difficult situations on the court, "Behind the Scenes: Final Four Referees" also hears from the referees about how some of them got their start in refereeing and what this profession means to them. 

This new and special collection offers fans another amazing way to celebrate Efes’s historic achievement.

There will be 500 unique NFTs launched and available for purchase via that platform at [championsnft.euroleague.net](http://championsnft.euroleague.net). Upon purchasing an NFT from the 2022 Trophy Collection, the buyer will receive a digital jpg that is compatible for sharing on social media networks as well as access to prize packages including tickets to EuroLeague games, discounts on Euroleague Basketball merchandise, digital access to a meet and greet with Efes players on [EuroLeagueLand.net](http://EuroLeagueLand.net), and an official Euroleague Basketball fan certificate. Moreover, among those who purchase these NFTs there will be 75 special prizes raffled off.

Euroleague Basketball and VRM plan to continue the development of such collectible objects in the future and retroactively so that EuroLeague fans across the globe can build their own collections that connect them to the moments they treasure.

Euroleague Basketball and VRM are pleased to announce the release of the first and exclusive NFT Trophy Collection honoring the 2022 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion, Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

NFT Trophy collection honoring Anadolu Efes to be released

Tribute to the Champs: Ergin Ataman

Under Coach Ataman, every player got his chance and those who played well earned bigger roles. Injuries throughout the season made it so that everyone saw ample time on the floor and Ataman reached the crucial moments of the season with an in-form and confident group. So even though key players like Krunoslav Simon, who missed the Final Four entirely, and Rodrigue Beaubois, who was limited in Belgrade, could not give the team what they would have initially expected at that time of year, there were many role players eager and able to step in.

Ataman was careful to always credit his veteran players for their ability to sacrifice egos for the betterment of the team and for players who had much larger roles with other teams to be happy to just do what was necessary to win at Efes. But that culture starts at the top and Ataman deserves a large share of credit for Efes’s success, not just last season, but for the club’s impressive four-year run.

No team has won more games over the past four seasons than Anadolu Efes Istanbul and that period of time coincides with the first full season of Coach Ergin Ataman’s current reign on the team’s sidelines. Ataman has been the perfect fit for his squad as he combines the confidence his team needed, the ability to get all of his players to buy in and the tactical knowledge necessary to build a juggernaut. And while all of that was also true when Efes won its first crown in 2021, Ataman’s ability to steady the ship through the difficulties of a title defense was even more impressive.

Tribute to the Champs: Rodrigue Beaubois

Beaubois averaged 10.3 points per game during 31 regular-season appearances and once more did so with impressive shooting accuracy. After joining the ’50-40-90’ club the previous campaign, he nearly repeated that feat but was let down by unusually poor free throw shooting as he made 50.9% of two-pointers and 40.7% of three-pointers, but just 67.7% from the foul line.

The veteran shooter’s best performance came in a Round 10 thrashing of Olympiacos Piraeus when he tied his career-high with 29 points on 3-of-4 two-point and 7-of-10 three-point shooting with 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocked shots contributing to a PIR of 33. His best run of form came during a crucial run of games as the regular season approached its climax: between Rounds 24 and 28, Efes won four games out of five to seal its recovery from a slow start to the season and jump into the playoffs places for good, and Beaubois was instrumental as he averaged 15.6 points per game, making 51.5% of three-point attempts in the process.

Tribute to the Champs: Rodrigue Beaubois 

Tribute to the Champs Rodrigue Beaubois.mp4

A particularly memorable occasion came in Round 28 and the red-hot environment of a local derby against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Efes led by 22 points in the third quarter before Fenerbahce rallied to make it a single-digit game, but Beaubois exploded with 16 points in the final period alone, including a three-pointer and decisive free throws in the final 90 seconds, to secure an exciting 84-79 victory.

Unfortunately, Beaubois was hampered by injuries during the latter stages of the season and was consequently unable to make much impact during the playoffs or the Final Four, but his consistent excellence during the regular season meant that he had more than played his part in Efes’s title glory.

The man with the nickname ‘Roddy Buckets’ lived up to that moniker once again, delivering another points-filled season to help Anadolu Efes Istanbul successfully defend the crown.

Every championship-winning team requires a great depth of talent, especially in the modern era of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague which is more physically and mentally demanding than ever before. And so, although others were the star performers in Efes’s title triumph, the significance of role players such as Gazi should not be overlooked.

The hard-working guard made 14 appearances during the season, either giving superstar teammates such as Shane Larkin and Vasilije Micic a chance to rest or covering for absences. He featured most prominently in an exciting 71-68 victory over UNICS Kazan in Round 5, spending more than 16 minutes on the court in a game that Micic missed through injury. And Gazi made his presence felt by providing 5 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist, with his importance to the win shown by his team-high plus/minus of +11.

At other times Gazi was sent onto the court by Coach Ergin Ataman to play hard defense for short but significant stretches of action, with his willingness to fulfill a selfless task shown in a Round 27 blowout of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv when he committed 3 fouls in 6 minutes on the floor without taking on a single shot, while distributing a pair of assists.

Gazi has now spent a decade with Efes on and off, joining at the age of 15 and graduating through the club’s youth ranks, then spending time at college in the United States to develop his game before returning to Istanbul in 2020. His two seasons back at the club have both resulted in title glory and now he will be hoping that his efforts for the team will be enough to earn greater protagonism in the coming months.

His 25th birthday is a perfect time to salute Erten Gazi for his contributions to Anadolu Efes Istanbul’s second straight championship. 

Tribute to the Champs: Erten Gazi 

 	Bugrahan Tuncer's experience came in handy for Anadolu Efes Istanbul as it successfully defended its EuroLeague championship.

Tribute to the Champs: Bugrahan Tuncer

Tuncer, who has been with Efes since 2018 and has made 46 EuroLeague appearances for the team, signed a new two-year contract shortly after Efes’s triumphant return from the Final Four in Belgrade. He appeared in EuroLeague 10 games during the 2021-22 campaign, which included minutes in the decisive Games 3 and 4 of the playoffs series against AX Armani Exchange Milan. Tuncer scored his first basket of the series with a three-pointer towards the end of the first half of Game 3 that gave his team a double-digit lead on the way to a 77-65 victory.

Tribute to the Champs Bugrahan Tuncer

The 29-year-old received a season-high 12 minutes on the floor in an 81-76 victory over FC Bayern Munich near the end of the regular season in April, showing his versatility as he registered 2 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 2 steals. He was also part of Coach Ergin Ataman’s 12-man roster for the Final Four and, although he did not play any minutes in the semifinal against Olympiacos Piraeus or the championship game against Real Madrid, his presence on the bench was confirmation that he is trusted to add shooting skills and strong defense whenever the team needs.

 

Tuncer also demonstrated his talents in domestic action, averaging 9.3 points and 4.2 assists in 34 regular-season games in the Turkish League, and with his future at the club since secured, he will be aiming to make the 2022-23 campaign his real breakthrough in the EuroLeague.

Bugrahan Tuncer's experience came in handy for Anadolu Efes Istanbul as it successfully defended its EuroLeague championship.

Top photos 2022 Final Four - Valilije Micic, MVP! 

Vasilije Micic and Anadolu Efes Istanbul arrive at the Final Four headquarters hotel in Belgrade

Micic got the Alphonso Fort Trophy as the best scorer for the 2021-22 season

Vasilije Micic and Kostas Papanikolaou hustle for the ball in semifinals

Micic guarded by Olympiacos' Thomas Walkup in the semifinals

Vasilije Micic takes the three that would put Efes in its third straight championship game

Anadolu Efes teammates run to congratulate Micic, on the floor, after his winning three

Vasilije Micic and Guerschon Yabusele at the Championship Game Press Conference

Micic stretching in the Efes official practice for the final game

Vasilije Micic attacks the Real Madrid defense during the Championship Game

Vasilije Micic against Alberto Abalde of Real in the Championship Game

Vasilije Micic celebrates Efes' second EuroLeague title in a row

Also for the second time in a row, Micic was named Final Four MVP

Micic points to the sky remembering the loved ones after winning the title

Micic at the Championship Game press conference after winning the title

Micic celebrating with his Efes teammates at the lockerroom

Vasilije Micic walks away with the cup!

Micic poses with the EuroLeague trophy

Shane Larkin, coach Ergin Ataman and Vasilije Micic, the Efes trio that sparked the full team

Top photos 2022 Final Four - Vasilije Micic, MVP! 

Even though he joined the champs after the season started, Elijah Bryant wasted no time in finding his role and helping Anadolu Efes Istanbul successfully defend its title. 

Tribute to the Champs: Elijah Bryant

When veteran Krunoslav Simon went down injured in the early stages of the season, Anadolu Efes Istanbul reacted by bringing in a new signing with the fresh glow of title glory: Elijah Bryant, who had first appeared in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv before returning to his native United States to help Milwaukee Bucks take the NBA title. Bryant arrived at a tough time after Efes had lost its first four games of the season, but he made an immediate impact by scoring 14 points in his debut – including 7 in the final quarter - as his new team came from behind to gain its first win, edging out UNICS Kazan. 

Elijah Bryant ! Season Highlights | 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

The versatile guard continued to impress in the following weeks, reaching double digits in scoring in each of his first four games, before hitting a mid-season slump which saw his productivity dramatically dip – especially between Rounds 20 and 25 when he totaled just 4 points in five games. Bryant continued to get good minutes, though, and towards the end of the regular season, he enjoyed a resurgence in form. He carried that into the playoffs, making 7 of his 14 field goal attempts during the triumphant series against AX Armani Exchange Milan and further helping the team with averages of 2.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.8 steals per game.

 

But it was on the biggest stage that Bryant delivered his biggest contribution of the season, scoring 16 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting and adding 6 rebounds to help Efes past Olympiacos Piraeus in the semifinal. And although he didn’t get on the scoreboard in the title decider against Real Madrid, the importance of Bryant within the team was shown by the fact that he spent nearly 29 minutes on the floor, more than playing his part in the win by grabbing a team-high 8 rebounds. In doing so, Bryant joined a select number of just 11 players to become champions of both the NBA and EuroLeague - and only the second to do so in consecutive seasons.

Even though he joined the champs after the season started, Elijah Bryant wasted no time in finding his role and helping Anadolu Efes Istanbul successfully defend its title.