The Panathinaikos guard is in select company with his achievements at the Final Four

Kostas Sloukas continues making history

[Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens already belongs to the golden pages of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague record books. By making it to his eighth championship game, Sloukas has done something that no player has achieved since the late 1970s.

Sloukas has played for the title with Olympiacos Piraeus in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2023 and with Fenerbahce Istanbul in 2016, 2017 and 2018. 

Entering this season, Sloukas was tied with Matjaz Smodis for the most championship game appearances of the current century with seven. Smodis made two with Virtus Bologna (2001, 2002), another with Fortitudo Bologna (2004) and four with CSKA Moscow (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009). Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Llull will also be playing their respective seventh championship games with Real Madrid on Sunday.

You have to go way back to find players with at least eight championship game appearances; most of them are from Pallacanestro Varese, which reached 10 consecutive European Cup finals from 1970 to 1979. Dino Meneghin leads the list with 13 championship game appearances - 10 with Varese and three with Olimpia Milan. Only Aldo Ossola (10) and Clifford Luyk (9) have been to more top-tier championship games since the introduction of pan-European competitions in 1958.

Sloukas has a golden chance to win the EuroLeague title with three different teams. He previously lifted the trophy with Olympiacos (2012, 2013) and Fenerbahce (2017). Sarunas Jasikevicius is the only other player to win the EuroLeague with three different teams: FC Barcelona (2003), Maccabi Tel Aviv (2004, 2005) and Panathinaikos (2009).

Sloukas can also become the 17th player ever to win four or more EuroLeague titles. Only two players have won four titles in the 21st century: Jasikevicius and Kyle Hines, who was Sloukas's Olympiacos teammate in 2012 and 2013, and won it again with CSKA in 2016 and 2019.

From a statistical perspective, Sloukas is also cementing his status among the greats. He is ranked second in free throws, third in assists, fifth in PIR and seventh in scoring among all players in Final Four games this century. With 49 free throws, Sloukas is 10 behind Nando De Colo for the most in Final Four history. His 64 assists trail only two of his opponents tonight, Sergio Llull (70) and Sergio Rodriguez (74). With PIR, he has 172 and needs 17 to catch Theo Papaloukas for fourth. And in points scored, Sloukas has 167, but with 13 points would leapfrog Juan Carlos Navarro, Langdon and De Colo into fourth place. 

At age 34, Sloukas is in his first season with Panathinaikos. He signed a three-year deal, which gives him a chance to keep adding more trophies and milestones to his already outstanding career.

Kostas Sloukas continues making history 

Real Madrid v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-05-26T18:00:00.000Z)

The two have joined forces again, having worked together on a project in Athens and Istanbul over the last three seasons

One Team, BKT come together to open refurbished court in Berlin

The power of One Team grows further each year and even more so when a partner such as BKT is ready to help take things to the next level. On Friday afternoon, One Team and BKT collaborated once again to help refurbish a basketball court at Lisa-Tetzner Schule elementary school, with the aim of helping improve the lives of youngsters who are in need or at risk of exclusion.

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague club ALBA Berlin has been working with Lisa-Tetzner Schule for the last few seasons as it looks to provide support for socially disadvantaged children and young teenagers in a socio-economically challenging environment. With the Final Four coming to Berlin, One Team and BKT came together and decided to provide an improved space for locals to play.

"It's a great pleasure to be here to inaugurate this great basketball court," said Lucia Salmaso, Managing Director of BKT Europe. "When \[One Team\] decided to approach us regarding sponsorship, we could not believe the impact that this sponsorship can have on a community. I believe that BKT has demonstrated with actions these projects have a great meaning for us. This is the third project that we have created along with One Team, and it is proof that we can do better to support the growth of communities. I hope that this court will bring a lot of happiness, joy, growth and opportunity to all the kids, to all the students and to all the residents of this neighborhood."

"I'm incredibly excited and proud that we have been able to open a third refurbished court thanks to our partnership with BKT," added Abigail Martin, Director of Sustainability and Development Projects at Euroleague Basketball. "These are honestly the best days for me. I would like to give a big thank you to ALBA Berlin, to Lisa-Tetzner Schule elementary school, and to specially Lucia and the BKT team for helping to make all of this possible. These projects are one of the highlights of the Final Four, as the social work put in by many different people comes together and ends up with a lot of excited individuals, in this case children. We are so, so thankful for everyone's efforts and we would love to have more of these community-committed projects in the future."

During Friday’s event, the participants took part in some One Team drills and featured in an exhibition tournament that was held by ALBA’s One Team Coaches. Former ALBA center Patrick Femerling, who played for the club over three spells and won a EuroLeague title with FC Barcelona in 2003, was present at the event, as was four-year former EuroLeague guard Heiko Schaffartzik. They both joined in with the activities with the children and were delighted with the work done by One Team.

"It was a lot of fun because the kids had a lot of fun," commented Heiko Schaffartzik. "The only reason why the kids could have fun is because the court exists. Without the court, the kids wouldn't be able to have this experience. Patrick Femerling is here and the EuroLeague is here. Next week they will not be, but the court will still be here, so they can still have fun and play by themselves. They're very enthusiastic kids here, they're really competitive and they really enjoy playing basketball, so this is a fantastic thing for the community."

This is the third straight year in which One Team and BKT have gone hand in hand to refurbish a court and help the community as a result, having improved the Kypseli court in Athens and given children there a new home where they can play basketball and have fun with friends. Also, in the 2021-22 season, the partnership between One Team and BKT saw the refurbishment of two courts at the TEB Atasehir Anatolian High School, the social partner of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul for that season.

In addition to giving back to Berlin by helping to take this basketball court to another level, One Team is also putting on a session featuring Final Four players at Kraftwerk on Saturday and Sunday, which will feature some of the biggest names at the Final Four, along with the participation of the Final Four Ambassadors.

One of the best parts about Final Four weekend – apart from the basketball on the court – is when the players from the four clubs come along to enjoy a One Team session. This year, that took place at the FanZone on Saturday morning, with plenty of fans also present to see some of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s biggest stars join forces with the One Team participants from ALBA Berlin.

Final Four stars thrilled One Team participants at the FanZone

One of the best parts about Final Four weekend – apart from the basketball on the court – is when the players from the four clubs come along to enjoy a One Team session. This year, that took place at the FanZone on Saturday morning, with plenty of fans also present to see some of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s biggest stars join forces with the One Team participants from ALBA Berlin.

Enjoying the activities were Juancho Hernangomez and Kostas Antetokounmpo from Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, Eli Ndiaye from Real Madrid, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul duo Nigel Hayes-Davis and Georgios Papagiannis, and Olympiacos Piraeus pair Kostas Papanikolaou and Giannoulis Larentzakis.

The players joined ALBA’s One Team participants for some One Team drills that were led by ALBA’s One Team coaches, which instantly brought lots of smiles to everyone’s faces.

“It’s always good to give back and do nice things, to try to be a face, a pillar in the community, an inspiration and try to spread joy,” said Nigel Hayes-Davis. “It’s always good to get out and do something like this. The main goal is to make sure the kids enjoy themselves, and I think they had a good time today. They were playing basketball with people they watch play on TV. Perhaps some of the kids look up to some of us as idols or some of their favorite players, so to be able to get out there and interact with them, take pictures, play games is hopefully an experience that will inspire them and be something that they’ll remember and enjoy.” 

Once all the drills had finished, an exhibition game took place as the Final Four players were split between the two teams, with ALBA’s One Team participants also being split across the two teams. The kids were able to receive passes from their favorite places and try to score, or vice versa. The stuff of dreams!

“I’m really happy that I could take part \[today\],” noted Juancho Hernangomez. “I’ve had a really good year \[assisting with One Team\] with my team, Panathinaikos, and it’s truly an honor for me to help. I’m really glad, really happy. It fills me with joy, I love doing things to help people. Even just being with them in a photo, a video is something great for them. To bring a smile to their faces is the best feeling there is.”

ALBA’s One Team program this season aims to support socially disadvantaged children and young teenagers from the Lisa-Tetzner-Schule elementary school, which is located in a socio-economically challenging area of Berlin.

“You can see how much everyone enjoys it – from the players to the kids,” commented Kostas Papanikolaou. “It’s an amazing thing, it’s an amazing initiative. It started many years ago and still up to this day, it provides a lot of smiles, a lot of good things for everyone. I really, really enjoy being here and participating in these events.”

The One Team program implemented by ALBA is embedded in the club’s nationwide SPORT VERNETZT initiative, a project which seeks to bring the community together and help them develop an excitement for physical activities, as well as use basketball as a tool to focus on teamwork, integration, motivation communication and tolerance.

“It’s incredible that we can help the kids, that they enjoy themselves with us and that they can play with us,” added Eli Ndiaye. “It’s an honor to share this experience with them. The truth is that that it’s great as the kids get to have fun in an incredible way.”

 Members from all four clubs attended on Saturday morning

Euroleague Basketball President Paulius Motiejunas and President Dejan Bodiroga speak to the media in Berlin

**Dejan Bodiroga's, Euroleague Basketball President opening remarks**

Welcome everyone to the EuroLeague Final Four here in Berlin. One of the unique strengths of the EuroLeague is our close relationship with you. We share a passion for basketball and thank you for your hard work in covering our sport. We look forward to answering your questions. But before we start, I’d like to give you some insights into the status of the Euroleague and our plans for the future.

This has been another record-breaking season. We continue to grow in all aspects. We had record attendance. We doubled our digital audience and fan engagement. And we continue to significantly grow our TV audiences globally.

One new addition that has contributed to this growth is the Play-in Showdown. With the Play-In Showdown, a little more than half of the teams in the EuroLeague get to extend their season, with the best six assured of direct advancement to the playoffs. This adds value to both the clubs and our fans. We will continue developing our sports products to ensure a premium experience for everyone.

I’d like to thank the clubs, players, and coaches for their commitment and hard work. The success of the EuroLeague is based on close and respectful cooperation between all our stakeholders. And this season proves that we are stronger and more united than ever.

We are also taking important steps to improve and grow our EuroCup competition. We believe there is a lot of unlocked potential that we will continue to work on and invest in.

For EuroLeague management, this has also been an important season. The transition phase is over and Paulius and I have received the backing and foundation needed to take our organization to the next level.

As we look forward to celebrating the end of this fantastic season with an unforgettable final game, we already have our eyes on the future.

The EuroLeague is a unique sports product. We are a hybrid of the European and American sports models. This structure gives us the possibility to create powerful partnerships that will strengthen our position all over the world.

As previously discussed, we continue to examine investment opportunities and geographic expansion. The interest in the EuroLeague is higher than ever, from commercial entities, host cities, teams, top players, and a global fanbase.

The critical task for us now is to set the right strategy, create a robust structure, and manage all these opportunities with respect for the integrity of our sport and stakeholders. We also continue strengthening our position in the basketball ecosystem while maintaining good and respectful relations.

Ahead of us in the 25th season of the EuroLeague. This is an important milestone that we will use to launch our new plans and initiatives.

To succeed we must be united and loyal to the common vision of becoming a global leader in the sports and entertainment business.

And just as our players enter the court full of courage and dreams of winning, so must we in the management enter our offices. I can assure you that from my side, I am, as always, ready to win!

I’d like to give the word to Paulius before we open the floor for questions. Thank you.

**Paulius Motiejunas, Euroleague Baskeball CEO**

Thank you, Dejan. Hello, everyone. Nothing much to add. Very happy to see you. Hope you still have energy. I hope you get some rest tonight and ready for tomorrow.

I will start probably with the elephant in the room about yesterday. Not the start that we wanted. To give a little bit explanation, I saw you covered it really well. Before opening the doors, you saw that a group of fans tried to storm the arena, which they managed to do, and that's when the whole process stopped to go out of hands and what we expected.

So as you saw, the police got in the way, they got everything under control, but it took time. After that, we postponed the game one time, second time. But I need to say that the main priority for us was the safety of our fans, which we managed to guarantee with the help of security and police and everybody here in Berlin. So not the start that we wanted.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a much easier and much better day and many things to learn for us as a management and we hope we can avoid these things in the future and it will not not be the subject of the Final Four.

#### Q:  About weighting the historic clubs against new markets when planning for the future

Motiejunas: I wish I could lay out the full plan to say simply we keep talking that the league has a lot more potential. When I was in a club, I kept hearing this and I want to see what's that potential and when we talk about investment, we're looking for strategic partner to help us grow and by grow we mean there are ways to grow. You've heard the story so many times. We want Paris we want Berlin we want UK. So these still remain the key markets we want to grow in. We have potential from the Middle East that we are trying to untap. So we want to grow in size of sponsorship, TV deals then new events that we want to include and organize not only the Final Four but something else as well.

So we want to untap that. And in the investment process that we're doing, so it would be two ways. Some investment to help the clubs improve their arenas, improve their revenues from merchandising, catering, whatever individually they need to do. And the other side is that we grow as a league and take more things in-house, which includes digital and other productions, not only the live games, ANGT and junior system. So I don't want to go into the details because this is something that's a work in progress, but these are the key areas.

####  Q: About the cooperation with FIBA

Motiejunas: We signed an agreement. It was the first agreement properly I signed last year. And it was a one-year deal. We stopped for the February windows. The clubs had to have another double week to be able to let the players go for the national competition. We had many talks with FIBA. We still have a meeting in the start of June. So this is a work in progress. The way I look at it, we haven't had such a close relationship for I don't know past 10 years maybe. So we did a step forward. We know what they want. We know what we want from them and we are trying to find a balance and how we grow the product because that's the intention when we sit at one table. We want to grow the product so that you can enjoy, the fans can enjoy and it would be better for basketball. So it's a work in progress. We are optimistic. We're happy to continue talking. And obviously, like I said, improving the product for the fans is the key thing we want to achieve.

Bodiroga: After so many years, we had in the last year, I think, seven or eight meetings together, and we want to find the best solution for both sides. The relation is very good with them, but from the other side, we want to protect also our shareholders, and we want to try to find the best solution for all.

#### Q: About 20-year licenses and potential club stagnation

 Motiejunas: You know me. We will not leave the teams alone. The league improves only if the teams improve. We mentioned this 20-year period only to have stability and to have certainty that we are sticking together. Like Dejan said, unity is the key issue between the clubs, but improvement is the mission of the management. So we need to improve as a league. We will improve, we will change as league management. And the clubs will have to follow and I'm sure they will follow because it's not in our interest. It's an interest on the product. It's an interest to, like I mentioned, for them to be making more revenues. So it's not to get them and say, okay, now you're here and enjoy the show. No, we have to row this boat together with the clubs and the management. And this is what we will do.

#### Q: About moving from Final Four to series

Motiejunas: We read the news. We know there is a lot of discussion. We like the model that we can come to different cities. We like the model that we see a sea of red, a sea of green, and something that we cannot get if we play at the same places that we are. So the EuroLeague Final Four is the tip of the iceberg. It's the cherry on the cake that we have. We love the product. We don't want to change. And I know there's a lot of discussion about the competition, but if we take the playoffs, Fenerbahce won, fifth game, so last game, after overtime, by 1 point. Olympiacos won the fifth game by 4 points. So we can continue to give them best of 11. But it will still be decided by the last game. But this is the beauty of EuroLeague. That's why we do it. So we really believe that with the Final Four, we can get the chance for different cities that would normally not have a chance to have even the ones who don't have the teams can have this wonderful event. So it's something that we don't want to change.

####  Q: About the police dogs near the benches on Friday

Motiejunas: We are aware of the situation that you are talking about. It's something that we discussed today and it will not happen tomorrow. Again, it was the reaction for the safety after what happened in the first place. Sometimes it's an overreaction. I wish we had overreacted at the beginning, so maybe it would not have been the situation that we were in with all the delays. But it will not happen tomorrow. 

#### Q:  About finalizing EuroLeague team lineup earlier in the year

Motiejunas: I wore the hat of the club for many years and this is what we are talking and we understand that this is the situation that is not favorable to the clubs. This uncertainty is definitely not good for the clubs because of it. They don't know how to talk to the sponsors, they don't know how to talk to the players, they don't know how to do the ticket sales. Next year, unfortunately, we will not change things. It will still be a one-year license to these clubs. But we are looking at the opportunity to have longer wildcards, let's say, not for one year, but maybe three to five years, which could bring some stability to the clubs that need to invest and grow.

#### Q:  About young players developing in Europe and clubs not benefitting from the investment

Motiejunas: The second question, it's FIBA, it's NBA. What is happening now in the sport. It's completely turning upside down. You see what the NCAA is doing and how they are changing with the salaries. Again, I know the salaries that the players make because I've been in this business and what they're offering now is completely nuts and it breaks the market and there's no motivation for the clubs to keep growing the young players.

But this is something on the table with FIBA as well. It's not easy to find a solution. NBA and NCAA, we all have to find a way. But I would say now it's like a Wild West trying to understand who wins and which direction it goes. I don't think it's really good for the young players to get these salaries and this money at the age of 18, it's always a risk. Only the really strong emotionally guys can handle this popularity and all this money and everything. So I hope the storm will go out and we will try to figure out how we keep growing really good European young players.

#### Q: About the possible relationship with Dubai

 Motiejunas: Dubai, we just read that they're going to play ABA League next season. We've been in touch, we are in touch, but everything is currently on hold. Because like Dejan mentioned, we're looking for investors, we're trying to make our own way of defining the future for the league with licenses, with investors and so on. It's more or less our issue as a league, so we continue to talk to them. We really value Mr Abdullah Al-Naboodah, who came with the proposal and the people around him. There's no certainty now for next season, but for sure we want to keep talking and analyzing this opportunity. 

#### Q: What’s next to intrigue the fans?

 Bodiroga: Like we mentioned before, I think that this Play-In brings something. What we have is positive feedback also from the clubs, fans and I think for the next years we will not change, we will not do something new. I think that in the next 3-4 years we will continue to stay with this Play-In. But we are also looking to maybe introduce in the future or we expand maybe some other competition. We will talk about this then. For the moment we will keep this, for the next seasons.

#### Q: About the viewership in the USA on ESPN

Alex Ferrer: We started last season with the playoffs very late. They have been broadcasting all the games this season as well. The numbers will come at the end of the season, so we still don’t have. We know it's been working better and better as the season progressed and people have noticed that the EuroLeague was there. We have one more year with ESPN, but still there's a lot more we have to do. ESPN is a great brand and it's great to have our games there. They have a huge basketball fan base, but there's a lot of work we have to do to promote the games and to promote our stories there beyond just having the games live on ESPN, where there's another thousand live events every week. We are figuring out what we can do in that regard to better promote that and lead people to watch. There's many more and more people watching, not only ESPN, but all the content that we produce around these games. You know that many times some of the content that has gone out has become viral and a lot of people from the States, more players are watching and it caught the attention of a lot of people. We just need to amplify that and make sure we accelerate that growth.

#### Q: About potential merger between EuroCup and BCL

Motiejunas: This is also on the table with FIBA. I don't see a quick solution. I'm not saying we want to take a long time to do it, but the thing that we agree is it's too many competitions, international competitions. That's what we agree on. How do we get them to work together? This is the next step. Honestly, I don't believe it will be solved in the next meeting that we have that I mentioned to you, but it's work in progress and it's, like I said, it's on the table of discussions.

#### Q: About hosting a Final Four in Athens

Motiejunas: We're really happy because finally the clubs have the arena so it's a huge boost. We really believed when I said about the investors that we could send part of the money to make this upgrade much faster. There were no talks but maybe after you post something. We can get in touch with the government and approach and have a discussion. Happy to do it, lovely place would love to move the Final Four there.

#### Q: About finance reality of EuroLeague clubs

Motiejunas: It's a good question. We're working on it and when I say working on it, we already have a full project presented to the clubs and discussed with the clubs. As you know, we had implemented the percentage that the owners are allowed to put in, let's put it this way, and the percentage is going down. So this is still in progress and we are still monetizing on it and controlling it. But the second step is that it's not only the top clubs have to go down and will have a luxury tax like let's say copy NBA. It will not be called luxury tax, but if you overspend you will have to pay out a compensation to the other clubs. So that's one and the other with the bottom clubs also have to invest more. So this is this is the project we are working on and we put everything on hold because we want to discuss this with investors. But I would say it's difficult to imagine that we will start to implement and approve it this year. But for next year, season 2025-26, I would like to push the go button that we start following it. Because clearly our goal is the same. We don't want to risk. We love that the owners are so passionate and they continue to invest, but we want these brands to continue even if they are tired of investing themselves. Sustainability is the future of the league for sure.

#### Q: Is an All-Star game being considered?

Motiejunas: Yeah, an All-Star game, a cup, pre-season tournaments, maybe a regular season game somewhere not in the European market. All these are on the table. And we're doing the calculations. Again, I'm not a big fan of the all-star games, but if it helps the fans, if it helps the product, we for sure would analyze and do it.

#### Q: Why do you think Spanish fans fill arenas in Spain, but don’t come to the Final Four?

Bodiroga: It's a good question. From what I've seen in recent years, I think there is a very good atmosphere in pavilions in Madrid and Barcelona. But I think that in the last few years more and more fans have come from Spain. And we believe that we will see them in the future as well. So I think that it is also a process. And I think that in the future we will be able to see more fans. But I think that this number has grown a lot compared to the last years.

#### Q:  About a license for Virtus Bologna 

Motiejunas: We should look at it as short term and long term. So as mentioned short term, we have to decide. We have five clubs and we have Paris, who want to kick out one of the clubs. And this is for one year. After that, of course, we are looking at, like I explained, maybe a longer wildcard. We are not analyzing now to have more fixed places, more shareholders. The model of three-to-five year wildcards is more appropriate to monetize and to keep us growing. This is the idea that we are sharing with the clubs. And regarding Virtus, we had a meeting, I saw the full project of the arena. Amazing what they're trying to do. Great ownership behind, great people running the club. So it's really, it's proving to be a EuroLeague level club and they deserve a chance to continue. Saying that, so do the other four clubs that I mentioned.

##### Q: About reducing the number of EuroLeague games to improve the product

Motiejunas: We need to get a beer and talk about it. It's quite a long discussion. Listen, I ran the club for almost 16 years. If you ask me, it's so easy to sell out the arena for EuroLeague games. It's so difficult to sell out the arena for domestic league games. So the question is, how do we get the fans to enjoy the best basketball? EuroLeague is the number two league of basketball in the world. Our goal is not to make less games. Our goal is to make more games because that's where the best product is. That's where the fans come to see and that's why the clubs are doing it. So I cannot address domestic leagues. I cannot address windows because this is something that we are trying to solve. But as a league, we are the best product. I'm saying it so confidently because I know we are the best product in Europe and there's no way we're going to back down and say we want less games. This is not economically good for the clubs, like I said, for the ticket sales, for the sponsorships and not good for us as a league. We want to play more. We want to have more competitions. 

#### Q:  Do you know the EuroLeague teams for next year?

Motiejunas: No. We decided that, again, as always, beginning of July, we will approve. We are meeting all the clubs. And it's clear. It's two Serbian, Virtus, Valencia, ALBA. Sadly, somebody will have to go if Paris comes in, when Paris comes in. So it's easy as that. You all know this. There's no decision. We're getting the information. We're talking to all the clubs. I can say clearly it's sad that we have to take this decision because all the teams are worthy to play in EuroLeague, but Paris is something that we always wanted and they're ready and they earned the chance, so it is what it is and it will be a hard decision for the clubs to make because this is what we will present and they will have to vote.

#### Q: About encouraging clubs to play younger players more

 Motiejunas: These are the million dollar questions. I wish I would have the answer. Easy would be if they stop paying in the NBA, stop paying in NCAA, lower the salaries in Japan. Australia would take a timeout and then everybody stays and we’re happy. I don't know if it's possible, but I see this direction. Sorry, I cannot answer in a more smart way. It's quite a problem. I know everybody is trying to solve, but I don't have a magic recipe that would help.

#### Q: About the report that Paris is struggling to raise the minimum budget for the EuroLeague

Motiejunas: We're in talks with David Kahn, trying to help discussing everything 

Alex Ferrer: The minimum budget is 7 million. That applies to all clubs.

#### Q: Why aren’t more young players getting minutes with big clubs?

 Bodiroga: Thank you for remembering these moments. Yes, I was, in that time, 92, it was my first season in Italian championship, it was very strong and also I, in that time, played Korac Cup. And, yeah, in that time I had as the coach Bogdan Tanjevic, who was also a great coach, but who always had courage to give to young players and to believe in young players. In the recent years, I saw also example, maybe because of some coaches and some clubs, because of pressure, they don't have courage to put young players and to give them more minutes in the court. Also we have example of Doncic, how Madrid and Pablo Lasso did with him and Doncic made great with 18 years. And after he got to the NBA; he has an amazing career.

I think that if somebody has talent and quality, I think they need a coach and a club that can support this idea. And for sure, I think this will also be a benefit for the clubs, because I think also fans want to see young players and quality players. We have, you know, this example, as I mentioned, that Doncic, and I think sometimes before we had more courage in Europe to put young players, and I think that now, you know, I think that we have a lot of quality in Europe and they need and deserve the minutes in the court.

#### Q: What's the criteria to define what teams make it to the EuroLeague?

Motiejunas: The criteria is simple. We run the league, we want to make as much financial contribution to the clubs. That's how we present to the clubs. So, key is the markets, key is the TV deals, key is the sponsorship, key is obviously the arenas and the spectators that they bring and the attention that we get. So these are the criteria that we will present to the clubs.

#### Q: About presenting detailed budgets for the league

Motiejunas: You mean us as a league? That's a good idea. Not next season, but the season after that. Let's try it.

#### Q: About plans to improve customer experience

Motiejunas: Like I said in the previous answers, we will take more in-house. I think previously we trusted a lot on the consultancy and hiring companies to do this stuff that we can do ourselves. So we will open that and grow in the team. Me as a CEO, I'm nobody without the team behind me. So me and Dejan can look nice and still we cannot solve all the issues because we're not the experts. We're working on the team, analyzing the team, improving the team. We will grow, like I said, we will grow all together, we will grow separately. That's why I'm here. That's what I did in the club. That's the kind of management system I believe in and I will try to implement it in EuroLeague. I hope you will see the good results in the near future. I wish it would happen faster. It's quite different running the league than running the club. So I'm also trying to smell and see, sadly, but learn from the incidents like yesterday with my own skin. So that's the long answer.

#### Q: About losing players to the NBA

Bodiroga: I think that at the moment, as Paulius mentioned before, they can offer not only in the NBA but in other leagues. I think that many players from EuroLeague can go there and play easily. I think that we have in Europe, the players who stay in Europe, they play for and compete for the trophies. And we are, you know, I think in all our clubs. We have very good players that are playing in Europe and some of them, they are back from the States and they give more quality to our league. But I think that in the future, I think the situation will be even better that we can have much more players that stay in Europe.

#### Q: About final between clubs Bodiroga played for

Bodiroga: I think that we’ll have tomorrow a great final. The two teams who in the regular season, Madrid has during the whole season was the first place and incredible continuity. During the whole season Panathinaikos is something that this year made also great season, great playoff and I expect tomorrow a great final. It will be two teams who take first position after regular season and we expect a great game.

Euroleague Basketball President Dejan Bodiroga and CEO Paulius Motiejunas speak to the media in Berlin

Have you ever wanted to know what it feels like to really be part of the action of a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four game? 

Well, feast your eyes and ears on what a revolutionary MindFly AI ultralight-powered bodycam embedded in the referee's jersey sees and hears! 

 See the second semifinal from inside the court! 

Have you ever wanted to know what it feels like to really be part of the action of a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four game?

Well, feast your eyes and ears on what a revolutionary MindFly AI ultralight-powered bodycam embedded in the referee's jersey sees and hears!

Game officials Streten Radovic and Damir Javor wore MindFly's POV Cam during the second semifinal between Real Madrid and Olympiacos Pireaus on Friday at Uber Arena in Berlin.

Now, you can not only watch the game action from closer than ever through the cameras in their jerseys but also hear them speaking with the players, coaches and each other during the game. It's a fascinating look at the professionalism that is at the very heart of the EuroLeague game experience.

Euroleague Basketball and MindFly started their collaboration during the last Final Four held in Kaunas, where all fans had the possibility to re-live some of the best moments of the EuroLeague's final phase as if they were inside the court. This season's debut of the same technology let fans experience *El Clásico* between [Real Madrid and FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/experience-el-clasico-like-never-before/) and since then a true winning streak of derby rivalries: [AS Monaco and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/go-right-on-court-with-monaco-and-asvel/) in France, [Virtus Segafredo Bologna and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/join-virtus-bologna-olimpia-milano-on-the-floor-euroleague-derby-ditalia/) in Italy, [Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahce Beko](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/mindfly-referee-cams-went-inside-the-istanbul-derby/) in Turkey, [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/go-inside-the-belgrade-derby-with-mindflys-referee-cams/) in Serbia, and Panathinakos and Olympiacos Piraues in Greece.

Go inside the court on the first night of the Final Four with the POV CAM from MindFly!

See the second semifinal from inside the court!

Real Madrid v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-05-24T19:00:00.000Z)

The Real Madrid' star spent half a season under Panathianikos's head coach at Anadolu Efes in 2021. And it did not go well 

Recalling when Ataman coached Dzanan Musa at Efes

In 2021, Anadolu Efes Istanbul signed a young and talented [Dzanan Musa ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/)to play under head coach Ergin Ataman. Efes managed to lift the EuroLeague trophy at the end of that season but Musa saw very limited playing time, appearing in less than 12 total minutes over four EuroLeague games with nary a moment on court in the postseason. 

Three years later, Musa and Coach Ataman will be on opposite sides when Real Madrid and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens take the floor to play the 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game.

When Musa left Efes, many thought his career had reached a dead end despite a promising start in which he was considered one of the top prospects in European basketball. Musa became the youngest player ever to win the EuroCup Rising Star award in the 2017-18 season when he played for Cedevita Zagreb. However, playing sparingly over a season and a half with Brooklyn in the NBA and then with Efes, his prospects had diminished. 

"I said it many times. I came in the middle of the season and I couldn't expect to play as much, but you know my character, you know Ergin's character, so we had some words at the practices and outside of practice. But it is all respect from me to Ergin. They won... I mean, we won the title that year in EuroLeague so that is something you have to respect," Musa said at the Official Championship Game Press Conference, in which he still struggled to feel identified with Efes in 2020-21, using 'they' instead of 'we'. "They went back-to-back and he did an amazing job, so you have to respect that, and I learned a lot from him, Vasa \[Micic\], Shane \[Larkin\]. They helped me a lot to be in this position that I am right now."

Dzanan Musa at press confreence

Things changed for Musa changed very quickly when he left Istanbul. He signed with Spanish side Rio Breogan and had a breakout season, earning 2021-22 Spanish League MVP honors. Full of confidence again, Musa joined Real Madrid and was chosen to the 2022-23 EuroLeague First Team after averaging 14.8 points and a PIR of 15.9 in 41 games and conquering the EuroLeague title. This season, he broke the club's single-game scoring record in the 21st century, scoring 40 points in an instant-classic, four-overtime victory against Efes.

Even though Ataman led Efes to its first EuroLeague title that season, he has regrets about not giving Musa more playing time and hopes that is not in the back of his mind when the teams fight for the EuroLeague title on Sunday.

"Sometimes, as a coach, you make some mistakes. That season, OK, we won the EuroLeague. Dzanan came in the middle of the season, it was his first year after the NBA and unfortunately, I didn't give him a lot of time. It was bad for me and for Efes that we lost him and he went to Spain, and now he is one of the stars in Real Madrid, but I hope that tomorrow, on the court, he won't take the revenge for this!"

People laughed, but Musa could not resist answering.

"We will see about it" 

More Dzanan Musa news

The Real Madrid' star spent half a season under Panathinaikos's head coach at Anadolu Efes in 2021. And it did not go well 

These teams have played a number of memorable games in recent seasons with Olympiacos taking a five-game playoff series last season and Fenerbahce triumphing over the Reds in the 2017 championship game.

Controlling the pace figures to be a key point as the teams have very different styles. Olympiacos favors a grind-it-out defensive game, while Fenerbahce has been making three-pointers this season at a record pace. They split their two regular-season meetings, with each team winning a nail-biter at home. Which style will prevail in the third-place game?

[Olympiacos Stats ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/statistics/oly/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)| [Fenerbahce Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/statistics/ulk/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Game Videos

A heavyweight finale to the regular season sees Olympiacos battling to realise their top-four ambitions with a visit from a Fenerbahce team that can no longer fight for that prize. The Reds boast the league's best defensive record, (74.8 ppg allowed), yet the guests leads in three-point accuracy (39.5%)

Olympiacos Piraeus-Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | Round 34 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Game News

Olympiacos meets Fenerbahce for third place

After falling short in Friday’s semifinals, Olympiacos Piraeus and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul will look to close out their season with a victory in the third-place game. Both teams are 0-2 in third place games this century.

Olympiacos, Fenerbahce seek to end season on winning note

Olympiacos Piraeus v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-05-26T15:00:00.000Z)

For the first time since the current competition format was introduced in 2016, the top two teams from the regular season will meet in the championship game. Real Madrid topped the standings all seasons after winning its first 10 games and finished with a 27-7 mark while Panathinaikos soared late to place second at 23-11.

Top two teams, Real Madrid and Panathinaikos, meet for the crown

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/real-madrid-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2023/333/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en//news/tae2324-ff-final-game-facts-mad-pan) | [Notes ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-ff-final-game-notes-mad-pan)| [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-ff-final-prequotes-mad-pan)

Though the teams split their regular-season clashes, with each side winning on the road, Los Blancos had owned the Greens before that, winning 16 of 17 games between them. Of course, this Panathinaikos squad is much different from the squads that Real feasted on.

Among a handful of interesting potential matchups in this game will be between French national team centers Vincent Poirier of Real Madrid and Mathias Lessort of Panathinaikos. There are also the Argentinian playmakers, Facu Campazzo of Real and Luca Vildoza of Panathinaikos, who were teammates last season at Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. Real’s top scorer, Mario Hezonja, played for Panathinaikos in 2020-21 and Panathinaikos forward Juancho Hernangomez claimed a handful of medals with the Spanish national team alongside Sergio Rodriguez, Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Llull.

[Real Madrid Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/statistics/mad/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Panathinaikos Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/statistics/pan/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Panathinaikos' Jerian Grant has a key role to play for the Greek giants in breaking the rhythm of Real playmaker Facu Campazzo as his team looks to reaffirm top-spot, while we can also look forward to an all-action duel between explosive big men as Guerschon Yabusele goes up against Mathias Lessort.

Real Madrid-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | Round 27 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

The drama builds for Real Madrid-Panathinaikos

The Crossover live with Joe Arlauckas and special guests 

After the thrilling semifinals, Joe Arlauckas sits down again for a live episode of The Crossover with Coach Panagiotis Giannakis, former champ David Rivers and BEIN Sports' presenter Ismail Senol to analyze to review Friday's action and analyze what can we expect from the championship game.