Paulius Motiejunas, CEO of the EuroLeague, gave a very long interview to the microphones of L’Equipe to talk about the NBA Europe project after Adam Silver’s press conference and the growth of European basketball. Below is an excerpt of what he had to say.
Motiejunas on Adam Silver’s press conference: “No, I don’t think it was a declaration of war. The good news, when I listen to what was said, is that everybody seems to agree that European basketball is doing well, that it is growing substantially and that the potential has never been higher. We think it is very positive that the NBA, with the help of FIBA, wants to explore this market even more. We know this territory very well, we have the best fan base, the best teams, the most established culture. We are strong, we are growing every year and we are confident in our product. We will see what comes out of this “exploration” announced in this press conference. At this point, we don’t feel that any clear announcements have been made about what they want to do in the long term”.
On the possibility of finding a solution that brings the parties together: “I think that’s the only way. That’s what we think. When we talk about teams, big names, I can’t imagine this potential championship without us. Can we talk about the ‘best possible product’ without the Euroleague teams, their fans, our markets, the culture, the passion and the history that all of this has carried for decades? For our part, we are always ready to sit down and discuss, to explore together the best solution to offer everyone an even better product than what European basketball currently offers”.
On the EuroLeague’s position regarding the NBA Europe: “Nobody has expressed a desire or said that they are thinking about leaving the league. And certainly not for something that remains so vague today. Of course, when the NBA comes, everyone wants to hear what they have to say, including us. We respect them, they have the best league in the world. But we have renewed with our partner IMG and the clubs are committed. Our DNA, the driving force of basketball, is the fans, the culture, the atmosphere, the history, everything we have in the Euroleague that is incomparable and impossible to duplicate. European basketball is a way of life, an emotion”.
If he fears that the EuroLeague could disappear: “(Laughs, ed.) Don’t expect me to tell you that. I don’t see any risk of extinction. We have a clear plan, full of opportunities to explore”.
The risk of a split, as happened in 2000 with EuroLeague and Supproleague: “In 2015, we experienced something similar with the Champions League, a FIBA competition. There were waves, but we remained the best competition. The worst scenario for European basketball would be that the fans would not understand the system, which league does what, what is the difference. The best scenario would be to create a clear pyramid system that protects European players and hierarchizes all of European basketball, starting from the grassroots and training camps. So that everyone grows and European basketball takes on a new dimension”.
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