Euroleague

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See also: EuroLeague Women
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball
Sport Basketball
Founded 1957
Commissioner Jordi Bertomeu
Motto Devotion
No. of teams 24 (group stage)
Country(ies) FIBA Europe members
Continent Europe
Most recent
champion(s)
Flag of Russia CSKA Moscow
TV partner(s) 23 countries
Official website Euroleague.net

The Euroleague (EL) is the highest caliber professional basketball competition in Europe, with teams from thirteen different European countries.

Contents

[edit] European Champions' Cup Teams Divided

The Euroleague (or historically called, the European Champions' Cup) was originally established by FIBA and it operated under its umbrella from 1958 until the summer of 2000, including the 1999/2000 season. That was when ULEB, short for the Union of European Leagues of Basketball, was created by the 24 richest club teams, most of them from Spain, Italy and Greece.

Amazingly, FIBA had never trademarked the Euroleague name and ULEB simply used it without any legal ramifications because FIBA had no legal recourse to do anything about it, so they had to find a new name for their league. Thus, the following 2000/2001 season started with 2 separate top European basketball competitions: the FIBA Suproleague (known previously as the FIBA Euroleague up to that point) and the brand new ULEB Euroleague.

The rift in European club basketball initially showed no signs of letting up. Top clubs were also split between the two leagues: Panathinaikos, Maccabi Tel Aviv, CSKA Moscow and Efes Pilsen stayed with FIBA, while Olympiacos Piraeus, Kinder Bologna, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, TAU Cerámica and Benetton Treviso joined ULEB.

In May of 2001, Europe had two continental champions, Maccabi of the FIBA Suproleague and Kinder Bologna of the ULEB Euroleague. The leaders of both organizations realized the need to come up with a new single competition. Negotiating from the position of strength, ULEB dictated proceedings and FIBA essentially had no choice but to agree to their terms. As a result, the Euroleague was fully integrated under ULEB's umbrella and teams that competed in the FIBA Suproleague during the 2000/2001 season joined it as well.

In essence, the authority in European basketball was divided over club-country lines. FIBA stayed in charge of national team competitions (like the European Championships, World Championships, and the Olympics) while ULEB took over the professional club competitions. From that point on, FIBA's Korac Cup and Saporta Cup competitions lasted only one more season before folding, which was when ULEB launched the ULEB Cup.

[edit] Euroleague Format

The Euroleague is currently contested in four phases.

The first phase is the Regular season, in which 24 teams, divided into three groups of eight, participate. Each team plays two games (home-and-away) against every other team in its group. At the end of the regular season, the field is cut from 24 to 16; the surviving teams are divided into four groups.

The second phase, known as the Top 16, then begins. As in the regular season, each Top 16 group is contested in a double round-robin format.

The third phase, the Quarterfinal round, has been played since the 2004-05 season. Before, only the group winners advanced to the Final Four (see below). Now, the first- and second-place teams from each group advance. In the quarterfinal round, the first-place team from each group is matched against a second-place team from another group in a best-of-three series, with two of the three possible games scheduled at the first-place team's home court.

The Final Four, held at a predetermined site, features the winners of the four quarterfinal series in one-off knockout matches. The semifinal losers play for third place; the winners play for the championship.

The 2008 Final Four was held on May 2-4 at the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid in Madrid.

[edit] Champions 1958-2008

For finals not played on a single match, * precedes the score of the team playing at home.

Year Host City Champion Runner Up 1st match / Final 2nd match 3rd match 4th match 5th match
1957/58
Details
- Flag of the Soviet Union ASK Riga Flag of Bulgaria Akademik Sofia *86-81 84-*71 -
1958/59
Details
- Flag of the Soviet Union ASK Riga Flag of Bulgaria Akademik Sofia *79-58 69-*67 -
1959/60
Details
- Flag of the Soviet Union ASK Riga Flag of the Soviet Union Dinamo Tbilisi 61-*51 *69-62 -
1960/61
Details
- Flag of the Soviet Union CSKA Moscow Flag of the Soviet Union ASK Riga *61-66 87-*62 -
1961/62
Details
Flag of Switzerland Geneva Flag of the Soviet Union Dinamo Tbilisi Flag of Spain Real Madrid 90-83 -
1963/63
Details
- Flag of the Soviet Union CSKA Moscow Flag of Spain Real Madrid 69-*86 *91-74 *99-80 -
1963/64
Details
- Flag of Spain Real Madrid Flag of Czechoslovakia Spartak Brno 99-*110 *84-64 -
1964/65
Details
- Flag of Spain Real Madrid Flag of the Soviet Union CSKA Moscow 81-*88 *76-62 -
Final-Four
1965/66
Details
Flag of Italy Bologna Flag of Italy Simmenthal Milan Flag of Czechoslovakia USK Slavia Prague 77-72 -
1966/67
Details
Flag of Spain Madrid Flag of Spain Real Madrid Flag of Italy Simmenthal Milan 91-83 -
Finals since 1968
1967/68
Details
Flag of France Lyon Flag of Spain Real Madrid Flag of Czechoslovakia Spartak Brno 98-95 -
1968/69
Details
Flag of Spain Barcelona Flag of the Soviet Union CSKA Moscow Flag of Spain Real Madrid 103-99 (2OT) -
1969/70
Details
Flag of Yugoslavia Sarajevo Flag of Italy Ignis Varèse Flag of the Soviet Union CSKA Moscow 79-74 -
1970/71
Details
Flag of Belgium Antwerp Flag of the Soviet Union CSKA Moscow Flag of Italy Ignis Varèse 67-53 -
1971/72
Details
Flag of Israel Tel Aviv Flag of Italy Ignis Varèse Flag of Yugoslavia Jugoplastika Split 70-69 -
1972/73
Details
Flag of Belgium Liège Flag of Italy Ignis Varèse Flag of the Soviet Union CSKA Moscow 71-66 -
1973/74
Details
Flag of France Nantes Flag of Spain Real Madrid Flag of Italy Ignis Varèse 84-82 -
1974/75
Details
Flag of Belgium Antwerp Flag of Italy Ignis Varèse Flag of Spain Real Madrid 79-66 -
1975/76
Details
Flag of Switzerland Geneva Flag of Italy Mobilgirgi Varese Flag of Spain Real Madrid 81-74 -
1976/77
Details
Flag of Yugoslavia Belgrade Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv Flag of Italy Mobilgirgi Varese 78-77 -
1977/78
Details
Flag of Germany Munich Flag of Spain Real Madrid Flag of Italy Mobilgirgi Varese 75-67 -
1978/79
Details
Flag of France Grenoble Flag of Yugoslavia Bosna Sarajevo Flag of Italy Emerson Varese 96-93 -
1979/80
Details
Flag of Germany Berlin Flag of Spain Real Madrid Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv 89-85 -
1980/81
Details
Flag of France Strasbourg Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv Flag of Italy Synudine Bologna 80-79 -
1981/82
Details
Flag of Germany Cologne Flag of Italy Squibb Cantù Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv 86-80 -
1982/83
Details
Flag of France Grenoble Flag of Italy Ford Cantù Flag of Italy Billy Milan 69-68 -
1983/84
Details
Flag of Switzerland Geneva Flag of Italy Banco di Roma Flag of Spain FC Barcelona 79-73 -
1984/85
Details
Flag of Greece Athens Flag of Yugoslavia Cibona Zagreb Flag of Spain Real Madrid 87-78 -
1985/86
Details
Flag of Hungary Budapest Flag of Yugoslavia Cibona Zagreb Flag of the Soviet Union Žalgiris Kaunas 94-82 -
1986/87
Details
Flag of Switzerland Lausanne Flag of Italy Tracer Milan Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv 71-69 -
Final-Four since 1988
1987/88
Details
Flag of Belgium Ghent Flag of Italy Tracer Milan Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv 90-84 -
1988/89
Details
Flag of Germany Munich Flag of Yugoslavia Jugoplastika Split Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv 75-69 -
1989/90
Details
Flag of Spain Zaragoza Flag of Yugoslavia Jugoplastika Split Flag of Spain FC Barcelona 72-67 -
1990/91
Details
Flag of France Paris Flag of Yugoslavia Pop 84 Split Flag of Spain FC Barcelona 70-65 -
1991/92
Details
Flag of Turkey Istanbul Flag of Yugoslavia Partizan Flag of Spain Joventut Badalona 71-70 -
1992/93
Details
Flag of Greece Athens Flag of France CSP Limoges Flag of Italy Benetton Treviso 59-55 -
1993/94
Details
Flag of Israel Tel Aviv Flag of Spain Joventut Badalona Flag of Greece Olympiacos 59-57 -
1994/95
Details
Flag of Spain Zaragoza Flag of Spain Real Madrid Flag of Greece Olympiacos 73-61 -
1995/96
Details
Flag of France Paris Flag of Greece Panathinaikos Flag of Spain FC Barcelona 67-66 -
1996/97
Details
Flag of Italy Rome Flag of Greece Olympiacos Flag of Spain FC Barcelona 73-58 -
1997/98
Details
Flag of Spain Barcelona Flag of Italy Kinder Bologna Flag of Greece AEK Athens 58-44 -
1998/99
Details
Flag of Germany Munich Flag of Lithuania Žalgiris Kaunas Flag of Italy Kinder Bologna 82-74 -
1999/00
Details
Flag of Greece Thessaloniki Flag of Greece Panathinaikos Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv 73-67 -
2000/01
Details
Details*
Flag of France Paris Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv Flag of Greece Panathinaikos 81-67 -
Flag of Italy Bologna
Flag of Spain Vitoria
Flag of Italy Kinder Bologna Flag of Spain Tau Vitoria *68-85 *94-73 80-*60 79-*96 *82-74
2001/02
Details
Flag of Italy Bologna Flag of Greece Panathinaikos Flag of Italy Kinder Bologna 89-83 -
2002/03
Details
Flag of Spain Barcelona Flag of Spain FC Barcelona Flag of Italy Benetton Treviso 76-65 -
2003/04
Details
Flag of Israel Tel Aviv Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv Flag of Italy Skipper Bologna 118-74 -
2004/05
Details
Flag of Russia Moscow Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv Flag of Spain Tau Vitoria 90-78 -
2005/06
Details
Flag of the Czech Republic Prague Flag of Russia CSKA Moscow Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv 73-69 -
2006/07
Details
Flag of Greece Athens Flag of Greece Panathinaikos Flag of Russia CSKA Moscow 93-91 -
2007/08
Details
Flag of Spain Madrid Flag of Russia CSKA Moscow Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv 91-77 -
2008/09
Details
Flag of Germany Berlin - -

*2001 was a transition year, with the best European teams split into two major leagues (Suproleague held by FIBA, Euroleague by ULEB).

[edit] Titles by Team

Team Winners Runners-Up Years Won Years Runner-Up
Flag of Spain Real Madrid
8
6
1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1995 1962, 1963, 1969, 1975, 1976, 1985
Flag of Russia CSKA Moscow
6
4
1961, 1963, 1969, 1971, 2006, 2008 1965, 1970, 1973, 2007
Flag of Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv
5
8
1977, 1981, 2001, 2004, 2005 1980, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2000, 2006, 2008
Flag of Italy Pallacanestro Varese
5
5
1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976 1971, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979
Flag of Greece Panathinaikos
4
1
1996, 2000, 2002, 2007 2001
Flag of Italy Olimpia Milano
3
2
1966, 1987, 1988 1967, 1983
Flag of Latvia ASK Riga
3
1
1958, 1959, 1960 1961
Flag of Croatia KK Split
3
1
1989, 1990, 1991 1972
Flag of Italy Virtus Bologna
2
3
1998, 2001 1981, 1999, 2002
Flag of Italy Pallacanestro Cantù
2
-
1982, 1983 -
Flag of Croatia Cibona Zagreb
2
-
1985, 1986 -
Flag of Spain FC Barcelona
1
5
2003 1984, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997
Flag of Greece Olympiacos Piraeus
1
2
1997 1994, 1995
Flag of Georgia (country) Dinamo Tbilisi
1
1
1962 1960
Flag of Spain Joventut Badalona
1
1
1994 1992
Flag of Lithuania Žalgiris Kaunas
1
1
1999 1986
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosna Sarajevo
1
-
1979 -
Flag of Italy Virtus Roma
1
-
1984 -
Flag of Serbia Partizan Belgrade
1
-
1992 -
Flag of France CSP Limoges
1
-
1993 -
Flag of Bulgaria Academic Sofia
-
2
- 1958, 1959
Flag of the Czech Republic Spartak Brno
-
2
- 1964, 1968
Flag of Italy Benetton Treviso
-
2
- 1993, 2003
Flag of Spain TAU Cerámica
-
2
- 2001, 2005
Flag of the Czech Republic BC Slavia Prague
-
1
- 1966
Flag of Greece AEK Athens
-
1
- 1998
Flag of Italy Fortitudo Bologna
-
1
- 2004

The titles date back to 1958 when the first European Champions' Cup was played.

[edit] Titles by Country

Country Cups
Flag of Italy Italy 13
Flag of Spain Spain 10
Flag of Russia Russia (and as part of Soviet Union) 6
Flag of Greece Greece 5
Flag of Croatia Croatia (and as part of SFR Yugoslavia) 5
Flag of Israel Israel 5
Flag of Latvia Latvia (and as part of Soviet Union) 3
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina (and as part of SFR Yugoslavia) 1
Flag of Georgia (country) Georgia (and as part of Soviet Union) 1
Flag of Serbia Republic of Serbia (and as part of SFR Yugoslavia/FR Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro) 1
Flag of France France 1
Flag of Lithuania Lithuania 1
No longer existing countries Cups
Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union 8
Flag of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia SFR Yugoslavia 6

[edit] Trivia

  • Real Madrid has been the most successful team, having won the competition a record eight times.
  • Panathinaikos is the most successful team since the Final Four system introduction, having won 4 out of 20 Final Fours.
  • During the 1970s, Pallacanestro Varese, then competing under sponsorship names Ignis and later on Mobilgirgi and Emerson, reached all 10 finals. These consecutive final matches (of which it won five) were the only ones ever reached by this club.
  • Athens is the only city, from which three different clubs Panathinaikos, Olympiacos and AEK have participated in Euroleague finals.
  • The highest attendance ever recorded in Euroleague is around 20,000 fans, achieved in a home match of Panathinaikos Athens in OAKA against Benetton Treviso on March 29, 2006, for the second phase of the Euroleague 2005-06. An attendance of 18,900 fans has also been achieved three times in home matches of Panathinaikos, against Efes Pilsen in 2005 and Tau Ceramica (twice) in 2006.
  • Although Israel is located in the Middle East, its teams play in the Euroleague (similar to Israel's national football team and clubs playing for UEFA competitions).
  • In the small area of less than 40 km² in the northern metropolitan area of Milan, there are 3 clubs that have won a total of 10 European Champions' Cups and played a total of 16 finals:
    • Pallacanestro Cantù, which won the Euroleague twice, is the team of the small city of Cantù (only 37,870 inhabitants), located 25 km north of Milan.
    • Pallacanestro Varese, which won 5 Euroleagues, is from the city of Varese (96,917 inhabitants), which is located a few miles west from Cantù and Milan.
    • Olimpia Milano is from the city of Milan itself.
  • Record score for a final game was achieved in the 2004 finals in Tel Aviv, where home club Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Skipper Bologna by a score of 118-74 (44 point difference).

[edit] Awards

[edit] Final Four MVP

[edit] Regular Season MVP

[edit] Top 16 MVP


[edit] All-Euroleague MVP

[edit] Best Defender

[edit] Rising Star

[edit] MVP of the Month

[edit] 2004-05

[edit] 2005-06

[edit] 2006-07

[edit] 2007-08

[edit] All-Euroleague Teams

2000-01 season

FIRST TEAM:

SECOND TEAM:

2001-02 season

FIRST TEAM:

SECOND TEAM:

2002-03 season

FIRST TEAM:

SECOND TEAM:

2003-04 season

FIRST TEAM:

SECOND TEAM:

2004-05 season

FIRST TEAM:

SECOND TEAM:

2005-06 season

FIRST TEAM:

SECOND TEAM:

2006-07 season*

FIRST TEAM:

SECOND TEAM:

*A tie resulted in the voting for the best point guard of the 2006-07 season between Dimitris Diamantidis and Theodoros Papaloukas. Consequently the All-Euroleague First Team included that season six players.

2007-08 season

FIRST TEAM:

SECOND TEAM:

[edit] Statistical Leaders

[edit] Current All Time Leader in Points

[edit] Points Per Game

[edit] Rebounds Per Game

[edit] Assists Per Game

  • 2002-03 Flag of Panama Ed Cota (Zalgiris Kaunas): 6.5
  • 2003-04 Flag of Panama Ed Cota (Zalgiris Kaunas): 5.6

[edit] Steals Per Game

[edit] Blocks Per Game

[edit] Average Index Rating, Full Season Leaders

[edit] Average Index Rating, Regular Season Leaders

[edit] Average Index Rating, Top 16 Leaders

[edit] Individual Performances

Top Scoring Performances (since the beginning of 1991-92 season)

  1. Joe Arlauckas (Real Madrid) 63 points vs. Buckler Bologna (in 1995-96 season)
  2. Michael Young (CSP Limoges) 47 points vs. Benetton Treviso (in 1993-94 season)
  3. Nikos Galis (Aris Thessaloniki) 46 points vs. Philips Milano (in 1991-92 season)
  4. Velimir Perasović (Slobodna Dalmacija Split) 45 points vs. Cibona Zagreb (in 1991-92 season)
  5. Ivica Zuric (Cibona Zagreb) 45 points vs. Buckler Bologna (in 1993-94 season)
  6. Nikos Galis (Aris Thessaloniki) 44 points vs. Joventut Badalona (in 1991-92 season)
  7. Nikos Galis (Aris Thessaloniki) 44 points vs. Commodore Den Helder (in 1991-92 season)
  8. Tony Dawson (Bayer Leverkusen) 43 points vs. Kinder Bologna (in 1996-97 season)
  9. Zdravko Radulovic (Cibona Zagreb) 42 points vs. Olympique d'Antibes (in 1991-92 season)
  10. Zdravko Radulovic (Cibona Zagreb) 42 points vs. Slobodna Dalmacija Split (in 1991-92 season)
  11. Ibrahim Kutluay (Fenerbahce Istanbul) 41 points vs. Cibona Zagreb (in 1998-99 season)
  12. Alphonso Ford (Peristeri Athens) 41 points vs. TAU Ceramica (in 2000-01 season)
  13. Carlton Myers (PAF Bologna) 41 points vs. Real Madrid (in 2000-01 season)
  14. Kaspars Kambala (Efes Pilsen) 41 points vs. FC Barcelona (in 2002-03 season)
  15. Nikos Galis (Aris Thessaloniki) 40 points vs. Estudiantes Madrid (in 1991-92 season)
  16. Zdravko Radulovic (Cibona Zagreb) 40 points vs. Phonola Caserta (in 1991-92 season)
  17. Arijan Komazec (Kinder Bologna) 40 points vs. FC Barcelona (in 1996-97 season)
  18. Vlado Šćepanović (Partizan Belgrade) 40 points vs. Ural Great Perm (in 2001-02 season)
  19. Arvydas Macijauskas (TAU Ceramica) 40 points vs. ASVEL Villeurbanne (in 2003-04 season)
  20. Marc Salyers (Chorale Roanne) 40 points vs. Fenerbahce Ulker (in 2007-08 season)


Triple-Doubles (since the beginning of 1991-92 season)

  1. Vassili Karasev (CSKA Moscow) 21 pts, 10 asts, 10 rebs vs. Olympiacos (in 1994-95 season)
  2. Bill Edwards (PAOK Thessaloniki) 24 pts, 15 rebs, 10 asts vs. Cholet Basket (in 1999-00 season)
  3. Derrick Phelps (Alba Berlin) 12 asts, 11 pts, 10 rebs vs. Iraklis (in 2000-01 Suproleague season)
  4. Nikola Vujčić (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 12 rebs, 11 pts, 11 asts vs. Prokom Trefl (in 2005-06 season)
  5. Nikola Vujčić (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 27 pts, 10 rebs, 10 asts vs. Olimpija Ljubljana (in 2006-07 season)


Almost Triple-Doubles (since the beginning of 1991-92 season)

  1. Darko Pahlic (KK Zadar) 11 pts, 10 asts, 9 rebs vs. Estudiantes Madrid (in 1992-93 season)
  2. Sergei Panov (CSKA Moscow) 16 pts, 11 rebs, 9 asts vs. Benetton Treviso (in 1995-96 season)
  3. Chuck Evans (Bayer Leverkusen) 17 pts, 10 asts, 9 rebs vs. Krka Novo Mesto (in 2000-01 Suproleague season)
  4. Stojan Vranković (PAF Bologna) 15 rebs, 10 blks, 9 pts vs. Cibona Zagreb (in 2000-01 season)
  5. Chris Williams (Frankfurt Skyliners) 30 pts, 11 rebs, 9 stls vs. CSKA Moscow (in 2004-05 season)
  6. Pablo Prigioni (TAU Ceramica) 11 asts, 10 pts, 9 stls vs. SIG Basket Strasbourg (in 2005-06 season)


Top Index Ratings (since the beginning of 2000-01 season)

  1. Tanoka Beard (Zalgiris Kaunas) 63 vs. Skipper Bologna (in 2003-04 season)
  2. Jaka Lakovič (Krka Novo Mesto) 55 vs. Real Madrid (in 2001-02 season)
  3. Dejan Milojević (Partizan Belgrade) 55 vs. Olympiacos (in 2004-05 season)
  4. Marko Popović (Cibona Zagreb) 54 vs. Estudiantes Madrid (in 2004-05 season)
  5. Jaka Lakovič (Panathinaikos Athens) 51 vs. Benetton Treviso (in 2003-04 season)
  6. Arvydas Macijauskas (TAU Ceramica) 50 vs. ASVEL Villeurbanne (in 2003-04 season)
  7. Thomas Van Den Spiegel (Prokom Trefl) 50 vs. VidiVici Bologna (in 2007-08 season)
  8. Andres Nocioni (TAU Ceramica) 48 vs. Benetton Treviso (in 2003-04 season)
  9. Spencer Nelson (GHP Bamberg) 48 vs. Benetton Treviso (in 2005-06 season)
  10. Arvydas Sabonis (Zalgiris Kaunas) 47 vs. Ulker Istanbul (in 2003-04 season)
  11. Anthony Parker (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 47 vs. ASVEL Villeurbanne (in 2004-05 season)
  12. Ruslan Avleev (Ural Great Perm) 47 vs. Telindus Oostende (in 2001-02 season)
  13. Kebu Stewart (Hapoel Jerusalem) 47 vs. Benetton Treviso (in 2000-01 season)

[edit] External links