Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos has accused rival clubs of blocking NBA expansion to protect their privileged status following a EuroLeague meeting in Como.
Writing on social media after the assembly of EuroLeague shareholder teams in Italy, the Greek sports executive claimed opposition to the American league's proposal stemmed from self-interest and fear of exclusion.
Giannakopoulos stated that certain clubs opposed expanding the NBA presence in Europe because they either enjoy favorable treatment under the current EuroLeague setup, know they have no future after being excluded from expansion plans, or both.
Giannakopoulos serves as the chief and owner of Panathinaikos BC, an Athens-based basketball club that stands among the most successful teams in European history with seven EuroLeague titles. The EuroLeague operates as a semi-closed league where major structural decisions and potential commercial partnerships with North America's National Basketball Association are determined by its shareholder clubs.
Opposition to NBA expansion
Despite criticizing the teams resisting the NBA proposal, Giannakopoulos praised the EuroLeague leadership responsible for staging the executive gathering at Lake Como in northern Italy. He congratulated the league's management on organizing the assembly and described the event as being conducted at a top level.
Turning to competition within Europe, Giannakopoulos insisted that Russian side CSKA Moscow must be allowed to return to EuroLeague play. He described the team, historically known as the Red Army club, as a great title contender despite their fiercely competitive rivalry on the court.
CSKA Moscow is an eight-time EuroLeague champion and historically one of the dominant forces in European basketball. Russian clubs have been suspended from EuroLeague competitions since 2022 following Russia's military invasion of Ukraine.
The essence of European basketball
Giannakopoulos emphasized that Real Madrid, Panathinaikos, and CSKA Moscow represent the true essence of European basketball. He maintained that without those three clubs competing together, there can be no genuine champion of Europe.
Real Madrid Basketball, based in Spain, is the most successful club in EuroLeague history with 11 continental championships. Together with Panathinaikos and CSKA Moscow, the three teams have dominated modern European basketball across several decades.
