Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Madrid is set to host two global sports superstars on April 16, as Luka Doncic and Novak Djokovic are expected to attend the EuroLeague regular season clash between Real Madrid and Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, sources tell BasketNews. The game carries significant implications, with Real Madrid pushing for a top-two seed while Crvena Zvezda aiming to break into the top six for direct playoff qualification. Both global sports stars have strong ties to European basketball.
Marc Stein: The Lakers’ Luka Dončić, I’m told, is scheduled to rejoin the team in Los Angeles on Friday in advance of the Lakers’ first-round series against Houston after his recent trip to Madrid for treatment of his Grade 2 hamstring strain.
After injuring his hamstring, Luka Dončić boarded a plane and traveled to Europe. There were hints as to where he would go. There was talk of Switzerland, Germany, and even Slovenia, but it quickly became clear that Luka traveled to Spain. And that he embarked on special stem cell therapies under the watchful eye of Spanish doctor Javier Barrio, who works for Luka's former club, Real Madrid. According to our unofficial but reliable information, Dončić has already completed the first series of therapies. And immediately after them he went to Ljubljana. Why, probably there is no need to explain. We all know what personal matters he has here, he came to Slovenia to visit his two daughters, whom he has not seen for several months. It is clear that Dončić also received the blessing of the Los Angeles Lakers, who of course support Luka in every decision he makes. From going to Madrid for treatment, to traveling to Slovenia for a short time in between two series of therapies.
Hugo Gonzalez: “In the end, I’ve been playing in Madrid since I was about 10 years old, more or less, and playing somewhere that isn’t Madrid right now is something new for me. It’s true that I can say that the Celtics, in this case, are treating me in a way that makes me feel at home, and the truth is that so far the adjustment has been quite quick and they’re making it much easier for me, but it still feels strange not to be playing in white right now.”
Silver wants to put new teams in London, Paris, Rome, and Manchester, England, backed by soccer giants and the biggest investment funds in the world (the Saudi PIF has expressed interest). Existing clubs with similar financial backing are being targeted in Barcelona and Madrid, in Milan, in Athens and Istanbul, Berlin and Munich, and Lyon, France. If Silver is (and in all likelihood, he will be) successful in bringing this new league on line, current NBA players said, overwhelmingly, they would consider, some day, playing in NBA Europe. “Yeah, it would interest me a little bit. I think that’s pretty cool,” said Charlotte rookie and Rising Star Kon Knueppel.
Advertisement
Yabusele has a special affection for the Spanish club, as he made a name for himself in Madrid, helping the club win the EuroLeague in 2023. "Madrid is going to be, to be honest, I'm going to tell you, one of the first teams that we're going to have the conversation first to try to see how it's going to be," Yabusele revealed. "I'm not closing my door on anything else, but you know, my house is in Madrid." "I consider myself like somebody who lives there all the time and goes back in the summer. That would be special to be back there," the Knicks forward said.
Kenny Atkinson, whose wife is from Seville and holds a Spanish passport, also played for Real Canoe NC in Madrid, Vino de Toro Zamora, and Calpe Aguas de Valencia. The American also mentioned Fernando Marchante, a renowned coach in Spanish basketball. “I played for Vino de Toro in Zamora, and that was most of my time with Fernando Marchante , who is a great coach. All NBA coaches learn from Pedro. I see him; his teams are always innovative. He's had a huge influence on basketball globally. A great, great coach. I still watch his teams play, and I have a lot of respect for him as a coach,” Atkinson said about the current Valencia Basket coach , eager to speak despite the Cavaliers' loss to the Raptors (110-99), a team hampered by injuries.
Two of the potential participants are Real Madrid and Barcelona . "The fact that they're considering playing in this competition is a significant boost," commented the Madrid native. Both clubs are currently competing in the EuroLeague , which, despite its differences and nuances, has a model quite similar to that of the NBA : 13 owners and several participants with annual or multi-year licenses. The EuroCup champion also has a place in it.
Paris, London, Manchester, and Berlin have hosted—or will host—NBA regular-season games. Another major European city, Madrid, might be joining that list in the future. Spain's capital, considered for a potential NBA Europe project, is home to the iconic Bernabeu Stadium, which was recently renamed after Real Madrid dropped "Santiago" from its venue's name for marketing and corporate purposes.
NBA Europe managing director George Aivazoglou confirmed that the project will launch in October 2027, adding that teams from Rome, Milan (Italy), London, Manchester (United Kingdom), Paris, Lyon (France), Madrid, Barcelona (Spain), Berlin, Munich (Germany), one team from Athens (Greece) and Istanbul (Turkiye) will be playing in the competition.
Advertisement
Jose Saenz de Tejada: Which player are you most looking forward to playing against? Hugo Gonzalez: Well, let's see, for what it means to Madrid, for any youth player, Luka Doncic, for sure. Yesterday, Derrick White played an incredible game, and the one thing that stands out most about him is his tempo control and how intelligent he is. He's one of the best in the league. Luka is another of the best in the league, if not the best at that kind of thing. I mean, seeing how he's able to create his space, with his physical tools, I want to see that and see how incredible it is to see him live.
Real Madrid suffered a setback on the road, falling to Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 90-75. After the game, Madrid's head coach Sergio Scariolo shared his thoughts on the NBA Europe project and the potential for collaboration between European basketball and the NBA. “We don’t have enough information. The NBA is an extremely serious and successful organization. European basketball cannot afford to be stubborn or have a superiority complex — especially when it comes to organization, marketing, business, and media rights. From that standpoint, there’s a lot to learn,” Scariolo said in a post-game conference.
In a recent interview with Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal, Doncic reflected on the possibility of ending his career in Madrid. “To play with Real Madrid, you have to be so good,” he said, before adding without hesitation when asked directly, “For sure. They raised me.”
The first of two friendly games between Spain and Germany, taking place in Madrid, had the guests come out on top 106-105 in crazy OT fashion. The rematch is in two days in Cologne, Germany. Dennis Schroder led Alex Mumbru against his national team, finishing with 24 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds in the reigning World champions’ fourth victory on the road to FIBA EuroBasket 2025. Moreover, Franz Wagner added 19 points and 7 assists.