Most popular BasketNews stories in 2022 / News - Basketnews.com

Check out the most popular BasketNews articles, videos, and social media posts in 2022!

Credit: BasketNews illustration Credit BasketNews illustration

With 2022 coming to an end, BasketNews wants to share its success with the readers, reviewing the most popular articles, videos, and social media posts.

In all three categories, we highlighted the Top 10 most popular pieces and posts, giving you a little background to each story, so you could remember and relive it once again.

We are saying a huge thanks for your support and the help for our growth, hoping that in 2023 you'll visit BasketNews even more often!

Basketball in 2022: what were the most memorable moments?

10. Messina on scuffle in Milan: 'Hines doesn't get angry like that for no reason'

We begin our list with Ettore Messina's reaction after a scuffle at the end of Olimpia Milan's game against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.

Fenerbahce won the game 71-60, but once the final buzzer sounded, a scuffle broke out at center court, with Fenerbahce'sMarko Guduricand coach Sasha Djordjevic in the spotlight.

Guduric pointed at somebody on Armani's bench again, andKyle Hinespushed his opponent.

It broke out into a massive scuffle. At first, Djordjevic tried to calm down Hines. But later, a 54-year-old Serbian exchanged some words with Sergio Rodriguez.

"I just know Kyle Hines doesn't get angry like that for no reason. But whoever saw it knows what happened, and there's no need to say anything else," Messina said after the game.

9. Untouchables: why Luka, Giannis, Jokic don't talk to media and how it hurts FIBA game

We move on to EuroBasket, where it was incredibly hard to catch up with the brightest competition stars in Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Our Senior Staff Writer Donatas Urbonas shared his experience as a journalist, what it's like to try to get the availability of these players, and why it hurts FIBA basketball.

8. Kobe Bryant was one step away from playing in Turkey: what stopped his move to Besiktas?

Another story from Donatas. This time he reveals how close Kobe Bryant was to moving to Turkey and what prevented the move from materializing.

This article also includes a life-changing game for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Manu Ginobili's deal with Olympiacos. So, check this out and find out about incredible what-ifs in basketball history.

7. Dwight Howard salary in Taiwan revealed

Dwight Howard made a rather unexpected move in November by signing with the Taiwanese league team Taoyuan Leopards.

It didn't take long to find out how much Howard would make there. Unsurprisingly, it grabbed our readers attention.

6. Greece overcomes Spain behind monster Giannis Antetokounmpo's performance

Although it was a friendly game, Giannis Antetokounmpo, with a Greece jersey, always attracts attention.

15,000 fans at OAKA watched Giannis go for 31 points (9/10 2PT, 2/3 3PT, 7/10 FT), 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal in over 20 minutes of play as Greece beat Spain 86-70.

5. Shaquille O'Neal: 'Gorillas in every zoo go crazy when they see me'

This one is quite a surprise for us as well. We can only guess what made people read it more than 20,000 times.

4. The actual reason Nikola Mirotic declined $45M contract offer from Jazz

Everyone remembers that before signing for FC Barcelona, Nikola Mirotic declined a lucrative offer from the Utah Jazz.

In this story, we decided to dig a little bit deeper and see what made Mirotic make such a decision.

3. EuroLeague team budgets 2021-22: three dominant clubs & €35M difference

We begin our Top 3 with EuroLeague team budgets from last season. Unsurprisingly, it got almost 40,000 views, as European basketball fans constantly check their rivals budgets.

Don't worry, the 2022-23 season edition is coming up soon!

2. EuroLeague transfer market 2022: signings and rumors

Throughout the whole summer, we constantly updated EuroLeague rosters and rumours about EuroLeague teams.

You rewarded us with more than 50,000 views, and this edition will definitely be back for the next offseason.

1. Highest paid EuroLeague players: only one star earns more than average NBA player

EuroLeague players salaries top our most-read articles list. This story was close to 100,000 views, despite it being released in November.

Check out how much effort stories like these require, and of course, see which EuroLeague players have the most lucrative contracts.

---

Most watched YouTube videos

We are moving to our YouTube video section. All in all, throughout 2022, you watched our videos 14,331,118 times!

Let's see which ones were the most popular.

10. Giannis gets ejected as Germans eliminate Greece

We start with EuroBasket, where the host Germany created an upset against Greece, eliminating Giannis Antetokounmpo in the quarterfinal.

Giannis was almost unstoppable, but let's remind yourself how dominant Germany was that night.

9. This EuroBasket was something else...

We stay in EuroBasket. This time it's a recap of one of the best EuroBasket tournaments ever.

We had the biggest stars, memorable games, rarely seen incidents, and controversies regarding refereeing. Tune in to relive it once again.

8. Kevin Durant visits EuroLeague Playoffs & Loves it!

The first EuroLeague game Kevin Durant visited. It was Game 4 of the quarterfinal series between AS Monaco and Olympiacos Piraeus.

KD came to Monaco to watch his buddy Mike James, who did not disappoint and forced the crucial Game 5.

Spoiler alert: We'll see more of Kevin Durant soon!

7. That's how you celebrate the upset of EuroBasket 2022

Can you guess who it is? Of course, it's Gianmarco Pozzecco. Italy eliminated Serbia in the Round of 16, and Pozzecco couldn't contain himself.

He hugged Giannis, he tried to enter the court when not allowed, and he couldn't hold his tears. It's Gianmarco Pozzecco we all know and love!

6. Nurkic delivers dunk of the year in 2OT win over France

Jusuf Nurkic sent Rudy Gobert to Louvre, and no, it didn't happen during the EuroBasket. It took place in the FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers.

More than 400 thousand people watched it, but if you haven't seen that, do not think twice. It's exciting, you don't see it often, and most importantly, it won't take much of your time!

5. Why Luka & Giannis Idolize Vassilis Spanoulis

Three-time EuroLeague champion Vassilis Spanoulis has left a legendary mark in the history of European basketball. While his NBA career only lasted a single season, the league's superstars Luka Doncic & Giannis Antetokounmpo have looked up to him since they picked up a basketball. Check out the video on how Spanoulis inspired one of the best European players.

4. Turkey threatens to leave EuroBasket after clashing with Georgia

It was probably the biggest incident throughout the whole EuroBasket. Furkan Korkmaz's conflict with Duda Sanadze went outside the court as Tornike Shengelia and Goga Bitadze followed the Turkish star to the locker room.

Apart from that, there was a controversy with timing. Long story short, it's better to see than read, so tune in a video to check how the events folded.

3. This is what happens when you get Doncic angry…

During the EuroBasket game between Slovenia and France, Luka Doncic got hit in the head, but the referees didn't call a foul.

It was all it needed for Luka to get going. The Slovenian superstar put up the 2nd-highest scoring performance in EuroBasket history by putting 47 points. Just watch this historical performance once again, as the other 719 thousand people did already.

2. KD & Emma Stone witnessed the best basketball atmosphere ever

Remember when we told you that KD will be back? There he is, enjoying the crucial Game 5 between Olympiacos and Monaco, alongside 755 thousand that already watched this video.

All hell broke loose at the end when fans invaded the court to celebrate the Reds' return to a Final Four after five years.

KD, as well as Academy-award-winning actress Emma Stone and director Giorgos Lanthimos, witnessed a rather unusual sight, even by Greek fans' standards.

Durant called it "The apocalypse" on his Twitter account.

"Bring a flare to an NBA game if you want, and you might be in Rikers (jail in New York)," he also added regarding the crazy atmosphere at Peace and Friendship Stadium.

1. Luka keeps flexing on Schroder while making unbelievable plays

Luka Doncic takes the no. 1 spot, racking 845 thousand views! Doncic delivered another masterpiece of a performance, with efficient scoring and jaw-dropping plays, proving that he's unstoppable in both NBA and FIBA basketball.

Doncic has become only the third player to combine 35+ points and 10+ rebounds in a EuroBasket game in the 21st century after Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol.

We are sure you've seen it already, but give it another view, and who knows… Maybe we'll push it to 1 million!

---

Most popular social media posts

Finally, we look at our most popular social media posts.

10. Kerr Kriisa says it's easy to get inside Luka Doncic's head

9. The Istanbul derby gets heated

8. Summary of EuroLeague teams budget

7. Incredible summer for Spanish basketball

6. Vincent Collet's interesting approach to the referee

5. Incredible scenes in the Lithuanian league

4. The first-ever Belgrade derby certainly delivered

3. When Tyler Dorsey channeled his inner Stephen Curry during the EuroBasket (814k interactions)

2. Galatasaray supporters put up a show against Anadolu Efes (825k interactions)

1. Just a trio of the biggest European stars in EuroBasket 2022 (990k interactions)

Thank you for reading us! We have even more content for you.