Final Four arrivals: injured Bertomeu, airport privilege and shocking news / News - Basketnews.com

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EuroLeague Final Four participants are finally here in Belgrade. BasketNews share the most thrilling moments of team arrivals on Tuesday night.

"We've arrived in a thunderstorm. We will depart with the cup in a thunderstorm," Ergin Ataman threw another bold statement entering the hotel in Belgrade that hosts all Final Four participants.

Ataman, who had his son Sarp in the hotel next to him, was more reserved giving an interview to EuroLeague TV.

"Now it's time to be calm. So far, we played great, and I made great announcements," Ataman smiled. "Four, three, now two, but we have to think about Olympiacos now with all the respect."

That was unusual welcoming weather for EuroLeague guests this week.

Before team arrivals, the real feel temperature in Belgrade was close to 30°C. It might be as hot as 31°C on Saturday, the final day.

EuroLeague arranged busses that took all four teams to hotels straight from the airport gangway to make team arrivals smooth.

Olympiacos were the first who checked in at the hotel.

Greeks will have the largest fanbase here in Belgrade, with up to 10,000 red fans coming to support them.

"That's why it's special to play for Olympiacos," Thomas Walkup smiled.

Crvena Zvezda football club is expected to secure the domestic championship on Saturday, so locals are preparing for a crazy weekend with Reds fans flooding Belgrade streets since both clubs share mutual support.

But former Crvena Zvezda player Vasilije Micic hopes neutral Serbian fans will cheer for Anadolu Efes' in the first semifinal clash against Olympiacos.

"If people from Serbia bought tickets, I hope they will appreciate my effort in the national team. I hope they will give us an extra boost with our fans, too," Micic told BasketNews.

Team arrivals were disturbed by the devastating news of Ademola Okulaja passing away at age 46.

The EuroLeague ambassador Patrick Femerling and Bayern Munich general manager Marko Pesic, long-time teammates and friends of Okulaja, were shocked by the news.

There were other EuroLeague legends, including Nikola Vujcic (Maccabi Tel Aviv GM), Ibrahim Kutluay, and Zoran Savic (Partizan Belgrade GM), in the building.

EuroLeague CEO Jordi Bertomeu also arrived at the hotel on Tuesday night. He received a lot of questions about the special boot and crutches.

Real Madrid players were the only ones who came in suits.

That three-hour flight from Madrid should have been challenging, but Pablo Laso's team stood out with this classy outfit.

Barcelona was last to check-in at Crowne Plaza.

It took us almost one hour to bring all six Lithuanians from the Barcelona squad for one picture, but it was worth it.

Teams arrived, and the real action will start on Wednesday, with official press conferences for the award winners and the final four participants taking the stage at Stark Arena.

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