Jorge Garbajosa on Dubai team in EuroLeague: 'It doesn't make too much sense' / News - Basketnews.com

FIBA Europe president Jorge Garbajosa doesn't support the idea of the Dubai club joining the EuroLeague, claiming it would go against the essential principle that teams only the clubs from Europe compete in the EuroLeague.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

FIBA Europe president Jorge Garbajosa held a meeting with European basketball media to discuss various topics.

One of them was the potential arrival of the Dubai team to the EuroLeague. As a European basketball executive, Garbajosa admitted that he's not impressed with such an idea.

"The key word is 'rumors,'" Garbajosa began. "I cannot see any type of proposal or agreement or anything. As a president of FIBA Europe, I don't like [the fact] that the team from the other continent [might] come to our continent competition. It's the EuroLeague. In principle, it makes no sense for me."

"Then, if it eventually happens, we have to see how this new scenario in Europe will affect the troubles of trips of the players and clubs. How will it impact the finals of the clubs and the rest of the clubs in Europe?

Credit EuroLeague

Honestly, I don't want to get [involved] too much on that because I don't know the proposal, if there's a proposal of the contract [from Dubai]. But again, and totally open, I don't like this, especially in Europe.

The [competition's] name is EuroLeague. So, if we bring clubs from the Middle East or Asia, it's a totally different thing. I don't want to be against it, by principle, but I cannot like it.

If this happens, we have to see [what will happen] again. Would this mean that one European club will be out of the competition? Would the EuroLeague have 19 clubs? We don't know that. So, that's why I don't want to get too much on that.

But again, this is a kind of response from our continent. It's normal in a global world. As a European competition, allow me to say that for me, it doesn't make too much sense," Garbajosa concluded on the matter.

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