Elijah Bryant likes to be called world champion, but still thinks EuroLeague is special / News - Basketnews.com

Elijah Bryant explains why he considers himself a world champion. The US forward weighs in on Anadolu Efes' new era with Erdem Can at the helm and Darius Thompson replacing Vasilije Micic. He also explores Ergin Ataman's style and whether it can be successful at Panathinaikos.

Credit: Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images Credit Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images

Over the course of 10 months, Elijah Bryant reached the pinnacle of basketball at the club level.

Elijah Bryant

Team:Anadolu Efes IstanbulPosition:SGAge:28Height:196 cmWeight:95 kgBirth place:Georgia, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

On 20 July 2021, he capped his rookie NBA season with the championship title after the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns 4-2 in the Finals.

On 21 May 2021, he concluded his debut season with Anadolu Efes Istanbul by helping the Turkish team win their second straight EuroLeague title.

"To put a rating on my career while I'm in the middle of it is hard to do," Bryant admitted in a sit-down withBasketNewsbefore the 2023-24 got underway.

"It's hard for me to say because I'm still in it. But when I get down and look back, I'll be super grateful for being able to win an NBA and a EuroLeague championship. Right now, I'm focused on how I can get better," he added.

Bryant is one of only three active EuroLeague players -- along with FC Bayern Munich's Serge Ibaka and AS Monaco's Jordan Loyd -- who have won an NBA championship. Loyd and Ibaka were teammates at the Toronto Raptors team that won the accolade in 2019, but neither of them has lifted a EuroLeague trophy.

Asked to join the discussion on whether the NBA champions should be entitled to call themselves world champions, Bryant said he was informed of the controversy over Noah Lyles' statements.

"I think the NBA champions are the world champions because they're the best players playing in the best league around the world, of all countries," he argued.

Elijah Bryant also talked to BasketNews about Anadolu Efes' new era with Darius Thompson essentially replacing Vasilije Micic and coach Erdem Can stepping in for Ergin Ataman. The NBA and EuroLeague champion explores the two coaches' similarities and differences, weighs in on Ataman's style and whether it can be successful at Panathinaikos.

Bryant also admits that Efes' players experienced a strange situation last season once Ataman's departure was finalized.

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