Last season, the Boston Celtics stood out as the NBA’s best, posting a league-leading 64-18 record in the Eastern Conference and advancing through the playoffs with ease. They eventually swept the Dallas Mavericks in four games to secure the championship. This season, they’ve continued their winning form, taking six of their first seven games. Yet, for some, this still doesn’t seem sufficient.
“Boston Celtics, you are not world champions,” declared Ergin Ataman, head coach of the European champion Panathinaikos, in an interview on the Off the RECourt with Shane Larkin podcast. Ataman downplayed the Celtics’ title, stating, “You are only NBA champions, American champions.”
He then issued a direct challenge: “We are the Euroleague champion. If you want to be world champion, come to play with us. This is a challenge, come. Come to play, then beat us, you can be the world champions.”
NBA vs. EuroLeague
Ataman’s proposal for a showdown isn’t a new idea in basketball. There have long been calls for a tournament that brings together champions from the world’s top leagues, similar to competitions in other sports like soccer.
Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers (2nd-L) fights for a rebound against Fran Vazquez #17 of the Regal FC Barcelona (L), Terence Morris #23 of the Regal FC Barcelona (2nd-R) and Ricky Rubio #9 of the Regal FC Barcelona during the NBA Europe Live match between Los Angeles Lakers and Regal FC Barcelona at the at Palau Blaugrana on October 7, 2010 in Barcelona, Spain.
While such a tournament has yet to materialize, exhibition games between NBA and EuroLeague champions have taken place. Surprisingly, the results are fairly even, with NBA champions holding a narrow 2-1 edge.
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The most recent example came in 2010, when Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers fell 92-88 to Barcelona in Spain. Prior to that, the San Antonio Spurs defeated Panathinaikos 113-91 in 2007, and in 1997, Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls beat Olympiacos 104-78.
Ataman’s respect for the NBA
Despite his challenge to the Celtics, Ataman emphasized his opinion on the NBA. “The NBA has a different mentality. Respect,” he noted in the same interview. The Turkish coach also expressed interest in one day coaching in the NBA: “I have the confidence in myself if one day, one NBA team come, of course, when my contract is over because I am very happy in Panathinaikos,” he added.
