If Euroleague has to worry or not, if NBA Europe has to worry or not… only time can tell, says Toko Shengelia

Toko Shengelia, FC Barcelona forward and president of the EuroLeague Players Association (ELPA), believes the continent’s premier competition already possesses the one asset no marketing campaign can manufacture: authentic, high-quality basketball.

Speaking exclusively to Eurohoops reporter Giorgos Adamopoulos, Shengelia addressed growing speculation over external interest—most notably the concept of an NBA Europe initiative—insisting that the Euroleague’s current strength lies in its organic product.

“If Euroleague has to worry or not, if NBA Europe has to worry or not… I would say only time can tell,” Shengelia stated. “But what the Euroleague has right now is a pure basketball site. We have a very high-quality. And the NBA’s interest validates that we have something here: a great product.”

The Georgian international emphasized that the league’s value proposition is rooted in continuity and collective responsibility. “Euroleague is also doing a great job of maintaining the teams together and keeping the competition going,” he noted. “In this product, one of the main ingredients is the clubs and the players. Players make the competition healthy, players make the competition high-level, and this is how the EuroLeague functions.”

Shengelia’s comments come at a pivotal moment for European club basketball, with stakeholders weighing potential expansion models, revenue streams, and outside investment. By highlighting the central role of players, the ELPA president framed labor not as a cost but as the competition’s cornerstone, arguing that athlete-driven quality is the surest safeguard against external disruption.

While stopping short of predicting market outcomes, Shengelia struck a confident tone: the Euroleague’s foundation—clubs, fans, and a tightly contested sporting spectacle—remains intact, rendering any future threat a matter for tomorrow, not today.