Itoudis: If EuroLeague Expands to 24 Teams, a Group System Should Be Adopted

Hapoel Tel Aviv head coach Dimitris Itoudis made remarks about the future of European basketball in an exclusive interview with Eurohoops Greece. Itoudis spoke of his dream of a 30-team EuroLeague, and said that expanding the league to 24 teams would mean getting closer to that goal.

Itoudis argued that when the number of teams grows, the league format where everyone plays each other should be replaced by a group system. Noting that with 24 teams there would be 12 teams in each group, he explained that 22 games would be played within his own group, and that adding two more games against the other group would greatly increase the total number of games and deepen fatigue. He also stressed that consecutive games and long trips increase wear on players.

Itoudis said that EuroLeague clubs should set up a second team without reducing the importance of domestic leagues. He stated that the primary role of these pilot teams would be to develop young players, while the main team would focus on EuroLeague games. Itoudis also reminded that everyone plays under the same rules in EuroLeague, whereas domestic leagues have restrictions that vary from country to country. He said this creates a huge inequality for coaches in managing the process.