Abu Dhabi wasn’t just another stop on the basketball map—it turned into the center of the hoop universe this week. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the EuroLeague Final Four landed in the UAE capital, and all eyes were on it. Among the first to touch down? None other than Tony Parker. Of course, he was there. After all, this is “the best professional league outside of the NBA… to see the game grow and the EuroLeague grow, and the following and how much attention it gets all over the world now, has been great to see,” as Parker once put it.
Naturally, the hype wasn’t just talk. For only the second time in its entire history, the EuroLeague took the Final Four outside of Europe—and let’s just say Abu Dhabi did not disappoint. Tickets? Already gone. Fans packed the arena. Though Olympiacos and Panathinaikos—two of Greece’s most legendary teams—came in with high hopes, both clubs faced early exits. The upset shook the bracket, but the energy stayed sky high.
Meanwhile, the Final Four didn’t just bring out fans—it pulled in some serious basketball royalty. A quick scroll through Experience Abu Dhabi’s Instagram story said it all: Tony Parker and Serbian NBA veteran Bogdan Bogdanovic were spotted chopping it up courtside, fully locked into the action.
“BREAKING DOWN THE ACTION @bogdanbogdanovic & @tonyparker SHARE THEIR TAKES ON THE FINAL FOUR SHOWDOWN!” the caption read. Parker even re-shared the clip on his own story. And why wouldn’t he? The man’s a two-time EuroLeague champ with Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and a former MVP. So when Tony speaks EuroLeague, people listen.
Aug 12, 2023; Springfield, MA, USA; Tony Parker gives his speech as he is inducted into the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Even during his NBA years, Parker never lost touch with European basketball. Back in 2009, he bought a 20% stake in French club LDLC ASVEL and took on the role of VP of Basketball Operations. Sure, his team didn’t make the cut this year, but that didn’t stop him from soaking it all in. Because for Parker, EuroLeague isn’t just a tournament—it’s home.
Who’s joining Tony Parker for the EuroLeague final?
It’s official—Tony Parker’s got a front-row seat for what’s shaping up to be one epic Final Four finale. With both Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and AS Monaco punching their tickets to the championship game, fans are in for a fresh face-off that nobody really saw coming. The two squads knocked out EuroLeague royalty to make it this far, and now they’re going head-to-head with everything on the line.
To start it off, Fenerbahce stunned the defending champs, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, with an 82–76 win that sent shockwaves through the arena. That victory also marks their first return to the EuroLeague final since 2018. Not to be outdone, Monaco brought their A-game too, handing top-seeded Olympiacos Piraeus a 78–68 defeat. And just like that, Monaco’s in their first-ever EuroLeague final. Huge moment for the club.
Still, history had something to say. The “curse” of the top seed in the Final Four lives on. Since the EuroLeague’s modern format kicked in back in 2016–17, no team finishing first in the regular season has gone on to win the title. So, Olympiacos joins a not-so-proud list of top seeds who couldn’t close the deal.
Now, for those still craving the Greek rivalry, don’t worry—there’s more to come. Olympiacos and Panathinaikos will square off one last time in the third-place game on Sunday, May 25, at 16:00 CEST. But the main event? That tips off later that night, with Fenerbahce and Monaco battling it out at 21:00 local time (19:00 CEST). Parker’s watching. You should be too.
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