Every man, woman, and child knows about the NBA. Little kids with big dreams idolize basketball players who come from all corners of the earth to play in the big leagues. Additionally, many a spouse begrudgingly had to delay a romantic encounter or socializing because their partner could simply not miss the playoffs, or decided to read up on the review of Hard Rock sportsbook on their smartphone. However, did you know that there was more to basketball than just the NBA? We will give a small section of this piece to it before we move on to other top basketball leagues in the world.
NBA
This league features 30 teams, only one of which is Canadian. It is more than 70 years old if you count the time before the Basketball Association of America merged with the National Basketball League. Depending on the seats and the event, a ticket to an NBA game can go anywhere between ten and several thousand dollars. The NBA is one of four big sports leagues in the US, along with MLB, the NFL, and the NHL. It is the most popular league in the US, regardless of race and ethnicity, though is followed mostly by young men. It is interesting to note that it has a female counterpart that is also one of the best leagues in the world – the WNBA.
WNBA
The Women’s National Basketball Association is a little over twenty years old. Seven of the teams are sister teams with the NBA, while others are independent of the NBA market. The games are played with slightly modified NBA rules. The viewership of the league has been steadily increasing, with a slight dip in the last few years.
EuroLeague
Europe also has a horse in the race, and a significant one, too. EuroLeague is the most important and the highest rated league in Europe and beyond. 16 clubs from around 10 countries compete in the greatest indoor sports league outside the US. During their encounters with the NBA teams, though, EuroLeague teams have had to take the back seat. The competition is organized by EuroLeague Basketball, which is also responsible for the next item on the list.
EuroCup
If a team is not good enough to make it into the EuroLeague, they can still try their luck in the Eurocup. In fact, teams often take each other’s place and bounce between the two, based on their performance in the previous season. 24 teams from 30 countries compete for the title. Some might view it as a minor league, while others consider it the proving grounds. You be the judge.
BCL
The Basketball Champions League is organized by the International Basketball Federation, or FIBA, which is the authority on all things basketball outside the US. In fact, true fans will recognize the minor differences between basketball rules inside and outside the States.
The BCL was originally created to rival EuroLeague with 32 teams from 20 countries. In spite of the rivalry, or maybe because of it, EuroLeague Basketball is known to offer the BCL finalists of each season a place in the EuroCup.