The United States of America might be the home of basketball, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a thriving scene in other parts of the globe. Large pockets of Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia are all home to competitive and well supported basketball leagues.
In Western Europe, the closer you get to the Atlantic the larger the following for basketball seems to grow. Whilst the sport is undoubtedly popular in France, it is just to south-west in Spain that the game has an even bigger following.
In this article we take a look at some of the biggest basketball teams in La Piel de Toro.
Unicaja Malaga
The European basketball scene has a distinctly football vibe to it, which can be best illustrated by Unicaja Malaga’s last two games in the Basketball Champions League. In the semi-finals, they overcame AEK 71-65, before defeating Galatasaray 83-67 in the final.
That Champions League win was Unicaja’s second since their formation back in 1992. In that time they have also won 1 Intercontinental Cup, a EuroCup, the Korac Cup, a solitary Spanish Championship, the Spanish Supercup and 3 Spanish Cups.
Ten trophies in 33 years isn’t too bad of a haul, just ask fans of Malaga CR who have seen their side win just 5 trophies in almost 80 years!
(This season’s European Champions – Unicaja Malaga!)
Valencia Basket
Founded back in 1986, Valencia Basket was traditionally a team that didn’t feature too highly in the sports betting odds. All of that has changed in 1998 when Copa del Rey victory gave the outfit its first succulent taste of success.
In 2002/03 the team finished second in LIGA ACB, reached the semi-final of the Copa del Rey and won the ULEB Cup. In the 22 years since that first European success, Valencia have won 3 EuroCups, 3 more Spanish Cups and a league title.
The team currently find themselves in third position in the league, but there is every reason for Valencia fans to be optimistic about what the future holds.
Saski-Baskonia
The Basque Country is a beautiful region with a terrific history of culture and sports and Baskonia are a great example of that. Founded in 1959, the club almost won a league title in its first year. 13 years later the club had climbed the provincial leagues all the way to the top tier of Spanish basketball.
A period of consolidation followed before Baskonia announced themselves as one of the top forces in the domestic game by winning the Spansih league in 2002. Three more domestic titles have followed since with their most recent coming in 2020. The Spanish Cup has proved a favourite of Baskonia, being won by the outfit a staggering 6 times. One FIBA Saporta Cup however is all that the club has to show for their European exploits, despite coming incredibly close on a number of occasions in the EuroLeague
(Baskonia’s loyal and vociferous fans have had a lot of European heartache to contend with.)
FC Barcelona Basquet
Just like in football, Spain’s basketball team is dominated by two illustrious names. The first of those is FC Barcelona Basquet, a club that was formed almost 100 years ago on August 24th, 1926. Barca have gone through a number of cycles in their illustrious history, with their early rise being dampened by a sharp decline in the 1960s.
The 1980s sparked a period of revival that translated into domestic dominance, before the club finally became Champions of Europe in 2003 to put a number of final heartbreaks behind them. The EuroLeague has still yet to bend to Barca’s will fully, with that 2003 victory only being followed up once more in 2010, leaving them with a final success rate of 2/8.
Domestically though the club have cleaned up, winning 20 league titles, 27 Spanish Cups, 6 Super Cups and the rather less impressive Prince Asturias Cup.
(Barca’s historic 2003 EuroLeague victory.)
Real Madrid Baloncesto
The only real difference between Real Madrid Baloncesto and their great rivals Barca – who had a 5 year head start on them – is that they haven’t had to endure any sharp declines. Throughout their entire 94 year history as a club, Real have been nothing but consistent.
Their first league title in 1957 has been followed by a further 36 with the most recent coming in 2023/24 and a 38th looking more than likely this season. They have also won 29 Spanish Cups and, quelle surprise, 11 EuroLeague titles to go along with their 2 FIBA Saporta Cups from the 1980s.
Just like the football team, Real Madrid Baloncesto are a phenomenon and a winning machine.