MZT returned to Europe after 25 years and got reported to FIBA over a map in the stands, while the EuroLeague turned down the NBA

The EuroLeague chose franchises over the NBA's offer

The owners of the EuroLeague's 13 shareholder clubs met in Cernobbio, Italy, and agreed to turn their 10-year licences into permanent franchises. They are Real Madrid, Barcelona, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Fenerbahçe, Anadolu Efes, Žalgiris, Maccabi, Olimpia Milano, Baskonia, Bayern, ASVEL and CSKA Moscow. Expansion with new franchises was also agreed, since several binding bids from clubs had come in. This is a direct answer to the NBA: according to "La Gazzetta dello Sport", its offer of cooperation was valid until 6 October and required the EuroLeague to stay frozen at 13 shareholders, with no expansion and no franchises, and according to Greece's SDNA the offer was rejected. NBA Europe is preparing for October 2027 anyway, with 16 teams and 12 cities holding permanent franchises. Belgrade is not among those 12 cities, and neither Partizan nor Crvena Zvezda are EuroLeague shareholders. Where will Balkan basketball be left when the big players carve up Europe?

MZT back in Europe after 25 years: 59:64 and 4 threes from 23 attempts

MZT Skopje Aerodrom returned to the European stage after 25 years and lost 59:64 to Thessaloniki's Iraklis in the first round of the FIBA Europe Cup group stage. The visitors led narrowly at half-time, 39:40, and at 57:58 two consecutive Iraklis possessions decided the game. Noah Ali Farrakhan scored 18 points and Warner 11, but with 4 threes made from 23 attempts it's hard to win a European game. Without Vojdan Stojanovski on the court, the lack of experience in the closing stages was obvious. Even more painful than the result was the weak turnout at the "Jane Sandanski" arena - Sports Minister Borko Ristovski was at the game, but the crowd was far smaller than expected. A quarter of a century waiting for a European night, and the arena almost empty? Next up is Tartu, at home again, on 14 October.

Iraklis reported MZT to FIBA: the problem wasn't the message, it was the map

The fan group "Family Aerodrom" unfurled a banner reading "We will defend your holy name before the world", with a map of the whole of geographic Macedonia, including the Aegean and Pirin parts. Iraklis first complained to the match commissioner, Eleonora Rangelova from Bulgaria, but the banner was not removed. The club then reported MZT to FIBA Europe and notified the Greek embassy in Skopje. If one banner in Aerodrom gets all the way to an embassy, how solid is the "good neighbourly" story our politicians keep telling us? Now it's up to FIBA to decide whether to punish a map in the stands.

Maccabi flees Belgrade for Cyprus

Maccabi Tel Aviv is moving its EuroLeague home games from Belgrade to Cyprus, with the first due to be played on 22 October against Real Madrid. The arena holds around 8,000 spectators, but no more than 5,000 will be let in, visiting fans will get a limited number of tickets, and the police will take over the arena 24 hours before each game. Special measures are planned for the games against the three Turkish teams. All that logistics, and on the court: Maccabi and Real Madrid are the only teams without a win after three rounds. The next "home" game, against Olimpia Milano, will still be played at the "Aleksandar Nikolić" hall in Belgrade.

LeBron: "He wasn't late, stop with the lies"

Philadelphia's training camp has been going for a week, and there's already drama - or at least a rumour of drama. Commentator Mike Breen said during the broadcast of the New York - Philadelphia game that LeBron James had scolded Joel Embiid for turning up a few minutes late to practice. LeBron replied on Instagram: "He wasn't late, so stop with the lies." Neither played in the first preseason game, and Philadelphia beat the Knicks 120:97. If this is the team's biggest problem in October, Philadelphia can sleep soundly.