🌍 Europe’s Basketball Leagues: The Best Outside the NBA

Danny Zuikov
Sep 3, 2025
2 min read

Introduction

When people think of basketball at the highest level, the NBA is the first name that comes to mind. North America also

has the G League, which serves as a strong development system. But outside of the NBA, Europe stands out as the most competitive basketball destination in the world.

🇪🇸 Tier 1 Domestic Leagues

Leagues like Spain’s ACB, Turkey’s BSL, Greece’s GBL, Lithuania’s LKL, Italy’s Serie A, and France’s Betclic Elite Pro A are widely recognized as the strongest in Europe.

Recently, Germany’s BBL has risen to join this group, proving itself as one of the continent’s top competitions. These leagues consistently produce NBA-caliber talent and offer high-level opportunities for both domestic and international players.

“Spain’s ACB has developed NBA stars like Luka Dončić and Ricky Rubio.”

“France’s Pro A produced players like Tony Parker and Victor Wembanyama.”

🏆 European Club Competitions

All of these domestic leagues feed into Europe’s major continental competitions:

EuroLeague – Europe’s top-tier competition.
EuroCup – a strong second-tier competition.
Basketball Champions League (BCL) – another high-level international platform.

What makes Europe unique is its club system, where teams develop players from a young age and compete both domestically and internationally. However, the new NIL system in the United States has created challenges, as European clubs struggle to keep young prodigies from leaving for NCAA programs.

🇷🇺 VTB United League

Another league that deserves mention is Russia’s VTB United League, which for years was one of the strongest in Europe. Clubs like CSKA Moscow, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Unics Kazan, and Lokomotiv Kuban regularly competed in EuroLeague and EuroCup.

Due to political issues, Russian teams are currently excluded from EuroLeague, but the VTB League remains highly competitive — consistently signing former NBA players and top-level European talent.

🌍 Pathways in Smaller Leagues

Europe is also a great destination for players coming straight out of college. While the budgets and overall level in leagues like Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Portugal may not match Tier 1 competitions, they still:

Provide a good quality of life.

Offer valuable professional experience.

Act as stepping stones to bigger opportunities in Europe and beyond.

“In addition to Lauri Markkanen, Finland’s national team pipeline is producing the next wave, with 18-year-old Miikka Muurinen already making noise at EuroBasket 2025.”

Conclusion

Europe remains the best basketball destination outside of the NBA — offering a mix of elite domestic leagues, international competitions, and opportunities for players of all levels. Whether it’s the spotlight of the EuroLeague or building a career in smaller domestic leagues, Europe continues to shape the global basketball landscape.

“Follow Danny Z Hoops for scouting reports, league breakdowns, and opportunities inside European basketball.”