Euroleague Basketball is proud to announce that adidas, Europe’s leading sportswear manufacturer has become the title sponsor of the world’s best elite international junior tournament, forming an alliance of excellence that promises to benefit European basketball prospects.
The Euroleague Basketball adidas Next Generation Tournament will mark the 14th edition of a competition that has grown from eight teams and one city in 2003 to qualifying tournaments held across four months in as many countries that offer at least 32 teams the chance to become the junior club champions of Europe.
As in previous seasons the Final Tournament will feature the four qualifying tournament winners, the reigning champion from the previous season as well as three wild card invitees competing as a parallel event to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four. The two finalists have the honour of playing for the title on the same court where the Turkish Airlines Euroleague championship game is held later on the same day.
This season’s qualifying tournaments are: Torneo Citta di Roma, December 27 to 29, 2014; Torneig de Basquet Junior Ciutat de L’Hospitalet, January 4 to 6, 2015; Kaunas IJT, January 16 to 18, 2015; and Euroleague Basketball International Junior Tournament Belgrade, February 27 to March 1, 2015. The Final Tournament will be in Madrid, Spain from May 14 to 17, 2015.
“By expanding our partnership with adidas to include our international junior tournament, we are reaffirming our commitment to the young players who are the future of our sport,” Roser Queralto, Chief Business Development Officer at Euroleague Basketball, said. “The very name adidas is synonymous with sporting distinction, which is exactly what this tournament has grown to represent over the past decade. It has become a showcase for the exceptional work being done by clubs around Europe with young players and matches them with a partner who fully understands the aspiration of athletes to reach their highest potential.”
A total of 32 clubs from 15 European countries will be represented in this season’s Euroleague Basketball adidas Next Generation Tournament. The tournament has featured many different teams from Europe over the years as well as finalists including the national programs of China, Brazil and England.
As the place where future stars are born, the tournament alumni club includes many players who can now be seen on Turkish Airlines Euroleague and Eurocup rosters, including Jonas Maciulis (Real Madrid), Milos Teodosic (CSKA Moscow), Dario Saric (Anadolu Efes Istanbul), Thomas Heurtel (Laboral Kutxa Vitoria), Nihad Dedovic (FC Bayern Munich) or Bogdan Bogdanovic (Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul) to name just a few.
Here are all the participating clubs for the qualifying tournaments of 2014-15 Euroleague Basketball adidas Next Generation Tournament:
Torneo Citta di Roma
December 27 to 29, 2014
Armani Junior Milan
Brose Baskets Bamberg
Cedevita Zagreb
Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv
Spars Sarajevo
Stellazzurra Basketball Academy Rome
Unicaja Malaga
Virtus Bologna
Torneig de Basquet Junior Ciutat de L’Hospitalet
January 4 to 6, 2015
ASVEL Lyon Villeurbanne
Baloncesto Seville
FC Barcelona
Fiatc Joventut Badalona
Galatasaray Liv Hospital Istanbul
L’Hospitalet
Real Madrid
Union Olimpija Ljubljana
Kaunas IJT
January 16 to 18, 2015
CSKA Moscow
FC Bayern Munich
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul
INSEP Paris
Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius
USK Future Stars Prague
VEF Riga
Zalgiris Kaunas
Euroleague Basketball International Junior Tournament Belgrade
February 27 to March 1, 2015
ALBA Berlin
Canarias Basketball Academy Las Palmas
Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade
Mega Leks Belgrade
Partizan NIS Belgrade
Umana Reyer Venice
Vaerlose
Zemun Belgrade
Source: Euroleague.net
