FIBA EuroStars was an annual All-Star Game showcase of the sport of European professional club basketball. It was organized by FIBA Europe. Commonly considered to be the European equivalent of the NBA All-Star Game, the FIBA EuroStars Game featured the season's best players, from both the European-wide top-tier level EuroLeague, and the European-wide 2nd-tier level FIBA Saporta Cup competitions. Diversity was considered to be paramount in the selection process, which aimed at allowing several different European national basketball leagues to be represented in the game.

When the first FIBA EuroStars event was held in 1996, it replaced FIBA's original all-star game event, which was called the FIBA Festival. The FIBA Festival had taken place on-and-off, from 1964 to 1998. FIBA EuroStars was held from the 1996–97 season, through the 1999–00 season, before it was discontinued, due to the FIBA–EuroLeague dispute. In 2007, the event was briefly brought back, under a different format, for one final edition.

History

The FIBA EuroStars all-star event was initially held at the very end of the calendar year, during the middle of the current club season, and it initially lasted as an event for four seasons. The FIBA EuroStar events were patterned after the design of the NBA All-Star Game – a match between the East and West geographically. Also like the NBA All-Star Event, the FIBA EuroStars Event a featured a 3-point shootout contest. Players that competed in one of the European national pro club leagues located on the east side of Europe (GBL, TBSL, YUBA, RBSL, IBPL, etc.) were eligible for selection to the East Team, regardless of their individual countries of origin. On the other hand, players that competed in European national pro club leagues on the west side of Europe (ACB, LEGA A, Pro A, BBL, LKL, etc.), were eligible for selection to the West Team. The Eastern Stars defeated their Western opponents on all four editions of the all-star game, under that original format.

In 2007, FIBA Europe brought back the FIBA EuroStar Game, but with a new format. The revised version of the all-star game kept the FIBA EuroStar name. Under the revised format, the then-current champions of the FIBA EuroBasket, would play against an All-Star FIBA European Selection Team, composed of players from various different European national teams. Also, under the revised format, there would no longer be a 3-Point Contest. FIBA rebranded the All-Star Event as the 1st edition of the tournament, under the new format. While it counted the newly revised EuroStar Game as being a part of the original FIBA EuroStar games, that were held from 1996 to 1999.

At the 2007 FIBA EuroStars Game, FIBA also honored some of the FIBA EuroStars of the past. Sergei Belov, Antonello Riva, Doron Jamchi, Dejan Bodiroga, Vladimir Tkachenko, and Vlade Divac. were selected to the FIBA All-Time EuroStars Team. Theo Papaloukas was also given the 2006 FIBA Europe Player of the Year award, prior to the start of the 2007 all-star game. Originally, FIBA Europe intended for the event to continue to take place every two years, after the new champions of each subsequent FIBA EuroBasket were crowned. Ultimately however, the 2007 game was the last edition of the FIBA EuroStar Game to date.

Results

Bold: Indicates the team that won the game.

Year (Season)DateArenaTeamScoreTeamMVPTop Scorer
1996 (1996–97)December 30Turkey Abdi İpekçi, IstanbulEast117–114WestUnited States David RiversFederal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Savić
1997 (1997–98)December 30Israel Yad Eliyahu, Tel AvivEast129–107WestLithuania Artūras KarnišovasFederal Republic of Yugoslavia Sašha Đjorđjević
1998 (1998–99)December 29Germany Max Schmeling, BerlinEast104–98WestItaly Carlton MyersItaly Carlton Myers
1999 (1999–00)December 28Russia Olimpiisky, MoscowEast112–107WestUnited States Tyus EdneyLithuania Artūras Karnišovas
2000 (2000–01)December 27Greece OAKA, AthensCancelled due to the FIBA–EuroLeague dispute
2007 (2006–07)June 30Greece OAKA, AthensGreek NT101–90European SelectionN/AGreece Antonis Fotsis

Three-Point Shootout Contest

Year (Season)WinnerTeamRunner-upTeam
1996 (1996–97)United States Delaney RuddFrance ASVELRussia Vasily KarasevTurkey Efes Pilsen
1997 (1997–98)Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sašha ĐjorđjevićSpain FC Barcelona Banca CatalanaIsrael Guy GoodesItaly Caserta
1998 (1998–99)Italy Carlton MyersItaly Teamsyatem BolognaNorth Macedonia Petar NaumoskiTurkey Efes Pilsen
1999 (1999–00)Turkey İbrahim KutluayTurkey FenerbahçeUnited States Tyus EdneyItaly Benetton Treviso
2000 (2000–01)Cancelled due to the FIBA–EuroLeague dispute
2007 (2006–07)Not held

Score sheets

1996 FIBA EuroStars - Istanbul, Turkey (1996–97 season)

Source:

Arena: Abdi İpekçi, Istanbul, att: (14,000)

Date: December 30, 1996

Season: 1996–97

Score: East 117 – West 114

EAST (Head Coach: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dušan Ivković): United States David Rivers (31, Point Guard 1.88 m, Greece Olympiacos) Greece Panos Fasoulas (33, Center 2.13 m, Greece Olympiacos) North Macedonia Petar Naumoski (28, Point Guard 1.95 m, Turkey Efes Pilsen) Greece Nikos Oikonomou (23, Power Forward 2.08 m, Greece Panathinaikos) Russia Sergei Bazarevich (31, Point Guard 1.91 m, Russia CSKA Moscow) Slovenia Jure Zdovc (30, Shooiting Guard 1.95 m) Turkey İbrahim Kutluay (22, Shooting Guard 1.98 m, Turkey Fenerbahçe) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Peja Drobnjak (21, Power forward/center 2.11 m, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Partizan) United States Randy White (29, Power Forward 2.03 m, Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv) Russia Evgeni Kisurin (27, Power Forward 2.07 m, Croatia Cibona) Turkey Orhun Ene (29, Point Guard 1.88 m, Turkey Ülker)WEST (Head Coach: Spain Lolo Sainz): Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Savić (30, Power forward/center 2.08 m, Italy Kinder Bologna) Italy Carlton Myers (25, Shooting Guard 1.92 m, Italy Teamsystem Bologna) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko Rebrača (24, Center 2.13 m, Italy Benetton Treviso) United States Conrad McRae (25, Power forward/center 2.11 m, Italy Teamsystem Bologna) Italy Walter Magnifico (35, Center 2.09 m, Italy Kinder Bologna) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sašha Obradović (27, Point Guard 1.97 m, Germany Alba Berlin) Slovenia Marko Milič (19, Forward 2.01 m, Slovenia Union Olimpija) United States Delaney Rudd (34, Point Guard 1.88 m, France ASVEL) France Yann Bonato (24, Small Forward 2.02 m, France Limoges) Germany Henning Harnisch (28, Forward 2.03 m, Germany Alba Berlin) Belgium Ronny Bayer (30, Point Guard 1.86 m, Belgium Sunair Oostende)

Game MVP (Crystal Player Award): United States David Rivers

3 Point Contest winner: United States Delaney Rudd (defeated Russia Vasily Karasev in the final). Other conestants invited officially by FIBA Europe were: Antoine Rigaudeau, and Carlton Myers. Harun Erdenay was invited by hosts Ülker.

Top scorers: United States David Rivers (19 pts), North Macedonia Petar Naumoski (16 pts), United States Randy White (12 pts), Turkey İbrahim Kutluay (9 pts), Turkey Orhun Ene (0 pts), Russia Evgeni Kisurin (7 pts), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Peja Drobnjak (4 pts), Slovenia Jure Zdovc (13 pts), Russia Sergei Bazarevich (6 pts), Greece Nikos Oikonomou (25 pts), Greece Panos Fasoulas (6 pts) - Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Savić (30 points), Germany Henning Harnisch (7 pts), Slovenia Marko Milič (8 pts), France Yann Bonato (10 pts), Belgium Ronny Bayer (1 pt), United States Delaney Rudd (4 pts), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sašha Obradović (15 pts), Italy Walter Magnifico (8 pts), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko Rebrača (7 pts), United States Conrad McRae (12 pts), Italy Carlton Myers (12 pts)

(France Richard Dacoury, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dragan Tarlać, France Antoine Rigaudeau and Greece Georgios Sigalas were selected, but they didn't play in the game.)

1997 FIBA EuroStars - Tel Aviv, Israel (1997–98 season)

Source:

Arena: Yad Eliyahu, Tel Aviv

Date: December 30, 1997

Season: 1997–98

Score: East 129 – West 107

EAST:

WEST:

Game MVP (Crystal Player Award): Lithuania Artūras Karnišovas

3 Point Contest winner: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sašha Đjorđjević (defeated Israel Guy Goodes in the final). Other conestants invited officially by FIBA Europe were: Antoine Rigaudeau, and Arturas Karnisovas. Guy Goodes was invited by hosts Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

Top scorers: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sašha Đjorđjević (23 points) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Vladimir Stepania (18 pts), United States Rashard Griffith (13 pts), Greece Nikos Oikonomou (13 pts), Israel Oded Kattash (9 pts), Israel Nadav Henefeld (8 pts), Croatia Damir Mulaomerović (8 pts), North Macedonia Petar Naumoski (5 pts), Lithuania Gintaras Einikis (4 pts), Russia Sergei Bazarevich (1 pt) - Lithuania Artūras Karnišovas (19 points), United States Byron Scott (18 points), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Predrag Drobnjak (18 points), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sasha Danilović (13 pts), United States Wendell Alexis (11 pts), Croatia Dino Rađja (13 pts), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko Rebrača (9 pts), Georgia (country) Vladimir Stepania (18 pts), Spain Alberto Herreros (5 pts), Russia Vasily Karasev (2 pts), France Antoine Rigaudeau (11 pts), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Savić (7 pts), United States David Rivers (6 pts), Italy Gregor Fučka (2 pts)

(Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dejan Bodiroga was selected, but he didn't play in the game.)

1998 FIBA EuroStars - Berlin, Germany (1998–99 season)

Source:

Arena: Max Schmeling, Berlin

Date: December 29, 1998

Season: 1998–99

Score: East 104 – West 98

EAST:

WEST:

Game MVP (Crystal Player Award): Italy Carlton Myers

3 Point Contest winner: Italy Carlton Myers (defeated North Macedonia Petar Naumoski in the final)

Top scorers: Croatia Dino Rađja (17 pts), North Macedonia Petar Naumoski (13 pts), Turkey İbrahim Kutluay (13 pts), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dejan Bodiroga (15 pts), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dragan Tarlać (12 pts) Slovenia Marko Milič (3 pts), United States Conrad McRae (4 pts), Lithuania Saulius Štombergas (11 pts), United States David Rivers (12 pts), Greece Nikos Oikonomou (0 pts), Russia Vasily Karasev (4 pts) - Italy Carlton Myers (20 points), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sasha Danilović (19 points), Lithuania Artūras Karnišovas (14 pts), Italy Andrea Meneghin (3 pts), Spain Alberto Herreros (2 pts), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko Rebrača (14 pts), Belgium Éric Struelens (4 pts), Germany Henrik Rödl (4 pts), United States Wendell Alexis (12 pts), Slovenia Rašho Nesterović (2 pts), France Antoine Rigaudeau (4 pts),

(United States Tanoka Beard and Israel Doron Sheffer were selected, but didn't play in the game.)

1999 FIBA EuroStars - Moscow, Russia (1999–00 season)

Source:

Arena: Olimpiisky, Moscow

Date: December 28, 1999

Season: 1999–2000

Score: East 112 – West 107

EAST:

WEST:

Game MVP: United States Tyus Edney

3 Point Contest winner: Turkey İbrahim Kutluay (defeated United States Tyus Edney in the final)

Top scorers: Russia Vasily Karasev (20 points), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dragan Tarlać (18 points), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dejan Bodiroga (18 points), Israel Oded Kattash (16 points), Russia Andrei Kirilenko (10 points), Czech Republic Jiří Zídek Jr. (10 points), Russia Igor Kudelin (9 points), United States David Rivers (5 points), United States Anthony Bowie (0 pts), Turkey İbrahim Kutluay (6 pts) - Lithuania Artūras Karnišovas (29 points), United States Tyus Edney (19 points), United States Tanoka Beard (13 points), Greece Nikos Oikonomou (9 points), Slovenia Marko Milič (6 pts), Italy Alessandro Abbio (5 pts), United States Tanoka Beard (13 points), France Jim Bilba (4 points), Italy Gregor Fučka (9 points), Croatia Stojko Vranković (6 points), Italy Andrea Meneghin (7 points)

(Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko Rebrača, Croatia Dino Rađja, Italy Carlton Myers, and France Antoine Rigaudeau were selected, but they didn't play in the game.)

2000 FIBA EuroStars - Athens, Greece (2000–01 season)

Arena: OAKA, Athens

Date: December 27, 2000

Season: 2000–01

Score: Cancelled due to the FIBA–EuroLeague dispute

The 2000 All-Star Game was cancelled, as at that time, European pro club basketball was in a dispute, having two 1st-tier level competitions taking place in the same 2000–01 club basketball league season. With the two rival leagues, the FIBA SuproLeague and EuroLeague Basketball, competing directly against each other.

2007 FIBA EuroStars - Athens, Greece (2006–07 season)

Arena: OAKA, Athens

Date: June 30, 2007

Season: 2006–07

Score: Greek National Team 101 – FIBA European Selection Team 90

June 30, 2007
Greek National Team Greece101–90Europe FIBA European Selection Team
Scoring by quarter: 22–19, 58–43, 81–65, 101–90
Pts: Fotsis 20Pts: Van Den Spiegel 14
OAKA, Athens Attendance: 12,000

Greek National Team:

FIBA European Selection Team:

(Serbia Dejan Bodiroga, Serbia Peja Stojaković, Spain Felipe Reyes (FIBA European Selection Team), and Greece Sofoklis Schortsanitis (Greek NT) were also selected, but they didn't play in the game.)

Top scorers: Greece Greek National Team:

Top scorers: Europe FIBA European Selection Team:

Scoresheet : Greece Greek National Team: Papaloukas (14 points), Zisis (10 points), Spanoulis (6 points), Vasilopoulos (4 points), Fotsis (20 points), Chatzivrettas (10 points), Dikoudis (4 points), Tsartsaris (9 points), Diamantidis (0 points), Papadopoulos (4 points), Kakiouzis (4 points), Bourousis (16 points).

Europe FIBA European Selection team:

Israel Hagag (4 points), Georgia (country) Boisa (4 points), Slovenia Bečirovič (6 points), Italy Pecile (8 points), Spain De Miguel (5 points), Poland Wójcik (10 points), Germany Roller (4 points), Belgium Van Den Spiegel (14 points), Latvia Grafs (5 points), Russia Savrasenko (5 points), Turkey Kutluay (10 points), Russia Fridzon (7 points), Croatia Popović (0 points), Croatia Vujčić (8 points).

FIBA All-Time EuroStars Team

At the 2007 FIBA EuroStars Game, FIBA honored Sergei Belov, Antonello Riva, Doron Jamchi, Dejan Bodiroga, Vladimir Tkachenko, and Vlade Divac, who was not present at the event, as they were selected to the FIBA All-Time EuroStars Team.

2007 FIBA All-Time EuroStars Team

PositionFIBA All-Time EuroStars TeamPlaying Career
GSoviet Union Sergei Belov1964–1980
GItaly Antonello Riva1977–2004
FIsrael Doron Jamchi1978–2000
FSerbia Dejan Bodiroga1989–2007
CSoviet Union Vladimir Tkachenko & Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Vlade Divac1974–1990 & 1983–2005

Top Scorers

Per edition

EditionPlayerPointsTeam
1996Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Savić30West All-Stars
1997Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sašha Đjorđjević23West All-Stars
1998Italy Carlton Myers20West All-Stars
1999Lithuania Artūras Karnišovas29West All-Stars
2007Greece Antonis Fotsis20Greece NT

All-time

RankPlayerPointsAverage
1Lithuania Artūras Karnišovas6220.6
2Greece Nikos Oikonomou4711.7
3United States David Rivers4210.5
4Turkey İbrahim Kutluay389.5
5Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Savić3718.5

Players with multiple selections

PlayerNumber Of SelectionsYears Selected
Turkey İbrahim Kutluay4×1996, 1998, 1999, 2007
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dejan Bodiroga4×1997, 1998, 1999, 2007
United States David Rivers4×1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
France Antoine Rigaudeau4×1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Greece Nikos Oikonomou4×1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko Rebrača4×1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
North Macedonia Petar Naumoski3×1996, 1997, 1998
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dragan Tarlać3×1996, 1998, 1999
Italy Carlton Myers3×1996, 1998, 1999
Slovenia Marko Milič3×1996, 1998, 1999
Croatia Dino Rađja3×1997, 1998, 1999
Russia Vasily Karasev3×1997, 1998, 1999
Lithuania Artūras Karnišovas3×1997, 1998, 1999
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Peja Drobnjak2×1996, 1997
Russia Sergei Bazarevich2×1996, 1997
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Savić2×1996, 1997
United States Conrad McRae2×1996, 1998
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sasha Danilović2×1997, 1998
United States Wendell Alexis2×1997, 1998
Spain Alberto Herreros2×1997, 1998
Israel Oded Kattash2×1997, 1999
Italy Gregor Fučka2×1997, 1999
Italy Andrea Meneghin2×1998, 1999
United States Tanoka Beard2×1998, 1999

By coach

CoachNumber Of SelectionsYears Selected
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dušan Ivković2×1996, 1997
Italy Carlo Recalcati2×1999, 2007
Spain Lolo Sainz1×1996
Italy Ettore Messina1×1997
Russia Stanislav Yeryomin1×1998
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Svetislav Pešić1×1998
Russia Alexander Gomelsky1×1999
Greece Panagiotis Giannakis1×2007
Serbia Željko Obradović1×2007
Greece Lefteris Kakiousis1×2007

Distinctions

FIBA Hall of Fame

Basketball Hall of Fame

FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991)

See also

External links