2025 EuroLeague Final Four

{{short description|Basketball tournament in Abu Dhabi}}

{{Infobox basketball Final Four

| tourney_name = EuroLeague Final Four

| year = 2025

| season = 2024–25 EuroLeague

| other_titles =

| logo = 2025EuroleagueFinalFourLogo.png

| image =

| size = 200px

| caption =

| city = Abu Dhabi

| country = United Arab Emirates

| arena = Etihad Arena

| dates = 23–25 May 2025

| champion = {{nowrap|{{flagicon|TUR}} Fenerbahçe Beko (2nd title)}}

| second = {{flagicon|FRA}} Monaco

| third = {{flagicon|GRE}} Olympiacos

| fourth = {{flagicon|GRE}} Panathinaikos AKTOR

| top_scorer = {{flagicon|USA}} Alpha Diallo (41 points)

| mvp = {{flagicon|USA}} Nigel Hayes-Davis

| mvp_link = EuroLeague Final Four MVP

| prevseason = 2024

| nextseason = 2026

}}

The 2025 EuroLeague Final Four was the concluding EuroLeague Final Four tournament of the 2024–25 EuroLeague season, the 68th season of Europe's premier club basketball tournament, and the 25th season since it was first organised by Euroleague Basketball. It was the 38th Final Four of the modern EuroLeague Final Four era (1988–present), and the 40th time overall that the competition has concluded with a final four format. Euroleague Basketball announced that the Final Four would be played at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 23–25 May 2025, marking the first time in history that the EuroLeague's Final Four was held outside of Europe since 2004.{{cite web |title=Abu Dhabi to host 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four

|url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/tr/euroleague/news/abu-dhabi-to-host-2025-turkish-airlines-euroleague-final-four/ |website=Euroleague Basketball |date=28 January 2025 |access-date=2 May 2025}}

Fenerbahçe won its first title in 8 years, after beating Monaco in the championship game.{{Cite web |date=2025-05-25 |title=Game Center: Monaco, Fenerbahce ready to battle for the EuroLeague title {{!}} EuroLeague |url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/game-center-monaco-fenerbahce-ready-to-battle-for-the-euroleague-title/ |access-date=2025-05-25 |website=Euroleague Basketball |language=en-GB}}

Background and venue

File:Toni Kukoc 081423 cropped (cropped1).jpg, three-time EuroLeague Final Four MVP, was involved in marketing the tournament in Abu Dhabi.]]

On 28 January 2025, the EuroLeague, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, and Etihad Arena reached an agreement that the Final Four would be played at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 23–25 May 2025,{{Cite web|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/2588242/sport|title=Abu Dhabi to host 2025 EuroLeague Final Four|date=January 29, 2025|website=Arab News}} marking the first time the event would take place outside of Europe in the competition's history in 21 years. The venue has a basketball capacity of 12,000. Three-time EuroLeague Final Four MVP and former NBA player Toni Kukoč was involved in marketing the tournament in Abu Dhabi.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/2601895/amp|title=Chicago Bulls legend Toni Kukoc hails 'phenomenal' move to bring EuroLeague Final Four to Abu Dhabi|website=Arab News}} Thousands of Turkish and Greek basketball fans traveled to Abu Dhabi out of personal expense to cheer on their favorite teams.{{Cite web|url=https://en.protothema.gr/2025/05/26/abu-dhabi-2025-fenerbahce-crowned-at-the-final-four-reflections-for-panathinaikos-and-olympiacos/|title=Abu Dhabi 2025: Fenerbahçe crowned at the Final Four – Reflections for Panathinaikos and Olympiacos|date=May 26, 2025}}

Teams

Bracket

{{#invoke:RoundN|main|columns=2|bold_winner=high|score-boxes=1|3rdplace=yes

|RD1=Semifinals

|RD2=Championship game

|RD3=Third place game

|score-width=25

|23 May|{{bkaicon|GRE}} Olympiacos| 68 |{{bkaicon|FRA}} Monaco | 78

|23 May|{{bkaicon|TUR}} Fenerbahçe Beko| 82 |{{bkaicon|GRE}} Panathinaikos AKTOR| 76

|25 May|{{bkaicon|FRA}} Monaco | 70 |{{bkaicon|TUR}} Fenerbahçe Beko | 81

|25 May|{{bkaicon|GRE}} Olympiacos| 97 |{{bkaicon|GRE}} Panathinaikos AKTOR | 93

}}

Semifinals

=Semifinal A=

{{basketballbox collapsible

| date = 23 May 2025

| time = 20:00 (CEST)

| report = https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/olympiacos-piraeus-as-monaco/E2024/327/

| teamA = Olympiacos {{bkaicon|GRE}}

| scoreA = 68

| scoreB = 78

| teamB = {{bkaicon|FRA}} Monaco

| Q1 = 17–17

| Q2 = 15–18

| Q3 = 19–22

| Q4 = 17–21

| points1 = Fournier 31

| rebounds1 = Vezenkov 8

| assist1 = three players 2

| rating1 = Fournier 27

| points2 = Diallo 22

| rebounds2 = James 7

| assist2 = James 7

| rating2 = James 29

| arena = Etihad Arena

| place = Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

| attendance = 10,218

| referee = {{bkaicon|SRB}} Ilija Belošević, {{bkaicon|ESP}} Emilio Pérez, {{bkaicon|SLO}} Milan Nedović

| class = expanded

}}

File:Evan Fournier (cropped).jpg scored a EuroLeague career-high 31 points in the loss.]]

Olympiacos' Evan Fournier scored a EuroLeague career-high 31 points, but the team still lost to Monaco 78–68. Nigel Williams-Goss was the only other Olympiacos player to reach double figures in scoring, with 12 points. Sasha Vezenkov had a difficult game offensively, with only 7 points and 8 rebounds; he also missed all six of his three-point field goal attempts. Aside from Fournier, Olympiacos was 1 of 19 on three-pointers. Monaco was ahead for most of the game, led by the scoring of Mike James and Alpha Diallo, with 22 and 17 points respectively. The team increased their lead throughout the second half by taking advantage of Olympiacos' low shooting percentage and questionable decisions.{{Cite web|url=https://neoskosmos.com/en/2025/05/24/sport/basketball/final-four-olympiacos-falls-to-monaco-bartzokas-everything-went-completely-wrong/|title=Final Four: Olympiacos falls to Monaco – Bartzokas: 'Everything went completely wrong'|date=May 23, 2025}} With two minutes remaining and his team down by seven, Fournier committed a crucial turnover, which Monaco converted into a basket to increase their lead to nine (74–65) with 79 seconds left.{{Cite web|url=https://en.protothema.gr/2025/05/23/olympiacos-monaco-live-coverage-of-the-2nd-semifinal-of-the-final-four-in-abu-dhabi/|title=Euroleague: "Cold shower" in Abu Dhabi for Olympiacos, who lost 68-78 to Monaco - Monaco will face Fenerbahce in the final|date=May 23, 2025}}

=Semifinal B=

{{basketballbox collapsible

| date = 23 May 2025

| time = 17:00 (CEST)

| report = https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2024/328/

| teamA = Fenerbahçe Beko {{bkaicon|TUR}}

| scoreA = 82

| scoreB = 76

| teamB = {{bkaicon|GRE}} Panathinaikos AKTOR

| Q1 = 22–14

| Q2 = 16–19

| Q3 = 17–15

| Q4 = 27–28

| points1 = Hall 18

| rebounds1 = Melli 6

| assist1 = Hayes-Davis, Baldwin 5

| rating1 = Hall 18

| points2 = Osman 22

| rebounds2 = Osman 6

| assist2 = Grant 4

| rating2 = Grant 17

| arena = Etihad Arena

| place = Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

| attendance = 10,218

| referee = {{bkaicon|ESP}} Carlos Peruga, {{bkaicon|GER}} Robert Lottermoser, {{bkaicon|FRA}} Mehdi Difallah

| class = expanded

}}

File:Mathias Lessort 26 Panathinaikos BC 20241025 (6) (cropped).jpg played in his first game after sitting out 150 days due to a broken leg.]]

Fenerbahce won 82–76 over Panathinaikos, who struggled with little to no scoring from several key players: Juancho Hernangómez (5 points), Ömer Yurtseven (2), Kostas Sloukas (2), and Dinos Mitoglou (0). They had five first-quarter turnovers, which gave Fenerbahce the chance to grab an early lead. Panathinaikos continued to be behind for the majority of the first half, but were able to trim the lead down to five by halftime.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tovima.com/sports/panathinaikos-bc-eliminated-in-euroleague-f-4-semi-final/amp/|title=Panathinaikos BC Eliminated in Euroleague F-4 Semi Final|date=May 23, 2025|website=tovima.com}} A turning point came when Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos, the game's leading scorer at the time with 19, fouled out with 5:45 remaining. Panathinaikos was subsequently unable to overcome Fenerbahce's high-percentage three-point shooting, which had persisted all game long.{{Cite web|url=https://neoskosmos.com/en/2025/05/24/sport/basketball/final-four-panathinaikos-falls-to-fenerbahce-giannakopoulos-vows-we-will-come-back/|title=Final Four: Panathinaikos falls to Fenerbahçe – Giannakopoulos vows 'We will come back'|date=May 24, 2025}} The game marked the return of Mathias Lessort, the Panathinaikos center who had sat out the preceding 150 days due to a broken left leg.{{Cite web|url=https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/basket/monaco-olympiakos-78-68-lexploit-des-monegasques-qualifies-pour-la-finale-de-leuroligue-23-05-2025-VBY74SGYLJA2VAUGJW6FB3FGCY.php|title=Monaco - Olympiakos (78-68) : l’exploit des Monégasques, qualifiés pour la finale de l’Euroligue|date=May 23, 2025|website=leparisien.fr}}

Third place game

{{basketballbox collapsible

| date = 25 May 2025

| time = 16:00 (CEST)

| report = https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/olympiacos-piraeus-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2024/329/

| teamA = Olympiacos {{bkaicon|GRE}}

| scoreA = 97

| scoreB = 93

| teamB = {{bkaicon|GRE}} Panathinaikos AKTOR

| Q1 = 33–20

| Q2 = 24–26

| Q3 = 18–18

| Q4 = 22–29

| points1 = Peters 32

| rebounds1 = Peters 7

| assist1 = Vildoza 9

| rating1 = Peters 31

| points2 = Yurtseven 23

| rebounds2 = Yurtseven 8

| assist2 = Brown 12

| rating2 = Yurtseven 25

| arena = Etihad Arena

| place = Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

| attendance =

| referee = {{bkaicon|ITA}} Carmelo Paternicò, {{bkaicon|SRB}} Ilija Belošević, {{bkaicon|LTU}} Artūras Šukys

| class = expanded

}}

File:2022-11-22 ALBA Berlin gegen KK Crvena zvezda (EuroLeague 2022-23) by Sandro Halank–008.jpg broke the Final Four single-game team record for most assists with 34, led by Luca Vildoza who had nine.]]

The third place game was contested between two Greek rivals, with Olympiacos defeating Panathinaikos 97–93. Fans of the two clubs clashed before the game, though these incidents were quelled by security forces prior to the opening tip-off.{{Cite web|url=https://greekreporter.com/2025/05/25/olympiacos-wins-third-place-euroleague-2025/|title=Olympiacos Wins EuroLeague Bronze After Victory Over Panathinaikos|first=Paula|last=Tsoni|date=May 25, 2025}} In spite of this, the gameplay on the court was considered to have a "friendly exhibition feel", with soft defense, minimal ball pressure, and few fouls. Olympiacos took the early lead by making several open shots from long range, and enjoyed leads of up to 15 points on two different occasions. Panathinaikos had to rely on their bench (led by Alexandros Samodurov) to score enough to keep the game close.

Panathinaikos was able to reduce the lead in the final two minutes, but consistent free throw shooting from Giannoulis Larentzakis and Alec Peters helped clinch the victory for Olympiacos.{{cite web | url=https://www.tovima.com/sports/olympiacos-tops-panathinaikos-97-93-in-euroleague-third-place-game/amp/ | title=Olympiacos Tops Panathinaikos 97-93 in EuroLeague Third-Place Game }} Olympiacos was ahead the entire game; Peters led all scorers with 32 points, tying a tournament record.{{Cite web|url=https://greekherald.com.au/sports/olympiacos-clinches-euroleague-bronze-over-panathinaikos-in-all-greek-showdown/|title=Olympiacos clinches Euroleague bronze over Panathinaikos in all-Greek showdown|date=May 25, 2025}} Olympiacos displayed proficient ball movement and offensive efficiency with 25 assists in the first 25 minutes. By game's end, they set the Final Four single-game team record for most assists with 34, led by Luca Vildoza with nine and Thomas Walkup with eight; this broke the previous high of 31 assists accomplished by Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2004 championship game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/olympiacos-ends-season-on-winning-note-with-assist-record/|title=Olympiacos ends season on winning note with assist record | EuroLeague|date=May 25, 2025|website=Euroleague Basketball}}

Championship game

{{basketballbox collapsible

| date = 25 May 2025

| time = 19:00 (CEST)

| report = https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/as-monaco-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2024/330/

| teamA = Monaco {{bkaicon|FRA}}

| scoreA = 70

| scoreB = 81

| teamB = {{bkaicon|TUR}} Fenerbahçe Beko

| Q1 = 20–18

| Q2 = 13–17

| Q3 = 18–19

| Q4 = 19–27

| points1 = Diallo 19

| rebounds1 = Theis 8

| assist1 = Okobo 5

| rating1 = Diallo 13

| points2 = Hayes-Davis 23

| rebounds2 = Hayes-Davis 9

| assist2 = Baldwin 3

| rating2 = Hayes-Davis 30

| arena = Etihad Arena

| place = Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

| attendance =

| referee = {{bkaicon|ESP}} Carlos Peruga, {{bkaicon|GER}} Robert Lottermoser, {{bkaicon|SLO}} Milan Nedović

| bg = #ffffd0

| class = expanded

}}

File:Nigel Hayes 11 Fenerbahçe Basketbol Euroleague 20250325 (1).jpg was awarded the EuroLeague Final Four MVP.]]

The Turkish squad Fenerbahce claimed the championship by defeating the French team Monaco 81–70. The title game began with intense defense from both teams, though Monaco hit several buckets (led by Mike James) to build early leads of 13–4 and 16–8.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tovima.com/sports/fenerbahce-triumphs-over-monaco-in-a-thrilling-euroleague-final/amp/|title=Fenerbahçe Triumphs Over Monaco in a Thrilling EuroLeague Final|date=May 25, 2025|website=tovima.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/sports/basketball/fenerbahce-beat-monaco-to-clinch-turkish-airlines-euroleague-crown/amp|title=Fenerbahçe beat Monaco to clinch Turkish Airlines EuroLeague crown|date=May 25, 2025|website=Daily Sabah}} Production from the Fenerbahce bench by Wade Baldwin, Tarik Biberović, and Nicolò Melli reduced this gap down to a two-point 20–18 lead for Monaco by first quarter's end. Baldwin opened the second quarter's scoring with a three pointer to put Fenerbahce ahead by one, but Monaco responded with a 7–0 run sparked by Alpha Diallo, compelling Fenerbahce to call a timeout; when play resumed, Diallo answered with another basket, this one a deep three-pointer to put Monaco ahead by nine, 32–23. In response, Devon Hall led Fenerbahce offensively on a 12–1 run to close out the first half while the defense stepped up, putting the team ahead 35–33 at halftime.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/basketball/articles/cq85egj1l2xo|title=Fenerbahce defeat Monaco to claim second EuroLeague title|date=May 26, 2025|website=BBC Sport}}

Monaco's offensive rebounding and free throw opportunities kept the game close throughout the third quarter, with the lead changing back and forth on multiple occasions; key three-pointers towards the end of the quarter by Marko Gudurić and Nigel Hayes-Davis put Fenerbahce up 54–51 at the break. The defenses succeeded at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but then a Baldwin three-pointer and Errick McCollum three-point play concluded an 11–0 run that gave Fenerbahce the game's first double-digit lead.{{Cite web|url=http://jordantimes.com/news/sports/fener-clinched-the-second-euroleague-title-with-convincing-win-against-monaco|title=Fener clinched the second EuroLeague title with convincing win against Monaco|website=Jordan Times}} Additional clutch offensive performances from Hayes-Davis and Hall increased and preserved Fenerbahce's lead which they did not relinquish.{{Cite web|url=https://www.turkiyetoday.com/sports/fenerbahce-beko-clinches-2nd-euroleague-title-with-71-64-win-over-monaco-3201943|title=Fenerbahce Beko clinches 2nd EuroLeague title with 81-70 win over Monaco|website=Türkiye Today}}

File:Šarūnas Jasikevičius Fenerbahçe Basketbol TBSL 20241006 (1).jpg won his first EuroLeague championship as head coach.]]

Hayes-Davis was awarded the Final Four MVP. In the championship game, he ran into difficulties with his field goal shooting, making only 4 of 13 attempts, but went a perfect 14 of 14 from the free throw line. He was the game's leading scorer and rebounder, with 23 points and nine rebounds respectively; he also had two steals, a block, and an assist.{{Cite web|url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/final-four-mvp-nigel-hayes-davis-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/|title=Final Four MVP: Nigel Hayes-Davis, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | EuroLeague|date=May 25, 2025|website=Euroleague Basketball}} Monaco head coach Vassilis Spanoulis said his team lost because "We didn't distribute the ball properly. They hit some important shots, we played good defense, but their offense was better."[https://en.vijesti.me/amp/759986/spanulis--congratulations-to-Fenerbahce--we-played-good-defense-and-they-hit-important-shots Spanoulis: Congratulations to Fenerbahce, we played good defense, and they hit important shots]. Vijesti This was the second EuroLeague championship for Fenerbahce, following their 2017 title, and the first for Šarūnas Jasikevičius as a head coach.

References

{{reflist}}