2016–17 EuroCup Basketball

Format changes

In April 2016, Euroleague Basketball agreed on a new competition format, with 24 teams that will compete in four groups of six teams, with a double round-robin format. The four first qualified teams of the four groups will compete in four groups of four teams, with a double round-robin format. The two first qualified teams of the four groups will play quarterfinals, semifinals, and the finals, with a best-of-three playoffs.

Team allocation

A total of 24 teams from 12 countries were expected to participate in the 2016–17 EuroCup Basketball, but finally 20 teams from 9 countries participate in the competition.

Distribution

The table below shows the default access list.

FIBA–Euroleague Basketball controversy

In July 2016, Italian clubs withdrew from the competition after several threats from FIBA, and were replaced by Lietkabelis, Volgograd, MZT Skopje Aerodrom and Montakit Fuenlabrada. In September 2016, after the withdrawal of AEK, Partizan NIS and Stelmet Zielona Góra due to the pressures and threats they received from FIBA and National Federations, Euroleague Basketball announced that will review candidate clubs to fill the vacancies, but finally reduced to 20 teams.

Teams

The labels in the parentheses show how each team qualified for the place of its starting round:

Round and draw dates

The schedule of the competition is as follows.

Draw

The draw was held on 7 July 2016, 13:15 CEST, at the Mediapro Auditorium in Barcelona. The 24 teams were drawn into four groups of six, with the restriction that teams from the same country could not be drawn against each other. For this purpose, Adriatic League worked as only one country. For the draw, the teams were seeded into six pots, in accordance with the Club Ranking, based on their performance in European competitions during a three-year period and the lowest possible position that any club from that league can occupy in the draw is calculated by adding the results of the worst performing team from each league.

Regular season

In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format. The four first qualified teams advanced to the Top 16, while the last teams were eliminated. The rounds were 12 October, 18–19 October, 26 October, 2 November, 9 November, 16 November, 23 November, 30 November, 7 December, and 14 December 2016.

Top 16

In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format. The two first qualified teams advanced to the quarterfinals, while the two last teams will be eliminated. The rounds were 4 January, 10–11 January, 17–18 January, 24–25 January, 31 January–1 February, and 8 February 2017.

Playoffs

In the playoffs, teams playing against each other must win two games to win the series. Thus, if one team wins two games before all three games have been played, the game that remains is omitted. The team that finished in the higher Top 16 place will play the first and the third (if it is necessary) legs of the series at home. The playoffs involves the eight teams which qualified as winners and runners-up of each of the four groups in the Top 16.

Quarterfinals

The first legs are played on 28 February, the second legs on 3 March 2017 and the third legs, if necessary, on 8 March 2017.

Semifinals

The first legs will be played on 14 March, the second legs will be played on 17 March, and the third legs will be played on 22 March 2017.

Finals

The first leg will be played on 28 March, the second leg will be played on 31 March, and the third leg will be played on 5 April 2017.

Round MVP