Toni Kukoc has lived both worlds, and his insight into the difference between winning on the road in the NBA versus the EuroLeague speaks volumes about basketball’s contrasting cultures. As someone who dominated Europe before becoming a vital piece of the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty in the 1990s, Kukoc knows firsthand how drastically different the atmospheres can be.
“In the NBA, there’s a lot of teams that go on the opposite court and they win games on the road. t’s like not a big deal. I don’t remember winning too many games on the road in the EuroLeague.”
“It’s so hard going into the other places. I mean, you feel that you’re a better team, but the fans are just the sixth man that can make a huge difference during the game.”
For him, even when a EuroLeague team felt like the superior squad, the hostile environment could completely flip the script. Fans became the sixth man, altering momentum and sometimes even intimidating referees.
Kukoc’s words carry weight not just because of his Hall of Fame credentials but also due to his track record overseas. By the time he joined the NBA, he was already a three-time EuroLeague champion and Final Four MVP, competing against legends like Drazen Petrovic, Arvydas Sabonis, and Vlade Divac. He didn’t just play both games—he mastered them.
Unlike the NBA, where families attend games for entertainment, road environments in the EuroLeague are notoriously hostile. Arenas belonging to giants like Partizan, Crvena Zvezda, Panathinaikos, and Fenerbahce are more like cauldrons than sporting venues.
Flares, drums, chants, and constant noise make it nearly impossible for visiting players to find comfort. Even NBA stars like Kevin Durant have been left stunned after witnessing the intimidating spectacle firsthand.
This creates a stark reality: in Europe, winning away from home often requires perfection. The crowd does not relent, and referees can struggle under pressure, making visiting teams feel like they’re battling both the opponent and the building itself.
In contrast, NBA arenas, even the toughest ones like Boston, Golden State, or Philadelphia, rarely replicate the suffocating energy of European venues. Fans are passionate, but the environment leans more toward entertainment than raw intimidation.
Kukoc’s observation that road wins in the NBA are “not a big deal” comes from the league’s culture of balance, where travel schedules are demanding but atmospheres are rarely overwhelming.
What Toni Kukoc highlights is a cultural divide. The NBA thrives on talent depth, business scale, and consistent competition across 82 games. The EuroLeague, with just 34 games, meanwhile, turns every matchup into a war, with fanbases treating road games as sacred defenses of their home turf. That makes away victories not just rare, but deeply memorable.
For Kukoc, who has lifted trophies on both continents, the difference is clear: in the NBA, road wins are routine; in Europe, they are earned in the fire of unrelenting passion.
