The Euroleague was scrapped in May in favour of a revamped and expanded Suproleague format but now the ULEB (Union of European Basketball League) has triggered a boycott of the new tournament by promising more cash in its own competition.
Months of tense negotiations involving FIBA, ULEB and club officials have failed to produce a generally acceptable formula.
Current European Cup Winners' Cup holders AEK Athens are set to join a host of other clubs, including past European champions Olympiakos Piraeus and Real Madrid, in the newcomers' cup draw.
Leading past playeres Panayiotis Yiannakis, Predrag Stojkovic and Juan Antonio San Epiphanio will be among guests at the draw in the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki.
"The team that wins ULEB's Euroleague will be the real European champions," San Epiphanio said.
Last year's Euroleague finalists Panathinaikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv have resisted the overtures of ULEB, committing themselves for the time being to FIBA's Suproleague.
ULEB Euroleague official participants are: PAOK Salonika, Olympiakos Piraeus, AEK Athens, Peristeri (Greece), Fordituto Bologna, Kinder Bologna, Benetton Treviso, Verona (Italy), Real Madrid, Barcleona, Estudiantes, Tougres (Spain), Cibona, Zadar (Croatia), Charleroi (Belgium), Overense (Portugal), London Towers (England), Frankfurt (Germany), Hapoel Jerusalem (Israel), Olympia Ljubjana (Slovenia), Zalgiris Kaounas (Lithuania), Bunducnost (Yugoslavia), Spartak Petroupolis (Russia), Galatasaray (Turkey).
Reuters
European basketball is set to be split into two opposing camps in Thessaloniki today when newcomers ULEB will challenge the sport's governing body FIBA by announcing its own rival to the recently launched Suproleague.
