On this episode of Full Court Passport, part of the United WeCast Network, NBA insider Ric Bucher opens the show with an extended one-on-one conversation with Sandro Mamukelashvili, whose basketball journey spans three continents.

Mamukelashvili explains how he grew up in Georgia in a family of internationally known classical musicians, why basketball initially didn’t seem like a realistic career path, and how everything changed when he left home at 14 years old to play in Italy.

He describes the culture shock of moving overseas as a teenager, learning a new language, and navigating the European development system that helped shape him into a versatile big man before eventually reaching the NBA.

Sandro also shares insight into his stops with Milwaukee and San Antonio, why he ultimately chose the Toronto Raptors, and what makes Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković stand out among NBA coaches.

The interview also explores why international players are having such an impact in today’s NBA, how Luka Dončić helped shift perceptions about European prospects, and whether an eventual NBA Europe league could become reality.

After the interview, Ric is joined by regular co-host Bostjan Nachbar, who reacts to Mamukelashvili’s journey and connects it to his own experience coming from Europe to the NBA.

Ric and Boki then dive into several international basketball storylines, including ownership pressure at Panathinaikos BC, the unusual circumstances surrounding Hapoel Tel Aviv BC, and the tightening EuroLeague playoff race. They also break down the game of the week between Bayern Munich Basketball and Anadolu Efes.

Full Court Passport is part of the United WeCast Network.

This episode is sponsored by New Air Club, the first door-to-door private jet service that handles every aspect of your travel — flights, ground transportation, hotels, catering and more — all arranged seamlessly for you.

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0:00 — Intro and setup

1:50 — Sandro Mamukelashvili interview begins

5:30 — Leaving Georgia at 14 to play in Italy

17:30 — Why he chose the Raptors and Darko Rajaković

23:00 — European vs American player development

27:00 — The future of NBA Europe

31:55 — Bostjan Nachbar joins the show

37:00 — Panathinaikos ownership pressure

41:40 — Hapoel Tel Aviv situation

45:40 — Game of the week: Bayern vs Efes

49:50 — EuroLeague playoff race

#FullCourtPassport

#RicBucher

#BostjanNachbar

#EuroLeague

#InternationalBasketball

#UnitedWeCast

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What does it actually take to build a championship roster around Luka Dončić — and is his old-school style already obsolete? ESPN's Bobby Marks pulls zero punches in a wide-ranging conversation with hosts Ric Bucher and Bostjan "Boki" Nachbar that goes from the Brooklyn Nets' ahead-of-their-time international scouting operation to the brutal reality of what NIL has done to American player development. Plus: why Victor Wembanyama's first playoff run could be the most fascinating storyline of the spring, and who really deserves Rookie of the Year — Cooper Flagg or Kon Knueppel?

Then Boki takes you inside a genuine crisis: 26 basketball players stranded in Dubai as bombs fell within earshot of their departure gate. The full story of how the EuroBasket Players Association scrambled to get them home — and which EuroLeague teams have the most to lose now that they're playing without a home court.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 – Intro & New Air Club sponsor read 1:20 – Bobby Marks joins: his history with the Nets and Boki 3:00 – The Brooklyn Nets' early bet on international scouting 5:45 – Nenad Krstić's injury and how it broke up that Nets era 7:50 – Toko Shengelia: the one who got away 9:00 – Why international players are more NBA-ready than ever 11:00 – The "soft European" stereotype and who killed it (Tony Parker, Pau Gasol) 13:40 – Drazen Petrović, Chuck Daly, and the blueprint for international success 17:00 – Bobby's pick: which international player's rise surprised him most 19:10 – Victor Wembanyama's extension, playoff debut & dominance 20:30 – Luka Dončić and the Lakers: cap space, roster needs & the Dodger influence 24:00 – Cooper Flagg vs. Kon Knueppel: who wins Rookie of the Year? 27:00 – Can a Luka-centric team win a championship? Bobby's honest answer 31:30 – The G League Ignite, NIL and the broken American development pipeline 37:10 – BREAKING: Boki on evacuating 26 players from Dubai during the conflict 41:00 – The bus to Abu Dhabi, bombs at the gate & how Dubai BC saved the day 43:50 – Which EuroLeague teams are most impacted by the relocations? 45:15 – Wrap-up & outro

#NBA #EuroLeague #LukaDoncic #VictorWembanyama #CooperFlagg #KonKnueppel #BobbyMarks #RicBucher #BokiNachbar #FullCourtPassport #InternationalBasketball #LosAngelesLakers #SanAntonioSpurs #CharlotteHornets #RookieOfTheYear #NBADraft #MaccabiTelAviv #HapoelTelAviv #DubaiBasketball #EuroBasket #BasketballPodcast #NBAInsider #CapSpace #NBAFreeAgency #TonyParker #PauGasol #BrooklynNets #NIL #PlayerDevelopment

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What happens to elite players who get drafted but never play an NBA minute? Mike Creppy Jr. — D.C.-area native, former overseas pro, founder of Vindicated Sports, and creator of the Hulu/Disney+ documentary Imported — joins Ric Bucher and Boki Nachbar to pull back the curtain on international basketball's hidden stories. From James Guist getting drafted by the Spurs during their dynasty years and never suiting up, to Lindsay Pulliam scoring 2,000 points in the Big Ten and never playing a WNBA game, to Edgar Sosa — all-Big East at Louisville — ending up in Baghdad, Iraq. Plus: the chaos unfolding in real time as Israeli EuroLeague teams scramble to relocate amid conflict, Monaco's financial crisis threatening one of Europe's most competitive clubs, and why European basketball desperately needs a structural reset. This one goes deep.

00:00 — Introduction & New Air Club sponsorship 01:52 — Meet Mike Creppy Jr.: Vindicated Sports & the documentary Imported 02:07 — Why "Vindicated"? The meaning behind the name 03:54 — What inspired Imported and the rise of overseas basketball in mainstream conversation 05:19 — U.S. vs. European player development: Mike's take 06:29 — How many players has Vindicated helped get signed? (60 and counting) 07:34 — Making Imported: The first move, the first mistake 08:39 — How Kevin Merida (ESPN/LA Times) helped Mike see the documentary potential 09:58 — How the production came together: Istanbul, Slovakia, Iraq and beyond 10:54 — How Giannis and Improbable Media got attached to Imported 12:17 — The criteria for choosing featured players: who got closest to the NBA without making it 13:11 — James Guist: Drafted by the Spurs in 2008, never played an NBA game 13:44 — Lindsay Pulliam: 2,000-point Big Ten scorer, drafted by Atlanta Dream, zero WNBA games 14:08 — Edgar Sosa: All-Big East at Louisville, 18-19 NBA workouts, ended up in Baghdad 15:04 — How Mike met Edgar Sosa in Cairo on Thanksgiving 17:22 — Why talented players fall through the NBA cracks: contracts, timing, visibility 18:36 — Pat Beverly buying out of his Russian contract to bet on himself 19:01 — Chris Wright: First NBA player with multiple sclerosis, featured in Imported 20:44 — Mike's wildest overseas experience: Playing in Greece during the economic crisis 21:25 — Greek teammates going on strike the week before a Panathinaikos game 22:44 — Kyle Hines getting hit by a flare during warmups at Panathinaikos 23:52 — The rewards of playing overseas: global network, culture, business connections 24:39 — Damian Rosser: From obscurity to Champions League basketball in four years 26:47 — The Middle East conflict: How it's impacting Mike's clients in Israel and Iran 29:42 — Ric and Boki discuss Israeli EuroLeague teams relocating amid conflict 31:51 — Boki was in Tel Aviv just days before the conflict escalated 34:33 — The logistical nightmare of relocating an entire EuroLeague franchise 37:22 — How the Middle East conflict is affecting EuroLeague competition fairness 41:01 — Monaco's French Cup win amid a deep financial crisis 42:30 — Why European basketball needs a structural reset — and what the NBA could offer 45:55 — Outro & how to find Imported on Hulu and Disney+

#BasketballPodcast #SportsMedia #PlayerDevelopment #NBAlternative #GLeague #FIBABasketball

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