Josh Childress, one of the key young guards of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, is in Greece with his agent. No big news, one would think. They’re probably both just enjoying a nice holiday, right? Guess again folks!

Childress is exploring the possibility of playing for Olympiakos, the Greek powerhouse that will once again be trying to mount a serious challenge for the Euroleague title. He is not even the only player lately who has contemplated snubbing the NBA for a chance to play in Europe.

A week ago, Slovenian Bostjan Nachbar, a member of the New Jersey Nets last year, surprised everyone when it was announced that he was set to sign a contract with Dynamo Moscow. This was startling, because Nachbar was not a seldom-used player for the Nets, but a key contributor off the bench. Yet this piece of news was still being brushed aside with the notion that Nachbar is, after all, a European player.

Childress, on the other hand, could pave the way for a completely new phenomenon. The 6ft 8in youngster has four NBA seasons under his belt, with averages of 30 minutes and 11 points per game. Clearly Childress is considered to be a good NBA player, still pinned as a talented youngster, and well sought by NBA teams.

More importantly, he is US born and raised and has gone through the ranks of high school and college to get to the league. So, if Childress makes a move to the Euroleague, that would be a huge first win for Europe over the NBA.

Why would Childress even consider this? For starters, the money is there in Europe as well. Olympiakos are not restricted by salary caps or league rules, meaning they can offer Childress whatever they feel they can afford. Olympiakos are a wealthy club and they would probably be able to surpass most offers Childress would receive as a restricted free agent.

Then there’s the level of play. European club basketball has become better and better over the years and, whilst the NBA is still considered to be the best of the best, the Euroleague competition has been closing the gap recently. So the drop-off in the level of play should be barely noticeable for Childress.

On the other hand, he is nothing more than a good player in the NBA - a guy who gets nice minutes, can score some, and can contribute to a team’s success. At Olympiakos Childress has a chance to become the man. This could be the biggest lure of them all. Every basketball player wants to be the star of his team, and Childress would get that chance in Greece.

Finally, it is also an opportunity for Childress to hone some new skills. European basketball’s style is so different that it makes you focus more on the fundamentals of the game and on the teamwork aspect of the game. This incentive is the reason why I actually think Childress should give it a try. It would, in the long run, make him a better, more complete player.

This summer’s headlines have actually put the Euroleague on the map even in the States. Earlier you had Brandon Jennings, a highly-touted high school player from Los Angeles, deciding to snub college and instead play in Europe. Then you had the Nachbar decision, and now the Josh Childress rumours. It’s possible Childress is just trying to raise his price tag within NBA circles, but still, the news is making a name for the Euroleague.

It is clear that the Euroleague is attempting to compete directly with the NBA as the world's pre-eminant basketball league. Meanwhile the NBA is seemingly still clinging on to the idea that, in effect, the Euroleague will become nothing more than a bigger, better version of the D-League.

To have more than one top-flight league is a good thing for basketball worldwide. The Euroleague could prove to be a viable option for NBA players, and could help change the rigid salary system currently incorporated there. The NBA’s monopoly within the sport has made the league forget its roots, forget the game in its rest form, and has made it into a show. Competition in this area could be welcomed to steer the league back in the right direction.