NBA Nears Talks For New 16-Team European League

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that discussions between the NBA and FIBA about launching a new basketball league in Europe are ongoing but remain in the early stages, with a projected timeline of several years before launch. The new league aims to start with 16 teams and is seen as a significant project involving consultation with current leagues, European players, media, and marketing partners. Silver emphasized the NBA's preference to collaborate with the existing EuroLeague and its member clubs, although exact details of such a partnership are still uncertain. The NBA sees a strong opportunity to serve the large and underserved basketball fan base in Europe, where about one in every six NBA players originates, including notable stars like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Victor Wembanyama. The NBA's board of governors plans to discuss the European league further at their July meeting, with the possibility of unveiling more concrete plans around the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Silver described the undertaking as enormous but expressed optimism about its potential impact on the growth of basketball in Europe.