The NBA’s move towards establishing a European league could offer a great opportunity to expand its global reach and deepen the influence of basketball globally.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, together with FIBA, discussed a European venture that envisions a 16-team competition, with 12 core clubs and four additional teams to qualify. This expansion would bring more talent into the NBA’s ecosystem as well as raise the profile of the sport across Europe.
Moreover, the Euroleague, Europe’s top basketball competition, expressed its willingness to discuss the proposed European league with the NBA. However, the league also stated their reluctance to welcome another competing league in the region, wary of how the NBA’s plans could interrupt the current basketball landscape in Europe.
Olivier Mazet, an agent to players in the NBA and Europe, stated, “They understood perfectly that the NBA became global. The last MVPs are almost all international players. They see that the talents come mainly from Europe. There is a will to take the field, to ensure the storytelling from the emergence of talent in Europe to their arrival in the NBA.”
Furthermore, Leigh Steinberg also expressed his belief that the NBA and Euroleague could potentially coexist, with the relationship of the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL) as proof. He said that the NFL’s success in operating alongside the CFL can be an example of how two leagues can thrive in the same region and suggests that having a similar dynamic could work between the NBA and Euroleague.
With all of these, Euroleague Basketball CEO Paulius Motiejunas also expressed his side and said: “European basketball does not need to be saved. If NBA and FIBA truly care about its growth and about the fans, their focus should be on contributing to its progress, not on creating a new league that fragments, divides, and confuses fans.”
He added, “We have consistently extended an open invitation for dialogue with any organisation interested in supporting the growth of European basketball. That applies to the NBA, FIBA, and other organisations. But creating a new league does not go in that direction.”
In a social media post, Eurohoops.net shared: “Paulius Motiejunas doesn’t believe that there should be a new league in Europe and downplayed the NBA Europe talks.”
Netizens shared their thoughts and opinions on the issue. One commented: “NBA needs to be saved. They need help, that is why they come here. Motijeunas is right.”
Another netizen remarked: “He is right!!! Americans should mind their own business.”