NBA, FIBA reiterate plan for new Europe league whether EuroLeague merger happens or not

LONDON (AP) — The NBA was pressing ahead with plans to launch a new European basketball league, saying on Thursday the current model was seriously undervalued.

EuroLeague owners this week rejected a formal offer from the NBA to merge into a single European operation. But the NBA and FIBA indicated they still hope to merge with EuroLeague in their new league as early as next year.

George Aivazoglou, the NBA managing director for Europe and Middle East, went into further detail about the plans when speaking at the sports industry conference Leaders Week London.

“The NBA has been very consistent throughout the years in reiterating that we’re very serious about the opportunity in European basketball. We’re also very serious and consistent in terms of our intention to work with everybody who shares our vision of the future,” Aivazoglou said.

“There is a serious value gap for European basketball. We don’t think it’s reaching its potential and we have a perspective about what has happened and what needs to happen to move things forward."

The decision not to accept the NBA’s proposal of a single Europe entity was made on Tuesday in Cernobbio during a gathering of the EuroLeague’s 13 shareholder clubs. They include Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Milan, Tony Parker -owned ASVEL in France and two Istanbul-based clubs.

The NBA and FIBA released a joint statement earlier Thursday, claiming a “partnership between the EuroLeague, FIBA and the NBA to unify the European basketball ecosystem would unlock the game’s enormous potential across Europe for the benefit of clubs, players and, most importantly, fans."

The NBA and FIBA added they “remain committed” to the new league, which has been planned to launch in the fall of 2027.

It seems likely that merger talks will continue, with Barcelona saying this week that the door remains open even though the first proposal was rejected. "Should that (merger) proposal be amended in the future, the clubs and the EuroLeague will reconsider it,” the club said.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said multiple times, and as recently as last month, that he believes the new league would benefit from “joining forces with the EuroLeague.”

Aivazoglou added: “We’re always there to have discussions provided we share the same assessment of what are the main reasons why European basketball hasn’t reached its full potential and then how do we solve it."

The NBA and FIBA formally announced their plans for an NBA Europe venture in March 2025. The new league would have some permanent franchises, with chances for others to qualify based on performance.

Many of the NBA’s top current stars hail from Europe, including San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (France), Denver’s Nikola Jokic (Serbia), the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic (Slovenia) and Miami’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece).

The 20-team EuroLeague is comprised of 13 shareholder clubs immune from relegation. The rest either qualify through their domestic leagues or through invitation. The NBA, in partnership with FIBA, has said it envisions a 16-team league.

Aivazoglou said the NBA was “ready to create something that will transcend our careers, maybe even our lifetimes for the next 100 years.”

AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed.

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