The NBA sees unused basketball potential in Europe. The new league could include twelve permanent teams.
The plans of the NBA on the establishment of a new European basketball league become more specific. The North American professional league wanted to examine a corresponding project in cooperation with the World Association Fiba, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said on Thursday after a league meeting in New York.
The discussion about opportunities in Europe has been around for decades, according to Silver, “but we believe that it is now time to reach the next level. We are ready to reach the next level.” According to Silver, the league could consist of twelve permanent franchises and four changing members, this could “still change”. Silver did not want to go further further because “nothing was decided”.
There have been rumors about an NBA expansion to Europe for a long time. Managing Director Mark Tatum recently spoke of “unused potentials”: “Basketball could continue to grow in Europe,” he said. Despite great popularity, his sport does not have more than one percent market share in Europe.