NBA Reportedly Weighs EuroLeague Deal as European Basketball Nears a Historic Crossroads
A reported NBA move to acquire or invest in the EuroLeague could turn a looming battle for control of European club basketball into something very different: a partnership. But for now, the most important part of the story is also the simplest — no deal has been officially confirmed.
European basketball may be approaching one of the most consequential decisions in its modern history.
The NBA is considering a move involving the EuroLeague that could include acquiring the competition or taking an ownership stake, according to reports originating with Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport and subsequently reported by several European outlets on September 9 and 10.
If such a proposal materializes, it would represent a dramatic change in the relationship between the two sides.
Until now, much of the discussion surrounding the NBA’s ambitions in Europe has centered on the possibility of a new competition developed with FIBA. Such a project would potentially compete with the EuroLeague for clubs, markets, players and commercial attention.
Buying into the existing competition would offer another route entirely.
Rather than trying to build an elite European league from the ground up, the NBA could potentially work with an established product that already includes many of the continent’s biggest basketball brands and most valuable markets.
That possibility makes the next few weeks particularly important.