The National Basketball Association is seriously considering filing a public offer to acquire EuroLeague, according to a report by the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. NBA commissioner Adam Silver is weighing the move, which would fold Europe's leading club basketball competition into the American league's global plans, the newspaper reported.
The key date is October 5, when EuroLeague's board of directors is due to hold a decisive meeting at the Villa d'Este, on the shores of Lake Como, at an event organized by Olimpia Milano.
This governing board convenes only at pivotal moments to reset the tournament's strategic direction. The meeting is expected to mark the start of a new era for the competition and to serve as a test of the real strength of American intentions, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
New franchises and Final Four calendar
During the meeting, to be held in Cernobbio, EuroLeague officials are expected to reveal major details, including the addition of eight new franchises and the calendar for upcoming Final Four tournaments: Abu Dhabi in 2027 and 2029, and Valencia in 2028 and 2030. All of it, the report said, will unfold in the shadow of the NBA's reported interest.
NBA Europe project moves ahead in parallel
The American league is studying a public offer for the top European competition, one that Gazzetta dello Sport said would come with a substantial sum of money, at the same time as the NBA and FIBA continue making progress on plans for a separate new European competition known as NBA Europe.
Last June, Silver said the NBA Europe project fully adhered to its planned timelines and was proceeding according to plan, and he confirmed that the competition's structure had already been determined.
Silver on talks with EuroLeague
The NBA has kept talks open with EuroLeague to explore a possible unification of the two projects, although Silver made clear that progress on the NBA-FIBA plan does not depend on the outcome of those talks.
Silver said the NBA hoped to find a way to integrate its activities with EuroLeague, but that the league would continue with its plans regardless. He called it a historic opportunity and said basketball needed to move to the next level. He said the two sides were making progress and holding discussions, with more announcements expected in the coming weeks. He added that cooperation was not strictly necessary, but that everyone would come out ahead by presenting a united front in Europe.
Background on EuroLeague and the NBA
EuroLeague is the top-tier men's professional basketball competition in Europe, contested by leading clubs from across the continent. Olimpia Milano, the Italian club hosting the October 5 meeting, is one of European basketball's most decorated teams. The NBA is the top professional basketball league in the United States, and FIBA is the sport's global governing body; the two organizations have been developing plans for NBA Europe, a proposed new competition on the continent. Silver has served as NBA commissioner since 2014.
