Adam Silver discusses NBA’s plans to form European league with FIBA: ‘Now is the time’

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FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis (L) and NBA commissioner Adam Silver (R) speak during a press conference to announce the NBA’s ongoing quest to further align with FIBA and expand its role in European basketball, in New York, on March 27, 2025. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

(TIMOTHY A. CLARY via Getty Images)

NEW YORK — The NBA is ready for expansion, big expansion, but it’s not in Seattle or Las Vegas — the league is going all the way overseas.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver and FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis sat side-by-side on a dais in New York on Thursday afternoon, announcing the NBA will begin exploring a basketball league in Europe after a year of discussions on the enterprise.

Nothing is truly set in stone, but it seemingly will be a mark on Silver’s legacy when he’s done, as one of his biggest accomplishments as commissioner. The league will be 16 teams, with 12 permanent teams and four clubs that would be “in position to play on a yearly basis,” Silver said.

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There are certainly a lot of kinks to work out considering the tenuous relationship between FIBA and the Euroleague. The NBA believes the transparency of the announcement right now, as opposed to coming forward with an entire league full of teams and rules and mode of operations, will be beneficial to cutting through some of the red tape.

NBA deputy commissioner and COO Mark Tatum was instrumental over the last several months, working with FIBA and figuring out a way to use the NBA’s massive influence, especially considering it got a $76 billion media-rights deal done just months ago.

“We want to have very open and direct conversations with existing stakeholders and not have back-room conversations,” Silver said. “It was our feeling that if we announced our intentions then we could openly discuss with existing stakeholders, existing clubs what their level of interest is, and the community would know that, in terms of the FIBA community, as well. We felt that was a healthier way to go about it.”

Silver believes “now is the time” given the research the NBA has performed with fans, advertising agencies…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/adam-silver-discusses-nbas-plans-to-form-european-league-with-fiba-now-is-the-time-003346387.html

Author : Vincent Goodwill

Publish date : 2025-03-28 00:33:00

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