By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
EuroLeague all-time leading scorer Mike James believes the NBA can help European basketball grow, but only if it works together with the EuroLeague rather than launching a rival competition.
Speaking to The Athletic while representing USA Basketball in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, James shared his thoughts on the NBA’s plans for Europe.
“I would love for them to not make an individual league, but to somehow partner with the league that’s already there. Because I feel like they have some good things about it.”
The NBA and FIBA are still targeting an October 2027 launch for NBA Europe, while talks with EuroLeague officials over a potential partnership continue. James believes the NBA could significantly improve the business side of European basketball.
“I think, for sure, that the NBA would make a better business model and make a lot of things better if they came over and joined with the EuroLeague. I think the EuroLeague has a very good product now, but obviously it needs improvements like everything.”
The Monaco guard pointed to marketing, merchandising, television rights and club revenues as areas where progress is needed.
“I would say marketing could be better. Figure out a way to have more merchandise and maybe be sponsored by one athletic wear brand so it could be sold and we can make more money off of it. TV rights would be nice.
Finding a way for clubs to make more money so the league could be better in general. There’s a lot of things that could be better. But not to pick on it, not to be rude, because I think it’s a great product. It’s just, improvements got to be made.”
However, James believes a brand-new league would struggle to attract Europe’s passionate fan bases.
“Because the thing that’s different about Europe than the United States is that obviously players have fans and fans like players, but they’re really fans of the teams. So the whole new league will be nice. Some people will go, but you won’t get the passionate fans that they have from the league right now. So I would like for it to combine somehow.”
James, currently a free agent after several successful seasons with AS Monaco, added that he would be interested in playing in an NBA-backed European competition if he is still active when the project launches.
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