By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Italian capital is poised for a monumental renaissance, with Rome on the verge of featuring two highly ambitious clubs in the top-flight LBA UnipolSai for the upcoming 2026–27 season.
According to a recent report by La Gazzetta dello Sport, this dual expansion aims to propel both teams directly into the elite tiers of European continental competition, resurrecting top-level basketball in Rome. The city has been held to a complete absence since the withdrawal of Virtus Roma from the top-flight division of Italy in December 2020.
The first spearheaded project, backed by former NBA executive Donnie Nelson and NBA superstar Luka Doncic, has already secured official approval to relocate the license of Vanoli Cremona to the capital. Operating under the umbrella of a broader NBA Europe initiative, this new franchise has simultaneously been granted a BKT EuroCup wildcard spot to ensure immediate international exposure.
A separate corporate consortium led by executive Paul Matiasic is currently finalizing an agreement to acquire Germani Brescia from Mauro Ferrari, intending to relocate that team to Rome and set up a path to NBA Europe as well. While this second transaction awaits formal federal ratification, complete documentation will be presented to governing officials within days.
To comply with league regulations prohibiting single ownership of multiple clubs in the same division, Matiasic intends to divest his current stakes in Trieste, selling them back to former partner Richard De Meo.
Meanwhile, Brescia’s last-minute application to register for the Basketball Champions League has forced FIBA Europe to temporarily delay its official continental team announcements, as executives carefully evaluate how these license transfers will reshape the landscape in Rome and Europe.
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