By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Hedo Turkoglu, the president of the Turkish Basketball Federation, has officially endorsed the collaborative efforts between the NBA and FIBA to establish a new premier league in Europe. In an extensive interview with Anadolu Agency, the 15-year NBA veteran emphasized that the project widely labeled as NBA Europe is the key to solving the continent’s current economic stagnation.
“It is clear that the NBA adds value wherever it gets involved,” Turkoglu explained. “The NBA’s global brand, prestige, organizational scale, and economic power will undoubtedly be reflected here as well. Since the NBA maintains a strong relationship with FIBA, I hope they step in with a formula that brings even greater value to European basketball. Without their involvement, we may face a very complicated future. Even now, there are already four separate competitions. Adding another could create further complexities, but the ultimate goal is to elevate European basketball. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through the NBA. As the world’s premier basketball organization, I believe their presence here will provide a significant boost to the sport in Europe.”
A former player and veteran of 15 NBA seasons also shared his assessment on the current top-tier continental league, the EuroLeague.
“The EuroLeague is special because of the prestige of its member clubs. If world-class teams like Fenerbahçe Beko and Anadolu Efes joined a different league, they would bring that same value with them. Currently, the EuroLeague offers virtually no meaningful revenue-generating contribution. Clubs are increasingly dissatisfied and are seeking new directions. They are making deals with Abu Dhabi to boost their brand value and financial standing,” he said. “If the NBA presents a viable economic model, our EuroLeague clubs will be much more open to the ‘NBA Europe’ project. Currently, there is nearly a tenfold gap between what our clubs spend and what they earn. You say it is the best league in Europe, but that is a perspective prioritized only by the thirteen A-licensed shareholder clubs. Only these select teams succeed while others struggle. It honestly surprises me that they still view themselves as the premier organization. I believe that if the NBA and FIBA introduce a formula that provides real economic support for European clubs, they will lead the way.”
Also, Turkoglu explained how Turkiye can follow the global trend of hosting major international fixtures.
“We are hopeful that in the coming years, we can bring an NBA game to our country, similar to the recent matchups held in Berlin and London,” he said, referencing the games between the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic. “We have also discussed hosting NBA preseason camps [at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center]. Furthermore, we have launched several initiatives to host a USA Basketball training camp here ahead of the 2027 FIBA World Cup, as well as organizing preseason exhibition games between clubs.”
“The NBA’s European representative is scheduled to visit Istanbul in the coming days for further discussions. We expect our meetings to become more frequent as we work toward a point where we can successfully organize these joint events,” he added.
The NBA and FIBA are currently targeting October 2027 as the launch date for their proposed joint European league, while confirmed future installments of the NBA Global Games are headed to Manchester and Paris in 2027, followed by Berlin and Paris in 2028.