By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Metropolitans 92 has officially entered the bidding war for a foundational spot in the upcoming NBA Europe league, backed by a high-profile consortium including Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant and his investment firm, Catch12. The club’s American shareholders of EuroStep Ventures have already held direct meetings with NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum to demonstrate their financial readiness for the projected 2027 launch.
In a confirmation to L’Equipe, Metropolitans president Luc Dayan detailed the club’s independent move, noting that the group has the resources to scale the project. Discussing the long-term financial upside of the auction, Dayan posed a high-stakes vision for the investment, asking: “If a franchise is worth two billion in ten years…”
This bid has ignited an intense race for a Parisian foothold in the new 16-team ecosystem. Despite earlier talks of a unified front, the Metropolitans are now advancing on a separate track from Paris Saint-Germain. “The shareholders, Sam Katzin-Simon and Allen T. Lamb of ESV, confirmed to me their letter to the NBA regarding obtaining a franchise,” 68-year-old Dayan told L’Equipe, adding that while they had discussed a partnership with PSG’s owners, “the Qatari group has, for the time being, prepared its own proposal.”
However, the landscape of European basketball may be shifting toward a broader alliance. According to Eurohoops sources, the NBA and Euroleague Basketball are expected to meet in the coming days to discuss a potential joint project. This 11th-hour collaboration could expand the top-tier European league to 24 teams, potentially resolving a 26-year rift between FIBA and the EuroLeague.
With the midnight deadline for non-binding bids falling later Tuesday, Paris remains in a unique pole position.