By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The NBA and FIBA released a joint statement on Thursday.
Per the press release: “A partnership between the EuroLeague, FIBA and the NBA to unify the European basketball ecosystem would unlock the game’s enormous potential across Europe for the benefit of clubs, players and, most importantly, fans. The NBA and FIBA remain committed to moving forward with a new professional men’s league in Europe and helping build a stronger, more sustainable basketball ecosystem alongside partners who share our vision of growth, opportunity and the core principles of the European sports model.”
Despite this reaffirmed public push for unity, behind-the-scenes negotiations tell a different story, as detailed by Eurohoops on Wednesday.
While continental basketball is blooming, a recent Euroleague Basketball meeting at Lake Como revealed deep divisions between owners. They chose not to accept the proposal, viewing it as insufficient to serve even as a starting point for negotiations.
Meanwhile, the NBA and FIBA are actively preparing a new European league widely referred to as NBA Europe and targeting a tipoff at the top of the 2027–28 season.
Among changes, the NBA Europe project plans to launch a 16-team league, including four spots assigned to Basketball Champions League finalists and qualification tournament winners directly connected to domestic leagues across the Old Continent, while Euroleague Basketball plans an expansion to 24 teams.
Consequently, the European market is headed toward a period of fragmentation before reaching eventual harmony, echoing the fight for supremacy between FIBA and Euroleague Basketball back in 2000 and the subsequent merger of SuproLeague and EuroLeague.
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