Adam Silver prepping bombshell 16-team Euro league pitch

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the league office have long discussed the idea of expanding to other countries outside of the United States. That is why Silver and the NBA are ready to present the idea of expansion with a new European-based league.

When the NBA Board of Governors meets on Thursday, Silver will pitch the early renderings of a plan to create a new professional basketball league in Europe, which could start as early as 2026, according to The Athletic.

This new league could involve 16 different organizations from the start, with some possibly leaving the established EuroLeague to be represented under the NBA brand. Prominent international organizations such as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona could be involved in the NBA’s plans for a new league. Luka Doncic made a name for himself in Europe before being drafted after playing for Real Madrid.

There is a massive market overseas for professional basketball, and the increased demand from other countries for the NBA has expanded rapidly. This is especially true with the consistent growth of international talents in the league and following the success of basketball in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

That is why France, and particularly the city of Paris, are on Silver’s radar as well.

Andreas Zagklis, the secretary general of FIBA, will attend Thursday’s meeting in New York to hear this pitch from Silver and the NBA. If a new league in Europe is to form, FIBA would be the NBA’s primary partner.

The NBA Board of Governors will not be voting to approve any proposal on Thursday, but instead continue to gather information from Silver and the league as to what this new venture in Europe would look like, according to The Athletic.

Before this season’s showcase in Paris between the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers, Silver spoke at length about his idea for the NBA to become involved with international basketball.

“From the NBA’s standpoint, we continue to explore opportunities that may exist to continue to develop the basketball infrastructure here,” Silver said in January. “In the past, I’ve talked about our exploration of a potential league here. I’d say, to the extent that we are looking at that opportunity, it’d be one piece of a larger approach to basketball throughout Europe.

“Anything we do would include a partnership with FIBA, although there aren’t agreements in place right now. We are still in the exploratory stage.”

Organizations and teams in Europe are already beginning to show great interest in partnering with Silver and the NBA through this new league taking form.

Qatar Sports Investments, the main shareholder of Paris Saint-Germain in France, have already held discussions with the NBA about forming a new franchise in Paris through this European-based league, according to Le Parisien in France. Other major European cities that would be primary targets for this new league include London, Manchester, Berlin, and Munich.

European expansion and creating new opportunities for players to participate under the NBA banner has been Silver’s vision for quite some time.

The commissioner expressed his interest in brainstorming ways to continue the growth of international basketball during the 2024 Paris Game this season, and he will now get a chance to sell his thoughts to the Board of Governors on Thursday in New York City.