Luka Doncic’s old team desired for new NBA Europe league

Adam Silver and the NBA recently announced at the Board of Governors meeting in March that they are exploring the formation of a new European-based basketball league with FIBA as their main partner. This early proposal has already moved to the next step, as the league’s early proposal is already drawing interest from existing European clubs Paris Saint-Germain in France and Real Madrid in Spain.

Real Madrid has paved the way for numerous international talents to make the jump to the NBA through the years, most notably Luka Doncic in 2018. Other major European cities that would be primary targets for this new league include London, Manchester, Berlin, and Munich.

The NBA has long discussed international expansion, and the blueprints for a new league in Europe are taking shape. Whether Silver and the league will receive commitment from existing, high-ranking EuroLeague clubs is the main question at hand.

While most EuroLeague shareholders are committed to their current league and moving forward with their plans, Real Madrid’s future is open for interpretation. Clubs like Fenerbahce Istanbul and Panathinaikos Athens have pledged their allegiance to the EuroLeague, yet Real Madrid has not confirmed if it plans to stay in the EuroLeague after 2026, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

Although Silver is open to the idea of new clubs forming for his expansion league, Real Madrid is viewed as a “top target” for the new league.A commitment from the Spanish club would surely kick things into a higher gear for the NBA’s effort to gain other commitments from established European championship organizations.

Former San Antonio Spurs guard and Hall of Famer Tony Parker is the majority owner of ASVEL Villeurbanne in France, leading to speculation about his potential involvement with NBA Europe.

While the NBA Board of Governors has yet to formally vote on approving this new league in Europe, Silver and the league office are optimistic about the NBA’s international growth.

“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 before this season’s Paris showcase. “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.”

As the NBA continues to brainstorm new ideas in their efforts to create a league in Europe, the EuroLeague and its stakeholders will continue to gather information about the situation. Silver and the NBA are hoping to launch a new league in Europe as early as 2026.