NBA’s Silver says new European league could start in ’27 or ’28

NEW YORK — A new basketball league based in Europe that the NBA and FIBA are working together to launch could begin play in 2027 or ’28, though no timeline has been finalized, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday.

Speaking at a conference hosted by Front Office Sports, Silver called a 2027 start “ambitious, no doubt about it” given the issues that still need to be addressed but did not rule out that possibility. He reiterated previous comments that the timeline could be two to three years, pointing out that existing arenas across Europe could be used at the beginning until more modern infrastructure is built up.

“I don’t think I’d want to go much longer than ’28,” Silver said. “The opportunity is now to do something like this.”

Silver earlier this year said getting the league off the ground closer to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 might make more sense.

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The NBA and FIBA, the sport’s global governing body, announced plans in March to pursue a new European league — ending years of speculation about when or if such a move would happen. The process has been moving rapidly and a substantial move was made last month when the NBA brought on JPMorgan Chase and Raine Group to advise on finances and strategy going forward.

Silver said he and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum had positive meetings with political leaders, teams, media companies, possible investors and other stakeholders across Europe, while work continues in the league office to make the project happen.

“I would say I’m enthusiastic about it,” Silver said.

Early plans call for the new league to have 16 teams, though that number could change. Existing European clubs like Real Madrid, Fenerbahce Istanbul and Barcelona are likely to figure into the NBA’s plans for the new league, along with other top soccer brands like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

About one in every six current NBA players is European, including Denver’s Nikola Jokic from Serbia and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece — who have combined for five of the last seven MVP awards — along with the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic from Slovenia and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama from France.

“Basketball’s probably the fastest-growing sport in the world right now, and it’s a huge No. 2 sport in Europe behind soccer, so I think there’s a real opportunity,” Silver said.