The NBA exposes its reasons for landing in Europe: «Our intention is to rethink and redesign basketball in the continent»

The NBA does not usually take false steps, and the recent announcement of Commissioner Adam Silver about the potential creation of a new basketball league in Europe should be read as a firm commitment to the expansion of the US multinational to the continent. «Even if we are in the exploration phase, our intention is to find the way to rethink and redesign basketball in Europe,» explains George Aivazoglou, executive director of the US League in Europe and the Middle East, in conversation with the country. The Greek manager, 44, lived – and suffered – as a young fan of the PAOK of SALÓN, his hometown, the different city Basketball competition on the continent, call European Cup, suproliga or the current Euroleague, formed after the split between several of the great European clubs and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in 2000 position in November 2024. The draft announced by the NBA in Europe does not far, at least a first glance, with the foundations of the current Euroleague. Between 16 and 20 participating teams, of which at least 12 would have a fixed place and the rest would be classified according to the merits in the domestic leagues. The will of the Americans, always by the hand of FIBA, is to reward the champions of the main national competitions in Europe. «Wouldn't it be wonderful for all teams to have the opportunity to qualify? Although in the United States the amount weighs and each team plays 82 annual matches in the regular phase, the idea in Europe is Paris and Rome, with clubs such as Manchester City and PSG already involved in conversations. «It is very early to have an answer,» the executive dodges about the possibility of organizing a European NBA without some of the classics of the continent, such as Real Madrid or Barcelona in Spain or the Panathinaikos and Olympiacos in Greece. There is also no news about the melon of the Russian teams and the dilemma that Israeli clubs represent. The first draft, so to speak, focuses on Europe and leaves aside the inclusion of the Middle East, where the NBA has been developing formative basketball programs for several years and organizing preseason games of franchises in Abu Dhabi.de becoming the main European competition and adding that league to its property portfolio, the NBA would control the talent bag of three continents: Africa, where the first Pan -African basketball league has also promoted also by the FIBA ​​hand. «It's about creating a collaboration, and I would like to underline that the role of FIBA ​​is to help the development and growth of sport,» Aivazoglou replies about this potential monopoly of players. When dealing with another point that brings clubs with tradition in the old continent, talent escape to the academies of the United States and the university basketball of the NCAA, the essence of the NBA proposal again emerges strongly. «For this reason, precisely, the sports economy must not be taken lightly. If you can generate more value, you can return it to the training teams and even give more viable options to earn the life of young talents. You have to generate more value (commercial and economic) for all the members of the ecosystem, because that way everyone benefits,» says the executive. Europe, the NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and general secretary of the FIBA ​​Andreas Zagklis avoided at all times to mention the Euroleague, the current reference competition in the market. «Obviously, we recognize the fantastic work that the Euroleague has done throughout the last decades, and we have talked to the organization recurrently. Since I am in the NBA, we have sat at least three times with the Euroleague and FIBA ​​to discuss the situation, and only two weeks ago I spoke with the CEO of the competition,» Aivazoglou clarifies. His conversation with Paulius Montiejunas arrived days before the shaking, which the Euroleague board of directors described without capujos as «threat.» «We do not see it with the same eyes and we reiterate that we are open to collaborate and associate, and that our sole intention is to bring European basketball to the place it deserves within the sports disciplines of the continent,» respond from the NBA by pulling diplomacy. The US league has estimated an assessment of some 3,000 million euros for the future competition, some figures that would multiply by five Euroleague. However, there are no concrete explanations about how they intend to reach those numbers. Officially, for now, they limit themselves to continue exploring the market and inquiring all the actors that they consider relevant, from clubs to players, going through foreign pavilions and investors. «These conversations will accelerate in the coming weeks and months, but we continue in the study phase,» emphasizes Aivazoglou, the visible head of the NBA negotiations in Europe from his office in London. Mark Tatum, vice -emissioned with the American league, is the global manager of the project since the headquarters of the League in New York.