Euroleague to debate NBA tie-up as Europe basketball future hangs in balance

MADRID/NEW YORK/TORONTO Oct 2 : The clock is ticking for the NBA and Euroleague to find common ground in time for a joint launch next year, as the North American titan eyes an expansion across the Atlantic that could alter the ecosystem of European basketball.

Euroleague shareholders are due to meet on Monday in Italy to discuss a proposal that would see it join forces with the National Basketball Association, rather than compete against one another.

The upcoming discussions at Lake Como represent a fork in the road for the future of European basketball: Should a merger be agreed, it would represent a significant shift in governance, structure and the financing of Europe’s continental competition. 

If no agreement is found, NBA Europe and the Euroleague are set to enter into a rivalry, with the latter intending to alter the existing format, expanding the competition in the process.

"This is a unique opportunity historically to bring all sides together - including FIBA - and reshape the European basketball ecosystem," Lega Basket Serie A President Maurizio Gherardini told Reuters.

Euroleague is crafting its own expansion project while the NBA is barrelling forward with an expected 16-team league that would include 10-12 permanent franchises and four to six spots available through qualification.

The NBA has made clear it intends to launch in 2027 whether or not an agreement is reached, leaving Euroleague clubs to decide whether they are better served joining forces with the new competition or trying to withstand it.

A Euroleague spokesperson said conversations with the NBA were focused on a path forward that would see the two work together.

NBA READY TO MOVE FORWARD

A picture of what an NBA Europe would look like is beginning to