NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said a proposed NBA Europe league would “respect the traditions of European basketball.” Speaking at Thursday’s regular-season game in Berlin — the first NBA regular-season game held in Germany, where the Orlando Magic beat the Memphis Grizzlies 118-111 — Silver updated plans to partner with FIBA on a 16-team European competition. He said up to 12 places would be reserved for permanent members and at least four spots would be open to teams qualifying through FIBA’s existing European competitions.
“We continue to be enormously excited about it,” Silver said, noting ongoing talks with clubs, media partners and sponsors. He described the project as an attempt to blend “old and new, tradition and innovation,” and said he hopes the league will grow European basketball rather than create inevitable conflict with existing competitions.
The proposal, however, is likely to encounter resistance. The EuroLeague, Europe’s current top-tier tournament, and some politicians worry a closed, invite-only model could threaten national leagues and the European sports structure. Critics argue such a format would favor commercially powerful clubs and limit opportunities for smaller teams. When asked about possible legal challenges from the EuroLeague, Silver joked that he forwards any legal letters to his lawyers.
During the visit to Berlin, NBA officials highlighted Germany’s strong basketball ecosystem. Silver praised Alba Berlin as a model club for its youth programs, fan engagement and role in growing local interest. The NBA is reportedly eyeing clubs in England, France, Spain and Turkey as part of a league made up of both existing teams and potentially new franchises.
Europe has long been a rich talent pool for the NBA: roughly one in six current players — more than 70 — are European. Notable names include Serbia’s three-time MVP Nikola Jokić and, on Orlando’s roster, Germans Franz and Moritz Wagner and Tristan da Silva. Da Silva said playing in the NBA was his childhood dream but added that Europe also offers strong incentives for young players because of its high competitive level and the game’s growing globalization.
NBA executives point to a large, partly untapped audience in Europe. The league estimates around 270 million basketball fans across the continent, making basketball the region’s second-most popular sport after football. While some NBA executives have suggested basketball could one day close the gap with football, Silver took a more measured tone, calling the NBA complementary to other sports and acknowledging football’s much larger base while stressing basketball’s growth potential.
Franz Wagner, who came through Alba Berlin’s youth system, welcomed basketball’s rapid expansion in Germany and cautioned that constant comparisons to football “take the joy out of” the sport. For now, the NBA and FIBA say talks will continue as they flesh out details and attempt to balance commercial ambitions with respect for Europe’s basketball traditions.