Parker & NBA Expansion: China Focus

Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Tuesday September 09, 2025 at 11:40 p.m.

On the occasion of a promotional tour in China last week, Tony Parker reiterated his wish to see the NBA Europe is created as quickly as possible.

President of ASVEL, on the way to becoming a coach if he graduates next May, Tony Parker is also a former player still very popular, and he was spent in China to promote a street basketball tournament in the provincial capital of Sichuan. The former leader of the Blues gave this occasion an interview with China Daily And took the opportunity to repeat his wish to see the NBA arriving in Europe as quickly as possible. The major North American league presented its project last spring, which would include 16 teams, including 12 permanent, with some coming from Euroligue and others being created in cities like Paris (via PSG?), London or Berlin. Tony Parker supports this project thoroughly, as he recalled in Chengdu. “I think it’s a great idea. If the Euroligue, the NBA and the FIBA manage to collaborate to build a solid league, it will be great for European basketball. There is a lot of progress to be made (concerning the commercial functioning of clubs in Europe today). I agree. In the end, we discuss and try to move forward in the right direction. For me, as the owner of a French club, an agreement between the three (NBA, FIBA and Euroligue) is the key to the success of European basketball. The NBA Europe League, for me, is only a matter of time. They arrive, and it will be done. The NBA is a very strong brand, recognized worldwide, and in Europe, everyone knows it. This is why I think that the NBA can be very useful for increasing the notoriety of basketball in Europe. “

What will ASVEL do?

The NBA Europe project should see the light of day in 2027 or 2028. But the path is still long to become concrete. A team like ASVEL, which dreams of joining the NBA Europe,, for example, has committed to playing the Euroligue until 2040. In addition to taking lessons to become a coach, Tony Parker will also have work to work as a president in the coming months …