The NBA and FIBA have today taken another step in their joint project to explore the creation of a new men’s professional league in Europe. Both institutions have just announced that starting in January they will begin formal conversations with clubs and groups interested in being part of the competition, which represents the first truly tangible movement towards a model that has been on the table for some time.
The league’s design, still in the embryonic phase, points to a hybrid structure. In addition to permanent places, there would be an annual access route based on sporting merits for any club that competes in a national league affiliated with FIBA, either through the Basketball Champions League (purported alternative to the Euroleague) or through a qualifying tournament at the end of the season.
Another key idea for the success of the project is its fit with the European calendar: the new competition would be aligned with the domestic leagues and national team windows, allowing players to combine club and national team throughout the year.
Multi-scale impact
Beyond the strictly competitive level, NBA and FIBA emphasize that the project would have a structural impact on the European basketball ecosystem. The plan includes financial support and resources for the development of national leagues, club academies and existing training programs for players, coaches and referees, with the ambition of generating a driving effect that reinforces the sustainability of the system as a whole.
“The format respects the principles of the European sports model, offering any ambitious club a fair path to the elite,” explained FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis, emphasizing that the proposal is designed to benefit not only the big players, but also federations, leagues and fans. NBA commissioner Adam Silver expressed a similar line, highlighting that the conversations held in Europe have reinforced the conviction that there is an “enormous opportunity” for the growth of basketball on the continent.
For now, the project is still in the development phase and there are no fixed deadlines or definitive formats. NBA and FIBA have confirmed that they will offer new updates in the coming months, while European basketball is, once again, witnessing a larger plan that far transcends basketball, and that could alter its competitive map in the medium and long term.
(Cover photo by Alexis Reau/Presse Sports via Imagn Images)
