The one issued by the NBA and FIBA in these hours is important, the second after the press conference held in New York in March. Here is the translated text.
The statement
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced today that they will advance their joint exploration of a new pan-European professional men’s basketball league in January, involving potential teams and ownership groups interested in joining the league in the process.
In addition to permanent spots, the new league would offer all teams in FIBA-affiliated European national leagues a merit-based path to qualify on an annual basis through FIBA’s Basketball Champions League (BCL) or an end-of-season qualifying tournament. The league would also align its calendar with those of national leagues and national teams, allowing players to represent their club and national team throughout the year.
As part of the new league, the NBA and FIBA also plan to dedicate financial support and resources to the continued development of the European basketball ecosystem, including national leagues, club team academies, and existing NBA and FIBA programs to develop aspiring players, coaches and referees at all levels of the game.
“Pushing forward this joint NBA-FIBA project is great news for the European basketball community,” said FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis. “The championship format respects the principles of the European sporting model, offering any ambitious club on the continent a fair path to the top. The project is designed in such a way as to improve the sustainability of the entire European basketball ecosystem, including players, clubs, leagues and national federations, generating a ripple effect that will bring great benefits to basketball fans across Europe.”
“Our conversations with various stakeholders in Europe have strengthened our belief that there is a tremendous opportunity in creating a new league on the continent,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “Together with FIBA, we look forward to engaging potential clubs and ownership groups who share our vision of the sport’s potential in Europe.”
The NBA and FIBA will provide additional updates in the coming months.
