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Marc Stein: The NBA, I'm told, continues to target 2027-28 as the planned inaugural season for launching NBA Europe. Commissioner Adam Silver and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum have made it clear they hope to collaborate with the EuroLeague rather than compete against it and the NBA has announced that it held talks today with EuroLeague representatives at FIBA headquarters in Switzerland. It's believed that more than 20 existing European basketball and football clubs, including teams currently in the EuroLeague, have lodged bids for NBA Europe franchises.
Chus Bueno: Regarding the ecosystem, you have probably seen during last weeks, that the National Basketball Association (NBA), is raising the capital to come to Europe, supported by FIBA, and how we all said we are all open to explore a partnership together. Too soon to see if it’s possible and how to do that, we all know it is not easy, and we (basketball stakeholders) have not been able to do it so far. But I believe we can all agree that fragmentation dilutes value, and creates friction (not only among institutions, also within the media landscape, the market penetration, sponsorship, or even the friction within our fanbase supporting one league or concept vs another etc) and this is why I said that if the National Basketball Association (NBA) raises the capital and decides to come and invest time and resources in Europe, we (Euroleague and its clubs) should be open to discuss how we can grow the game and business together so we all benefit.
Chus Bueno: NBA commisioner Adam Silver, said that he thinks would be better to find an agreement with the Euroleague, during the last press conference a couple of weeks ago. I have been at the NBA almost 13 years, and I know Adam Silver, Mark Tatum and George Aivazoglou well. High personal and professional appreciation for my former colleagues, and they know it. I know what the NBA brings to the table regarding the game, the product, marketing, comercial, operations, brand, etc. We (the Euroleague side) have the top European basketball teams, the biggest basketball cities, and the highest European clubs fan base with decades of tradition. If they finally come, we should explore how we maximize this opportunity. We will all defend the best interest for our clubs, owners, capital etc… but there is trust among us to have honest conversations, sometimes critical and we will disagree on things!!But we need to figure out together the best solution for all. European Basketball is too important and deserves a great future.
AEK BC Athens entered the race to join the brand-new NBA Europe league, the SDNA reports. NBA President Mark Tatum recently confirmed that over 50 organizations have submitted applications for a franchise in specific cities, with Athens being one of the key candidates.
The NBA is determined to launch its own European league. If it succeeds, will that mean the end of the EuroLeague? Chus Bueno: I'm taking a preliminary step. As you know, I have a very good relationship with the NBA and many of its executives, including Adam Silver and Mark Tatum. They've opened what's called a 'data room,' which is a collection of files where they explain the project to the people they want to explain it to. This ends on the 26th or 27th, and then they'll present their conclusions to their Board of Governors. For now, we have to be respectful, we have to wait, and we have to see how the market responds to what they say they want to do and what their proposed project is worth. We agreed with the NBA that we would wait and that once this process is over, we would sit down together. Because, as they themselves have said, they would be delighted to discuss the matter with the EuroLeague and see if there's any common ground and if we can reach some kind of agreement.
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If the NBA doesn't ultimately get the money it expected from investment funds, why do you think it's better for European teams to partner with the Euroleague instead of going it alone? Chus Bueno: Because if you do it with all 12 clubs, or 13 including CSKA, you already have the best fan bases, the best cities, the best teams. You don't have to split it in half; it's a fundamental part. Half the value is lost. Do you want to dilute that value? Anything that fragments or divides is detrimental to basketball and diminishes its value. What makes the most sense is to sit down, try to build those bridges we were talking about, and since there's a good relationship and trust, I think it can be achieved at both the league and club levels. Q. Is an alliance between the NBA and the Euroleague possible? Chus Bueno: Of course it's possible. Of course. We'll see what happens once the NBA's deadline for securing the investment has passed. But we also made that clear to Mark Tatum last week. They know we're here, and we've agreed to let this period pass, but we're very eager to sit down and see how we can find common ground.
MrBuckBuck: The NBA deputy commisioner, Mark Tatum, on about the fact there is a player from Israel on the World Team (Deni Avdija), and how it helps to the NBA become more gloal: "Oh, it's amazing. This game is played and loved all over the world on just the fact that nearly 30% of our players (note: NBA players) were born outside the United States; to see Deni as an All-Star now is fantastic. This whole concept of the USA vs. the world - a lot of people have been asking for that, so it's nice to be able to bring the international players together - they're such impactful players, and to create this opportunity for the USA to play the world, especially with our new partner NBC and during the Olympics". Q: Do you feel the Israeli fans that ???? more and more to the league: Tatum: "For sure, we know that Israeli fans all over the world staying up late, and watching Deni; and he is such a great, great young man, and such a great representative, so we're excited to have him in the league" Via @DrorFisher
The NBA deputy commisioner, Mark Tatum, on about the fact there is a player from Israel on the World Team (Deni Avdija), and how it helps to the NBA become more gloal:
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) February 15, 2026
"Oh, it's amazing. This game is played and loved all over the world on just the fact that nearly 30% of our… pic.twitter.com/dg8Lxmk9VT
In his meeting in LA with the European press, Mark Tatum was also asked about reports that Luka Doncic was involved with the NBA Europe franchise in Rome. Without providing further details, Tatum confirmed that the Slovenian superstar is interested in the project. As Tatum said: “On Luka.. I will not speak about his involvement in whatever club. I have even engaged with him about this concept, and he is very, very supportive of the concept of the NBA getting involved in a European league, but you have to talk with him about his specific involvement in a club in Europe”.
However, with former NBA Europe executive Chus Bueno becoming the EuroLeague CEO, things may have changed positively in this direction. As NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said in an LA meeting with European press, which is covering the NBA All-Star Game, Bueno “can be a bridge”. As he explained: “We do know Chus well; he has worked for us for a dozen years or so. And we wished Chus well, we congratulated him, and we talked to him. I think Chus has to speak to his clubs, which he represents, but we do hope with FIBA that we can all sit down at the table and continue to engage in a positive dialogue. We always said from the very beginning that we wanted to work together with the EuroLeague to align everyone in the ecosystem, and that was always our objective. And that will continue to be our objective, and I think that having Chus there, somebody we know well and who knows European basketball well, perhaps he can be a bridge between us, FIBA, and the EuroLeague clubs. We are hopeful that in those conversations we will find ways to work together”.
NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum has now explained why the league is pushing forward with the project and which markets it views as priorities. "If you're a fan, it's hard to follow professional basketball in Europe. It's easy to follow the NBA, but it's hard to follow European basketball," Tatum told Sportico. "Top tier at EuroLeague is missing some of the biggest commercial markets in Europe. There's no top-tier team in the UK at all, and the UK is the biggest market in Europe. There's no top-tier basketball team there: in London, in Manchester. "There's no permanent top-tier team in the top league there in Paris, in Berlin, in Rome," the executive went on to say. "So, they're missing the biggest commercial markets, which is why they are not able to commercialize basketball.
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According to L’Équipe, Adam Silver is considering PSG the main option in Paris for the project. “They play at the highest level of competition (in soccer), and they have the know-how to operate a basketball club at the highest level, if they’re interested. Yes, it’s a club we’re talking to,” the NBA commissioner commented in a roundtable in London on Saturday.
Mark Tatum, Adam Silver’s second hand, emphasized the desire of being in Paris for NBA Europe. “Paris is a market we absolutely want to be in,” he said. “There’s their ability to create a brand, a culture, their association with the Jordan brand (Michael Jordan’s), which is linked to basketball. We’re looking for the right partners for our project, and PSG brings a very interesting level of expertise in terms of marketing, promotion, and building a global brand.”, Tatum commented.
The NBA will roll out the red carpet for a sales pitch to potential commercial partners of its proposed new European basketball league next month in London. Senior executives from the US sports behemoth will host the event at one of the capital’s swankiest hotels on 19 January, the day after the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic meet at the O2.
The invite, seen by City AM, promises “a select group of global leaders and brands across sports, entertainment, technology and culture”, whom the league will pitch to be foundational sponsors of NBA Europe. “During this special event, we’ll unveil our vision for European basketball and explore opportunities to innovate, collaborate and elevate the game together,” reads the invitation from NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, which has been seen by City AM.