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Representatives from Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, two soccer and basketball heavyweights, Olimpia Milano, Panathinaikos, ASVEL, Bayern Munich and Alba Berlin were participants, signaling their interest in joining NBA Europe. NBA officials met privately with Fenerbahce, a top European team from Istanbul, last week in Berlin. Additionally, representatives from English soccer giant Manchester City were there, as were executives from Italian soccer powerhouse AC Milan, signaling their intent to either create new teams in their cities or invest further in existing teams.
Bayern Munich’s basketball team will begin the new year with a roster change, as Spencer Dinwiddie will no longer be part of the squad. The 32-year-old guard and the club have mutually agreed to end his contract, which had been set to run through the remainder of the season, due to personal circumstances.
With approval from the club’s sporting leadership, Dinwiddie returned to the United States shortly before Christmas following a serious illness within his family.
It appears Spencer Dinwiddie has settled in quickly and confidently after choosing Bayern Munich over multiple options. “I talked a lot with my agents to look at all the opportunities available, whether it was in the NBA, in China, or in the EuroLeague. But the familiarity I had with Gordie [Herbert], the fact that it’s a beautiful city with great facilities, that was appealing,” Dinwiddie said to BasketEurope.
The veteran guard also pointed to a broader trend of NBA players recognizing the level of competition in Europe. “Everybody is realizing that there is another very high-level basketball league in the world. The EuroLeague is very competitive. We have the chance to keep chasing our dreams and to enjoy playing the game, no matter where you are in your career. I think that’s why a lot of players move from the NBA to the EuroLeague.”
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NBA Europe managing director George Aivazoglou confirmed that the project will launch in October 2027, adding that teams from Rome, Milan (Italy), London, Manchester (United Kingdom), Paris, Lyon (France), Madrid, Barcelona (Spain), Berlin, Munich (Germany), one team from Athens (Greece) and Istanbul (Turkiye) will be playing in the competition.
Aivazoglou didn't specify which current (if any) EuroLeague teams will be competing. "We're talking with some existing basketball teams. We're also talking with football clubs that have a strong brand but don't have a basketball team—talks we're having in this country [Italy] and in this city [Milan] as well. And there are places where we'll be starting from scratch," he said.
Spencer Dinwiddie is in advanced talks to continue his career in Europe, with Bayern Munich emerging as a serious contender in the race for the 11-year NBA veteran, sources tell BasketNews. While other major EuroLeague teams – including Olympiacos, as mentioned in the Greek media reports – have been linked to the player, Bayern has recently emerged as a strong contender in the pursuit of Dinwiddie, per sources.
In Turkey, the Final between the “12 Giant Men” and Germany became the fourth popular sport event in the country through 2025. More specifically, this historic clash drew a viewership of 18.2 million as the country was witnessing the first EuroBasket gold-medal game of the national team in 25 years. Out of this huge number, 15.6 million watched the match on TV and 2.6 million experienced the Final by streaming it on digital platforms.
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Germany became EuroBasket champion for the first time after 1993 and 5.675 million people in the country watched the game live. The majority of 3.89 million preferred RTL channel while 1.785 million picked Magenta channel.
Álex Mumbrú did not travel with the rest of the German national team after winning the EuroBasket gold medal. While the players and staff flew to Frankfurt to begin the celebrations, the Catalan coach went straight to Barcelona, where, according to Mundo Deportivo, he was rushed to hospital.
They ultimately decided on his immediate hospitalization, for at least two weeks, to treat the condition and promote his recovery. Once this phase is complete, Mumbru will need to undergo surgery to have his gallbladder removed in order to prevent future complications. Earlier reports indicated that Mumbru lost 7 kg due to the infection.
Dennis Schroeder and Germany are on top of the world, having also won the EuroBasket, proving that they are the team to beat in FIBA Basketball. And they did it by winning both the World Cup and the Eurobasket with a perfect 18-0 record. As Schroder said, explaining the success of the team: “Unbelievable! The strech we had, 9-0. We also had that two years ago in the World Cup. To go 9-0 this summer and in this game. First off, sorry, Turkey played one hell of a game, Sengun, Larkin, all those guys, Sipahi hit a bit three, but as the coach said, we never shy away from big moments. It’s not just Franz, not just me, it’s all our team. Bonga, Andy Obst, it was a big effort by everyone. Big-time plays by big-time characters. I am so proud of these guys because we stayed together as a team. It’s big time being World Cup Champions and Eurobasket winners”.