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"Our idea is to create this league – call it 12 to 16 teams – with the biggest countries having permanent franchises. Call it the UK, Spain, Germany, Italy, or France. Two teams in each one of those markets that we know with certainty will have franchises there, and then we'll open it up to the rest of the ecosystem."
Real Madrid appears to be following the path of NBA Europe. The Spanish team, who have yet to renew its EuroLeague contract, could be pioneers in the new project that is on the horizon. As confirmed by Jorge Garbajosa, president of FIBA Europe, on COPE’s Tiempo de Juego program, the Spanish team’s interest is genuine. “We know that Real Madrid has shown interest, and the NBA is in direct, high-level talks with the club,” Garbajosa told COPE. “We know it’s an interesting option for them, as it is for other clubs, as Adam Silver said the other day,” he continued.
Following the NBA commissioner’s press conference in Berlin and the subsequent meeting in London, the NBA Europe project appears to be laying its groundwork. “The feeling we have is that this has gotten underway, that this is going to happen,” confirmed Garbajosa himself.
Casademont Zaragoza announced this morning the signing of Josh Richardson . The Aragonese club and the 32-year-old, 6'5" American player have reached an agreement for his incorporation until the end of the current 2025-26 season. However, the shooting guard will have to complete a 10-day trial period before signing the contract with the club.
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.
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James, yesterday at the NBA game in Germany, your former teammate Dwight Howard was asked about some players in the Spanish league. One of the players he was asked about was Sergio Llull. "Who?" Harden asked. -Sergio Llull- "I don't remember," said the star, even though the point guard's name was repeated several times. "Don't you remember? He told a story in the summer, he recalled a story about how Houston wanted to sign him and you personally called him to convince him to go to Houston, but he ultimately decided to stay at Real Madrid." "I don't know the story," Harden said to end the discussion, not wanting to talk about it much despite being in a good mood after his performance leading the Clippers' comeback from an 18-4 deficit.
With the NBA setting up shop in Europe this week for its Global Games, and with EuroLeague teams facing a soft deadline of Thursday to re-up for another decade, reports out of Spain have Real Madrid poised to exit EuroLeague for the fledgling NBA Europe. Spanish newspaper AS (Diario AS) reported Wednesday that, although Real Madrid has not officially signed, the team’s interest in NBA Europe “is permanent in what is expected to be an alliance that changes the map of basketball.”
15 NBA teams, along with Spain’s Valencia Basket, will be represented at the four day HoopsFest spectacle, with a broad mix of general managers, assistant general managers, executives, directors and international scouts expected to be in attendance from each organisation. The teams said to be attending include the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors.
Jose Calderon on Spain winning the 2006 World Championship: I think it was the most special moment because of what it meant for Spanish basketball, but also for Spanish sport. I think we made it so that many people realized what's important in a team, right? Often it's not just talent, but everything around it. I always say that going to the national team shouldn't be a punishment that makes you miss your vacation. And for us it was always a special moment to be able to get together again, to represent your country and also to be able to compete for titles.
Did I read correctly that you’re on the NBPA’s board and you’re trying to do some foundation stuff for Spain? Aldama: “Yeah, I’m on the foundation board, but it’s not necessarily for Spain. We helped because there was a natural disaster last year. I was with the board at that time. But they helped a lot with [Jose] Calderon. He was a huge driver of that. We were able to contribute a bunch of resources to the people that suffered. The NBPA helped big time. That was one of the things that motivated me to be on the board with the foundation. We can help when the fires occurred and Jamaica now [with Hurricane Melissa]. We’re trying to help anybody and everybody. Then whatever ventures the players have or anything that’s passionate to them, we can match and help. I think that’s important because we’re more than basketball players. We’re lucky enough to be in a privileged financial situation and social situation. We can donate a lot and also make people aware of things that drive us.”
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I played in Spain something like the NBA Cup. So, I like it. Just the courts, please. It's just slippery. It's dangerous. Q. Could you tell pregame that you thought the court was… It wasn't a decal though, right? It was just whatever reason it was. Doncic: I don't know. It was just… I slipped. I slipped a lot of times and you could see like a lot of players slipping and that's dangerous, man.
Kenny Atkinson, whose wife is from Seville and holds a Spanish passport, also played for Real Canoe NC in Madrid, Vino de Toro Zamora, and Calpe Aguas de Valencia. The American also mentioned Fernando Marchante, a renowned coach in Spanish basketball. “I played for Vino de Toro in Zamora, and that was most of my time with Fernando Marchante , who is a great coach. All NBA coaches learn from Pedro. I see him; his teams are always innovative. He's had a huge influence on basketball globally. A great, great coach. I still watch his teams play, and I have a lot of respect for him as a coach,” Atkinson said about the current Valencia Basket coach , eager to speak despite the Cavaliers' loss to the Raptors (110-99), a team hampered by injuries.
Tatum also laid out countries that will likely host the 10-to-12 permanent NBA Europe franchises, identifying France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Greece. He also specifically singled out potential Euroleague clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and LDLC ASVEL (owned by former NBAer Tony Parker). “Almost like the Champions League of basketball in Europe,” Tatum said. “So brands like Real Madrid and Barca and Man City and PSG and AC Milan playing basketball. That’s pretty compelling. Not only premium live sports content that’s relevant in Europe, but it’s relevant globally. It’s relevant in Asia, it’s relevant in the United States and North America because some of the brands that we’re talking to have tremendous global followings.” He also mentioned there would likely be a bridge year before four other teams qualify for the league in Year 2, saying, “If you’re in Lithuania, if you’re in Serbia, if you’re in Croatia, other clubs in those markets, we want every team to have an opportunity to play into that top tier league.”
Paris, London, Manchester, and Berlin have hosted—or will host—NBA regular-season games. Another major European city, Madrid, might be joining that list in the future. Spain's capital, considered for a potential NBA Europe project, is home to the iconic Bernabeu Stadium, which was recently renamed after Real Madrid dropped "Santiago" from its venue's name for marketing and corporate purposes.