Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Rome, London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Berlin, Munich, Athens and Istanbul. The NBA has named the 12 cities where it intends to have a permanent team in the new competition it intends to promote in Europe from October 2027. That is at least the list of possible locations that George Aivazoglou, NBA general director for Europe and the Middle East, cited in an interview in The Gazzetta dello Sport.
Among these dozens of representatives are, according to the executive, the two big names in Spanish basketball. None of them, neither Real Madrid nor Barça, have yet guaranteed their future continuity in the Euroleague, the European competition in which they participate, nor have they officially announced their plans to embrace or not the next continental NBA. The American League’s plans also include granting another entry ticket to its tournament to the winner of the Champions League, organized by FIBA, and three more passes through the national Leagues, until completing the group of 16 teams with which it intends to begin its adventure.
The great Greek (Olympiacos and Panathinaikos) and Turkish (Fenerbahçe and Efes) teams, as well as Partizan Belgrade and Red Star, do not seem close to the NBA project for now. However, the positions between the American giant and the Euroleague are very far apart regarding a possible agreement to join forces and not divide European basketball. The statement was made by Paulius Motiejunas, general director of the Euroleague, in a recent interview with EL PAÍS. “There’s a lot of frustration on our part because whatever proposal we put forward, it doesn’t seem like they’re willing to take any steps forward. Even though I say we’re talking, there’s not much progress because they’re sticking to their plan. I want to hope for a deal, but I also doubt it will happen.”
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