The potential for an NBA-owned league in Europe could determined in a matter of weeks, after Andreas Zagklis, the secretary common for FIBA, mentioned the physique would stay in “severe dialog” with the NBA about beginning a brand new league.
This league might initially compete with the EuroLeague and high professional leagues in particular person nations.
“There may be clear curiosity (by the NBA) and there are ongoing discussions with FIBA,” Zagklis mentioned, by way of The Athletic. “We’ve been having and can proceed having discussions with … the corporate that operates the EuroLeague.
“It’s one thing that has been on our radar. We tried to carry everybody collectively. This was not doable. So our job is to proceed having severe conversations with our companions on the NBA.”
The secretary common went on to clarify how “basketball in Europe is punching a lot under its (weight in) industrial potential.” In fact, the NBA might actually assist with that.
Zagklis says that “FIBA has a really constant method” when talking about the potential for the NBA launching its personal European league.
“We wish the expansion of our sport, however on the similar time we wish to defend what are the basics of our ecosystem, which can’t solely relate to the principles after all, the calendar, however it’s a query of respecting the nationwide groups, the nationwide leagues,” Zagklis mentioned. “We have now a really effectively developed ecosystem of nationwide leagues and positively (wish to) defend the work not solely of some golf equipment, however of virtually 500 or 600 golf equipment which are the pyramid that produces gamers and that has introduced the game of basketball the place it’s immediately.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has spoken about how the league is contemplating its choices in Europe and the way the league is finding out how Euro Leagues have academy-style coaching applications for younger expertise, that are much better than the American G-League / school equal.
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