NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Expects Tremendous Response From Major European Teams for NBA Expansion Despite Past Failure

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver gave an update on the NBA’s expansion into the European market. Silver spoke to “Good Morning America” on Monday, where he expected a tremendous response from teams in Europe despite past failures to establish a European league.

Commissioner Silver added that the plan is likely to move forward in the next few months.

“Well, so it's something we've been discussing for a while and that is having a separate league in Europe,” Adam Silver said on Good Morning America. “Many of our top players are European. Roughly 15% of the league is European players. So that the quality of basketball is amazingly, you know, high level there.” “But there hasn't been commercial success really ever for a league there,” he added. “So we think there's an opportunity to come in … .So the opportunity is there. It's something we're looking very closely at with our owners right now. … So there's tremendous interest.”

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The league in partnership with FIBA announced on Monday that they will continue with their joint plan to create a new European league in January. They plan to invest in Europe's basketball ecosystem, where they will support domestic leagues, club academies and assist in development programs for players, coaches and referees, as part of the new league.

Commissioner Adam Silver indicated that the league could begin play as early as 2027 or 2028. According to reports, the proposed format will involve about 16 teams, with roughly 12 having permanent spots and potentially four based on qualification from other European competitions.

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Adam Silver to help in WNBA CBA negotiations

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Dec. 16 said he was willing to go above board to help with the WNBA and the players, led by the WNBPA, to come to an agreement on a new CBA agreement.

“We’re available to do whatever is necessary to help get a deal done,” Silver said. “I’m encouraged by the fact they extended the deadline once again into January. Presumably, the sides wouldn’t have been willing to do that unless they thought there was a constructive path to getting a deal done. … I remain optimistic we’ll get something done.”

The WNBA and the players’ union remain divided on a new CBA deal. Both sides will have to either come to an agreement or extend the deadline in order to prevent an unprecedented strike from the players.

Edited by Ubong Richard