“If the Euroleague and NBA unite it could be good for Europe. If not, there are not players for so many leagues”

The Euroleague It is a competition full of romance, full of history and exciting rivalries, while the NBA can bring its renowned vision of business and spectacle to the Old Continent with its new European league. However, there is a practically unanimous opinion in the continental basketball environment, both inside and outside: the Euroleague and NBA have to reach an agreement because two separate competitions is not the most convenient for European basketball.

A figure also believes this Nikola VucevicThe well-known Montenegrin center is well-known in both worlds as a European and as a player with more than 10 years of experience in the NBA.

“I’m a big Red Star fan, so I watch a lot of Euroleague,” highlights the Orlando Magic insider. “But, as for NBA Europe and the Euroleague, I’m trying to see what happens. I hope they can find a way to unite, with two leagues we are going to lose some quality because we are not going to have the best teams together,” adds the two-time All-Star in conversation with MD.

“Therefore, I hope they can build a good league together. So, the NBA can contribute something and the Euroleague can contribute something. And if they come together, it can be really good for Europe. If it is separate, it will be difficult to have even more teams. I don’t know if they will be able to sustain that quality because it is difficult to find so many players for so many leagues. Two separate leagues, I don’t think it will be good for anyone,” the center reiterated. 36 years.

The Euroleague and the NBA continue negotiating to reach an agreement. However, the American league has already said that it is prepared to move forward with its competition, even without a deal with the European body. The NBA has reaffirmed its intention to launch this new European league in October 2027.

Another relevant European player in the NBA like Franz Wagner He also believes that the European project of the American league can have a positive effect for the Old Continent. The German forward began his career in Alba Berlinwho has publicly expressed his interest in playing in NBA Europe.

“I think it will be a very good thing for European basketball if done right, I think the NBA could add something really good to Europe. Obviously we have a great basketball culture and fans there. So, however it comes to fruition, I hope it remains present and the same with Alba Berlin. I think there is already a lot of infrastructure there, so hopefully there is a way to add something new and still maintain that tradition,” highlighted the Magic star, who had Aito García Reneses as a coach in Berlin.

His German compatriot on the Magic, Tristan da Silvaalso spoke about the impact of the NBA on Europe.

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I think the basketball world and European basketball is really excited about a new league and the new teams that will come as well and it’s going to change the landscape,” Da Silva stressed.

The Euroleague rejected the NBA’s proposal three weeks ago at the meeting of the 13 ownership clubs in Lake Como (Italy) mainly due to two points of disagreement: the opposition of the NBA to the expansion plans of the Euroleague with the addition of eight more member franchises and also the opposition of the Euroleague to the economic offer of the American league, considering that this was insufficient. The terms of said offer have not been publicly disclosed.

The CEO of the Euroleague, Chus Buenorecently said in an interview with EFE that the 13 clubs that own the top continental competition are willing to enter NBA Europe but with conditions such as maintaining decision-making power. The Euroleague also remains convinced about its expansion plans so that the competition goes from 20 to 24 teams next season, although Bueno said that they are open to listening to other NBA proposals.

The NBA wants to start its new European league with 16 teams, 12 of which will be permanent franchises and one for each of the 12 target cities of the American league: Barcelona, ​​Madrid, Rome, Milan, London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Berlin, Munich, Athens and Istanbul.

Surely for many fans of European basketball one of the big absentees on this list is Belgrade, although that does not mean that two historic players like Partizan and Red Star are not going to be part of NBA Europe for two reasons. The first is that there are four open places that can be accessed via the Basketball Champions League or a tournament played by the best teams in the national leagues. The second is that the NBA plans to expand the number of teams.

Vucevic is a Red Star fan and spoke about the case of the Serbian capital and also other cities without as much basketball tradition among the NBA’s preferences as Paris and Londonwhere the American league sees markets with a lot of potential.

“I understand the NBA, they look at it from a pure business perspective and how they can make the most money in the big cities. But I think in Europe it’s a little different, some of the big cities don’t care as much about basketball. For example, in Paris they have a team, but the fans aren’t there… it’s more that they have the PSGthat’s what matters most to them. And, for example, if you go to London they prefer Chelsea or to Arsenalthey’re not going to care that much about the basketball team. It is complex, I understand what the NBA looks at, but I think that a city like Belgrade that has two really good teams and two great fans should have a team,” explained the Montenegrin center.

“They should look at both teams but I’m not involved in the business perspective, so I don’t know what’s going to happen. But I hope both teams are there, especially if (the NBA and the Euroleague) get together. But Red Star and Partizan, who have some of the best fans and Olympiacos, Fenerbahçe, teams like that, you have to have those. That’s also what makes the Euroleague special,” Vucevic added.

In the cases of Olympiacos and Fenerbahçe, Athens and Istanbul are among the NBA’s target cities. In that of PSG, the current champion of the Champions League soccer team wants to be part of NBA Europe, although it should create a basketball team from scratch.

L’Equipe mentioned the possibility of PSG acquiring Paris Basketball to have a basketball structure, although the Paris Basketball It is one of the candidate teams to be one of the Euroleague expansion franchises. Roma Maxima, in which Doncic is an investor, is also one of the candidates to be part of the team expansion, although the Italian club could be interested in NBA Europe at the same time.

The London Lions London also want to be an expansion team, although there are several investment groups interested in creating a club in the British capital to compete in NBA Europe. Here again, top-level football and the NBA meet, since among the aforementioned groups is the Lewis family, owner of the Tottenham. In Manchester, the Manchester City I would also be interested in NBA Europe.

However, the NBA is logically aware of the Euroleague teams that want to join its project. As Meridian Sport pointed out last week, the American league considers FC Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe, Bayern Munich, Tony Parker’s ASVEL Villeurbanne and Panathinaikos as six teams of the Euroleague.

Tristan da Silva He has never played for Bayern but is from Munich, although he preferred not to comment on the case. “You’ll have to ask them,” the German said.

The other German city on the NBA list is Berlin. He Alba Berlin It left the Euroleague in 2025 after almost 25 years playing in the top continental competition and the Eurocup, arguing that it was a loss-making business. The German club has publicly expressed its interest in joining NBA Europe and the American league itself gave it a wink in some way with the regular season match between Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies last year at the Uber Arena, the spectacular pavilion for 15,000 spectators in which Alba plays.

Franz Wagner He was able to see first-hand how basketball is experienced in his hometown and in the same pavilion of his beloved former team. Once NBA Europe becomes a reality, the American league could include European teams in the NBA Cup, which could see Wagner facing Alba Berlin.

“Playing against them? I’m probably not the right person to ask that, but, you know, I think anything is possible these days, so it could work,” the German star said. Whether or not there is agreement with the Euroleaguea paradigm shift is coming for European basketball with the arrival of the NBA.