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European basketball is entering a period of turbulence where forced smiles are no longer enough. Chus Bueno, EuroLeague general manager since February, has drawn a clear line: an agreement with the NBA Europe project remains possible, but only if it serves both sides. Otherwise, the EuroLeague says it is ready to defend its own turf, clubs, and economic model alone.
Two Projects, One Continent
The NBA and FIBA are working on a new European league targeted for launch in October 2027.
The NBA and FIBA are working on a new European league targeted for launch in October 2027. The proposed format remains ambitious: 16 teams, including 12 permanent franchises and four spots available through annual qualification. The targeted cities map out a very dense picture of continental basketball, from Paris to Madrid, Milan to Munich, London to Istanbul.
Faced with this offensive, the EuroLeague is no longer simply waiting. Bueno is taking a firm negotiating position. The European organization wants to discuss matters, share its experience of the local market, and avoid a splintering of both the schedule and revenues. But it refuses to become mere window dressing in a competition designed elsewhere. The message is crystal clear: if no common ground is found, it will move forward with its own plan.
The Battle for Clubs and Brands
The heart of the issue revolves around established clubs. Many have a history, a fan base, and an identity that the NBA cannot create in a single press conference. Real Madrid, Olympiacos, Fenerbahçe, Partizan, Paris Basketball, and ASVEL are not merely teams: they are already well-rooted sports brands, with their rivalries, arenas, traditions, and constraints.
This is precisely what the EuroLeague wants to put on the table. It knows that the NBA brings considerable commercial power, media expertise, and drawing power. But it also believes that the European product would lose part of its value if historic clubs were marginalized or forced to choose hastily between two competing circuits.
Fragmentation would be the most uncomfortable scenario. Two strong, poorly coordinated leagues could compete for the same markets, broadcasters, sponsors, and sometimes the same players. For the public, that would mean more marquee matchups, but also more confusion. For clubs, it would trigger a race for financial guarantees in which sporting loyalty would carry less weight than the strength of the offers.
The EuroLeague Is Accelerating Too
Bueno's firm stance is backed by a timetable that is already underway. The EuroLeague is due to expand to 24 teams for the 2027-2028 season, with its long-term licenses transformed into permanent franchises and up to eight new long-term spots. More than twenty projects have expressed interest, and several binding offers are currently under review.
This expansion changes the balance of power. The EuroLeague is not presenting itself as a rigid competition waiting to be overtaken. On the contrary, it is seeking to lock in spots, attract new investors, and consolidate its revenues before the possible arrival of NBA Europe. Paris, London, Milan, and Naples are among the markets being discussed—exactly the kind of cities the NBA is also eyeing.
For French clubs, the stakes are concrete. Paris Basketball is already at the center of European discussions, while ASVEL remains affected by the shift toward a franchise model. In a French market that has gained visibility thanks to Victor Wembanyama, NBA games scheduled in Paris, and the rise of ambitious clubs, the battle will not be theoretical.
An Agreement or Head-on Competition
The window for discussion remains open. Adam Silver has already explained that he wants to respect the traditions of European basketball while building a new product with FIBA. The EuroLeague, for its part, is not closing the door on an alliance that would prevent the continent from being split in two. But Bueno's words remind us that the compromise will have to be balanced, not merely elegant on paper.
The coming months will show whether each side is willing to relinquish some control. An NBA Europe launched without the EuroLeague would have the means to make a great deal of noise. A strengthened EuroLeague without the NBA would retain sporting depth and local roots. Together, the two could create a more coherent competition. Apart, they would offer European basketball a rivalry between executives before the first tip-off.