The rejection of the NBA’s proposal by EuroLeague shareholder clubs could seriously jeopardize the NBA Europe project, at least in its current form. According to The Athletic, a source close to a potential NBA Europe franchise described an October 2027 launch without an agreement with EuroLeague as “impossible.”
The NBA has so far reiterated its goal of launching in October 2027 even without a deal with EuroLeague, but building the new competition would appear significantly more complicated, especially considering the involvement of the leading European clubs.
The two sides remain open to continuing negotiations. One source told The Athletic that the rejection was “predictable,” while another said there is still “a willingness to negotiate,” but that EuroLeague’s owners “didn’t like the offer.”
“Some clubs are outright against NBA Europe, but most clubs simply didn’t like the proposal.”
According to The Athletic, at least six EuroLeague clubs would be willing to consider joining the new league. In addition, some of the 12 cities initially identified — Paris, London, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, Istanbul, Milan, Munich, Berlin, Lyon and Manchester — could be left out of the project.
The value of the financial offers could ultimately be a key factor in determining which cities and franchises make the cut.
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