Adam Silver has revealed that the NBA's planned European basketball league won't launch for at least two years. The NBA Commissioner shared this timeline update while speaking in Oklahoma City during the ongoing Finals between the "Thunder" and the "Indiana Pacers".
"We're so early in the process that it's a little difficult to establish a specific timeline right now," Silver explained. "So we're at least a couple of years away from launch."
The NBA officially announced its intention to create a European league last March following a Board of Governors meeting in New York, with FIBA as its partner. Interestingly, Euroleague - a competition that has been openly feuding with FIBA for years - was notably absent from these initial discussions.
Silver emphasized that the NBA wants to ensure proper consultation with "all relevant stakeholders" before moving forward. This includes Euroleague, players, media companies, and marketing firms - a clear indication that navigating European basketball's complex landscape won't happen overnight.
The preliminary vision includes a 16-team competition combining existing clubs and newly created franchises. Of these, 12 would hold permanent status while four positions would remain open for qualification. Games would run 40 minutes rather than the NBA's standard 48, and the schedule would align with both FIBA and national competition calendars.
By the way, numerous critical details remain undecided, including which European cities might host teams, which existing clubs might participate, and whether any current Euroleague teams would join the venture.
The next significant development is expected at the upcoming Board of Governors meeting scheduled for July in Las Vegas. Will this ambitious project actually materialize within Silver's two-year timeframe? Basketball fans across continents are watching closely.
