NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has unveiled an ambitious plan for the league`s future, envisioning a scenario where international teams could compete against U.S.-based franchises in either the regular season or playoffs. This bold vision is a natural progression of the NBA`s ongoing global expansion efforts, which already include grassroots initiatives in Europe and Africa, as well as the popular NBA Global Games series. The league is also actively working on launching a new European league, potentially by 2027 or 2028, setting the stage for direct international club competition.
Silver suggested integrating these international teams into existing NBA structures. He noted that they could initially participate in the NBA Cup, the league`s midseason tournament, or even be introduced into the NBA playoffs. Following these preliminary integrations, regular-season games across international borders would become a feasible next step.
“We have something we call the NBA Cup, a midseason tournament,” Silver said at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum. “You could imagine teams from Europe, potentially Africa, competing in that tournament. You possibly could see teams coming into our playoffs, top seeds from other leagues.”
The proposed European league aims to recruit established and successful clubs as its members. Reports indicate that Silver met with Real Madrid this past summer to discuss their potential involvement. Such a move could be mutually beneficial, especially given Real Madrid`s recent foray into American sports through its agreement to host an NFL game this season.
The substantial growth of basketball`s popularity in Europe, coupled with the increasing number of talented European players entering the NBA in recent years, strongly suggests a high potential for the new European league to achieve considerable success.
Silver expressed confidence in the feasibility of such a global schedule. He believes that with advancements in air travel, a schedule involving European teams is entirely manageable for NBA franchises.
“Over time, certainly in Europe, as plane travel gets faster… when I think of the flight from New York to L.A. for example, there`s no reason if we had 14 teams in Europe you couldn`t travel, play the Knicks or Nets, travel to London, play three, four times in Europe, come back home,” Silver remarked. “I think it`s very doable in our league.”
While the NBA has a history of international play through its Global Games, sending U.S. teams to compete in countries like Japan, Mexico, England, and France for decades (with Germany joining in 2026), Silver`s current vision extends beyond mere exhibitions. It proposes meaningful, competitive games against actual international club teams, marking a significant shift in the league`s global strategy.
This emphasis on international engagement is a central theme for Silver. He previously mentioned the NBA`s interest in a new All-Star Game format that would incorporate a more nationalistic flair, drawing inspiration from events like the NHL`s 4 Nations Face-Off.
Clarifying his thoughts on the All-Star concept, Silver stated:
“I don`t think a straight-up USA vs. World makes sense, but of course that`s not what they did in the NHL either. I think there`d probably be some different teams we form, but, whether it`s some regional basis for how we combine certain groups of players — because USA players, I talked about [this] earlier, that international is 30% of the league, American players are still 70% of the league. So I think we can play off that nationalism.”
