NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a news conference following a meeting of the NBA’s board of governors at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, July 15, 2025.Chase Stevens | Las Vegas Review-journal | Getty ImagesThe NBA is looking to Europe for its next stage of growth. The league announced on Monday that it will move forward with a joint exploration of a new professional men’s league in Europe, in partnership with the International Basketball Federation, also called FIBA. The NBA said it plans to start the process of engaging with prospective teams and ownership groups in January. Franchise values could be upward of a $1 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to speak about details that haven’t been made public yet. At the League Cup last week in Las Vegas, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said JPMorgan and the Raine Group have been actively meeting with interested parties in Europe and that there is a lot of “positive interest” in moving forward. The bankers have met with at least 70 potential investors, sources told CNBC. Discussions began about a year and a half ago. The goal is to take non-binding bids next month and vote on greenlighting the league at the board of governors meeting in March, sources said. NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum has said previously that the league is contemplating potential ownership by sovereign wealth funds. The NBA is also engaging current European soccer club owners. Get the CNBC Sport newsletter directly to your inboxThe CNBC Sport newsletter with Alex Sherman brings you the biggest news and exclusive interviews from the worlds of sports business and media, delivered weekly to your inbox.Subscribe here to get access today.The league first announced the exploration of a men’s basketball league in Europe last March. “Our conversations with various stakeholders in Europe have reinforced our belief that an enormous opportunity exists around the creation of a new league on the continent,” Silver said in a release Monday. “Together with FIBA, we look forward to engaging prospective clubs and ownership groups that share our vision for the game’s potential in Europe.”The NBA said it will also provide financial support and resources to European basketball. It plans to invest in domestic leagues and development across FIBA’s existing programs t …
