NBA promises the biggest investment ever in European basketball as its new league targets 2027

The NBA says it is ready to spend big to build a new league in Europe.

Deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told reporters on Tuesday, a few hours before the new NBA season tipped off, that the planned October 2027 launch remains on schedule. He called the project the biggest investment ever made in European basketball.

"We'll invest in academies, grassroots development, league operations, marketing, arena infrastructure, which is really needed," Tatum said. "It will leverage the NBA's global platform, our reach, our expertise to really unlock the full potential of European basketball."

A merit-based model

The league will have some permanent franchises. Other clubs will be able to play their way in by qualifying from other leagues. Tatum did not give a date for naming the first teams but said announcements should start soon as agreements are finalized.

The NBA and FIBA, the sport's world governing body, first announced plans for the venture in March 2025.

EuroLeague still on the outside

EuroLeague owners turned down an initial NBA offer earlier this month to merge into a single European operation. The NBA and FIBA say they still hope a deal can be reached and that talks will continue.

"We continue to be hopeful that we'll reach an agreement," Tatum said. "But we're prepared to proceed regardless."

He said the NBA's model would give clubs a much quicker path to profitability. Over the first decade the league projects distributions to clubs worth billions of dollars.

Europe already supplies many of the NBA's biggest stars. That list includes San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama of France, Denver's Nikola Jokic of Serbia, Luka Doncic of Slovenia with the Lakers and Miami's Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece.

"This is the historic moment," Tatum said. "We're going to take the time we need to get it right."