NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum met with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London this week, as part of a major push to expand the league’s footprint in Europe.
The report comes from veteran NBA insider Marc Stein, who revealed that the high-level meeting was one of several held during Silver and Tatum’s visit to the region.
According to Stein, the league executives also sat down with U.S. Ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens, private equity firms KKR and CVC, RedBird Capital Partners, officials from Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, and representatives of Turkish soccer giant Galatasaray.
The visits are tied to ongoing talks around launching a new NBA-affiliated Europe league, which could debut as soon as the 2026–27 season.
The idea, jointly driven by the NBA and FIBA, envisions a hybrid model of permanent franchises and qualifying clubs, built on local basketball traditions while aligning with international best practices.
Silver’s trip follows a high-profile meeting earlier this year in Geneva, where top officials from FIBA, NBA Europe, and every EuroLeague A-license team (except CSKA Moscow) gathered for the most comprehensive discussion yet.
Topics included FIBA calendar reform, national team window scheduling, and player eligibility processes that currently impact international movement.
Despite positive momentum, resistance remains from EuroLeague clubs, especially regarding the proposed entry fees required to join the potential new league.
Still, the NBA’s recent announcement of regular-season games in Berlin and London for January 2026 — including appearances by the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic — signals the league’s commitment to strengthening its European presence.
The Berlin game on January 15 at Uber Arena will mark the NBA’s debut regular-season contest in Germany, while the January 18 game at The O2 in London will be the 10th in the UK capital.
