NBA Commissioner Adam Silver outlined plans for expanding the league’s global footprint during the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum 2025. He highlighted opportunities for both European and African teams to eventually compete in NBA playoffs, building on initiatives like the Basketball Africa League.
Silver emphasized that sports have become a trillion-dollar sector globally, combining economic growth with human connection. He noted, “Sports has become an economic engine…not just the teams themselves but arena development and commercial infrastructure.”
In Africa, the NBA has established five offices and launched the Basketball Africa League, creating initial franchises and infrastructure for future expansion. Silver said state-of-the-art arenas are under construction in Rwanda and South Africa, with plans to sell 12 new franchises linked to arena development.
“The thought is now that rather than take these existing clubs…we are going to market with an opportunity to sell 12 newly minted franchises with the opportunity to build an arena complex,” Silver explained. These arenas are expected to serve as anchor tenants for broader commercial activity, including concerts and touring events.
In Europe, Silver pointed to a strong basketball infrastructure built around soccer and other sports. He highlighted NBA MVPs and stars like Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić, and Victor Wembanyama, noting that Europe has “enormous amount of basketball being played…in some cases more sophisticated development systems than the United States in terms of developing multi-faceted talented players.”
Silver discussed plans to collaborate with existing European clubs while creating new teams for a Europe-based league. He described a “confederation” model, allowing international teams to participate in NBA tournaments like the NBA Cup and eventually in playoffs. “I think initially…confederation is the perfect word,” he said. “You possibly could see teams coming into our playoffs—top seeds from other leagues.”
He added that advancements in aviation could make regular travel for games between the U.S. and Europe feasible, saying, “There’s no reason if we had four teams in Europe…you couldn’t travel, play…come back home.”
The Europe-based league, projected to start around 2027 or 2028, would operate under the NBA brand while remaining independent from existing franchises. Silver emphasized this does not replace domestic expansion plans in the United States.
Discussions continue with FIBA, EuroLeague clubs, and local federations to address scheduling, player regulations, and participation fees.
Silver remains optimistic, noting that careful planning is essential to ensure competitive balance and commercial success. “Over time, absolutely, there’s no reason those franchises shouldn’t have the global same value as you see in the United States and in Europe,” he added.
