Hapoel Tel Aviv president Ofer Yannay believes the NBA can fast-track its plans for a European league by bringing in the game’s biggest stars as stakeholders.
In an interview, Yannay said that making superstars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry partners in the upcoming “NBA Europe” project could give the new competition a powerful start.
“They could really enjoy one more year in Europe,” Yannay explained to EURO INSIDERS, via HoopsHype. “They’d get to experience something fresh—and also elevate the project. And by the way, the NBA should make them partners in this new league. That’s how you convince them to come—not just with salary, but with ownership.”
Yannay said that while signing younger players still in their prime is unrealistic, attracting aging stars with global profiles could transform the launch. “If I were running the NBA, that’s exactly what I’d do—get the big names involved from the top, and give this league a serious initial push,” he said.
The Hapoel president’s comments come as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver continues to outline plans for an NBA-backed European league that could tip off as early as 2027 or 2028. Silver confirmed that discussions are underway with FIBA, political leaders, and major investors to establish a 16-team structure modeled after the Basketball Africa League.
Yannay said he believes the timing of the project will reshape European basketball entirely. “As for the next three years, the big question is: what’s going to happen to European basketball next summer?” he said. “I believe NBA Europe is coming, and I believe the EuroLeague will not be able to move fast enough to make the changes it needs—whether to block NBA Europe or to cooperate with it.”
He warned that this could be the final EuroLeague season before the basketball landscape changes. “There’s a good chance this is the last EuroLeague year,” Yannay added. “The cards are going to get shuffled and redistributed again next summer. This is a once-in-a-generation change.”
Hapoel Tel Aviv enters its first EuroLeague campaign this season after winning the 2025 EuroCup. Yannay emphasized that his focus is on ensuring the club is well-positioned amid the shifting European basketball hierarchy.
“My job—my responsibility—is to make sure that whatever happens in European basketball, Hapoel is in a good position,” he said.
