NBA Commissioner Envisions Integration of European Teams in Upcoming NBA Cup and Playoffs

During an interview on stage at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum held at the United Nations on Wednesday, Commissioner Adam Silver reaffirmed that NBA teams may potentially face off against teams from NBA Europe in future NBA Cup events, or even during NBA playoffs.

This isn’t the first time such a possibility has been discussed; however, Silver provided further insights on the concept this time around.

“You could envision teams from Europe, and perhaps Africa, participating in that tournament,” Silver stated. “It’s conceivable that we could see top seeds from other leagues entering our playoffs. Over time, particularly as air travel improves… I constantly read about advancements in aviation. For instance, if I think about the flight from New York to LA, there’s no reason why, with four teams based in Europe, you couldn’t travel to play against the Knicks or Nets, then go to London, compete in three or four matchups in Europe, and return home. I genuinely believe this is quite achievable for our league.”

He reiterated that the primary concern for the NBA when expanding to Europe or any other global regions revolves around the arenas.

“From a commercial perspective, we haven’t witnessed the same level of development seen, particularly in the United States,” he noted at the Bloomberg Global Forum. “There are limited state-of-the-art arenas in Europe. Even those who attended the Olympics in Paris last summer experienced excellent basketball at the Bercy Arena, which underwent some renovations for the Olympics.

“However, for those in the industry, while everything might seem satisfactory from the spectators’ viewpoint, it lacks suites, dining options, and sufficient backstage facilities to host larger events… London boasts the O2 Arena, which represents a significant leap in European venue development, but that facility is already aging and discussions are underway for new projects. Thus, we see a great opportunity to collaborate in major European cities, focusing on arena development, multi-purpose venues, and the accompanying possibilities.”