EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas has dismissed the NBA’s plans to launch a European league, calling the repeated announcements a ‘broken record’. In an interview with the Associated Press, Motiejunas said the NBA has been ‘announcing and announcing things for a year but still it’s nothing that you can grasp on’.
The NBA, in partnership with Fiba, is targeting a 16-team competition with 12 permanent members, potentially starting in October 2027. Proposed host cities include London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid and Barcelona. However, Motiejunas questioned the viability of the project: ‘Having a theory is one – and making it work is two. We’ve been here for 26 years. We know how Europe functions.’
Attention is focused on three EuroLeague shareholder clubs that have not renewed their 10-year licences: Real Madrid, Fenerbahce and ASVEL. Tony Parker, owner of ASVEL, has signalled support for the NBA, while Spanish media report Real Madrid favours the NBA project. Barcelona, which had been a holdout, has indicated it will extend its licence. Motiejunas said he is confident all 13 shareholder clubs will remain.
EuroLeague clubs reportedly have a €10m exit clause, but Motiejunas would only say that contracts can be broken through ‘consequences and legal teams’. The EuroLeague has sent a letter to the NBA warning of legal action if talks with its shareholders continue. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver shrugged off the threat, saying: ‘If I thought that the ceiling was the existing EuroLeague … we wouldn’t be spending the kind of time and attention we are on this project.’
The EuroLeague claims record growth and has implemented spending restrictions to improve financial sustainability. Last season, it took its Final Four to Abu Dhabi for the first time, a move that boosted revenue. Motiejunas remains open to some form of relationship with the NBA, but insists the EuroLeague is the established force in European basketball.
