The movements of the NBA They do not stop to make a powerful landing in the Old Continent. That is why some protagonists are beginning to look favorably on being part of the ambitious project of the American league in Europa. In the last few hours a version circulated that Luka Doncic would be part of a group of investors seeking buy an Italian team to bring a franchise to Rome.
The NBA Europe plan, promoted by the commissioner Adam Silverputs the center of the scene Los Angeles Lakers playerwhich, according to the American media The Athletic, will be the visible face of the expansion of United States basketball in Europe.
The group that would buy the team Vanoli Basketball Cremona would be led by Donnie Nelsonformer general manager of Dallas Mavericks and one of the main people responsible for Doncic’s arrival to the NBA in the 2018 draft. Nelson would have a preliminary agreement to acquire the Italian club, in an operation that would allow him to access the Italian Serie A licensean essential requirement to compete in the future of the European NBA.
According to The Athletic, Doncic will be involved as an investor and his presence will provide symbolic and media weight to this initiativebeing one of the most influential players in the NBA.
The idea of promoting the project in Europe has several stars as a visible lighthouse of the idea. There was even speculation about the participation in this operation of Dirk Nowitzkibut the former German player’s environment denied that possibility. But he is among the investors Rimas Kaukenasa Lithuanian who shone in Italian basketball in the 2000s. Doncic’s entourage avoided making official comments, while the directors of the Cremona club did not make a public statement either.
The strategy of moving the sports project in Romemore than 500 kilometers from Cremona, is to build a practically new franchise. Serie A regulations prevent changing the name of the club during the first two yearswhich would force a progressive transition before consolidating the new identity linked to the NBA Europe.
What’s more, the idea of going to Rome is due to the fact that Adam Silver marked the Italian capital as one of the priority cities to host licensed teams, along with London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin and Milan. Furthermore, Rome does not currently have a presence in the top category of Italian basketball and in the NBA’s business strategy this city is classified as a virgin market with great economic and media potential for professional basketball.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sportthe investment group plans to acquire the sports rights of Vanoli and perhaps another European team to be part of the 12 permanent franchises of the NBA Europe project which is expected to debut at the beginning of the 2027-28 season.
date: 2026-02-11 23:27:00
Keep reading