PARIS — The NBA is actively seeking to enhance its influence in European basketball, as discussed by Commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday. While no formal agreements have been established yet, discussions with FIBA and other key players are ongoing. These conversations took place ahead of the NBA Paris Games featuring the San Antonio Spurs and the Indiana Pacers, and there seems to be a strong commitment from the league to expand its imprint overseas.
Silver noted, “We are looking very closely to see if there’s an opportunity to professionalize the game to another level here, to create a larger commercial opportunity.” This involves not just increasing revenue but also drawing significant investment into the sport by creating the right incentives. He emphasized that aligning the commercial aspect with market opportunities would be crucial for the growth of basketball at every level.
In August, during the Paris Olympics, Silver had disclosed that talks with FIBA regarding the introduction of an annual European competition or even establishing a league operating under the NBA brand had begun. Those discussions aim to align the NBA and FIBA’s shared vision for propelling basketball’s presence in Europe, both commercially and competitively.
Despite the progress, Silver clarified that no agreements are currently in motion, and the league is not prepared to make any announcements just yet. He expressed confidence that the NBA is “on track” with its objectives, with league governors set to receive further updates during their next meeting scheduled for March.
During his address, Silver took a moment to express his best wishes for San Antonio’s head coach Gregg Popovich, who has been on a leave of absence for nearly three months as he recuperates from a stroke. He praised the Spurs for their pioneering approach to the international game, highlighting their early scouting efforts led by both Popovich and CEO R.C. Buford, who was also present at the event. Silver voiced his hopes for Popovich’s swift recovery, noting, “We miss not having him here with us today.”
As for the NBA’s All-Star Game, a new format has been introduced for this season—a four-team tournament comprised of eight players each, including 24 All-Stars from the league and one team formed by the winners of the Rising Stars competition on All-Star Friday. Silver is eager to introduce competitive elements to the All-Star Game, including the possibility of a U.S. team facing off against an international team down the line.
However, he acknowledged the challenge, given that the league has a player demographic of approximately 70% American and 30% international. “If you’re picking half the players from a 30% pool and the other half from 70%, it may not be fair to the players,” he remarked, adding uncertainty about how international players would perceive such a concept.
Silver also reflected on the recent trend of All-Star Games breaking scoring records, with standout performances such as Jayson Tatum’s 55 points in 2023 and last year’s match setting a record for the highest score at 211-186. Despite the recent high-scoring games, Silver hopes to return to having All-Star events that are both competitive and entertaining for fans, remarking, “I haven’t given up on All-Star being competitive, entertaining games for the fans.”
