The NBA first showcased its talents in Europe with an exhibition game in 1984. The event was met with enthusiastic support from international fans and media, leading the league to continue arranging international games since 1993. With the NBA’s new media rights deals set to begin with the 2025-26 season, Commissioner Adam Silver has shared exciting news about a potential FIBA-NBA crossover.
In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Silver discussed the future possibilities for expanding the NBA’s global reach.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the league is in serious talks with FIBA about expanding its presence in Europe, possibly through an annual tournament or a new league 😮 pic.twitter.com/TXl5eEpEjO
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“We certainly haven’t made any definitive decisions. I continue to believe there’s enormous opportunity here. It’s not something where we’ll transform a league structure in the short term. But I think that there’s an appetite among our team owners for additional investment in global basketball,” Silver said.
The NBA is already deeply involved in global initiatives, with major projects in China and Africa. Silver later highlighted the growing interest from NBA team owners in global basketball.
“We have a huge initiative in China. We have a huge initiative in Africa. Given the quality of the basketball here in Europe, it would seem to make sense that we should be doing something here as well,” Silver added.
French Players Make Mark as NBA Draft Sees Rising Talent from France
In today’s NBA, the number of international players continues to grow, with a notable increase in French talent. This year, the league’s top two overall draft picks, Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr, hail from France. Adam Silver reflected on this development, noting the stunning progress of French basketball.
“When we first played a preseason game in France, there were zero players from France in the NBA. We now have 14, including the last two No. 1 picks. So, I think that that’s just a great example of the development we’re seeing of the game here,” the NBA commissioner added.
The rising number of French players in the NBA illustrates the league’s expanding global footprint and the growing talent pool from Europe.
