Europe’s greatest basketball golf equipment should discover a option to work with the NBA, Panathinaikos proprietor Dimitris Giannakopoulos mentioned on Wednesday, a day after they rejected a proposal from the US league to affix up for a brand new continental competitors.
On Tuesday, the continent’s prime golf equipment turned down a proposal from the NBA, elevating the prospect of a battle for Europe’s groups, gamers and business riches.
Sources accustomed to the discussions instructed Reuters that the Euroleague’s shareholder golf equipment rejected a collaboration supply from the NBA of their assembly in Italy, although the door on a deal was not but closed.
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“All collectively we’ve got turned the game we love right into a competitors the place the NBA, I repeat, the NBA, the highest league on the planet needs to take a position and make Euroleague part of their world,” Giannakopoulos mentioned in a social media publish.
“With big respect but in addition happy with what we’ve got lastly … achieved we should collectively discover a answer,” he mentioned.
His Athens-based crew holds a document of being a seven-time European champion in addition to a Euroleague heavyweight. The Euroleague is raring to press forward with growth and it’s unclear whether or not the NBA will submit a revised proposal.
A senior sports activities govt instructed Reuters any collaboration was unlikely to start earlier than 2028 as a result of it will be troublesome to organise a brand new competitors in time for the 2027-28 season.
The Euroleague didn’t check with the broadly reported NBA supply in its assertion however instructed Reuters on Friday it remained open to collaboration. Though the golf equipment rejected the present proposal, talks with the NBA might proceed.
Giannakopoulos mentioned there have been groups in Europe that weren’t within the development of the game.
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“They nonetheless consider that success is how a lot cash you lose on the finish of the 12 months. Basketball will not be a wealthy boys (sic) toy,” he mentioned.
The NBA didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. NBA Europe’s managing director, George Aivazoglou, is because of communicate at a convention in London on Thursday.
The rejection marks a setback for efforts to mix Europe’s established elite basketball competitors with the monetary and business energy of the NBA, which plans to launch a 16-team NBA Europe league in 2027.
Revealed on Oct 07, 2026