The NBA and FIBA said Monday they will start the process of engaging with teams and owners about joining their planned new league in Europe next month.

As has been expected, the league will offer both permanent spots and “a merit-based pathway” to qualifying on an annual basis through FIBA’s Basketball Champions League or an end-of-season tournament, the sides said. Every team in a FIBA-affiliated European league would have the chance to qualify.

kAm“%96 7@C>2E @7 E96 =628F6 C6DA64ED tFC@A62? DA@CE >@56= AC:?4:A=6D 3J @776C:?8 2?J 2>3:E:@FD 4=F3 😕 E96 4@?E:?6?E 2 72:C A2E9H2J E@ E96 E@A[Q uxqp D64C6E2CJ 86?6C2= p?5C62D +28<=:D D2:5]k^Am

kAm|2?J 56E2:=D 7@C E96 ?6H =628F6 2C6 J6E E@ 36 7@C>2==J 7:?2=:K65[ :?4=F5:?8 H96? :E H:== DE2CE A=2J — E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?32\6FC@A6\=628F6\37f23ee44a6f2“4`37dc`d26ega7`_gQmH@C<:?8 E2C86E 92D 366? ~4E@36C a_afk^2m — 2?5 9@H >2?J E62>D H:== E2<6 A2CE 😕 E92E :?2F8FC2= D62D@?] p>@?8 E96 >@56=D E92E E96 }qp 2?5 uxqp 92G6 6IA=@C65 😀 2 `e\E62> =628F6[ H:E9 `a “A6C>2?6?E” DA@ED 2?5 E96 @E96C 7@FC 2G2:=23=6 E9C@F89 BF2=:7J:?8]k^Am

kAm%96 D:56D 92G6 366? 5:D4FDD:?8 2 tFC@A62? =628F6 7@C >2?J J62CD[ 2?5 ?@ D9@CE286 @7 E96 }qpVD 3:886DE DE2CD C:89E ?@H 92:= 7C@> E92E 4@?E:?6?E — DF49 2D s6?G6CVD }:<@=2 y@<:4[ |:=H2F<66VD v:2??:D p?E6E@<@F?>A@[ $2? p?E@?:@VD ‘:4E@C (6>32?J2>2[ E96 {@D p?86=6D {2<6CDV {F<2 s@?4:4 2?5 &E29VD {2FC: |2C<<2?6?] p3@FE ` 😕 e }qp A=2J6CD 2C6 7C@> tFC@A6]k^Am

kAmt77@CED E@H2C5 DE2CE:?8 E96 ?6H =628F6 D66>65 E@ 368:? :?E6?D:7J:?8 2C@F?5 E96 E:>6 @7 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^252>\D:=G6C\?32\6FC@A6\7:32\5agbg`h272hg4bad64cg3`fdag5bd64aQma_ac !2C:D ~=J>A:4Dk^2m] t2C=:6C E9:D J62C[ +28<=:D 2?5 $:=G6C D2E D:56\3J\D:56 2E 2 }6H *@C< ?6HD 4@?76C6?46 E@ 2??@F?46 E92E E96 }qp 2?5 uxqp H6C6 >@G:?8 7@CH2C5 H:E9 E96 AC@;64E] %9:?8D 92G6 >@G65 BF:4<=J D:?46[ H:E9 y!|@C82? 2?5 E96 #2:?6 vC@FA 36:?8 3C@F89E @? 3@2C5 E9:D DF>>6C E@ 25G:D6 @? 46CE2:? 7:?2?4:2= 4@>A@?6?ED]k^Am

kAm“~FC 4@?G6CD2E:@?D H:E9 G2C:@FD DE2<69@=56CD 😕 tFC@A6 92G6 C6:?7@C465 @FC 36=:67 E92E 2? 6?@C>@FD @AA@CEF?:EJ 6I:DED 2C@F?5 E96 4C62E:@? @7 2 ?6H =628F6 @? E96 4@?E:?6?E[” }qp r@>>:DD:@?6C p52> $:=G6C D2:5]k^Am

kAmrFCC6?E E2C86E 4@F?EC:6D 7@C E96 }qp\uxqp 6?562G@C 2C6 @H? E@ :?4=F56 qC:E2:? WH:E9 E96 A@E6?E:2= 9@DE 4:E:6D E96C6 36:?8 {@?5@? 2?5 |2?496DE6CX[ uC2?46 W!2C:D 2?5 {J@?X[ $A2:? W|25C:5 2?5 q2C46=@?2X[ xE2=J W#@>6 2?5 |:=2?X[ v6C>2?J W|F?:49 2?5 q6C=:?X[ vC6646 WpE96?DX 2?5 %FC<6J WxDE2?3F=X]k^Am

kAm%96 }qp 92D 2 A2:C @7 C68F=2C\D62D@? 82>6D 😕 tFC@A6 😕 >:5\y2?F2CJ[ H:E9 E96 |6>A9:D vC:KK=:6D 2?5 ~C=2?5@ |28:4 8@:?8 E@ q6C=:? 2?5 {@?5@? 7@C 4@?E6DED]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! }qpi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?32Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^?32k^2mk^Am

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.