Lakers vs. Real Madrid, Knicks vs. PSG, Bulls vs. Man City: The NBA’s vision for the future

Mark Tatum, the NBA’s deputy commissioner, offered a clearer picture of the league’s long discussed push into Europe during an appearance at the Sports Business Journal Dealmakers Conference.

Laying out the NBA’s European roadmap

After recent comments from George Aivazoglou, the NBA’s managing director for Europe and the Middle East, Tatum expanded on what the league is planning and when it could begin. He outlined new details on the launch of NBA Europe and floated several ambitious ideas that executives are actively exploring.

The current plan, created in partnership with FIBA, calls for a pilot season in 2027-28 followed by an official launch in 2028-29. The tournament would feature 16 teams. Between 10 and 12 would be permanent members, and the remaining spots would be filled through qualification via the FIBA Champions League. The format must still be approved by owners of all 30 NBA franchises.

Which clubs could join NBA Europe

During his remarks, Tatum name-checked Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich as examples of clubs that could be involved. Speaking with The Athletic, he confirmed that those teams are among those under consideration.

“Nothing is final yet. We are speaking with many potential investors in the space. Those were examples of possible teams. As I said, I believe the mix will include clubs already competing in the top European league, some major soccer teams that currently do not have basketball operations, and some entirely new franchises,” he told the outlet.

NBA teams facing European clubs

Tatum believes NBA Europe teams could eventually take the court against NBA franchises. The first step would be preseason matchups, with the possibility of a crossover stage in the NBA Cup. Long term, he envisions an actual division based on the continent.

“In the short term, we could see a preseason style competition where NBA teams travel to play clubs from European leagues,” he said.

“And we could build a small tournament around that, where the Knicks, Lakers and Bulls face PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester City. That could be the starting point. I think it would be exciting. You would crown a champion at the end,” he added.

The next phase: European access to the NBA Cup

Looking five to ten years out, Tatum floated an even bigger step.

“We could reach a point where the winners of the top European leagues compete in the NBA Cup. You could suddenly have AC Milan and Barcelona playing in the NBA Cup,” he said.

The NBA’s far future idea: a full European division

Tatum closed with the long term scenario the league continues to explore.

“Well down the road, and as some reports about supersonic travel have suggested, there could come a moment when the quality of basketball keeps rising, when infrastructure across major European cities reaches an elite standard, and when supersonic travel becomes a reality. At that point, we could see a future where the NBA has a full European division.”

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