Mexico is once again a priority for NBA expansion
A new opinion has emerged suggesting Mexico is the preferred destination for a potential La Liga expansion. This time, it came from an American player himself.
As speculation swirls around the NBA’s next expansion move, one name keeps popping up: Mexico City. And during the NBA Mexico City Game 2025, Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Max Christie didn’t shy away from the topic. Speaking to reporters ahead of the matchup against the Detroit Pistons, the 22-year-old shared his thoughts on the league’s future—and Mexico’s place in it.
“I’ve been to Mexico before, but it’s been a long time,” Christie said. “It was a popular vacation spot for my family when I was younger. I’m really looking forward to coming back and playing basketball here—it’s going to be awesome. The Mavs have played here before, but this is the first time since 2019. It’s great to be back.”
Mexico City as an NBA expansion team?
When asked whether Mexico City could be the ideal destination for a new NBA franchise, Christie didn’t hesitate. “I think Mexico City would be great,” he said. “You’ve heard the talk about expansion—cities like Seattle and Las Vegas come up a lot. But Mexico City makes sense. We already have a team in Toronto, so crossing the border to Mexico would be a natural next step. It’d be a huge opportunity for NBA players and a great way to connect with fans here. I think it’s a fantastic idea.”
His comments echo those of Vitor Galvani, head coach of the Mexico City Capitanes, who recently told Diario AS he’d welcome an NBA franchise in Mexico. Galvani’s long-standing ties to the Capitanes—first as an assistant, now as head coach—make his support unsurprising, but Christie’s perspective carries a different weight. He has no direct connection to Mexico, yet still sees the country as a promising frontier for the league.
Christie also reflected on his time playing alongside Mexican-American forward Juan Toscano-Anderson during his rookie season. “He was with us for about half the year, up until the trade deadline,” Christie recalled. “He was always proud of his culture, his Latino heritage, and being Mexican. So it’s cool to play in a country that means so much to a former teammate. We’ve got a lot of Canadians on the Mavericks too. Playing in different cities, different countries, and seeing how proud people are of their culture—it’s amazing.”
With the NBA continuing to explore expansion options, Mexico City’s growing fanbase, vibrant culture, and proven support for basketball make it a serious contender. And if players like Christie have their say, the league might just be ready to take that leap.
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