Football tipped to influence the development of NBA Europe

Elite-level football has been tipped to have a significant influence on the development of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) proposed European league.

The push to launch NBA Europe has gathered pace over the past year, triggering excitement in associated sectors such as the sports betting industry.

Many of the sportsbooks linked to this crypto casino website already offer a vast array of markets on professional basketball competitions worldwide.

For bettors who love wagering on the sport, the introduction of a new top-tier continental league would be a welcome addition to the global basketball ecosystem.

Links with top European football clubs will make NBA Europe more appealing to fans who may not previously have paid much attention to the sport.

Italy could be a great example of this in action, with Serie A big-hitters AC Milan and Inter Milan both interested in acquiring an NBA Europe franchise.

Italian Basketball Federation president Gianni Petrucci recently revealed that Milan and Rome could be involved in the new venture if everything goes to plan.

“This will bring enthusiasm with two teams like Rome and Milan that will have the NBA acronym,” Petrucci said.

“The teams will continue to play in the Italian championship and make their players available during the windows for the national team, which is a big step forward. So, I personally support this project,”

Milan’s owner Gerry Cardinale recently discussed the project in London alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic, fuelling rumours about him acquiring Olimpia Milano.

Petrucci believes this could be the catalyst for Milan to secure a coveted NBA Europe franchise, although Inter will have their own ideas on the matter.

Lasry says NBA Europe could fire basketball to the same heights as football

The son of former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry believes a new European league could result in the NBA becoming a major rival to football over the next few years.

While the NBA is a major player in North America, it lags behind professional football in terms of the attention it garners globally. That point is accentuated in Europe.

Competitions such as the English Premier League (EPL) and UEFA Champions League dominate the sporting landscape in Europe, and have a strong foothold in numerous other international markets.

The NBA is an inconsequential afterthought for millions of sports fans in those regions, but commissioner Adam Silver is eager to rewrite the narrative.

Alex Lasry is the chief executive officer of the New York/New Jersey Host Committee for the 2026 World Cup. His sports knowledge puts him in a strong position to recognise NBA Europe’s potential.

He believes it could ultimately mirror the success of the EPL and Champions League by becoming a place where top basketball stars want to showcase their talents.

“I think I wouldn’t be shocked to see if in five or ten years the NBA kind of expanded into something like that,” Lasry said.

“NBA Europe would be a premier place to play. You know, then maybe you have NBA Asia, right? We’ve already got NBA Africa, and I don’t think it would shock me to see the NBA kind of getting to a model like that.

“I think that’s kind of the ambition that Adam has. I think Adam has always been someone who’s trying to think five, ten or fifteen years down the road, not just, okay, what do we do today?”