NBA Closing In on Europe League Club Deals, Targets October 2027 Launch

NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum speaks at a press event

The NBA is close to finalizing agreements with clubs for the first phase of its own European league and plans to announce the founding teams soon, deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said on Tuesday as the 2026-27 NBA season tipped off.

Speaking to reporters, Tatum said the league is pushing ahead with NBA Europe next October despite Europe's biggest basketball clubs recently rejecting an offer to team up. "We're not stopping and we're moving as quickly as we can," he said on a video call, adding that rollout is planned for October 2027 — exactly one year from now.

The project, announced jointly with world basketball body FIBA in March, will mix permanent franchises with teams that qualify each year on merit. Tatum described it as the largest investment in European basketball ever, covering academies, grassroots development, league operations, marketing and arenas. The rival EuroLeague, meanwhile, is expanding to 24 clubs and will announce new franchises in mid-November. "We have a different vision for European basketball," Tatum said — setting up a head-to-head battle for the future of the sport in Europe.

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