Virtually all EuroLeague licensed clubs have rejected the NBA’s proposal for a direct European partnership, citing structural concerns ranging from demands for financial improvements to outright dismissal of the venture as colonizing.
Fractured Receptions Across the Continent
The resistance to the league’s overtures varies significantly among the thirteen current long-term license holders. Milan and Baskonia emerged as the most receptive participants, signaling a willingness to accept the terms of the initial proposal. Real Madrid adopted a more transactional posture, issuing a strict 30-day window for the NBA to present a revised economic package. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Barcelona dismissed the overture as a joke, while Olympiacos registered vehement opposition from the outset.
The core group of 13 protected license holders features Real Madrid, Barcelona, Olimpia Milano, Fenerbahçe, Anadolu Efes, Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bayern Munich, ASVEL Villerban, Baskonia, Žalgiris, and CSKA Moscow. CSKA remains sidelined from active participation due to the ongoing international sanctions stemming from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With these powerhouse franchises controlling the commercial landscape, the league office has already moved to appease concerns by adopting a key concession from the proposals—refusing to inflate the current 20-team EuroLeague roster limit to 24.
Timeline Realities and Standalone Ambitions
Despite the widespread pushback, neither side has closed the door on future talks. The NBA project envisions a launch ahead of the 2027/28 campaign, engineered around 12 permanent franchises alongside four spots reserved for qualification pathways. Crucially, league architects have maintained that the project will push forward regardless of whether a formal agreement is ultimately forged with EuroLeague leadership.
The underlying divide centers on organizational independence versus financial integration. As the 30-day window ticks down for incoming counter-proposals, the structural future of elite basketball across the continent hangs in a delicate balance.
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