AC Milan in the NBA? Plans for a European Basketball League

Discussions are underway between the NBA and AC Milan regarding the creation of a basketball team and participation in a new European league, according to the Italian newspaper "Gazzetta". The ambitious project aims to establish a league with 16 teams, blending the NBA model with European basketball traditions.

League Structure: Out of the 16 teams, 12 will be permanent franchises, while the remaining 4 will change annually based on performance. Some of the permanent teams will be new, while others will be based on partnerships with major football clubs.

Milan's Involvement: AC Milan, owned by RedBird, is in talks with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Their participation could boost the project, attracting sponsors and investors.

Possible Locations: Cities under consideration include Milan, London, Manchester, Rome, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, and Istanbul.

Participation Requirements: A league entry fee of around €500 million is required. Modern sports facilities with arenas holding over 15,000 seats are also essential.

Timeline: Although the initial idea was to launch in 2026, the complexity of the project makes this date unlikely.