By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
At an event that included a roundtable discussion titled “The NBA, a model for European basketball”, David Kahn predicted that in two years the NBA will have some sort of league in Europe.
The former manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves and now president and co-owner of Paris Basketball was clear in his statement: “After our victory against Partizan Belgrade (74-71 on November 7), two people who are used to NBA games came to see me and tell me that it was the best game they had ever seen. That’s what we can sell, a product that has nothing to do with the NBA.”
However, this is a product that the NBA wants: “I don’t know how, or in what manner, but I predict that the NBA will have a strong and concrete commitment in Europe within two years”.
Kahn explained even further the whole situation: “In two years, the licenses that have been signed by the 13 EuroLeague clubs expire, and practically those clubs are free agents. So, now is the time that this discussion is held, inside the EuroLeague, in FIBA, and in the NBA. The time is now”.
The event was organized by L’Équipe, Franceinfo, and France Télévisions at the House of Music and Radio in Paris. Accompanied by the Olympic silver medalist in Sydney 2000 Antoine Rigaudeau and by George Eddy, NBA commentator on Canal+ Afrique, Kahn didn’t hesitate to say publicly what is currently in discussion among the whole basketball community in Europe.
Recently, Panathinaikos coach Ergin Ataman joked that his team may be invited by the NBA, however, reports from Serbia indicate that the NBA is already moving on their plan to create a league in Europe.
It has to be noted that according to the Serbian report, the NBA is moving without the EuroLeague or FIBA, however, Kahn didn’t exclude anything, namely a collaboration with EuroLeague clubs, and stated that the NBA is moving together with FIBA.