By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The NBA looking into finally expanding beyond the USA and one franchise based in Canada was addressed by commissioner Adam Silver.
Returning the Regular Season to Mexico for the first time since 2019, the Miami Heat rallied past the San Antonio Spurs, 111-101, Saturday. The NBA Mexico City Game 2022 was included in the latest edition of NBA Saturdays.
“It’s fantastic to be back here in Mexico City,” noted Silver in the press conference prior to the 2022-23 NBA Regular Season fixture, “As you all know, the last time we were here was the fall of 2019. Everybody knows what happened after that, and that accounts for our absence over the last few years.”
Echoing recent comments made by deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, Silver confirmed the league is not yet ready for an expansion but considers Mexico City a frontrunner when it becomes ready to add a new team or teams.
“I believe you’re doing all the things necessary to demonstrate to the league that ultimately we may be in a position to house an NBA team here,” he mentioned, “Certainly from a travel standpoint it’s very accessible, time zone wise, of course, climate. Mexico City is the largest city in North America. An incredible population of 120 million people who love sports. At least our numbers show that there are 30 million people right now in Mexico that identify themselves as NBA fans, and we believe through all new forms of media that are available to us, that number will only continue to grow.”
Through Capitanes de Ciudad, the NBA’s developmental league, the G League expanded to Mexico City. In the debut season, they drew a 4-8 run in 2021-22 and are currently sitting at 10-6 in the 2022-23 season.
“We think that’s an important next step in terms of the development in this market,” described Silver referring to Capitanes, “It gives us an opportunity to better understand what it means to operate on the ground here in Mexico City, dealing with local culture, obviously a different language, all the other circumstances around possibly having an NBA franchise here one day.”
“It’s a viable place for such an endeavor, and I have no doubt that Adam and his crew are doing everything they can to decide whether that should happen,” said longtime Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, a veteran of NBA games in Mexico.
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