By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Celebrating one year and a half in charge of FIBA Europe, Jorge Garbajosa conceded a long and well-detailed interview to MARCA, in which he made a rumorous announcement. When asked to comment on the possibility of the NBA landing in Europe with a new competition, he confirmed.
“The NBA has detected a weakness [in European basketball] and has decided to come. We do not know how or when, but it will come. We are waiting”, he said. “I am convinced that there’s reality because Adam Silver doesn’t talk for the sake of talking”, he followed.
“They believe that there is a clear opportunity in Europe. With a great product, with great teams, with brands like Real Madrid, Panathinaikos, or Fenerbahçe, non-sustainability is a threat. What is not sustainable disappears. With a large mass of fans, with public and private support, with a great tradition, why are we not making this more attractive and commercial?”, he asked.
“We are proud that they have said that anything they organize in Europe will be in collaboration with FIBA. The NBA considers FIBA’s reputation to be at the highest level. They believe in FIBA”, FIBA Europe’s President added.
Final Four in Abu Dhabi and FIBA-EuroLeague
Jorge Garbajosa was also asked to give his opinion on the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four being held in Abu Dhabi, outside of Europe. “I’m not comfortable with it. It’s a decision that Euroleague makes and I’m not going to judge it. I think there are places in Europe where it can be done”, he immediately said.
“If you have to leave your own continent, that’s something you’re not doing well. Europe is a basketball continent, full of opportunities for basketball”, he also said.
He touched on the current relationship between FIBA and EuroLeague. “I think that 13 clubs cannot decide the fate of 600 European clubs. And if we are going to take the global impact of FIBA windows, which are played all over the world, there are too many different points of view on this”, he commented.
“We think that national teams and national leagues are essential in basketball. We can’t agree on anything other than calendars that favor their growth. I think that this correlation of interests is what will give value to all of us. There is a part of commercial interests in Europe that is yet to be exploited and we must do so by opening up the margin for basketball to develop wherever it is present”, he said.