As the NBA is preparing to have a board meeting about potential expansion in Europe, Kevin Durant is already one step ahead. The All-Star forward wants to capitalize on his popularity and be among the first stars that will be part of the European NBA league.
Kevin Durant Officially Enters the NBA Europe Game
According to the latest reports, KD purchased a minority stake at Paris Saint-Germain. Durant already had a partnership with Qatar Sports Investments, the group that owns PSG. This year, PSG football club won the UEFA Champions League. But they have plans to launch a basketball club in Paris, which coincides with the NBA’s idea of expansion in Europe.
Speaking about the investment, KD said:
“It is an honor to partner with QSI and be a shareholder in Paris Saint-Germain, a club and a city that is so close to my heart. This club has big plans ahead and I can’t wait to be a part of the next phase of growth and to explore new investment opportunities with QSI.”
His role will include consulting on multi-sport strategy, including any potential plans in basketball. The NBA’s latest plan for NBA Europe is to partner with cities that already have a huge sports following in soccer, and hope to turn them into basketball fans as well. PSG is one of the biggest soccer clubs in Europe and has the potential to grow into one of the leading members of NBA Europe.
NBA Europe: A Pipe Dream or Reality?
The next NBA’s board of governors meeting is scheduled for July in Las Vegas. Recently, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver discussed the possible timeline of the NBA Europe plans.
“I will say it’s measured in years, not months,” he said. “So, we’re at least a couple of years away from launching. It would be an enormous undertaking. While we want to move forward at a deliberate pace, we also want to make sure that we’re consulting with all the appropriate stakeholders, meaning the existing league, its teams, European players, media companies, and marketing partners. There’s a lot of work to be done.”
The initial plans right now are for the league to have 16 teams. The idea has been around for a while. However, in the last two years, NBA Europe has gained a lot of traction. With more and more players coming from Europe, the NBA believes there is potential for growth and marketing in the old continent.
In an interview with The Athletic, Paulius Motiejunas, the CEO of EuroLeague, talked about the possibility of a new league.
“It is becoming more obvious that we have to work together,” Motiejunas said. “I believe it is the first meeting of many where we should find ways to grow basketball. FIBA’s wishers are clear and simple, and easy to get to. So it is up to both leagues to find ways to grow European basketball. Our history and fan base and teams would be a strong backbone to build on.”
Some teams in the EuroLeague have a huge fan base. While arenas in Europe do not have the same capacity as those in the NBA, teams are getting quite a lot of viewership and attendance. NBA stars are already getting ready for the huge opportunity. Kevin Durant is the latest to jump onto the NBA Europe idea.
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