The NBA continues with firm step its project to create a Male basketball competition in Europe by the hand of FIBAas recently announced Adam SilverNBA commissioner, and Andreas Zagklis, General Secretary of FIBA, and in that equation the Paris Saint Germain y Kevin Durant… Whom they even see playing, according to the New York Times.
The project, which would combine a series of fixed teching-techs with access places via Basketball Champions League y National Leagues distributing juicy benefits among participants, it is in the process of training but as they have assured Silver, Mark Tatum -The right of the commissioner- or George Aivazoglu -I Paris It is one of them.
The Parisian capital already has a team, but in the plans of the PSG The development of a Basketball team that would become part of the project NBA Paneuropeo next to FIBA And there it enters Kevin Durant. The superstar of the NBA, which just a year ago the Olympic medal was hung precisely in Paris, He was already a PSG shareholder but now he has reinforced his link directly as Minority owner And as the club's statement says, it will have a key role in expansion 'Sports Pole 'as “Consultant in the PSG Multi -port Strategy including potential plans in basketball.”
These potential plans evidently go through the creation of a franchise and the news has had such an impact that It has been retained retail at the New York Timeswhich does not rule out that Durant I could play in the PSG. The player will presumably sign a contract for two years this summer and the summer would be free of the possible creation of the European project for the 2027-28 campaign.
In The Athletic del The New York Timesthe journalist Adam Crafton points out that “The Catarí fund does not need Durant's money, but his expertise, knowledge and contacts would be of great value (…), It is a strategic agreement that will impact commercial, contained in media, PSG growth in the United Statesdevelopment of merchandising and the most crucial part: the role of consultant in the PSG multisport strategy and its Potential plans for basketball as the statement assures opening the doors so that Durant Lead the way to the launch of the NBA in Europe”.
In that same article, there is a section analyzing the impact of Durantand the journalist Joe Vardonwrites “Can you imagine that the NBA launches the new competition in Europe with Durant as a banner? Do not rule it out. Paris, and this is not a secret, is one of the markets desired by Silver in Europe and that the NBA intends to link with the PSG for its enormous financial and marketing potential. ”
In Paris they are delighted with the front of Durant and the possibilities it offers as ensures Nasser Al-Khelaifi: “We welcome you as a direct shareholder and strategic partner of the group. Together with Kevin we are looking forward to developing new ambitious initiatives. ”And the player is also excited with his new role, which will combine with its impact on the NBA courts:”It is an honor to associate with QSI as a PSG shareholder, a club and a city that are very close to my heart. The club has large plans ahead and I am looking forward to being part of this new phase”.
The announcement of the news and the most obvious link with the plans of the PSG of being part of the ambitious NBA project in Europe with FIBA Preserving the principles of the European Sports Model, as an anecdote he has revived old players on the Internet, supplying Jerry West as the NBA logo being Kevin Durant one of the most striking proposals of This photo gallery appeared in brand.
NBA logo, transformed with the figure of Durant.
FIBA anger by selection windows
While the path of the teams and cities that would be part of the project, It remains to elucidate the role that Euroleague will have once the red line marked by the NBA has crossed and the FIBA when they returned it to the negotiation table: respect the selections windows. FIBA again integrate the competition led by Paul Motiejun In these plans to redefine the European basketball scene and the CEO of the Euroleague He assured that in The Ahletic “It is increasingly obvious that both parties have to work together and FIBA wishes are clear and easy to fulfill”, But it has just done the opposite: the Euroleague He has published his calendar and has overlapped the dates reserved for the parties of classifying selections for the Catar 2027 World Cup.
The discomfort with Euroleague For this unexpected decision it is more than evident and is speculated with its exit from the negotiating table. Having advanced on Tuesday and Wednesday the games of the Windows Week is a gesture clearly insufficient: The selections start the work week on Monday, they play Thursday and Friday and for the FIBA it is incomprehensible that Euroleague pretend that they are incorporated on the same day of the game without rest or with just 24 hours in advance. A decision that, according to FIBA, goes against the words of Motiejun Before the publication of the calendar: “We have had a very productive meeting to grow basketball; it is increasingly obvious that both parties have to work together.”
