Lakers star Luka Doncic is involved with former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson in a group exploring the purchase of an Italian basketball team. Their plan includes relocating the team to Rome and joining the upcoming NBA Europe league, an initiative supported by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver that is expected to launch in 2027.
This investor consortium, reportedly collaborating with wealthy backers, is eyeing Vanoli Baskets from Cremona, located in northern Italy near Milan. Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport mentioned that former Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki was also part of the group alongside Doncic, though Nowitzki’s representative has denied this to NBA Insider Marc Stein.
The group acquired Vanoli Basket primarily to secure the team’s license in Italy’s top professional league, Lega Basket Serie A. Their aim is to scale operations and become one of the 12 franchised teams in the proposed NBA Europe league, according to reporting by Joe Vardon, Sam Amick, and Mike Volkunov for The Athletic.
Vanoli Basket currently holds a license in Italy’s Serie A, and participating teams in NBA Europe are required to also compete in their domestic leagues. Sources indicate that the acquisition was strategic to obtain this license, with plans to establish a new franchise based in Rome, roughly 530 miles from Cremona.
The envisioned NBA Europe league, backed by Adam Silver, will feature 12 affiliated teams each season. Many of these are expected to be established European powerhouses such as Real Madrid and Barcelona, both of which have NBA connections. The league will also include new or significantly enhanced teams from other cities, including Paris Saint-Germain. Joining NBA Europe could require substantial investment, potentially reaching as high as $1 billion for some franchises.
Four of the league’s 12 spots will be earned annually based on domestic league performance. While Rome is a targeted city for an NBA Europe franchise, it currently lacks a high-level basketball club.
As one of the greatest European players in the NBA, Luka Doncic’s participation signals NBA players can hold equity in European teams—similar to Kevin Durant’s investment in Paris Saint-Germain. Although it is uncertain how much ownership players can have, there appears to be no explicit cap. The involvement of prominent NBA stars will aid NBA Europe in marketing and building teams within a landscape that still competes with existing national leagues, the Basketball EuroLeague, and other popular sports across Europe like soccer and cricket.
The NBA aims to kick off NBA Europe in the fall of 2027, with a vision to better commercialize European basketball—an area they believe is currently underdeveloped and undervalued. While fan reception remains to be seen, the NBA is bringing substantial talent and financial resources to accelerate the sport’s growth overseas.
Fan Take: This move could be a game-changer for basketball fans worldwide, bridging the gap between American and European basketball markets. If successful, NBA Europe could elevate the global profile of the sport, create new rivalries, and provide exciting opportunities for European players and fans alike.
