Basketball/NBA Europe project: "We want a pyramid system similar to the Champions League" (G. Aivazoglou)

"Our vision is a semi-open competition with 16 teams - 12 permanent franchises and 4 qualifying from other competitions, with the Basketball Champions League (organised by FIBA) as a central pathway. But there will be others. We want to create a pyramid system, similar to football's Champions League and Europa League. We like that comparison - it's easy for people to understand, and it rewards performance. We want dreams and Cinderella stories, like Leicester City winning the Premier League in 2016, to still be possible," said George Aivazoglou, the National Basketball Association's managing director for Europe and the Middle East, to L'Équipe on 06/10/2025.

George Aivazoglou outlined the project to create a European men's league, led by the North American League and FIBA, which was first presented by the two parties on 27/03/2025. The launch of this competition, which will apply the International Federation's rules (in particular with regard to the duration of matches, set at 40 minutes compared with 48 in the NBA), should take place in October 2027 at the earliest, according to…