Real Madrid and Berlin are in “NBA Europe” talks with the American Basketball League

A potential 16-team league is also being considered, combining 10 to 12 regular-season teams with open spots that teams will be able to qualify for.

With the rise in popularity of basketball and the NBA in Europe, the American League will hold six matches in four different European cities over the next three seasons, with London, Manchester, Berlin and Paris hosting matches between 2026 and 2028.

Silver said that the talks with Real Madrid, which plays in the European League and is considered one of the greatest basketball clubs in Europe, were “more about fact-finding,” but he confirmed that the discussions took place with another team in the European League, Alba Berlin, whose Uber Arena hosted the NBA match.

“We are trying to find the best combination of old and new, that is, tradition and innovation,” Silver said.

He said Alba Berlin is “a model of the type of club we would like to see in a potential Europa League”.

Reports say the current European league has concerns about the new project, threatening legal action against the NBA should clubs breach existing agreements to participate in the new competition.

But Silver said he did not believe the two championships would clash, adding: “There is a lot of room for competition.”