Ettore Messina, who previously hailed the NBA’s expansion into Europe as an “excellent opportunity” to stabilize the continent’s basketball ecosystem, continues to champion the American vision. His remarks, made during an interview with the Corriere Della Serra, shed light on his perspective:
“In the NBA,” he explains, “out of 30 franchises, 16 qualify for the playoffs and 4 for the play-in, representing two-thirds of the league. This provides the flexibility to rest fatigued players or even accept losses. Conversely, the Euroleague, with 6 teams qualifying for the playoffs and 4 for the play-in out of 20 clubs – half the league – is far too tight. Every game becomes critical, unfortunately leading to a continuous string of injuries. When people ask me if I want the Americans to come at all costs, my answer is yes. Such a move would ensure better alignment between financial necessities and sporting results. Ideally, a merger between the NBA and the Euroleague would be the way forward.”
This proposal also finds a favorable reception with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
