OFFICIAL EXPANSION ALERT: NBA AND FIBA CONFIRM JANUARY TALKS FOR 12 PERMANENT FRANCHISES
The NBA and FIBA are officially engaging teams in January for a 16-team European league launching in October 2027 across 12 cities.
The NBA and FIBA said that next month, they're going to start talking to European basketball teams and owners to see who wants to join their new league idea.
The league would have guaranteed spots for some teams. Others could get in each year through FIBA's Basketball Champions League or another tournament after the season, according to the people in charge.
Any team playing in a FIBA-approved European league could try to qualify.
FIBA's Andreas Zagklis said the way the league is set up respects how sports work in Europe, giving every team that wants it a real chance to get to the top.
A lot of NBA players are from Europe.
A few things about this new league still need to be worked out, like when it will start (they're shooting for October 2027) and how many teams will be in it at first.
One idea is to have 16 teams, with 12 always in and 4 that have to qualify.
The NBA and FIBA have been talking about a European league for a while now.
Right now, quite a few of the best NBA players are from Europe, like Nikola Jokić from Denver, Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee, Victor Wembanyama from San Antonio, Luka Dončić from the Los Angeles Lakers, and Lauri Markkanen from Utah.
About one in six NBA players is European.
Plans seemed to speed up after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Adam Silver and Zagklis were at a press conference in New York earlier this year, saying the NBA and FIBA were moving forward with the project. JPMorgan and the Raine Group came on board as financial helpers this summer.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver mentioned that talking with different people in Europe had assured them that there's a big chance to build a new league there.
They're thinking about cities all over Europe for this NBA-FIBA thing, places like London and Manchester, Paris and Lyon, Madrid and Barcelona, Rome and Milan, Munich and Berlin, Athens and Istanbul.
The NBA has set up two regular-season games in Europe in the middle of January. The Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic will play in Berlin and London.
KENDRICK BOURNE REVEALS THE STRICT DISCIPLINE THAT SPARKED THE PATRIOTS' TURNAROUND
Kendrick Bourne speaks out! Discover why he thinks Mike Vrabel is the right fit and why he’s eyeing a 2026 return to the 49ers.
Kendrick Bourne’s path through the NFL has zigzagged all over – some highs, plenty of lows, and now, another fresh start. He took a shot with the Patriots in 2025 after building his reputation with the 49ers. But honestly, that New England chapter ended before it even got going. Bourne didn’t just slip out the back door. He left with a lot to say about what he saw brewing in New England as Mike Vrabel took charge.
Once Vrabel arrived, you didn’t need to listen for rumours about a culture shift; it was obvious. Bourne noticed right away. He’s already got his eyes set on home, back with the 49ers, but even from a distance, he could see the Patriots were heading somewhere new long before their record showed it.
Talking about his exit from New England, Bourne didn’t sugarcoat anything. Losing the job itself wasn’t the hardest part. What stung was watching Vrabel put his stamp on the team, laying down the kind of structure and discipline Bourne knew would eventually pay off. He was blunt; things just felt different under Vrabel compared to before.
He put it like this: “After going through OTAs and camp with Vrabes, you just knew. Nothing against Mayo, but he just wasn’t ready. With Vrabes, the structure was totally different in how we studied, how we met, and just the whole vibe. Honestly, I was sad about it.”
This wasn’t just a guy being bitter. Bourne respected what was happening in New England and genuinely wished he could have been part of it, especially with a Super Bowl push on the horizon. He even admitted he’d wanted to be in that locker room when the Patriots finally made it back to the big stage.
Now he’s back with the 49ers, hoping to stick around. At 30, Bourne wants a new contract in San Francisco. He had a solid 2025, racked up 551 yards, picked up a contract bonus, and gave the offence a spark. The 49ers needed reliable hands, and Bourne delivered. He’s clear: he wants to stay, but only if the deal makes sense for him.
So now, the offseason gets interesting. Bourne knows where he fits best, but he’s still keeping an eye on what’s building in New England. That mix of looking back and chasing what’s next makes this part of his career one to pay attention to.
MRI SCARE: STEVE KERR ADMITS STEPH CURRY’S "NEBULOUS" KNEE MAY REQUIRE SECOND IMAGING
Warriors crisis! Discover why Steph Curry may need another MRI and how Jimmy Butler’s ACL tear shifts GSW to the play-in.
The Warriors have been scrambling since Jimmy Butler went down with that ACL tear. He’s done for the year, and now Stephen Curry has to carry the offence on his own.
Right after the All-Star break, the Warriors are sitting in eighth place out West. That’s already shaky, and now Curry’s dealing with a knee injury too. The team calls it runner's knee; basically, he just needs time to heal. But then Steve Kerr gave an update that didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
Turns out, Curry might need another MRI. He tried to push through a full workout, but his knee just wasn’t right. Now, they’re waiting on imaging to figure out how long he’ll actually be out.
Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis still hasn’t suited up for Golden State. If Curry misses significant time, everyone else needs to step up in a big way. The Warriors already have one of the most average offences in the league, 15th at the break. No curry, and things get ugly fast. He’s already missed 16 games this season, and the team went 6-10 without him.
Losing Butler already knocked the Warriors out of serious contention. They’re pretty much locked into the play-in. Unless Curry suddenly goes supernova, it’s hard to see them catching the Thunder or making any real noise out West.
So, what’s next? The front office tried to swing big at the deadline, going after Giannis Antetokounmpo, though who knows if the Bucks ever really considered it. Giannis stayed put, but you can bet the Warriors will chase him again this summer.
If that doesn’t work, they’ll turn to other stars. They know the championship window is closing with Curry still on the roster. He’s still elite, but time’s ticking.
LeBron James even comes up as a possibility. If he declines his player option and hits free agency, maybe he’d team up with Curry for one last run at a ring.
Most likely, though, Golden State will look at trades instead of free agents to try to reload. Curry’s health isn’t what it used to be, and the Warriors know they have to make the most of whatever prime he’s got left.