Doncic-Linked Group Reaches Deal to Purchase Vanoli Basket Cremona for NBA Europe Push
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An investment consortium that includes Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic and is led by former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson has struck a preliminary agreement to acquire Italian club Vanoli Basket Cremona.
The Athletic reports that the buyers intend to relocate the team from its current base in Cremona, northern Italy, to Rome with the goal of securing one of 12 licenses in the National Basketball Association’s planned NBA Europe competition, scheduled to debut in fall 2027.
Rome Targeted as Key NBA Europe Market
Under league guidelines still being finalized, every NBA Europe participant must also compete in its domestic top division. Vanoli Basket already plays in Italy’s Lega Basket Serie A, and Rome—currently without a Serie A club—has been identified by NBA commissioner Adam Silver as a priority location for the new circuit.
Other cities under consideration include Milan; London and Manchester in the United Kingdom; Paris and Lyon in France; Madrid and Barcelona in Spain; Berlin and Munich in Germany; and Athens and Istanbul.
Ownership Rules Still Taking Shape
The exact share Doncic will hold has not been disclosed. The NBA’s latest collective bargaining agreement caps player ownership in WNBA franchises but does not yet address stakes in NBA Europe teams. Current proposals would prohibit NBA Europe owners from holding more than a 5 percent share in an existing NBA franchise to avoid conflicts of interest.
Other NBA Players Investing Abroad
Doncic is not alone in backing prospective NBA Europe clubs. Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant owns a minority stake in soccer powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain, which is expected to launch a basketball arm for the new league. Retired guard Tony Parker controls ASVEL Basket near Lyon, another likely entrant.
Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport previously reported that former Mavericks icon Dirk Nowitzki was part of Nelson’s group, but a spokesperson told NBA insider Marc Stein that Nowitzki is not involved.
The sale of Vanoli Basket Cremona remains subject to final approval and league clearances.
Source: Hoops Rumors
