Luka Doncic Revives Basketball in Rome

Luka Doncic is taking his love for basketball to new heights by joining an investment group led by former Mavericks executive, Donnie Nelson. Together, they are acquiring the professional basketball club Vanoli Cremona, which competes in Italy’s LegaBasket Serie A.

As part of this arrangement, the new ownership plans to relocate the team to Rome and aims to participate in the NBA’s initiative to establish a league in Europe.

It’s worth noting that Rome has been without a top-tier basketball team since Virtus Roma went bankrupt in 2020. So, this move could be quite significant for the city and its basketball scene.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has shared earlier this year that the NBA is collaborating with FIBA to create a new European league. However, specifics like the timeline or number of teams involved have yet to be disclosed.

Rome is anticipated to be among the host cities for the league, joining Milan, London, Manchester, Lyon, Paris, Berlin, Munich, Barcelona, Madrid, Athens, and Istanbul as potential locations.

While official details of the new league remain sparse, the target launch date is reportedly set for fall 2027.

Discussions have been centered around a 16-team format, which would feature 12 permanent spots and leave four open for selection among other teams.

Nelson, who is 63, is the son of Don Nelson, a well-known former NBA coach and executive who played a pivotal role in the Dallas Mavericks’ history, especially during Doncic’s draft acquisition in 2018.

Doncic himself, hailing from Slovenia, began his professional career with Real Madrid before joining the NBA. He recently shared, “Ever since I came to the NBA, my dream has always been to own a team in Europe, especially since Europe has given me so much. I grew up there, I grew up playing basketball there.”