If Tony Parker keeps a watchful eye on the progress of the NBA Europe project, ASVEL announced on Wednesday its extension with the EuroLeague but also the arrival of new investors.
Tony Parker made his choice. For several months, the possibility of seeing ASVEL leave the EuroLeague was on the table due to the determination of its president for the European league project desired by the NBA and FIBA. In this sense, the Rhone club’s commitment to the Basketball Champions League next season had been mentioned in October as a prerequisite for joining NBA Europe at its launch in 2027. However, in a statement released on Wednesday, the Villeurbanne club clarified its future on the European scale and definitively ruled out the possibility of joining the ranks of the continental competition launched by FIBA a decade ago.
Investors coming to ASVEL
Indeed, ASVEL announced “the continuation of its commitment to the EuroLeague” for a period of ten years as a permanent member of the competition. In addition, ASVEL announced “the arrival of new strategic shareholders” to assert “its desire to establish itself among the major clubs of European basketball on a lasting basis”. Consequently, the Rhone club welcomes “new prominent investors” to “strengthen its structure and support its ambitions”. This capital injection comes as the club was sanctioned this season by the EuroLeague for not having a high enough salary mass. Among these partners, we find the Swiss group HelvetX with French driver Pierre Gasly involved.
NBA Europe remains in sight
However, while ASVEL has decided to extend its adventure with the EuroLeague, the prospect of the NBA arriving on the Old Continent remains on Tony Parker’s radar. “These two acts reflect a confirmed ambition, that of building a bridge between Europe and the NBA with a clear vision: to become a key player in bringing EuroLeague and the NBA closer together in view of the emergence of a future NBA Europe,” the club specifies in its statement. Above all, ASVEL intends to “have the necessary means to accelerate its sports, economic, and international development”. The goal is to “strengthen its model, expand its influence beyond French territory, and play a key role in the future developments of European basketball.”
