The NBA has taken another major step toward launching NBA Europe, appointing former Lithuanian star and former Chicago Bulls executive Artūras Karnišovas as a senior consultant for the league’s ambitious European expansion project.
According to The Athletic, Karnišovas will advise NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and league executives on the governance, competitive structure and long-term development of NBA Europe, which is currently targeting a launch in October 2027.
A key role in shaping the new league
Karnišovas will help design several core aspects of NBA Europe, including:
- Governance and competition rules
- Player recruitment and talent identification
- Development pathways between NBA Europe and the NBA
- Expansion of Europe’s youth development system
- Coordination between the NBA, NBA Europe, European clubs and FIBA
The 55-year-old executive is expected to serve as an important bridge between the NBA and the continent’s existing basketball ecosystem.
NBA Europe moves closer to launch
The NBA and FIBA continue to make significant progress toward establishing the new competition.
The NBA Board of Governors is expected to review the second round of ownership bids during its meetings in Las Vegas this week, with league officials describing the project as entering its final stages ahead of the planned 2027 debut.
Strong investor demand
Interest from prospective owners has exceeded expectations.
According to sources familiar with the bidding process:
- The league has received bids for all 12 targeted cities.
- Multiple offers are valued between $500 million and $1 billion.
- London alone has attracted multiple bids exceeding $1 billion.
More than 20 existing basketball and football clubs, including several current EuroLeague organizations, have submitted proposals.
Target cities across Europe
The NBA’s initial list of target markets includes:
- London
- Paris
- Rome
- Milan
- Lyon
- Madrid
- Barcelona
- Athens
- Manchester
- Istanbul
- Berlin
- Munich
The competition is expected to feature 12 permanent franchises, while an additional four clubs would qualify each season through domestic leagues and FIBA competitions.
EuroLeague discussions continue
The NBA is continuing negotiations with EuroLeague regarding a potential partnership or merger while simultaneously engaging several EuroLeague clubs about joining the new competition.
Although many EuroLeague teams have recently renewed their league licenses, those agreements reportedly include exit clauses worth approximately €10 million.
Clubs such as Real Madrid are understood to be maintaining their EuroLeague commitments while continuing to evaluate participation in NBA Europe.
Financial scale highlights NBA’s ambitions
The report also illustrates the financial gap between the competing models.
EuroLeague’s proposed shareholder expansion is reportedly valued at approximately €1.2 billion in total, while NBA Europe has already received multiple $1 billion bids for a single London franchise, underlining the commercial potential investors see in the project.
Karnišovas brings European and NBA experience
Karnišovas enjoyed a distinguished playing career with the Lithuanian national team, winning two Olympic bronze medals before moving into basketball management.
He later became assistant general manager of the Denver Nuggets, where he played a role in the scouting and development process that brought Nikola Jokić to the franchise. In 2020, he took over basketball operations for the Chicago Bulls.
His combination of European basketball knowledge and NBA front-office experience makes him one of the key figures tasked with helping shape what could become the league’s most significant international expansion project in decades.