EuroLeague CEO Chus Bueno warns of ‘disaster’ if the NBA launches its own European league, but says the lines are open

EuroLeague CEO Chus Bueno has warned that the European basketball market will become fragmented if the NBA launches its own league next fall, while insisting his organization remains open to a deal. “If they decide to (enter into the market), it’s going to be a disaster. And they know, we know, and we don’t want that,” Bueno said in an interview with Elvira Pollina and Ruairidh Barlow this week. “The telephone lines are open.”

The NBA is not backing off. Deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said in a media session on Tuesday that NBA Europe will make the “biggest investment ever” into European basketball, projecting multibillions of dollars in distributions to clubs over the first decade. “We continue to be hopeful that we’ll reach an agreement,” Tatum said. “But we’re prepared to proceed regardless.”

The comments land days before NBA officials meet European soccer executives in London on Tuesday, October 27. Real Madrid remains expected at the meetings, but Barcelona and Bayern Munich, both initially expected, will not attend, Marc del Rio reported. EuroLeague shareholder clubs unanimously rejected the NBA’s initial merger proposal on October 6, and the standoff has left the league’s franchise sales on hold.

Read more: Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern meet the NBA in London: why NBA Europe’s $1 billion franchise sales are on hold until the EuroLeague fight is settled.