The NBA Europe league would initially be funded by its member clubs as long-term investors, much like the early WNBA relied on NBA support before achieving success.
The NBA has long been exploring ways to grow its global footprint, and Europe is emerging as the next frontier.
While domestic expansion remains on the league's radar, plans for an overseas league are steadily taking shape and bringing the NBA closer to creating a new European basketball venture.
But where would the funding come from?
"The funding would potentially come from, at least initially, the member clubs of the league," Commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday in Berlin. "I think, similar to any startup venture, the participants would be the investors and, over time, would hope to seek a return.
"I would only say that in the NBA, despite very large revenues, we managed to spend most of that money on a combination of players and investing in infrastructure and marketing," he added.
"I think if we were to successfully launch this new league, it will take a while before it is a viable commercial enterprise. I think all the participants recognize that this is not for those who have a short-term perspective."
Credit picture alliance / WITTERS-Scanpix
He then likened the NBA Europe project to the WNBA's growth trajectory.
"Not that they are comparable, but I think about our WNBA, which is now going into its 30th season this year. And I remember for the first decade of that league, when David Stern was overseeing it as the commissioner of the NBA, the question usually was, "How long will you stick with this?" because it didn't seem like it was going to be a successful adventure," Silver said.
"Jump ahead to 30 years later, where it's amazing what's happening in women's basketball right now. So I'm not suggesting there's comparability. Although I should add, we would ultimately like to do a women's league in Europe as well, if we can figure out the correct model," the top executive went on to say.
Silver emphasized the importance of patience.
"I don't want to be more specific other than we need to be realistic," he noted. "And to me, this has less to do with the existing basketball ecosystem, whether that existed or not.
"I think in some cases, building a new brand, building new followership, creating those connections that these organizations have directly with their fans, takes time. And there are no shortcuts.
"And as I said to people who are considering investing in this league, this is not for those who are seeking short-term returns. This is something that will be multi-decades in the making."
The NBA Europe expansion is expected to launch with 16 teams in 2027.
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