NBA Europe is slowly taking shape and a clutch of big organisations are already jockeying for position. PSG is among them. Multiple reports over the past few days say the Paris club is actively preparing a bid to land one of the franchises Adam Silver wants to plant in Europe.
Behind the move is Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), PSG’s owner, quietly working to put together a watertight application before the end-of-month deadline.
QSI ready to back the project
The plan is blunt: make PSG one of the flagship faces of NBA Europe. QSI is said to be weighing a bid in the auction — a price tag that could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Qatari group already knows how to run sports clubs and push brands overseas. That experience will matter when the league makes its picks.
Another twist: one of PSG’s minority owners is Kevin Durant. The NBA superstar holds a stake in the club. He says he isn’t directly involved right now, but he’s open to the idea of helping grow basketball in Europe.
🏀⚽️ Kevin Durant is a minority a stakeholder in PSG. The French club wants to create a basketball franchise to compete in NBA Europe.
“I wouldn’t say I’m involved in the process, but I’ve been hearing a lot about it. I’m ready to talk about it if it presents itself” [1/2] pic.twitter.com/y6qdSJZAmS
— Toni Canyameras (@Canyameridis71) February 16, 2026
A route through Nanterre
PSG wouldn’t be the only outfit chasing a Paris franchise. Paris Basketball and Levallois could throw their hats in too.
Meeting the new system’s rules might mean teaming up with an existing club. Nanterre looks like a logical option. The Paris-region side has a close link with Victor Wembanyama, who recently invested there.
A Nanterre partnership would also fit the proposed NBA–FIBA agreement, which expects NBA Europe franchises to continue playing in their domestic leagues.
The NBA, North America’s basketball league, plans to launch a brand-new competition around 2027: NBA Europe. But the continent already has two major rival leagues: the Basketball Champions League and the EuroLeague. It’s a project that splits the sport’s stakeholders… pic.twitter.com/VZdZ1ERu5j
— Brut FR (@brutofficiel) January 10, 2026
France firmly in the frame
NBA Europe could kick off around 2027. The proposal talks about a 12-team permanent league, with four additional slots each season for teams coming through FIBA competitions.
Entry is estimated between $500 million and $1 billion — which explains why only deep-pocketed investors are circling.
France is a strategic target. Paris, Lyon and Tony Parker’s ASVEL all figure as serious candidates to host a franchise.
The scramble is only getting started
The NBA’s objective is simple: bulk up its presence in Europe and attach the new competition to big-name brands that can sell it.
In that context PSG is a natural candidate. Global profile plus QSI’s financial firepower would make them a heavyweight in any new league.
Applications are due by March 31. After that the NBA will have to make the call. One thing’s clear: the race for NBA Europe franchises has only just begun.
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