Luka Dončić just picked up All-NBA first-team honors for starring in his first full season with the Los Angeles Lakers. But the Slovenian guard still has deep ties to the Dallas Mavericks.
Dončić, part of an investor group led by former Mavericks executive Donnie Nelson, announced on social media Friday that “basketball is coming back to Rome.”
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Nelson, the Mavs’ president of basketball operations in 2018 when Dallas traded with the Atlanta Hawks for Dončić on draft night, is the managing partner of the group that purchased Vanoli Cremona in Italy’s Lega Basket Serie A, the top Italian pro league.
The professional basketball club will be relocated to Rome for the start of the 2026-27 season and will be in contention to represent the capital city in NBA Europe, as reported by ESPN.
“I have dreamed about owning a team in Europe for a long time, to finally have this happen is amazing,” Dončić said in a statement, via ESPN.
“Vanoli has a great history, and we are ready to take it to the next level in Rome. We have an amazing group of partners, and I really believe we can do something special for basketball in Italy and Europe.”
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NBA Europe is still in the works, but the league — which is being drawn up in partnership with FIBA — could debut as soon as fall 2027. If NBA Europe comes to fruition, a potential model is a 16-team league with 12 permanent locations. Teams in those cities would be joined by four clubs who qualify season-to-season.
The reported target cities are Rome and Milan in Italy, London and Manchester in England, Paris and Lyon in France, Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, Munich and Berlin in Germany as well as Athens in Greece and Istanbul in Turkey.
Last summer, the NBA announced its plans to play six games in Europe over a three-year span from 2026-28. It began that slate this season, with the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic facing off in both Berlin and London this past January. Next January, the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans will meet in Paris and Manchester.
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“Rome deserves world-class basketball, and we are excited to be bringing it back,” Nelson said in a statement, via ESPN. “Vanoli Cremona has a proud history, and we are committed to honoring that legacy as we build toward an exciting future in Rome. This city has been without top-flight basketball for too long. That changes now.
“We are bringing the resources, the expertise, and the passion to make this club a source of pride for Rome and for all Italy.”
In February, a report from The Athletic surfaced, signaling the purchase that became official on Friday. Back then, The Athletic reported that there are no rules against or limiting NBA Europe team ownership stakes for current NBA players. It’s important to note, though, that the league and its rules haven’t been finalized yet.
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Before reaching the NBA, Dončić played in Real Madrid’s basketball academy. He’s one of several European players to elevate the NBA, and now he has stake in a team that could help grow the league overseas.
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