The NBA has left the door open to a potential showdown where Barça and Real Madrid could challenge Luka Dončić in the same competition—and possibly deny him the one title that continues to elude him
Since departing Real Madrid in 2018, the Slovenian star has yet to lift a single team trophy, either in the NBA or with the Slovenian national team
The NBA’s looming expansion into Europe initially sparked excitement among basketball fans who envisioned a league where the world’s best teams—including FC Barcelona and Real Madrid—would face off against NBA giants like the Lakers, featuring stars like Luka Dončić and LeBron James.
While the NBA has clarified that its plan is to launch a Europe-based league as an alternative to the EuroLeague—comprised solely of European teams—the league didn’t entirely shut the door on that dream scenario.
In a virtual meeting with international media, including Mundo Deportivo, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum stopped short of confirming a league featuring both NBA and European teams.
However, he did acknowledge the potential for European teams to compete against NBA franchises in the recently launched NBA Cup once the European league is fully operational.
“I think one of the interesting things you could see here is a number of NBA clubs coming over and playing preseason games against European clubs, similar to what we did in the past with Europe Live. There would be much more incentive to do that if we were operating a top-tier league in Europe, and you could have those European clubs come to the U.S. as well,” Tatum said.
“So, in the future—distant future—we’ve talked about things like having the winner or top two teams from the European league participate in the NBA Cup.”
Since the midseason tournament’s debut in 2023, the NBA has entertained the idea of integrating European teams into the competition. The creation of a European league under the NBA’s umbrella would make that vision more feasible.
This scenario opens the door to thrilling matchups like Barça versus Dončić and his Lakers, or a potential reunion game between the Slovenian star and his former club, Real Madrid.
It’s even conceivable that both Spanish giants could face Dončić simultaneously if they qualify as champion and runner-up of the future NBA European League.
In a dramatic twist, one of these historic clubs could potentially deepen Dončić’s title drought if they were to defeat his Lakers in an NBA Cup final—a trophy that has eluded him since he left Real Madrid in 2018, having yet to win a title with either his NBA team or the Slovenian national squad.
The NBA Cup’s group stage spans about a month, and its knockout phase—played in a single-elimination format—would allow European teams to travel to the U.S. for a short, one-week stint, minimizing disruption to their domestic schedules.
Tatum concluded his remarks with a bold prediction that’s bound to spark debate.
“In the very distant future, once we have supersonic flights, you could see an NBA division based in Europe,” said the NBA executive.
“These are all possibilities we’re exploring, but for now, our focus is on structuring a top-level league in Europe that truly serves the fans.”
But first, the goal is to see Europe’s best teams once again challenge NBA franchises in official competitions—not just friendlies—as they did in the now-defunct McDonald’s Championship of the 1990s.
The NBA Cup could pave the way for these long-awaited, high-stakes matchups featuring Barça, Real Madrid, and Luka Dončić.
