Dončić Moves Vanoli Cremona to Rome for NBA Europe
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- Luka Dončić and former Dallas Mavericks executive Donnie Nelson lead an ownership group that bought Lega Basket Serie A club Vanoli Cremona.
- The ownership group plans to relocate Vanoli Cremona to Rome and begin play there in the 2026‑27 season.
- The group has submitted a bid for the team to become Rome's representative in the upcoming NBA Europe league, which could launch as early as fall 2027.
- NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced the NBA‑FIBA partnership to launch an NBA Europe league with up to 16 teams, targeting cities including Rome, London, Paris, Milan, Munich, Athens, Istanbul, Madrid, and Barcelona.
- Dončić said the move will bring world‑class basketball back to Rome after a long absence of top‑flight basketball in the city.
Why it matters: Rome gains a top‑flight basketball franchise, boosting local sports revenue and fan engagement, while Italy’s league expands its market; the NBA secures a new European hub, accelerating its continental footprint.
