Adam Silver says NBA and FIBA are having ‘much more serious’ talks about growth in Europe

VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was walking around a French neighborhood with his family earlier this week while visiting for the Paris Olympics and NBA jerseys were being worn by people everywhere he looked. Current ones, classic ones, he saw all kinds.

It was yet another sign of the NBA’s global reach.

“Again, it reminds me just what the opportunity really is here,” Silver said.

The question now is how to best utilize that opportunity. The NBA is ramping up talks with FIBA, the sport's global governing body, on how to best increase its competitive footprint in Europe either through an annual tournament or an NBA-operated league, Silver said Friday in an interview with The Associated Press.