Pau Gasol believes the current European basketball model is unsustainable and sees the NBA’s potential expansion into Europe as a catalyst for its evolution and improvement.
Credit: Oscar J. Barroso/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire – Scanpix
NBA and global basketball legend Pau Gasol shared his views on some of the most pressing challenges facing European basketball during the presentation of the 21st edition of the Pau Gasol Academy in Barcelona.
Gasol addressed the current state of international club competition in Europe, stressing that the existing structure is economically unsustainable.
He pointed to the NBA’s potential expansion into Europe as a possible solution to some of the sport’s structural shortcomings.
“There’s work being done, it’s in progress. I see an initiative to improve the European basketball model, and it’s an opportunity for our sport to grow. We’ll see how it shapes up and how it progresses,” Gasol said via Marca.
“The basketball model in Europe needs to evolve and improve. Economically, it’s not sustainable, and the vast majority of teams are losing money,” he added.
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He also weighed in on the increasing number of young European prospects choosing to play college basketball in the United States—a growing trend that he identified as a top concern for FIBA.
“It’s one of FIBA’s top priorities right now—regulating and protecting,” he said. “If someone decides to leave, there should be some sort of compensation for training rights. This is a new situation that didn’t exist until now.”
Gasol acknowledged the financial advantages often offered by U.S. college programs—packages that most European clubs can’t compete with.
In response, he called for a deeper investment in long-term youth development and greater continuity for young players within their home clubs.
“That’s something we’re not seeing. I’d like to see long-term projects, but everything is short-term. Players don’t get much continuity,” he reflected.
Another issue he addressed was the increasingly congested competition calendar. With more games being added each year, Gasol warned of the physical and strategic toll it’s taking on the sport.
“The schedule is getting denser, and it needs to be managed. Preparation has to be adjusted—physical demands aren’t what they used to be,” he noted.
“You can’t keep adding games because, in the end, it leads to saturation. It’s not good for the players, it’s not good for the fans, and it’s not good for the sport overall. FIBA and the domestic leagues are working on it.”
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Gasol also praised Spain’s successful bid to host EuroBasket 2029, calling it “very good news” for Spanish sports.
He welcomed the opportunity to stage major international tournaments on home soil and highlighted the symbolic importance of hosting the opening game at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“It’ll be a unique experience,” Gasol said, recalling his own experience playing in the Dallas Cowboys’ 80,000-seat stadium—similar in scale to the Bernabéu.
“It’s fun for the player because it’s quite a change. I don’t know how they’ll structure it for the fans, but it’s definitely a positive.”
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