Billions are coming into basketball. Who’s looking out for the players?

I spent a good chunk of this weekend reading about everything happening in international basketball, and I swear the more I read, the more ridiculous the contrast between some of these stories becomes.

Billions of dollars are entering European basketball, new leagues being created, existing leagues expanding, NBA players moving around the world, and television deals making games available in places where nobody could have watched them a few years ago.

Meanwhile, the reigning French champions are dealing with insolvency proceedings.

That's where I want to start, because I think it tells you quite a bit about the business we're all involved in.

Monaco won the French championship in June. By October, the club was in court because it couldn't meet its financial obligations. Juhann Begarin, who was on that championship team, has since signed a one-month contract with ASVEL. Imagine celebrating a championship with your teammates and a few months later you're trying to figure out where you're going to work next.

I know what it's like to have your entire life tied to a club on the other side of the world, and I don't think people appreciate how quickly things can get uncomfortable when the money disappears. Your apartment, your car, your paycheck, your ability to get home, all of it can depend on the same people who suddenly aren't answering the phone.

Now put that next to what's happening with the NBA and EuroLeague.

EuroLeague rejected the NBA's current proposal last week, although negotiations could continue. The NBA still wants to build its European competition, and EuroLeague is considering its own expansion. There are even conflicting reports about whether NBA Europe's full launch happens in 2027 or 2028, with one report describing a potential $10 billion investment plan.

Ten BILLION dollars.

I spent ten years trying to get clubs to pay me on time, and now we're discussing billion-dollar European basketball franchises. I would've loved to have been in a few of those meetings.

But what happens to the players if all this money comes in? Who gets the new jobs? What happens to salaries? What happens when established EuroLeague clubs start competing with NBA-backed franchises for the same players? And who is making sure the athletes have a voice while everybody else figures out how to divide up the business?

There are other stories worth paying attention to as well.

France pulled its elite Pôle France development team out of competition following serious allegations involving the treatment of younger players. The investigation is ongoing, but an entire group of young athletes has now lost its scheduled season of competition.

In Lithuania, Juventus Utena has already made a roster change, bringing in Emmanuel Nzekwesi while parting ways with Brandon Huntley-Hatfield. The season barely got started before somebody was looking for another job.

And in Africa, the NBA closed its elite academy in Senegal while consolidating international training operations in Abu Dhabi. At the same time, the Basketball Africa League continues trying to attract investment and develop permanent franchises. I understand the business argument for consolidation, but I also wonder what that decision means for the next kid in Senegal who might have had a chance to train close to home.

Then there's the television side of things. Australia's NBL has expanded its international distribution, and more overseas basketball is becoming available to people who previously had almost no way to follow it.

When I played, clubs burned our games onto DVDs and I brought them home after the season. That was how my family got to watch me play. Now a kid from your hometown might be able to pull up your game while you're still living on the other side of the planet. I think that's pretty fucking cool.

I see a lot of opportunity in what's happening right now, and I genuinely believe international basketball is entering a fascinating period. But I'm also looking at Monaco and wondering how much the business has really changed for the people whose careers depend on it.

So I'm curious what everybody in here thinks. If you're playing right now, are you seeing more money and better opportunities in your league? Are clubs becoming more professional? Or are we still dealing with the same nonsense while the people at the top discuss billion-dollar investments?

I'd especially love to hear from anybody playing in France, Lithuania, Africa or one of the leagues that could be affected by NBA Europe.

I've got my opinions, but I want to hear from the people living it.

That's why we built this community.