American technology executive Nikesh Arora is in talks to purchase the London franchise in the NBA’s planned European league, according to a report by The Athletic, marking the latest significant development in the league’s ambitious expansion across Europe.
According to The Athletic, Arora has assembled an investment group prepared to bid more than $1 billion for the London franchise, one of the most valuable markets in the proposed NBA Europe competition. The discussions remain ongoing, with sources speaking anonymously because negotiations have not been finalized.
Arora, 58, is the chief executive officer of cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks and has become an increasingly active investor in sports. In 2025, he led the “Tech Titans” consortium that acquired a 49% stake in London Spirit, one of English cricket’s premier franchises in The Hundred, in a deal valued at £145 million.
The reported offer underscores the strong investor interest surrounding NBA Europe, a project the league has targeted to launch during the second half of 2027. Commissioner Adam Silver has previously said the initiative remains on schedule, with the league expected to announce its 12 permanent franchise partners later this year.
The proposed competition is expected to begin with 16 teams, consisting of 12 licensed clubs and four additional teams that qualify annually through sporting merit. That structure is designed to combine long-term franchise stability with an opportunity for successful clubs from domestic competitions and FIBA’s Basketball Champions League to earn promotion.
London has consistently been viewed as one of the centerpiece markets for the NBA’s European ambitions. The city has hosted numerous regular-season NBA games over the past two decades and remains one of Europe’s largest commercial and media markets, making it an attractive destination for investors.
Arora is not the only high-profile bidder pursuing a franchise. Previous reports indicated that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is preparing a bid for another London-based team, while Qatar Sports Investments has targeted Paris. RedBird Capital, the investment firm that owns Italian soccer club AC Milan, has also expressed interest in securing a franchise in Milan.
According to NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, the bidding process attracted more than 120 expressions of interest from investor groups. Reported bids ranged from approximately $500 million to more than $1 billion, highlighting confidence in the league’s long-term commercial potential.
The NBA is targeting 12 permanent franchises across major European cities, including London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Rome, Berlin, Munich, Athens and Istanbul. Four additional clubs would qualify each season, creating a hybrid model unlike the closed structure used by the NBA in North America.
One major issue still to be resolved is the relationship between NBA Europe and the EuroLeague. The NBA has expressed a preference to work alongside Europe’s existing top club competition, but Silver has also made clear the league is prepared to move forward independently if a partnership cannot be reached.
Should Arora’s consortium complete its acquisition, it would represent one of the largest investments ever made in a European basketball franchise and reinforce London’s position as a cornerstone of the NBA’s long-term strategy to expand its presence internationally.
