Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic confirmed he is leading an investment group that purchased Italy’s Vanoli Cremona basketball club, with plans to relocate the franchise to Rome and bid for a slot in the NBA’s proposed European league. The move follows his childhood tournament in Rome, where he posted a 54‑point triple‑double that launched his European profile and hopes to tap Italy's sports market.

Donnie Nelson, former Mavericks executive who helped bring Doncic to the NBA, serves as co‑decision‑maker. The consortium faces competition from a Trieste‑based group eyeing the same Roman arena, while also scouting smaller venues or a retrofitted tennis stadium. NBA franchise fees for the Europe project range from $500 million to over $1 billion, prompting a second‑round bid deadline next month.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has signaled openness to partnering with EuroLeague, whose secretary‑general Andreas Zagklis argues the new league could make top clubs financially sustainable. Doncic, who rose to fame with Real Madrid and the EuroLeague, says his European roots drive the venture, but stresses his immediate priority remains still winning an NBA championship with the Lakers.