The NBA is looking to expand it’s reach globally even more by launching an NBA Europe league. The league is looking to start teams in many of the biggest cities in Europe and many stars are looking to get in on the ownership side as well, including current Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic.
There are many others looking to get in on the ground floor of this as well and that includes former Lakers’ part owners and front office executives Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, who are reportedly making an aggressive pursuit to be part of an ownership group for NBA Europe, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
Joey and Jesse Buss are making an aggressive pursuit through their investment firm, Buss Sports Capital, to become part of an ownership group in the NBA Europe league, sources told ESPN.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 15, 2026
And the brothers already have a potential connection within Europe as they have a relationship with former San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker, via McMenamin:
The brothers have a pre-existing relationship with former San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker and France is one potential attractive market, sources said https://t.co/9ZI9OWL8fe
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 15, 2026
Both Joey and Jesse were members of the Lakers organization for a long time and were known especially for their work in the scouting department where they had a big role in the team finding the likes of Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson and Max Christie late in the draft, not to mention undrafted discoveries in Austin Reaves and Alex Caruso.
Joey served as alternate governor and vice president of research and development while Jesse was the Lakers’ assistant general manager before the Lakers fired them in late-2025 as they looked to reorganize the basketball operations department following the sale of the team to Mark Walter.
There, of course, was a lot of drama surrounding the sale of the Lakers with it being revealed that Joey and Jesse were the two Buss children who voted against it and that possibly played a role in them being fired. But they are now looking to get back into basketball ownership and the NBA Europe league presents them an opportunity to do so.
Austin Reaves still processing LeBron James’ departure from Lakers
The current Lakers front office has had a busy offseason which included re-signing Reaves to a four-year max contract. It also included LeBron James deciding to continue his playing career elsewhere, something Reaves admitted he is still coming to grips with after having been his teammate for his entire career so far.
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