Dirk Nowitzki not part of Luka Dončić–Donnie Nelson investor group pursuing Italian team
Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 (ET) — Dirk Nowitzki has distanced himself from a high-profile basketball investment push in Europe, with his spokesman stating the Hall of Famer is not involved in an investor group led by former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson that includes Lakers star Luka Dončić.
Nowitzki’s camp clarifies his role
Amid speculation that he was lining up alongside former teammates and executives, Nowitzki’s representative Scott Tomlin said the 2011 NBA champion is not part of the effort. The clarification cuts through days of chatter that bundled Nowitzki into a complex play to acquire an Italian club and position a franchise for the forthcoming NBA Europe structure. While the Mavericks icon maintains longstanding relationships within the Dallas basketball orbit, he is not attached to this specific venture.
Inside the Dončić–Nelson project
Dončić has joined an investor group headed by Nelson that is pursuing the purchase of Vanoli Basket Cremona, a top-flight Italian club with a Liga Basket Serie A license. The strategic value lies less in geography than in governance: holding an active Serie A license is a prerequisite for competing domestically while also participating in the planned NBA Europe framework. Lithuanian standout Rimas Kaukenas is also linked to the group. The bid underscores Dončić’s enduring European ties and Nelson’s deep experience building rosters and operations across both the NBA and international markets.
Pathway to Rome and NBA Europe
The plan envisions using Cremona’s league license to establish a new operation in Rome, roughly 330 miles to the south. Italian league rules require a waiting period before rebranding and come with additional compliance steps, but the capital city is a prized, currently untapped market at the top level of domestic hoops. NBA Europe has targeted multiple major cities for inaugural licenses, with a launch goal set for September 2027. Any Rome-based team would need to maintain its Serie A participation while fitting into the new continental competition structure.
Money, partners, and the 2027 target
The numbers are steep. Entry into NBA Europe is expected to command eye-watering fees, with valuations for certain markets projected well north of a billion dollars. That reality points to a consortium model featuring deep-pocketed backers and institutional capital. Representatives from global investment firms have already engaged with league leadership in recent months, while major banks, including JP Morgan Chase and the Raine Group, have been assisting on the financing front. For Nelson’s group, securing Cremona’s license is an early chess move; the heavier lift will be aligning venue planning, brand rollout, regulatory clearance, and the capital stack in time to meet 2027 milestones.
Why Nowitzki’s non-involvement matters
Nowitzki’s name carries global cachet, particularly in Europe, where his legacy as a transformational international star still resonates. Tying his brand to a Rome project would have signaled an additional layer of credibility, especially among fans and sponsors sizing up NBA Europe’s debut. His absence doesn’t slow the mechanics of the bid, but it does remove a potential marketing accelerant during a pivotal ramp-up phase. The focus therefore remains on Dončić’s star power, Nelson’s operational blueprint, and the group’s ability to marshal resources for an expansion-scale launch.
Big-picture implications for European hoops
Rome’s emergence as a target highlights the league’s ambition to seed teams in historic, commercially robust hubs that blend local passion with global reach. For Italian basketball, a successful move could revive a dormant top-tier presence in the capital while injecting fresh sponsorship, broadcast, and game-day revenue into the domestic ecosystem. For Dončić, the venture aligns with his roots in the European development pipeline and positions him on the ownership side of a project designed to tether the NBA more closely to the continent. And for Nowitzki, the message is simple and timely: his stature in European basketball remains enormous, but he is not part of this ownership group as it advances toward Italy and, potentially, NBA Europe.
