The NBA has still not given the green light to the creation of one or two additional franchises, but the pressure has never been greater. A few days ago, Shaquille O'Neal explained that he was ready to invest alongside LeBron James to create a franchise in Las Vegas.
LeBron has been talking about this project for several years, and he confirmed last night that he was still motivated for Las Vegas to become an NBA city.
“That hasn’t changed. My excitement about being here after my career, about bringing a team here, hasn't changed. The fans are amazing here. They already have everything they need: a WNBA team, a baseball team coming soon, an NFL team, a hockey team, F1 was here during Thanksgiving week…”
Indeed, listening to LeBron, the only thing missing is the NBA, even if the league has set foot there several times, whether it is the summer league, the All-Star Game, and of course this Final Four of “In-Season Tournament”.
The NBA very satisfied with the local enthusiasm
“There’s everything here!” “It's a place that loves big attractions, and I think the NBA would be a great addition to the city.” pursues LeBron. “Obviously, we only see success at the Summer League, but also the Aces. That will be nice. »
For his part, Adam Silver did not mention the arrival of a franchise in Las Vegas, but he recognized that it was a place like no other, and that the city had contributed to the popular and sporting success of this first edition of the NBA tournament.
“About the reception we received here in Las Vegas, part of the interest from the players was the idea that this Final Four would be held here. And for good reason. It's a great market. We received an enthusiastic welcome from the town hall, the chamber of commerce and everyone involved. I want to thank the people of Las Vegas for embracing this concept.”