The Commissioner of National Basketball Association David Stern is concerned that NBA is ready to expand in the direction of Europe and create 5 full status teams.

The world’s most popular basketball league is planning to create a special division this side of the seas. The teams of this European division would play all 82 regular season games and compete for the NBA title.

As Ian Thomsen is writing on SI.com, a league source confirms that this Saturday in New Orleans, during the All-Star weekend, NBA commisioner will officially announce about the League plans, having discussed them at the annual meeting with international basketball representatives.

There’s a question of course, is Europe ready for Big Basketball? Can it reach the Baltics, where many kids would be dreaming of “making it to the NBA”? A lot has to be done before that. Everything needs to be changed, from laws and rusted basketball federations in each country, to arenas and most definitely, fans’ attitude. For real, I mean is a day gonna come when we’ll go to a sports event with the same joy we go to a concert, or a theater? With family, friends – in a way that sports is a holiday. Obviously, lots of time’s gonna pass till that would be a reality, at least here in Eastern Europe.

Sarunas Marciulionis once already tried telling Europe to listen to Stern: “There are no big brands – none – connected with high-scale basketball in Europe because it’s a mess. We need one structure, one clean pyramid. I think David could unite Europe.” Since these words, said on the 2006 All-Star Game in Houston, no actions were taken though.

And now, looks like there’s a movement of some kind. Sure, there are plenty of other aspects – would american players be willing to play overseas, how would they cope with constant transatlantic flights.. But all I know is a good thing: in the nearest time London, Berlin, Rome and Madrid can become the cities of real basketball holiday, which will also boost the development of basketball in our own region.