Adam Silver Hints At The NBA's Next Expansion Team City... And It's Not What You Might Think

While NBA teams rarely play official games outside of America and Canada, that could change in the future once the league decides the time is right for expansion. Ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs matchup in Mexico City, commissioner Adam Silver stated “it’s definitely possible” that the city could host an NBA team permanently someday.

With an NBA game in Mexico City today, Commissioner Adam Silver addressed a possible expansion team in Mexico. I believe two U.S. cities get expansion teams first but the league is serious about Mexico City and its market as Silver reiterated in his comments: pic.twitter.com/ar7VaPF9dC
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) December 17, 2022

Unlike soccer, which has become the most popular sport in the world due to its multi-continental support, American professional sports have mostly failed to find a major audience south of the United States. Events like Major League Baseball’s exhibition games in London and Japan or MLB Home Run Derby X have attempted to bridge this gap, but a sports team based in Mexico would be a whole new step.

Jeremy Sochan had to show Mexico love with his new hair color!

MIA-SAS | Tip-off 🔜 on NBA TV#NBAenMexico 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/OXBYAOr4ed
— NBA (@NBA) December 17, 2022

The NBA has already attempted to establish a foothold in Mexico, hosting 30 NBA games in Mexico City since 1992 and even giving the city a G League team, the Capitanes. While it would present more logistical issues than setting up a new team in Seattle or Las Vegas, the popular recent destinations for expansion squads, the league seems confident that a Mexico-based team would attract new layers of basketball fans and spread the game’s international appeal. Those logistical difficulties have been on display today, though, as the Heat-Spurs has seen a delay due to lighting difficulties in the arena.

Game alert: Start of Heat-Spurs second half on Saturday delayed at least 10 minutes as the lights in the arena are still out after halftime show.
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) December 17, 2022

What do you think? Are Silver and the league serious about bringing the NBA to Mexico City, or is it a token gesture?