A bold new project is taking shape in the global basketball landscape: a $5 billion international league designed to compete directly with the NBA. The venture, currently referred to as “Project B”, has attracted a high-profile group of investors, including NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young, tennis legend Novak Djokovic, former WNBA star Candace Parker, Skype co-founder Geoffrey Prentice, and event agency Sela that is owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Unlike the NBA’s traditional city-based model, Project B is expected to operate more like Formula 1 or LIV Golf, with teams traveling internationally for two-week tournaments hosted in cities across Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Early reports suggest that both men’s and women’s teams will be included, with equity stakes offered to players, a move designed to lure top talent away from the NBA and WNBA.
The league’s schedule is expected to overlap with the NBA season, setting up a direct competition for players, fans, and global attention.
The involvement of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is significant. The PIF has already disrupted golf with LIV Golf, invested heavily in global soccer through its ownership stake in Newcastle United, and is now turning its attention to basketball. Critics argue that this is another example of “sportswashing”, an attempt to improve the kingdom’s global image despite ongoing concerns about its human rights record.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has openly acknowledged the strategy, once telling Fox News:
“If sportswashing going to increase my GDP by way of one percent, then I will continue doing sport washing. I don’t care.”
While the NBA remains the undisputed leader in professional basketball, Project B’s financial muscle and global ambitions could create real competition. Offering equity and lucrative contracts may tempt international stars, and even some NBA players, to consider jumping ship.
The NBA has faced challenges before, but never from a league with this level of financial backing and international scope. If successful, Project B could reshape the economics of professional basketball, much like LIV Golf forced the PGA Tour into a merger.
Project B is reportedly targeting a launch next fall, with partnerships already secured in Asia and Europe. Singapore and Macau are among the first confirmed host cities, and organizers are in talks with additional venues across Europe.
For now, the NBA is watching closely. Whether Project B becomes a legitimate rival or another ambitious experiment will depend on its ability to attract elite players and sustain fan interest worldwide.
