The basketball project of the Slovenian star Luke Dončić got a new name. A group of investors, including a resident of Ljubljana, recently took over the Vanoli Cremona team, which then moved it to Rome, and the team’s new name will be Basketball Club Roma SPQR, the Italian newspaper wrote La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The leading name of the Roman project is Donnie Nelsonwith whom Dončić worked when he played for Dallas. At Nelson’s offer, the Slovenian immediately grabbed the opportunity, as he wanted to contribute to the growth of basketball. The team is competing for a place in the nascent NBA Europe league, which, according to the NBA Commissioner’s announcement, will take place Adam Silver started with the 2027/2028 season.
According to reports La Gazzetta dello Sport Dončić will first present the project to the mayor of Rome To Robert Gualtier. He will then meet with Gianni Petruccito the President of the Italian Basketball Association, Giancarlo Giorgettithe Italian Minister of Economy, and with the management of the Sport e salute organization, with whom they will see the Foro Italico complex, where the roof is being built so that the team can play home matches there. “One thing I would like to say, I can promise the Romans that they will be impressed with what we have planned. I want to win in everything I do. This is always my goal, and it will be the same in Rome,” a confident Dončić explained to the Italian media.
The commissioner of the NBA has announced that NBA Europe will begin in 2027. PHOTO: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images Via AFP
The team also received a special invitation to participate in the European Cup, so they will immediately test themselves at the international level. “Very important teams participate in the competition. For a club that is introducing itself for the first time, this is exactly the kind of challenge we want,” commented Dončić on the invitation.
